Intensity of Purpose

In order to accomplish those things which are important, an intensity of purpose is required. Whenever we set out to do something of extreme importance we tend to focus upon it until it is completed. Focus is one of the key ingredients needed, which can only be realized when we view the task at hand as purposeful. When a task is viewed in this way there is an intensity which goes along with it.

Strategic Purpose

Kingdom advancement requires a conscientious effort. It requires focus, resolve and tenacity. In addition to those attributes Kingdom advancement requires concrete strategies and tactics. In order to develop these strategies and tactics we need to think through to the end goal and decide, in detailed fashion, how to reach it. Detail is critical. Innovation and creativity is also a critical factor in planning. If we are sincere about cultural renovation God-ward, we will have an intensity of purpose toward that end goal. It will become our focus and our short and long term end.

The Painful Details

Kingdom advancement can only succeed when we plan in detail working from the end goal

backwards.

For example: If you want to introduce yourself to the local sheriff, or the local county common-wealth attorney how would you go about achieving that? Where would you begin? How would you go about executing that goal?

First, you need to know “Why” you are meeting with him?
What do you want to accomplish?
What is your ultimate agenda?
What is the long-term reason why you might be interested in introducing yourself to that magistrate?

Since or default plan is usually abstract we need retrain ourselves to think in painfully explicit detail. We might begin with an abstract goal, but in order to successfully execute it to its final end there must be a systematic, well thought out, detailed plan.

Personal Integration

There are two ways of going about integrating yourself into any community. You can either critique and criticize to the point where people stop listening to you, or you can be crafty and become a trusted, even sought out, leader in the community God-ward. 

Once people respect you, even if they do not agree with you, you can have a Godly influence upon the culture so when you vehemently disagree with something it is not rejected out of hand.

A Case Study: The Details

Let’s take the hypothetical case of introducing yourself to the local sheriff. First: Why would you even bother getting to know the Sheriff? One very important reason is that he is the executive officer of the entire county which is an extremely weighty position. Secondly, he is one of the most important lesser magistrates that stands between the tyranny of the State and you. Thirdly, his job is to keep peace and order within the community which is essential to the overall well-being of any community.

So how do you get into the front door without looking like a complete idiot or nut case?

Remember you want to ultimately have him get to know you as an individual of integrity, lawfulness, ethical stability, knowledge and wisdom. If you have a business within the community, or if you are a minister, elder or deacon in your church, the introduction is easy. You already have a conspicuous place in the community which shows you have a stake in its safety and prosperity.

You can start by making an appointment with the sheriff introducing yourself and your position in the community, thanking him for his service and then asking him if there is anything that you might do to make his job easier.

This has to be a sincere request. You should want to be available as a gospel ambassador should an opportunity arise. Before he gets to know you, you must get to know him. Show some consideration for the job he has, his concern for his deputies, and offer whatever help and encouragement you can as a citizen or minister within the county.

After the initial introduction, be sure to periodically touch base with him and perhaps some of the deputies. Once a fluid relationship is established watch for opportunities to minster the Word of God to him as it concerns his position as the lesser magistrate.

Other Opportunities

This approach can be applied to any area that you wish to influence. Get to know the local bank manager, editor of the newspaper, fire chief, political reps of the local, state and federal jurisdiction. Visit your local commonwealth attorney and your local circuit court judges. Down the road, you may be able to offer them some materials that might be of interest in the application of God’s Law.
Don’t forget to be personable especially to the county clerk, treasurer and the secretaries of these offices. Don’t forget the local clergy. Get to know them. Eventually you will be lobbying them to get on board with certain community issues that they may tend to shy away from.

The Long-Term Effects

I cannot stress the importance of maintaining a consistency of Godliness. The manifestation of your ethical conformity to the Law of God is of utmost importance. You must be trust-worthy and even-tempered even in the face of severe reproach, slander, backbiting and even betrayal, all of which is guaranteed. Not everyone will respond positively to your Christian cause. Your purpose is to make inroads as a Christian leader in the community. Your efforts, if you are committed to the end goal, will pay off in the future, ultimately aiding in the advancement of righteousness, justice, equity and peace – the components of the Kingdom of God.

Christian Reconstruction: No Laughing Matter

Christian Reconstruction

The question concerning the reconstruction of the culture according to the Law-Word of God is no laughing matter, neither is it something to reject out of hand. It is a very real doctrine which is emphasized and repeated over and over in Scripture by way of commandment and historical case study. To deny Christian Reconstruction is to deny the Great Commandment of Matthew 28 and every other passage that corresponds to it both in the Old and New Testaments.

Consider the idea of Reconstruction

Everyone is a Reconstructionist. There is not one person on the face of the earth that doesn’t seek to re-orient things according to one’s own philosophical agenda. In fact, everyone seeks to conform the world in accordance with their theological presuppositions. In other words, everyone seeks to re-arrange things in light of what they “believe” is best either for themselves or for others. By definition that action is based upon theological and religious ideas. Once a person declares, “I think”, or “I believe, this way or that way is the best approach to accomplish something” it is a religious statement. To believe something is a theological statement.

Everyone is a Reconstructionist

Human life is in a constant state of re-organizing, re-prioritizing, re-scheduling and re-focusing. Mankind is constantly seeking to “better” himself by changing what doesn’t work to what works for a more fulfilling, productive life. To put it another way, every person on the face of the earth is seeking to “Reconstruct” their existence so as to enjoy a more meaningful existence. For the human race, reconstruction is not only inevitable, it is often a daily event.

