FIRST-PERSON: Empowering Kingdom Growth: Promoting a Passion
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--For a year now, I have had the pleasure of traveling across our convention on behalf of the Executive Committee and LifeWay speaking about Empowering Kingdom Growth. I have spoken in local churches, associational settings, and to various state convention staffs. I am thrilled to report that there is growing excitement and anticipation about this bold initiative adopted by our convention in 2002. Read More

FIRST-PERSON: Prayer & Empowering Kingdom Growth
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--As we read the New Testament, we are not left with any question about the importance of the Kingdom of God in the life and teaching of Jesus. His ministry was announced by John the Baptist with the startling words: Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt. 3:2). And after the time of Jesus' temptation, we are told that He "began to preach" the message of the Kingdom (4:17) -- the clear implication being that His teaching on the Kingdom was not an occasional message, but a consistent message. Even a cursory reading of the Gospels will illustrate this. Read More

FIRST-PERSON: Evangelism & the Kingdom of God
DALLAS (BP)--While the Kingdom of God was the central theme of all preaching in the New Testament, it has been virtually ignored by modern-day evangelists. This absence of Kingdom-centered evangelism has had devastating effects on the Western church and has now reached critical mass. An anthropocentric gospel of American individualism, which traces its roots back no farther than to the American frontier, has replaced the God-centered “gospel of the kingdom.” The deficiency is so great that most evangelists and professors of evangelism would be hard-pressed even to define the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 24:14; Mark 1:14). The result has been a watered-down message that has no power to change lives. Read More

FIRST-PERSON: EKG: What is it, anyway?
Sept. 5, 2003 - FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (BP)--As a member of the Southern Baptist Convention's Empowering Kingdom Growth Task Force, I am hearing more and more people ask what this is all about. Is it a new program and, if so, how does a Southern Baptist participate in it? Read More

FIRST-PERSON: A layman's perspective on EKG
Aug. 15, 2003 - NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Is Empowering Kingdom Growth just another denominational program or is it a wake-up call from God? I believe it's a wake up call. Read More

FIRST-PERSON: One person's hunger for Baptists to 'seek first the Kingdom of God'
Jul 16, 2003 - SCOTT DEPOT, W.Va. (BP)--Southern Baptist messengers and guests gathered in Phoenix June 15-18 for their annual convention and related meetings. As they did so, they moved into year two of the Empowering Kingdom Growth initiative. Read More

FIRST-PERSON: EKG: Envisioning an awakening
Jun 12, 2003 - PATASKALA, Ohio (BP)--If Empowering Kingdom Growth is seen by Southern Baptists as another program being pushed by denominational leaders trying to justify their existence, it will soon fade into obscurity. However, if it is seen as a spiritual movement reflecting the heart of both Scripture and God, it could become the catalyst for the first awakening in the new millennium. Read More

FIRST-PERSON: Beyond me-ism: a Kingdom attitude
May 9, 2003 - ATLANTA (BP)-"So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth," 1 Corinthians 3:7 states (HCSB). We find ourselves in such an age of me-ism that even Christians struggle with the idea that the world is "all about me." It's the idea that I should have my way. I should be the one who gets recognized. I should be in charge of the world! Read More

FIRST-PERSON: Kingdom growth is limitless
Apr 4, 2003 - COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP)--In the four Gospels, Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God more than anything else. Sometimes He referred to the Kingdom of God as the Kingdom of Heaven or just the Kingdom. A careful study of those statements of Jesus reveals that He was more concerned about the Kingdom of God on this earth than in eternity. In other words, if the peoples of this world become Kingdom people, their inclusion in the heavenly Kingdom will take care of itself! Read More

FIRST-PERSON: EKG & the local church 
July 8, 2004 - ASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--What does Empowering Kingdom Growth have to do with the local church? Everything We must not make the mistake of identifying the church as the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is certainly larger and consists of much more than the local church, but the church is the primary instrument for Kingdom advance on earth. The EKG emphasis in Southern Baptist life has as its primary goal the encouragement and revitalization of the local church. It is our prayer that the focus in local churches will be set on God's agenda rather than human agendas. We must remember that the church was not created to satisfy our whims, but to advance God's Kingdom. Read More

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