Kingdom Culture Vision
Our desire as a church is to define more clearly God’s call for our body to emulate heaven by being a racially and ethnically diverse people that live out Kingdom Culture as a unified body. These clarity statements are not offered to appear socially conscious nor are they offered to appease the initiatives of any group of people. They are offered to help people understand the direction of our church related to biblical Kingdom Culture. The statements also serve as accountability to our leadership to be intentional about the fulfillment of these statements. Biblical Kingdom Culture encompasses many aspects of how Christians should embrace societal concerns, but for clarity and forward movement this statement primarily refers to racial issues.
A “Kingdom Culture church” is a Spirit-led, biblically based family of God embracing every nation, tribe, people and language, committed to worshipping Jesus and living out Kingdom values in community.
We are clearly stating that we are for Jesus Christ, His Church and His mission to the world. We are committed to engaging culture from a biblical worldview; therefore, our mission is not to align to any specific person, social trend, political party or organization but to challenge everyone in all spheres of society to live as disciples of Jesus and to apply biblical conviction in their leadership and influence. Prioritizing Jesus does not mean practicing ‘color blindness’ but simply means that we will honor Jesus first and then honor the uniqueness of every tribe, tongue and people among us.
Also, because of our biblical convictions, we are clearly stating that we oppose any form of human oppression towards, but not limited to, the poor, women, the unborn, the elderly, the immigrant, people of every culture and race, and persons with mental, emotional, social or physical disabilities.
Kingdom Culture Values
- Church members prioritize Christian identity over any racial, cultural or political identity. I Peter 2:9-10
- Value is placed on every person of any race, gender and age. Value is shown in many ways, often through encouragement, honor, care, meeting one another’s needs, rejoicing and mourning with one another and advocating for one another when subject to injustice. Romans 12:9-16, I Corinthians 12:12-27
- Church leaders seek God and respond to the Holy Spirit’s leadership in establishing Kingdom Culture through church leadership, church teaching, and church ministries and services. Acts 13:1-3
- Church leaders equip every church member to understand and apply God’s Word when distinguishing between Kingdom Culture and societal narratives. Acts 15:1-35
- Church leaders prayerfully discern when to speak publicly about societal issues and controversies. When they do speak publicly, it is done to teach biblical perspective and declare truth. Ephesians 4:11-16
- Church members participate in cross-cultural relationships with the hope of learning to love one another and to dwell together in unity. John 13:34, John 17:20-24, Ephesians 2:14-16
- Kingdom Culture Plans (Educate, Relate, Advocate)
Educate
- Create a list of cross-cultural resources to help us understand one another.
2. Church leadership will communicate and train the church to understand key social issues.
Course on understanding culture from a biblical worldview will be offered fall 2021 through Life University to be followed up with a course in the spring semester that speaks to specific cultural issues such as race, poverty, women, the elderly, etc.
3. Develop Kingdom Culture training resources.
- Training was developed and implemented in Jan 2020. It was captured in video and made into a training resource and distributed to all churches in the Antioch Movement.
- The Elders have included the statement on Kingdom Culture into the church’s overall vision statement and strategy plans.
Relate
- Increase cross-cultural relationships within the body.
2. Leadership will commit to engage in diverse church relationships within the city including pastors’ prayer gatherings.
3. Antioch will look for opportunities to host cultural community events and diverse worship/prayer gatherings.
4. Continue Antioch Come Together and DiverseCity initiatives.
5. Adult Pastoral Team will develop Kingdom Culture strategy for Lifegroups.
- Our vision for Kingdom Culture is being added to Antioch’s new Lifegroup leader training process including the new Lifegroup leader website. Kingdom Culture vision is also included in the church’s Ownership Night.
Advocate
Develop feedback process for racial/cultural concerns for staff and the church.
2. Provide venues for Antioch people to process relational and societal challenges.
3. Facilitate Antioch’s Kingdom Culture business initiative.
4. Develop relationships with city leaders on ways to engage key social issues in Waco.
5. Develop Antioch’s missions’ recruitment initiative to facilitate more missionaries from diverse backgrounds.
6. Commit to sustained prayer and intercession for Kingdom Culture vision.
7. Diversify music expression during Sunday services.
Currently building relationships with African American musicians who are helping the Antioch worship ministry learn how to broaden our corporate services musical expression.
Several Spanish singers and musicians are actively participating in the worship team and lead out in Spanish worship songs in corporate services.