Oklahoma Baptism University, which is a co-educational Christian liberal art higher learning institution, invites three speakers in the annual FOCUS WEEK aimed at strengthening the relationship with God and other people. Dr. Vance Pitman was among the invited guest speakers this year. The Raley Chapel’s Potter Auditorium was the venue. The chapel, constructed from a tall elevation of the spire to the ground, can be viewed from a far place on a clear day and is used as a campus’ symbol.
In his talk on the kingdom of God, Vance starts with the greetings and a general picture of Las Vegas, where he ministers. Las Vegas city has a population of 2.2 million people. He asserts that out of these, only 8% are Christians, and out of the remaining 92%, the 60% do not practice any religion. Under those premises, out of every ten people you meet in this city, only one would be a Christian, which is why he terms Las Vegas as a very lost city, just like other cities in the West.
He tells the students of this institution that apart from acquiring sufficient skills, which are vital in our contemporary world, they should live a mission for God. Quoting from a book by J.D, he challenges them to do what they do well for the glory of God and then do it strategically for the mission of God. For the 15 years, Dr. Vance Pitman has been in the ministry, and he has learned to seek the kingdom of God first. In fact, he urges the school population that they should let the Kingdom of God be their number one priority.
His definition of God’s kingdom is God’s sovereign activity in the world, resulting in people being in the right relationship with Him, representing the big picture of what God is doing globally through the spread of Christianity. He acknowledges that people have gotten the concept wrong in our modern world. Indeed, planting a church is not supposed to be the real goal of Christians. They should understand that a church is a gathering place where people are taught and equipped about the kingdom of God to disciple individuals in the kingdom and then launch them out for the expansion of God’s Kingdom to the ends of the earth.
Some of the steps people should take is first to understand that when God plants a church, it is always about something bigger. Therefore, it should be viewed as the starting point, not the finishing point. The second thing that people should understand is that when God builds a church, He invites us to join His kingdom activity. Therefore, every church should cooperate with the kingdom by praying. Dr. Pitman concludes his summon by saying a word of prayer.
It is worth noting that the message about the kingdom of God can be applied in various areas of our personal lives. By seeking God’s kingdom first, it means that we let God have his way in our personal lives. In that aspect, God will supply our needs according to his riches in glory. It helps us to understand that we, as Christians, are called to do good things. Not only does this promote our relationship with God, but it also enhances the manner in which we correlate with other people.