Purpose, Power, Prayer: Tim Horman
Welcome to One Church — and what a morning it was as we launched our first 9am service! In this message, Tim Horman reminded us that this isn’t about building “the kingdom of One Church”, but about making room at the table for King Jesus and His kingdom.
The key passage Tim anchored us in is Mark 1:14–15, where Jesus announces:
The time has come
The kingdom of God has come near
Repent and believe the good news
In this post, we’ll unpack what Jesus meant by the kingdom of God, why it matters, and how we actually live it out day-to-day. (Audio and video of the sermon are available below.)
The first thing Jesus preached: the Kingdom
It’s striking: the first recorded words of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel aren’t “here’s how to go to heaven when you die.” They’re a declaration that something has broken into the world right now.
“The kingdom of God has come near.”
When Jesus says “kingdom”, He’s talking about God’s rule and reign — God taking His rightful place as King. Not in a distant, abstract way, but close enough to touch. Close enough to step into.
And that’s why Jesus says, “Repent and believe.” Repent isn’t just about feeling bad; it’s about changing direction. It’s like Jesus is saying: Stop. Turn around. Pay attention. The world is not what you thought it was — God is at work, and you’re invited in.
“The rule and reign of God have come close, have broken in upon the world. Repent… and believe.”
Why this matters: the gospel is bigger than we often realise
Tim gave language to something many Christians feel but can’t always explain: sometimes the “gospel” we grew up with is true… but too small.
A common version goes something like: God loves you, you’re a sinner, Jesus died for you, believe and you’ll go to heaven.
Tim was careful: that’s not wrong — but it’s incomplete.
Because if the gospel is only about personal forgiveness and going to heaven later, what do we do with:
evil and injustice (personal, global, systemic)?
the poor and suffering?
discipleship and transformation?
community and the church?
creation itself?
Jesus’ good news is that God is reclaiming His world.
What is the kingdom of God?
Tim put it simply:
God’s kingdom is the domain of His kingship — where God reigns as King.
And that takes us on the big story of Scripture:
Creation: humans made to live under God’s good reign (shalom).
The Fall: sin is, in part, refusing God’s rule — “we’ll be our own kings.”
Israel: God wanted to be their King, but they demanded a human king.
Jesus: arrives not just to forgive sin, but to reconcile and renew all things.
Tim brought in Colossians 1 to show how wide this is: Jesus isn’t just saving “souls”; He’s reclaiming everything.
“There is not a single square inch in the whole domain of human existence… over which Christ… does not cry, ‘That is mine.’”
That’s the gospel of the kingdom: Jesus is King, and God is restoring His world through Him.
“If Jesus is King… why does the world still look so broken?”
This is the honest question, isn’t it?
If Christ reigns, why do we still read the news and feel the weight of tragedy, violence, and heartbreak?
Tim’s answer wasn’t theoretical — it was grounded in what the kingdom looks like in real life.
He told the story of Father Maximilian Kolbe, who gave his life in a Nazi concentration camp so another man could live. That doesn’t look like a kingdom with palaces and armies… but it is a sign of God’s reign breaking in: love stronger than fear, compassion stronger than self-preservation.
The kingdom shows up wherever Jesus’ kind of life appears — even in the darkest places.
Tim also spoke about mission partners who enter “hard places” (like rescuing children from sex slavery). Why would anyone do that?
Because the kingdom isn’t just something we enjoy privately. It’s something we carry.
The kingdom flips our idea of power
One of the most freeing parts of this message was Tim’s reminder that the kingdom of Jesus doesn’t operate like the kingdoms of this world.
Our world says power is:
control
status
coercion
winning
But Jesus shows power as:
service
humility
self-giving love
resurrection hope
As Tim put it (quoting Nick Cave’s reflection), Christianity really is “the refuge of the weak” — and that’s not an insult. It’s the whole point.
“In the kingdom of God, God’s throne is a cross.”
This changes how we think about fear, influence, and even politics. Tim’s line was clear: we don’t need political control to be faithful citizens of God’s kingdom. Jesus is already King — and no government can take that away.
So where is the kingdom?
Tim’s answer was beautifully practical:
The kingdom is wherever we see Jesus doing what Jesus does.
And Mark shows it immediately after Jesus’ announcement:
He calls disciples
teaches with authority
delivers people from spiritual oppression
heals the sick
restores outcasts
forgives sins
eats with sinners
prays and depends on the Father
And now, by the Holy Spirit, Jesus continues that work through His people.
So the kingdom is present:
in your workplace when you live with integrity and compassion
in your family when forgiveness replaces bitterness
in your friendship when you show up for someone who’s struggling
in your small group when people are loved back to life
in your prayers when you ask, “Your kingdom come” and mean it
And Tim offered hope for anyone feeling overwhelmed:
You don’t need to be afraid.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You’re invited to live like Jesus lived: dependent on the Spirit’s power and devoted to the Father in prayer.
Enter the kingdom… and live in it
One of Tim’s most clarifying moments was this: the New Testament doesn’t actually command us to “build” the kingdom.
Jesus is building His kingdom.
Our call is to enter it — and live as citizens of it wherever we are.
And that leads into the four values Tim named for One Church:
A renewed humanity (multi-ethnic, multi-generational belonging)
A people of the Holy Spirit (word and Spirit, gifts across the body)
Disciple-makers (inviting others to follow King Jesus)
A priesthood of all believers (everyone gifted, everyone participating)
The gospel is not just that you can be forgiven (though that’s wonderfully true). It’s that Jesus is King, and His kingdom is breaking into our world — into real life, real pain, and real places.
And because Jesus is with you wherever you are, you can step into Monday with a different kind of confidence:
You’re not alone. You’re not powerless. And you don’t have to be afraid.
One Way to Live It Out
This week, choose one place where life feels a bit “kingdom-less” — maybe it’s a relationship under strain, a workplace pressure, a personal habit, or a worry you can’t shake.
Take 2 minutes each day and pray simply:
“Jesus, reign here.”
Then take one small action that matches that prayer — a text of encouragement, an apology, an act of generosity, an offer to pray for someone, a decision to tell the truth, a step toward healing.
A Short Prayer
Jesus, our King, thank You that Your kingdom has come near.
Help us to turn from fear and self-reliance, and to trust You again.
Holy Spirit, fill us and give us eyes to see where You’re at work.
Teach us to live under Your reign — with humility, courage, and love —
so that our homes, workplaces, friendships, and church community would become living foretastes of Your kingdom.
Amen.
Personal Reflection Questions
Where in my life do I most need to hear the words, “You don’t need to be afraid”?
What’s one area where I’ve been trying to be “my own king” — and what would it look like to surrender that to Jesus?
Where have I seen a small sign of God’s kingdom recently (healing, forgiveness, justice, compassion, hope)?
Small Group Discussion Questions
When you hear “the kingdom of God”, what’s the first picture or idea that comes to mind?
Tim said the gospel we often hear is true but incomplete. What parts tend to get left out?
In Mark 1:14–15, what do you think Jesus means by “Repent and believe” in everyday language?
What stood out to you from the story of Father Maximilian Kolbe? What does it reveal about the kind of “power” Jesus brings?
Where do you see the world’s version of power at work — and where do you see Jesus’ upside-down kingdom at work?
Tim said: the kingdom is wherever we see Jesus doing what Jesus does. What might that look like in your week ahead?
Which of the four values (renewed humanity, Holy Spirit, disciple-making, priesthood of all believers) do you feel most drawn to right now — and why?
What’s one “hard place” (big or small) in your life where you want to pray “Your kingdom come” — and how can we pray for one another about that tonight?