By Cam Roxburgh
VP of Missional Initiatives
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33 NIV)
There is a shift happening – and it is a good one. It is not complete, at least not in me. But it is underway, and I am ever so grateful for it.
I have pastored for over thirty-three years now. During that time, I’ve seen models of church come and go and been shaped by many different movements. But the shift I am experiencing now personally, in our church, and in many denominations, is perhaps the “most Christian” shift I have seen.
I was influenced by a strong leadership movement in my early years. Like others, I flocked to South Barrington, Illinois, for years to attend the Willow Creek Leadership Summit. The heart of that place was about doing the best we could to see people come to know a Jesus who would shape their lives. This passion for evangelism was admirable, but there were many subtle distortions of the Gospel.
I drank the Kool-Aid.
Inadvertently, perhaps even carelessly, we all rushed into believing in ‘Empire’ instead of the words of Jesus to ‘seek the Kingdom.’ We were seduced into living in the wrong story.
Here are some examples. . . .
The above article is the first of a three-part series that kicked off last week in the October MIT Monthly Newsletter. If you are interested in more articles like this, as well as local stories of churches engaging in missional practices and resources for the journey, you can sign up to receive the monthly email from the Missional Initiatives Team.
The season of Advent is nearly upon us, and with it comes the annual NAB Advent devotionals. Check out the description below, and if you aren’t already signed up to receive these daily devotionals, you can do so at the link below.
Like a Child: The 2025 NAB Advent Devotionals
Advent is a season of looking back while looking forward. We remember the birth of Jesus – and all that led up to it and came after – which took place during this period when the people of Israel were waiting expectantly for the arrival (advent) of the Messiah. We look ahead to the second coming, or arrival, of Christ, when he will usher in the fullness of his Kingdom and bring full restoration to all creation.
Both backward and forward. One eye on the past while the other remains here in the present pointed toward the future.
With this duality in mind, join with churches and individuals across the NAB as we step into the nativity story this year, looking both backward – seeing how God became like a child for our sake – and toward the present and future – examining how Jesus calls us to become like children so that we might enter into his Kingdom in preparation for his return.
All twenty-six devotionals (November 30 through December 25) will be made available to download and share with your church or small group beginning November 20. You can also sign up to receive them in your inbox each day through the link below.
sign up for advent devotionals
Every three months, NAB international missionaries share news from through their various mission fields. These quarterly newsletters, sent out in February, May, August, and November, are just small snapshots of what God is up to in and through the NAB around the globe. The next set of newsletters are getting ready to be sent out on November 15, so if you aren’t already receiving them, now is the perfect time to sign up at the link below.