Some of my fondest memories are from Baker County, Florida, where I spent my childhood on my grandparents' farm. We lovingly called them Granny and Papa.
One of my favorite things during those days was our big family meals, often culminating in homemade ice cream. There was nothing quite like the hand-cranked, summer-day delight of homemade ice cream. Though it was a cherished part of the day that lives on in my memory, it wasn’t the most important part. It was a wonderful benefit, but the essence of those days was about family.
Growing up in church, the focus was always very singular: heaven or hell, turn or burn, as it was often preached. Sermon after sermon brought us back to the question, "Are you ready for heaven?" Meanwhile, we'd leave church and struggle all week with everyday life.
Let me be clear: I believe in heaven with all my heart. I believe Jesus died for our sins so that we could one day enjoy that indescribable eternal home. Over the past few years, however, I've come to believe that heaven is a wonderful benefit and byproduct of Christianity or discipleship, but perhaps it’s not the main purpose. I know, I know, for many in the South, that might sound blasphemous. But as with this whole blog, I simply offer you a different perspective. Here it is.
Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly." I don’t believe he is referring to the place of heaven simply because he says life and more life through abundance. Heaven is heaven. There’s not the place heaven and then more of it. I believe it has a far more practical application of our life here on earth through our relationship with him.
From the beginning, when Adam was in the garden, God's design was for man's enjoyment and dominance of this planet. Stewardship, rather than dominance, might be a better word, emphasizing fulfillment through servitude. Regardless, it’s about living in a way that displays God's nature and love and being a source of solutions.
After the fall of man, the focus shifted to restoring a life full of joy and fulfillment, culminating in the birth of Christ, His earthly ministry, and His death and resurrection. To boil all that down to just a ticket off this planet seems tragic. After all, He did say we inherit this planet later.
Jesus uses the word "heaven" roughly 70 times in the Gospels. You can loosely categorize these as 4 to 5 times mentioning the sky, roughly 40 times referring to the home and dwelling place of God, roughly 10 times used abstractly or metaphorically, and approximately 32 times referencing the Kingdom of Heaven, depending on the translation.
It is this last category that, I believe, has been under-emphasized in my church experience. Over the past seven years, this is where my heart and focus have lied along with a deeper understanding of my personal relationship with Christ. The Kingdom of Heaven refers to the realm of God's authority—where God's principles, provisions, and processes are lived out. Looking back, it seems we’ve been so preoccupied with leaving this planet for a place called heaven that we’ve failed in the ultimate job of bringing heaven, His Kingdom culture, to Earth.
I believe this is simply illustrated in what we often call the Lord’s Prayer. Titling Matthew 6:9-13 as the Lord’s Prayer is again more culture than Christ. This passage would be better described as the disciples' prayer. After all, it was the disciples who asked Jesus to teach them to pray. One could argue it couldn’t be the Lord’s Prayer because it includes a confession of sin, which Jesus did not have. But that’s another blog.
The point isn’t to argue terminology but to bring awareness to what Jesus said should be our focus. It wasn’t about building buildings or even winning converts. Don’t get me wrong—I believe conversion is important but I also believe it was expected to be natural relational process once people saw His Kingdom lived out in our lives. However, the focus, post-conversion, was the simplicity of bringing heaven—a culture—to Earth. I believe that is the Kingdom. I’m not criticizing those who have built buildings or focused on converting souls. I’m simply raising the issue with passion that our focus has to be on more.
There’s no doubt Jesus was crucified for our sins. The forgiveness of those sins and belief in Him grants us entrance into that eternal place called heaven. However, if that’s the sole focus, then the Bible is way too thick. Jesus was crucified for our sins but resurrected for our reign. God's will, as stated in that prayer, is our joyful, fulfilled stewardship of Earth while displaying His love. “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
I believe we have been duped. The Bible does say that the devil is the best at deceiving. Ask yourself: Would I still follow Christ if there were no heaven? Once again, I believe in that eternal place. However, I believe when we can answer yes to that question, we better understand the purpose of our relationship with the Father through Jesus His Son.
In his final commision Jesus emphasized making disciples and, in doing so, bringing the culture of heaven to Earth. He said to teach them what I have taught you. Have we reduced this grand and glorious empowerment and personal relationship with the Father through Christ to a once-a-week, one-hour gathering where we hope to be told our ticket out of here is still good? I hope not.
The world needs His Love, His influence, His Kingdom. Not one of judgment and terror, but of solutions, compassion, and love. The world needs people who radiate this. It is the only hope.
It is my hope and prayer that our focus changes to where we wake up with a daily mission to display His Kingdom through our lives. We don’t have to give up one to get the other. We can build His Kingdom, change this world, and one day enjoy the ultimate homemade ice cream.
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