For Example: Those who are unhappy with their intellectual knowledge usually go to college to re-orient their minds so as to be smarter. Individuals who are not satisfied with their physical appearance might opt for the reconstruction of their bodies though diet or exercise. Families are always in a state of reconstruction especially when there are little ones involved. Persons who are dissatisfied with their income seek to make more money by recalibrating their direction for better financial results. In the sphere of law and politics reconstruction takes center stage. Every law is an attempt to reconstruct human behavior. Every politician campaigns on promises for the society’s reconstruction.

These are all attempts at the reconstruction of something. In fact, reconstruction is all around us because it is wired into our nature. The question however is not ‘reconstruction or no reconstruction’ but rather ‘by what standard does a person, family, legislator or politician reconstruct the world around them?’ What is the standard for reconstruction?

Worldviews: The Standard of Human Reconstruction

Every attempt for reconstruction is based upon a network of belief systems called “Worldviews”. These Worldviews dictate the direction of change. Everyone holds to a particular world and life view. There is no neutrality here. These worldviews determine what a person believes about God, man, heaven, hell, money, power, good, evil, marriage, family, politics, law, science etc. Everyone holds some sort of “Opinion” (i.e. Worldview) which is actually religious in nature since it is not only a belief structure it is the standard which determines how one thinks and acts.

By What standard?

Worldviews can be classified as Biblical, Secular, or Syncretistic. Reconstruction will manifest itself in one of these three ways. Secular reconstructionist use pragmatism, individualism, libertarianism, atheism, and every other “ism” to reconstruct the social order according to what they believe is best for society. Those reconstructionist who blend moral principles with secular reasoning in a syncretistic fashion are also trying to reconstruct the culture.

Many of these are in the camp of the libertarians, natural law theorist, or constitutionalists but at the end of the day they are all trying to reconstruct the culture by way of their World view. They may call themselves Christians but their standard of Truth is not Biblical Christianity. What the syncretists fail to understand is that since their standard is not Biblical it cannot, and will not succeed in bringing about a righteous end no matter what their good intention are.

Christian Reconstruction.

Christian Reconstruction stands alone not only because it is unique but because it alone can bring about a cultural order that is holy, righteous, just, and good. The standard of Christian Reconstruction uses the Infallible Law Word of God to direct societal change. It stands in stark contrast to the chaotic system of man which has been proven to be futile time and time again, even throughout the ages.

So whenever anyone criticizes, mocks or tries to discredit the Christian Reconstruction movement remind them that everyone is part of a reconstruction movement. They will either reconstruct the culture according to their own fallible ideas, or they will reconstruct the culture in obedience to God’s Law. There is no middle ground and there is no excuse. 

The Essentials of Christian Reconstruction

In Greg McKeown’s book, ‘Essentialism’, he asks a very pointed question that every Christian who is interested in cultural reconstruction must ask. Quoting from Chinese philosopher Lin Yutang he writes, “The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”

In contemplation of this question the Christian should ask, “What is essential to the establishment of the Kingdom of God and what is not?” To be more specific the question really should be, “What is essential for me to focus upon and accomplish in the establishment of the Kingdom of God?” All too often, in the pursuit of reconstructing the culture, the Christian focuses on a myriad of general non-essentials rather than his or her individual specific essentials for Kingdom building.

So, what then are the essentials to Kingdom building beside the obvious establishment of individual righteousness and ethical conformity to the Law of God? How does one decide what is essential and what is not?

It must be first understood that each Christian is called to challenge a specific

area of the cultural for its reconstruction. I have been quoted as saying that “If your vision is anything less than changing the world for Christ, then your vision is too small.” What that quote fails to reveal is that the world is changed by many individuals focusing on individualized areas of the culture specific to their skill set which when networked together bring about world change. No one single handedly changes every area of the culture. Successful comprehensive reconstruction takes the entire Body of Christ, working together according to each individual calling. Deciding what area to focus upon holds the key to determining what is essential and what is not.

One way to begin is to focus on one area of the culture which you are most passionate about. The next step is to determine whether or not you possess the necessary wherewithal to begin confronting that area so it can eventually conform to the Word of God. Focus upon the single most important area that you believe you are proficient in understanding, analyzing and reorienting God-ward. Make a concrete decision to “fix” that area and then do not depart from that quest. To be sure these first steps are the most important. If you cannot decide which specific areas of the culture you wish to challenge you will remain confused, indecisive and thus ineffective.

Think In Concrete Terms

Abstract deliberation never solved anything. In order to actually reconstruct any

area of the social order concrete, strategic and tactical thinking must lead the way. Solution based applications must be tried and tested in the marketplace and not simply around the debate table.

The time for writing more books lamenting over what is wrong with the culture is as ineffective as any theoretical abstract plan for its remedy. Theory is good in so far as it becomes actionable. Whenever it fails to be applied it becomes ineffective. Once it is ineffective it simply becomes just another ivory tower of words without any teeth.

What we need are problem solvers. Instead of writing more books or pontificating via the lecture circuit or the bog-o-sphere, what is needed is a movement; a series of well-planned movements for Christian Reconstruction which will impact various targeted areas of the culture.

What do these individual cultural warriors look like? They are problem-solving Christians who are not interested in fame or fortune by becoming financially independent through donations. Their passion is only satisfied with results.

What is needed is a network of Christians that know how to get things done and are actually ready to execute those plans in the real world. It is that group of problem solvers that are essential to the success of Christian Reconstruction.