David’s Notes – Kingdom Disciples by Tony Evans

Evans, Anthony T. Kingdom Disciples: Heaven’s Representatives on Earth. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2017.

https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Disciples-Heavens-Representatives-Earth-ebook/dp/B06X91WCX1

Summary in a Sentence

Evans expounds on the need for genuine followers of and leaders for Christ and provides a four-level strategy for execution. 

Elevator Pitch

We must call believers and churches back to the primary responsibility of being disciples and disciple-makers, as many lack the tools to fully live as heaven’s representatives on earth. We make disciples by going into the world (and exploring our own lives), baptizing (creating awareness of new spiritual identity and soul-level transformation), and teaching others to follow and mature in Christ (20).

Problem, Solution, and Significance

Problem: There is a shortage of qualified kingdom disciples and the world is in a state of decay (23).

Solution: A discipleship process at four levels helps establish God’s kingdom agenda on earth. The four levels are individual, family, church, and community (243). The individual plan involves coming to Christ, giving our burdens to him, taking up his “yoke,” and entering his rest (167). The family plan emphasizes unity, covenant, and transcendence. The church plan includes witness, teaching the Scriptures, fellowship, and worship. The community plan calls for church unity, service projects, and church-school partnerships (227).

Significance: If not us, then who? The church comprises the official kingdom embassy and ambassadors. No one else can fulfill our assignment. 

Personal Application

• I must go to people, help them identify with Christ, and teach them Christ’s commands so they may obey and honor him (29).
• Relationship always precedes rules (53). Relationship is dominant over performance (117).
• I must define myself not by what I do but who I am – more importantly – who Christ is in me. Christ is in me and I am in him (99).
• The discipleship process is a journey from self-sufficiency to God-sufficiency (104).
• Nation building is directly influenced by how I cooperate with the Holy Spirit to build my family (194).

Quotes

• “God’s Kingdom agenda is the visible manifestation of God’s comprehensive rule over every area of life” (10).
• “A kingdom disciple is a believer in Christ who takes part in the spiritual developmental process of progressively learning to live all of life in submission to Jesus Christ” (15).
• “The goal of a kingdom disciple is to have a transformed life and to replicate God’s kingdom values in the lives of others” (5-16).
• “Authority is the right to use the power you possess” (61).
• “Essentially, we witness this flip-flop of kingdoms and then wonder why there is not more victory and rule in lives, homes, churches, and communities” (62).
• “Agape is compassionately and righteously pursuing the well-being of another” (88).
• “Give me the mind of Einstein, and there is no mathematical formula I cannot unravel…Give me the life of Jesus Christ, and there is no victory I cannot achieve” (103).
• “Your trash is anything contrary to the truth of God that holds you back from completely living out your personal identity” (170).
• “Dominion simply means ruling on God’s behalf in history so that history comes under God’s authority” (181).
• “Ritual that is not predicated on an authoritative nature of relationship between God and mankind is simply legalism and is the fastest track away from God’s purposes of dominion than any other” (184).
• “A covenant is a spiritual and relational bond between God and a person or people, inclusive of certain agreements, conditions, benefits, and effects” (189).
• “The more the church brings God’s influence into the culture, the more orderly that culture will be” (226).

Values Connection

Genesis 1:26-28, Joshua 24:15, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 29:16-20, Romans 6:11, 1 Corinthians 1;18, 2, Corinthians 3:18, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 1:20, 2:6, I Peter 2:9.[1]

[1]Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages are referenced using the New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011).