Spheres

of influence

How do we see a whole nation transformed?

Just as God created individuals and loves each one of us, wanting to redeem us from brokenness and sin, so God created nations (Acts 17: 26-27) and loves them, wanting to bring kingdom transformation into every dimension of their societal interactions.

Spheres of influence are a strategic framework for seeing nations discipled.

Loren Call2all uses Loren Cunningham’s framework of 7 societal spheres, there are several other common variations with 8 or 12 ‘spheres’, ‘mind molders’ or ‘mountains.’

They all point to a God who has a heart for lost individuals and lost nations and invites us to collaborate with him to bring the transformative impact of the kingdom of God into every area of life, both private and public.

Links

Three key websites that can point you towards further study are:

templateinstitute.com

www.revelationmovement.com

www.reclaim7mountains.com

call2all is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Books

Several others have now begun to write building on this concept which emerged afresh in 1975, but which is deeply rooted in the Biblical text. Some key books that will enrich your thinking in this area include:

An Introduction to the Old Testament Template: Rediscovering God’s Principles for Discipling Nations, by Landa L. Cope

The Book That Transforms Nations: The Power of the Bible to Change Any Country, by Loren Cunninghamwith Janice Rogers

The 9 to 5 Window, by Os Hillman

The Book That Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization, by Vishal Mangalwadi

Truth and Transformation: A Manifesto for Ailing Nations, by Vishal Mangalwadi

Discipling Nations: The Power of Truth to Transform Cultures, by Darrow Miller with Stan Guthrie

LifeWork: A Biblical Theology for What You Do Every Day, by Darrow Miller with Marit Newton

Transformation: How Glocal Churches Transform Lives and the World, by Bob Roberts Jr.

Real-Time Connections: Linking Your Job with God’s Global Work, by Bob Roberts Jr.

How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture, by Francis A. Schaeffer

His Kingdom Come: An Integrated Approach to Discipling the Nations and Fulfilling the Great Commission, by Jim Steir, et al.

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The 7 Spheres of Influence

Family

Through family, life can be multiplied and God-given destiny for every individual established. How can we engage with families, to serve and strengthen them?

This and every sphere is created by God. He was the one who had the idea of family and framed its constituent parts. His purpose for this sphere is that through it life might be multiplied and God-given destiny for every individual may be established. We are aware that the enemy is contending against families all over the world. Broken relationships, abuse, a loss of identity and value, a sense of abandonment and an orphan spirit, communication break downs, rebellion, immorality and accusation are just some of the things that war against the families of the earth. God wants us to engage with families, to serve and strengthen them, to see his purposes of life and destiny restored in them and through them to an emerging generation.

Connect

If you or your ministry work in this area, get in touch and and let’s see how we can support each other.

Key Biblical Passages

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. (Gen 2:24)

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Exo 20:12)

Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. (Jo 24:14-15)

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family. (Acts 16:29-34)

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Government

Praying and working with civic leaders to see every form of greed, injustice and corruption end and God’s kingdom principles established in our nations.

God has appointed government in order to safeguard justice and defend peace within the nation. Rulers exercise delegated authority in order to serve the citizens whom they govern. The “Law of the King” found in Deuteronomy 17:14-21 warns those in authority against multiplying horses, wives, and gold. These three represented a lack of self-control in areas of power, sex and money, leading the ruler into a life-style of authoritarianism, hedonism and materialism. God’s alternative to these three unrighteous value systems is servanthood, purity and generosity.

But since we are aware that our civic leaders are often pressed to compromise in these areas, we must pray and work to see every form of greed, injustice and corruption end, and God’s kingdom principles established in our nations. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Ps 33:12). We need to work so that every nation on earth might know this blessing.

Connect

If you or your ministry work in this area, get in touch and and let’s see how we can support each other.

Key Biblical Passages

Appoint judges and officials for each of your tribes in every town the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall judge the people fairly. Do not pervert justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. Follow justice and justice alone… (Dt 16:18-20)

For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king… (Is 33:22)

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God… For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. (Rom 13:1,3-4)

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Tm 2:1-4)

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Economics

(Science/Technology & Business)

This sphere is about seeing financial provision released and stewardship modelled. The twin engines of science and technology and business enterprise work together for the good stewardship of the earth.

From a Biblical perspective, wealth is not a finite commodity; nor is the economic arena a closed circle. It represents an expanding universe of possibilities that is unlocked by innovation in science and technology and creativity in business. When stewarded well, this economic sphere glorifies the Creator who works with humans as co-creators in the process of life-enhancing innovation and godly provision for people.

But all is not well on planet earth. The business world has been corrupted with greed and injustice. We are being called to see a rebirth of kingdom entrepreneurship that will release new creativity in order to provide with integrity new goods and services that enhance people’s lives and relationships.

