The Church and the Kingdom Pt1The Church and the Kingdom Pt1
Lance Johnson Ministries
How do we compare to the early church? Has the church changed so much that one must change thier doctrine to justify the enormous differences between who the church was and who it has become? God is awakening His church to rise and be transformed into eve
23:21•1 Dec 2022
From Self-Centred Gospel to Steadfast Church
Episode Overview
- Believers are called to mirror the early church’s resilience, holiness and unwavering commitment.
- Faith should move from being centred on personal benefit to laying down one’s life for God’s purposes.
- Every follower of Jesus, not just leaders, is anointed to minister in the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- True salvation brings moral and character change, affecting family life, integrity and daily choices.
- The church is described as an army that must be steadfast, spirit-filled and focused on advancing God’s kingdom rather than self-interest.
“Jesus never asked us to come to the cross to have simply a better life. He asked us to come to the cross that we would die to self.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol, addiction and self-centred living? Bishop Lance Johnson answers that by looking straight at the church and asking how closely it still resembles the early believers in the book of Acts. Speaking as someone who once knew "the unrelenting grip of alcohol and drug addiction", Lance draws a bold line between a modern, comfort-driven church culture and the sacrificial faith of the first Christians.
He reminds listeners that the early church was "full of just absolute steadfastness" – resilient, persecuted, yet unshakably committed to letting "the life of Christ" shine through them in everyday life. You’ll hear a strong call to move from a gospel that’s all about personal benefit to one that’s about laying your life down so others can find hope. Lance repeats that this isn’t just for pastors: "God has anointed you. Yes, you.
Not just the five-fold ministry." Workplace, shopping centre, sporting event – he says every setting is a chance to be "the hands and the feet of Jesus" for hurting people whose lives are spiralling out of control. Drawing on Paul’s long list of trials in 2 Corinthians 11, Lance paints a picture of a faith that doesn’t run when life gets hard or church politics get messy.
Instead, he urges believers to become "soldiers" and "an army" who protect what is sacred, live with integrity, and stop chasing church growth at the expense of genuine transformation. For anyone rebuilding life after addiction, or questioning shallow religion, this episode offers a straight-talking challenge: die to self, seek the Holy Spirit’s boldness, and become the kind of steady, kingdom-focused person your family and community can depend on. Ready to ask whether your faith is about comfort or true change?
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