Our vision focus for this year is “Kingdom Life” and ““bringing God’s kingdom life wherever we are.” What does kingdom life mean to you? Before you begin this discussion study in your Life Group, share your individual thoughts on what kingdom life means to you.
Kingdom Life and Alternative StoriesIvan Illich, an Austrian theologian, and philosopher was once asked, “What is the best way to change the world, by revolution or reformation?” His response was neither. He then added thoughtfully the best way to change society is by telling an alternative story.
The best way to understand kingdom life is as an alternative story. It is such good news in a world that more often hears bad news. The good news of God’s coming kingdom is a powerful narrative that for generation after generation has transformed lives and reshaped the world in profound ways. We can see this in Matthew 24:13–14 where Jesus promises that the good news story of the Kingdom will be proclaimed worldwide before the end arrives.
The crux of this good news is the story of Jesus fulfilling the story of Israel. We see that gospel (good news) clearly summarised in 1 Corinthians 15:1–4. Here Paul succinctly outlines the story of how Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and then rose again in fulfilment of the ancient promises given to Israel by God in the Old Testament scriptures.
In an even larger sense it is a story of Jesus bringing to completion God’s redemptive plan from the dawn of creation. It is the story of Jesus’ rule and reign coming on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:13). If we allow it, this story can completely change our story too.
CityLife Church's Fully Alive Vision Story God’s kingdom story also shapes our life as a church. In each chapter of CityLife’s story, we have sought God and prayed for fresh and new ways to communicate how God’s story is shaping our vision and purpose.
“Fully Alive” is the chapter title for this current season of CityLife Church. Beginning in 2022, we have been describing the story of CityLife church as “a spirit filled movement where each person is becoming fully alive in Christ so that every city overflows with Kingdom Life.”
That Fully Alive story is unfolding with a different focus each year.
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Spirit Life (2022). Each person encountering full life in Christ.
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Shared Life (2023) Each person becoming fully alive like Christ as we share life together.
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Kingdom Life (2024). Each person bringing God’s Kingdom Life wherever we are.
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Overflowing Life (2025). Every community, city and nation overflowing with life.
We also have a future hope that in fifteen years every city in Melbourne, and other place around the world will be filled and overflowing with Kingdom Life.
Our 2024 Kingdom Life Focus and OutcomeOur 2024 vision story focus is “Bringing God’s kingdom life wherever we are.” To translate that Kingdom Life focus into practical steps, we have embraced a single church wide outcome for 2024 which we all can be part of. It is specific, measurable, action oriented, realistic and time bound. So it is S.M.A.R.T! We are calling it "Take a Step, Tell Your Story." Here it is in a single paragraph.
In 2024 each person will take a step in discipleship and kingdom living. We will focus on steps that enlarge our capacity to bring God’s kingdom life wherever we are. We will tell many kingdom stories. In 12 months, our church will have taken 10,000 steps for the Kingdom. Steps Indicators for 2024:How will we highlight our progress towards that outcome? By counting steps just as we did last year. Each step is someone’s story of becoming fully alive in Christ and bringing God’s kingdom life wherever they are. Here are the measurable steps that we took in the last two years and the steps we are looking to take together in 2024.
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Spirit Life steps include people coming to a church service at CityLife for the first time, giving their lives to Christ, being water baptised, attending a church service regularly and growing in Christ as they develop their spiritual rhythms.
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Shared Life steps include joining a Life Group, becoming part of ministry team, completing any of our LifeTracks training courses and becoming a leader.
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Kingdom Life steps involve becoming part of “bridge” group or a community impact team. They include going on a short-term mission trip or undertaking missional training. They also include sharing your story of how you have brought God’s kingdom life wherever you are.
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Overflowing Life steps are team members becoming part of a new congregation plant.
The summary steps table below shows that, by our projections, WELL OVER 10,000 steps will be taken towards our vision outcome this year. That represents continued growth in people’s lives compared to the previous two years. It also includes 3151 Kingdom Life steps which is a big lift compared to both 2022 and 2023. We believe Intentional focus on Kingdom Life steps will bring considerable progress in that area this year, just as it did in for us in the shared life and spirit life focus areas in previous years. And again each step represents someone’s story of life change and kingdom impact.
| 2022 | 2023 | Estimated Target
2024 |
| Spirit Life | 5529 | 3765 | 4910 |
| Shared Life | 2495 | 4377 | 3813 |
| Kingdom Life (and Overflowing Life) | 129 | 1663 | 3151 |
| TOTAL | 8153 | 9805 | 11874 |
Three Key Initiatives for 2024:
To help us all be very intentional in stepping into our vison in 2024, we have identified three key initiatives we want to start straight away from the very start of the year. These are:
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Take a Step for the KingdomWe want to encourage each LG and LG member to take a step to bring the life of the Kingdom wherever they are. We will be providing extended opportunities for that to happen through Community Impact Teams, World Impact Teams, Life Group Outreach Events, and Missional Courses. Look at our Next Steps pathway on our website to explore the opportunities available.
