Purpose of a Congress
Throughout the remainder of 2013 and into 2014, the groundwork for the Kingdom Congress continues to be laid. Meetings are being held and vision is being cast to stir the hearts of residents of Illinois who would like to see a new level of unity and cooperation come to the Body of Christ. The Kingdom Congress is putting out a call for church leaders to join with marketplace ministers and government workers to build a council, which will be charged with the task of staying informed about policies, activities, and legislation that effect and influence the citizens of Illinois.
The idea of gathering councils can be found within the pages of scripture as well as in the historical foundations of the church. Acts 15 recounts a time of transition in the early church when Gentiles were being converted. Until the time when Peter preached to Cornelius' household and Paul took the Gospel to the nations surrounding Israel, the church that Jesus promised to build was predominantly Jewish. With the ethnic addition of Gentiles, the church found that it was faced with opposing opinions as to how to assimilate the new believers and as to what should be required of the converts concerning the practices of the Jews.
A council was convened. The floor of the council was opened to hear testimony from the apostles, the evangelists, the teachers and students of the scriptures. After those gathered had been afforded an opportunity to weigh in on the issue at hand, God granted the assembly understanding and wisdom. Under the direction of James, the council found guidance from Amos 9:11-12, made a decree based upon their understanding of God’s Word, and distributed the findings to local
churches in written form.
History records that the early church also convened councils. One notable example was the Council of Nicea, which gathered in A.D. 325 to discuss the influence of Greek Gnosticism upon the church. The meetings were, in part, aimed at the teachings of a man named Arius, who asserted that Jesus was not God in the flesh. The Council at Nicea condemned the heresy of Arianism and set forth sound biblical doctrine upon which the church remained true to the tenants of the faith.
Although the purpose of the Kingdom Congress is not to establish biblical doctrine, the gatherings shall endeavor to overlay sound scriptural teaching upon the events and policies that are influencing Illinois. By comparing the will of God with the practices of man, the Kingdom Congress will attempt to discover the scriptural validity, or lack thereof, of public policy and cultural trends and, subsequently, publish those findings. The action of the Kingdom Congress aims to promote unity of purpose within the body of Christ, set a framework for praying God’s will into the earth, and provide a foundation for actions that will foster righteous activity within the state.
To the end of gathering members for the congress, area meetings are being held throughout the state. The next meeting has been set for Saturday, October 12 in Marion, Illinois. Kingdom Congress director Patti Amsden will be speaking along with representatives from the fracking industry and the Illinois legislature. The meeting will begin at 9:30 A.M. and continue until 3:00 P.M. Lunch will be provided for a fee.
The idea of gathering councils can be found within the pages of scripture as well as in the historical foundations of the church. Acts 15 recounts a time of transition in the early church when Gentiles were being converted. Until the time when Peter preached to Cornelius' household and Paul took the Gospel to the nations surrounding Israel, the church that Jesus promised to build was predominantly Jewish. With the ethnic addition of Gentiles, the church found that it was faced with opposing opinions as to how to assimilate the new believers and as to what should be required of the converts concerning the practices of the Jews.
A council was convened. The floor of the council was opened to hear testimony from the apostles, the evangelists, the teachers and students of the scriptures. After those gathered had been afforded an opportunity to weigh in on the issue at hand, God granted the assembly understanding and wisdom. Under the direction of James, the council found guidance from Amos 9:11-12, made a decree based upon their understanding of God’s Word, and distributed the findings to local
churches in written form.
History records that the early church also convened councils. One notable example was the Council of Nicea, which gathered in A.D. 325 to discuss the influence of Greek Gnosticism upon the church. The meetings were, in part, aimed at the teachings of a man named Arius, who asserted that Jesus was not God in the flesh. The Council at Nicea condemned the heresy of Arianism and set forth sound biblical doctrine upon which the church remained true to the tenants of the faith.
Although the purpose of the Kingdom Congress is not to establish biblical doctrine, the gatherings shall endeavor to overlay sound scriptural teaching upon the events and policies that are influencing Illinois. By comparing the will of God with the practices of man, the Kingdom Congress will attempt to discover the scriptural validity, or lack thereof, of public policy and cultural trends and, subsequently, publish those findings. The action of the Kingdom Congress aims to promote unity of purpose within the body of Christ, set a framework for praying God’s will into the earth, and provide a foundation for actions that will foster righteous activity within the state.
To the end of gathering members for the congress, area meetings are being held throughout the state. The next meeting has been set for Saturday, October 12 in Marion, Illinois. Kingdom Congress director Patti Amsden will be speaking along with representatives from the fracking industry and the Illinois legislature. The meeting will begin at 9:30 A.M. and continue until 3:00 P.M. Lunch will be provided for a fee.
