When we hear the word “kingdom”, I think what comes to mind for most of us is Disney’s Magic Kingdom: a big, beautiful castle representing the happiest place on earth.

When we read the Bible I think we picture the kingdom of God the same way, except bigger and more beautiful: Heaven. Maybe we pray the Lord’s Prayer like this: please make earth like heaven.

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:9-10

But the Greek word βασιλεία, which we translate as kingdom, doesn’t mean a place. It’s about “kingship, sovereignty, authority, rule, especially of God, both in the world, and in the hearts of men”.

Another way of translating the phrase could be, “God’s Empire”. Now we’re thinking Star Wars, like The Empire Strikes Back. It feels more intrusive. Like we’re inviting the Emperor to take his rightful place in ruling our lives and nations. The Lord’s Prayer would switch from “please bring us heaven” to “please come and rule over us”. That’s much closer to the original Greek.

I just finished an awesome book about getting to know God through people’s Near-Death Experiences. I read 70 stories of people who visited heaven, and it could easily be described as magical: streets of gold, lake of glass, etc., like a million times better than Disneyland.

When Jesus was asked what the kingdom of God was like, he didn’t describe anything like this. He wasn’t describing heaven. His parables were about God’s rule, more like you would describe periods of governing or leadership (e.g. “under the Bush administration, the U.S. would do it this way”, or “In the Gregg Popovich era, no one would get away with that”). What is the reign of God like? Jesus answers like this in parables:

• Weeds – sinners coexist with saints now, but will be cast into the fire
• Mustard Seed – it starts small but grows greater than anything else
• Yeast – it starts out hidden but works it’s way through everything
• Treasure – it is hidden, but worth everything we have
• Pearl – we have to seek it, but then we give up everything we have
• Net – at the end, God will gather the righteous and burn the wicked
• Unforgiving Servant – in the end, God is not merciful if we’re not merciful
• Workers – at the end, God chooses how to reward us
• Banquet – if you don’t enter properly, you get thrown out into darkness
• Ten Virgins – if you’re not ready, he’ll say he doesn’t know you
• Growing Seed – God’s reign grows all by itself until the harvest

According to Jesus, the kingdom of God is about us choosing to surrender our lives to his rule. Reign. Rule. Empire. None of these words are in common use today. No one in the church is taking on the role of king, emperor or ruler. But to use today’s language, where have we happily taken the role of Leader? What if “your kingdom come” doesn’t mean “make this thing I’m leading be like heaven” but rather “I give up my leadership to you, God”?

I asked ChatGPT: “If you took all Jesus’s parables about the kingdom of God, and substituted in the phrase leadership of God instead, how would that change the meaning?” Here’s the response….

Substituting “leadership of God” for “kingdom of God” in Jesus’s parables could change the emphasis and focus of the stories. Here are some potential implications:

1. Shift in Focus: The phrase “leadership of God” directs attention more explicitly to the authority and guidance of God rather than to a specific realm or domain. This shift may highlight the active role of God as a leader rather than a passive entity with a defined territory.
2. Personal Accountability: The term “leadership” often implies a relationship between a leader and followers. Substituting it in the parables may emphasize personal accountability and responsiveness to God’s leadership rather than mere membership in a kingdom.
3. Ethical and Moral Guidance: Leadership inherently involves direction and guidance. Substituting “leadership of God” may underscore the ethical and moral teachings embedded in the parables, emphasizing God’s guidance in navigating life’s challenges and making righteous choices.
4. Universal Applicability: While “kingdom” can connote a specific geopolitical entity, “leadership” has broader implications. Substituting “leadership of God” might underscore the universal and timeless relevance of Jesus’s teachings, applicable to individuals across cultures and eras.
5. Relational Dynamics: Leadership implies a relational aspect between the leader and those being led. Substituting it in the parables may highlight themes of intimacy, trust, and obedience in the relationship between individuals and God, inviting deeper reflection on one’s response to divine leadership.

Overall, substituting “leadership of God” for “kingdom of God” could deepen the understanding of Jesus’s parables by emphasizing the active role of God as a guiding and directing force in the lives of individuals, communities, and humanity as a whole.