If you have been around the COTN Family for any length of time you will have gathered the centrality of the Kingdom Of GOD in our thinking and way of life. Those who were present at the founding of the family speak of how the Kingdom was in their spirits, hearts and living from the beginning, 30 years ago.

The years since have seen the maturing of Kingdom thought, theology and lifestyle and this process will continue into the future.

Recently my thoughts have been centred around the nature of a “Kingdom Wineskin” that will serve to contain the New Wine of the Kingdom that GOD continues to pour out. These thoughts have been filtered through my past experience and current challenges. Over the years I have personally lived and ministered in the context of three different wineskins. A Denominational wineskin – a Charismatic wineskin and currently in a developing Kingdom wineskin.

I experienced differing characteristics and emphases in each of these. They were each in turn, wineskins into which GOD poured new wine. Currently Ann and I work in a number of very different structural, cultural and geographic locations. From the big cities with their highly developed industry and commerce and the people who contribute to these and see them as their place of Kingdom ministry, to the rural area inhabited by subsistence farmers who also work out their salvation in that environment.

My challenge in all of this is to discern what GOD is doing and to hear what He wants of us, so that thought obedience to His leading, we may be Co-Workers with Him in the building of a wineskin of His design.

In this quest I have been guided by His revelation coming through the Bible and by listening to others who are asking similar questions. I have briefly recorded below some of the things that I have learnt and which have guided my quest.

From Matt 9 we learn that there are both old and new wineskins and that GOD values both of these. His concern from this parable is both that the new wine may not be spilt and that the old wineskin may not be destroyed. But it is also apparent that He only pours out His new wine into new wineskins.

This leaves us with the significant challenge, especially for leaders:- Firstly do I want to experience the new wine with all the associated fermentation that follows it. [From personal experience I know that this can be significant and require perseverance and fortitude to deal with.] Secondly, if I want to flow with the Lord as He pours out the new wine, I need to ask whether the wineskin within which I operate and am responsible under GOD for building, is suitable to receive the new wine?

Church history tells us that great effort is expended by leaders to retain the status quo. Also that we have blind spots when it comes to discerning when we have “settled down” to the point where GOD can no longer pour out His new wine into our midst. I find this an ever present personal challenge. Church history also tells us that there are very few examples, some believe there are none, where and old wineskin has been renewed, transformed from within to the point of being able to hold GOD’s new wine.

GOD has throughout history created new wineskins. From the wineskin of the Old Covenant to the wineskin of the New Covenant. From the wineskin of the State Church, to the Denominational Church, to the Charismatic Church, to a Kingdom wineskin.[To name just a few] However, the change from one new wineskin to the formation of the next is speeding up. The Denominational wineskin lasted 300 years before the Charismatic wineskin came into being, then 30 years before a Kingdom wineskin came into being. We need to be very attentive to the voice and guidance of GOD to ensure that we move with the Spirit in this matter.

In all of these changes there has been a move from democratic church government back to apostolic church government. The earlier is characterised by elected and appointed groups of people who govern the church to the current apostolic form of church government which stands or falls, not on position, but on personal relationships. Having worked in both of these forms of government, the Kingdom wineskin, built on relationships, is more demanding in one sense but completely liberating when relationships are strong. The Denominational wineskin is built on rules, sometimes anchored in mistrust, the apostolic wineskin is built on trust.

Tony Fitzgerald teaches that any kingdom is built on Government and Economics. The government in a Kingdom wineskin is built on fathers and sons and relationships. This Kingdom government needs to be established in both the church and workplace. People being helped to reach the fullness of their GOD given potential in both spheres. Apostles operate in both spheres. As in church life so in the workplace, if spiritual government is not in place to create the correct order, nothing of Kingdom value can emerge.

As apostles are more accepted in the Church today, there needs to be growth in both acceptance and number of apostles in the workplace in order to establish GOD’s government.

Those who serve in positions of leadership in both the workplace and the church can have a special role of bridging the differences in the value systems that are specific to each sphere. This will help facilitate the fivefold ministry to “equip the saints for work of ministry” in both spheres.

A “Victorious Kingdom Eschatology” is applicable to both workplace and church. This means that wherever Kingdom advances are made they establish His will on earth as it is in Heaven. These advances will remain until Christ comes again and completes His Kingdom on earth.

These are but a few comments on the establishment of a Kingdom wineskin. This Blog is written in the hope that others will add to it and the flow of Kingdom building will be facilitated.

One last comment. Ann and I live in Cape Town where there has been a huge surge in the building of a prayer platform among Christians. The same can be said for other parts of South Africa and the world. This provides a great platform which enables us to hear more clearly from the Lord and to make advances in the building of a Kingdom wineskin.