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Take a Step in DiscipleshipAs a second key initiative, we are also encouraging each leader to take a step in apprenticing others along the next steps pathway with LifeTracks and our Discipleship Toolkit. We are also believing for somewhere between 200 and 300 new leaders to step up in 2024 as we build strong discipleship and coaching relationships. For more information on steps you can take in discipleship please again look at our next steps pathway on the website.
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Tell Your Story.“Telling your story” is the key initiative we want everyone to be involved in 2024. We would love every person and team to be sharing kingdom stories of how God’s kingdom life has changed your life or that of your family, neighbours, friends, and work colleagues. We want to tell many Kingdom stories -- hopefully well over one thousand. Each will be a testimony to the tangible evidence of God’s kingdom life wherever we are. They will be stories of God’s kingdom being revealed in freedom, justice, healing, shalom peace, restoration, joy in the Holy Spirit, and God’s tangible presence. If you want to share your story, please go to our website, and follow the links to our Kingdom Story form.
Telling Kingdom StoriesRomans 10:15 says … “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” This is a quote from the prophet Isaiah many centuries earlier. “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”” Isaiah 52:7.
As we read the book of Isaiah and reflect on the message of the Kingdom that Jesus announced on the hills of Galilee and Judea, we discover there are seven ways the Kingdom of God is revealed. These marks of God’s kingdom are also revealed in our lives and the lives of those we serve as we live out God’s story.
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Freedom [Salvation/Deliverance] includes any experience of freedom from condemnation, sin, brokenness, addictive patterns and fear and anxiety. It can also include community freedom, for example deliverance from war, persecution, natural crises, and famine.
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Justice. Biblical justice encompasses restoration and the idea of making the world right. It is a broader term than simply legal justice. It involves right action out of a heart of love.
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Healing. Any form of healing in answer to prayer is a clear mark of God’s kingdom reign. This includes all physical healings from sickness and disease, along with emotional healing, and the experience of mental health.
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Shalom Peace. Such peace is a broader concept than simply calmness or a peaceful existence. It implies well-being and wholeness in relationships where there is reconciliation with God and one another.
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Restoration of Community. This goes beyond restoring people to a place of safety and access. It encompasses people finding a place of belonging and togetherness. It includes becoming a part of God’s family in a meaningful expression of community such as a congregation, a life-group, a ministry team, or an actual family.
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Joy in the Holy Spirit This speaks to the times when the Holy Spirit moves and God’s intervention in our life brings incredible and unexpected joy.
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The Tangible Presence of God. This mark of the kingdom involves a profound experience of the reality of God’s presence. It could include giving ones’ life to Christ, being filled with the Holy Spirit, a deep experience of God’s presence in prayer, worship.
The seven marks of God’s kingdom summarise the way the kingdom of God was revealed through the good news that Jesus preached. They are distinct marks which show us that God’s reign on earth has already begun. They are also seven distinct kinds of kingdom stories we can share as we bring the good news of Jesus wherever we are.
Story-Dwellers and StorytellersThe kingdom of God is not just a story to be heard; it is story we are called to live in. It is a story we are called to tell repeatedly. As we do, it is a story that transforms our lives and that of our church and community. Becoming kingdom story dwellers and story tellers captures the essence of Kingdom Life. So what is your kingdom story?
Discussion Questions:1. How does your understanding of Kingdom Life influence your daily decisions and interactions?
2. In what ways can alternative stories to positively impact our community or society?
3. How has the Gospel, as presented in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, shaped your beliefs and actions?
4. Which element of the CityLife Church Vision resonates with you the most, and how can your small group actively contribute to that aspect?
5. Discuss practical steps to engage with one of the three key initiatives for this year. How can your small group support and encourage each other in this process?
6. Reflect on the potential impact of sharing personal stories within the church community and beyond. How does this support Life Group outreach purpose?
7. Share some of your kingdom stories using the seven marks of the kingdom as a prompt.
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