Author Says God Seeks Kingdom-Minded Christians
by Allie Martin
August 12, 2004
(AgapePress) - Southern Baptists are being called to adopt a lifestyle of holy living, sacrificial service, and global witness through the Southern Baptist Convention effort known as EKG or "Empowering Kingdom Growth."Dr. Ken Hemphill is the national strategist for "Empowering Kingdom Growth," a joint initiative of the SBC and LifeWay Christian Resources. In his newest book, EKG: The Heartbeat of God (Broadman and Holman, 2004), Hemphill encourages Christians to examine themselves to see if they are focused on God's kingdom agenda.
According to the author, God is searching for believers who will make God's kingdom and its righteousness their chief priorities. "What He's looking for is a church, a denomination, a family, a teenager or young person, who would be courageous enough to say, 'No matter what the climate and current of our day is, I'm going to live up to the standard of God's name.'"
Hemphill contends that Christians cannot experience true joy and abundance until they are fully focused on God. Until that happens, he says, efforts at self fulfillment will meet with frustration. "We spend about 11 percent of our income on entertainment," the author notes. "We're the most entertained generation that's ever been, and yet, we're so bored that we don't know what to do."
If Christians really want to know abundance and happiness, Hemphill says, "we've got to hunger for righteousness and for the kingdom -- that's Matthew 6:33 -- and He says when you do, then all these other things will be added. It's not one of those either-or issues."
Hemphill describes people who are kingdom-focused as those who are willing to say that, as they represent their Lord and Savior in the marketplace, they want everyone to be able to tell from their Christian lifestyle and behavior that they belong to God.