Michael Schluter, founder of the Jubilee Centre in Cambridge highlights the fact that the bottom line of the economic sphere must be the enhancing of relationships: “The starting point for evaluation of economic and social ‘institutions’ is the fact that God is a relational being, and that his priority is not economic growth, but right relationships both between humanity and himself, and between human beings. This relational focus is the theme of both Old and New Testaments. When Jesus lays down the overarching moral principles of ‘love God and love your neighbor’ (Mt 22:34-40) he is pointing to the priority of relational over financial wealth, for love is a quality of relationships.”

The Cambridge Papers, Vol 18, Num 3, 2009

Connect

If you or your ministry work in this area, get in touch and and let’s see how we can support each other.

Links

Key Biblical Passages

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it… Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. (Gen 2:15, 19-20)

Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. (Prv 10:4)

So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mt 6:31-33)

For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” (1 Tm 5:18)

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives. (Ti 3:14)

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Religion

God’s purpose for this sphere is the extension of mercy and the promotion of reconciliation, between God and humanity and between broken human relations.

Competing religious worldviews contend for the hearts and minds of men and women everywhere. Without falling into a contentious spirit, we are to enter this marketplace of religious ideas and clearly display why the gospel of Christ is unique. In fact, the gospel is the only means of enduring grace, for it alone makes lasting reconciliation possible.

Connect

If you or your ministry work in this area, get in touch and and let’s see how we can support each other.

Key Biblical Passages

This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD. (Jer 9:23-24)

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Mi 6:8)

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ (Mt 9:13)

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Cor 5:18-20)

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (Jas 1:26-27)

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Education

Education is to be a means of discipleship and multiplication. We see all students being equipped to discover their God-given destiny.

God’s purpose is that the educational sphere is designed to be a means of discipleship and multiplication. The Foundational Documents of the Global Accreditation Association (GAA) states that “the purpose of discipleship is the transformation of the student rather than the transacting of knowledge. We see all students being equipped to discover their God-given destiny and be equipped for fruitfulness within the call of God on their lives.” With this perspective education becomes a means of developing a Biblical Christian Worldview where Jesus is the model and the Bible is the foundation of the education process. To be Biblical it should occur in a family-based context for it is the family that carries the primary authority and responsibility for the education of children.

Connect

If you or your ministry work in this area, get in touch and and let’s see how we can support each other.

Key Biblical Passages

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Dt 6:4-7)

One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. (Ps 145:4)

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. (Prv 1:8)

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Is 2:2-3)

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:2)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pt 1:5-8)

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Media

God’s purpose for this sphere is the transfer of wisdom and the promotion of healthy relationships. How do we communicate best to advance the kingdom of God?

Proverbs is full of pithy axioms which emphasize the power of communication to do good or to do ill. For example, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Prv 12:18); or “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit” (Prv 15:4); for “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Prv 18:21). There is great power not only in what is said but in how it is said. In the midst of the contemporary communication revolution with new technologies emerging one after another we have more and more capacity to communicate. But what are we communicating? Is it bringing life or death? Is it enhancing wisdom or promoting folly? Is it building up godly relationships or tearing them down? We must enter into this arena as followers of Jesus to use every tool available: print and broadcast media, films and the internet, new social media as well as more traditional media to advance the kingdom of God. Consider reading Landa Cope’s Communicating Christ Clearly, a book about Jesus-style communication.

Connect

If you or your ministry work in this area, get in touch and and let’s see how we can support each other.

Links

Books

Key Biblical Passages

Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. (Prv 9:9-12)

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check…Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom… For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (Jas 3:2, 13, 16-17)

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Celebration

(Arts, Entertainment & Sports)

God’s purpose for this sphere is to strengthen hope and build communities.

We read in the Scriptures that “Jubal… was the father of all who play the harp and flute” (Gen 4:21). Ever since then, balladeers and artists have used their skills to entertain people and speak to the heart of their culture. In the Bible, these artistic gifts are often identified with the role of the prophetic ministry. When the ideas of God are embedded in story form, the truth resonates with both heart and mind, maximizing the potential impact in the life of those who are drawn into the story. Thus the arts allow truth to touch the senses, inform the mind, engage the emotions, challenge the will, and change the life. It allows for a holistic presentation of truth that engages the whole person in a transforming way. At the same time, story has the power to create identity and community. As individuals identify with a common story they are drawn together into one body with one purpose. Stories of God’s work in the past build hope for the future. They become a means of inspiration, giving strength and courage to face the ever present challenges of life’s journey.

Connect

If you or your ministry work in this area, get in touch and and let’s see how we can support each other.

Key Biblical Passages

You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Ex 19:4-6)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 15:13)

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy… But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. (1 Cor 13:13-14:1,3)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Pt 2:9-10)

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