I just spent some time praying at the local monastery. I was struck by how amazing the place must have been back in the day. As I sat in silence with the monks at dinner, listening to someone read an old letter from an imprisoned missionary, I pictured what it would have been like when this hall was full—over a hundred young men who had all dedicated their whole lives to God.
There are still echoes of past glory, but something felt forced. The rigid dinner ritual of bells, servers, and synchronized standing and sitting probably made sense when the place was full. But now, with fewer than twenty of us spaced far apart in the huge room, it felt like we were just going through the motions for no reason.
And the missionary letter? It wasn’t the kind of story I’d imagined—not tales of courage, martyrdom, or faith under persecution. Instead, it was an update from just four years ago, rambling about climate change, the role of sport and discussions with his lawyer on how to get him out.
From the outside, it looked like the movement started with purpose, but over time, the forms stayed, and the meaning faded. I don’t know the real story.
From the outside, I wonder if our churches look the same way. What’s our story? Have we lost the plot?
If Jesus’ true mission was to establish His reign on earth, why does Christianity today focus so much on personal salvation and escaping to heaven?
This shift didn’t happen overnight. Over the centuries, authority gradually moved away from Jesus—first to philosophical ideas, then to governments, church leaders, theological systems, and finally, personal experience.
It wasn’t always through outright lies—more often, it happened through half-truths that seemed reasonable at the time. Yet, step by step, these shifts replaced Jesus’ rightful authority with something else.
The following is a very amateur attempt to discover how we got off track. I tried to pick titles that applied to us today, not just what they went through, so we can recognize where our current ideas came from. This is not a historical summary, it’s just highlighting times when half-truths entered into our thinking. Lots of good going on in each of these seasons, and not everyone was fooled, but I’m highlighting the parts that led us off track.
1. The Apostles: Jesus Now Reigns on Earth (30–100 AD)
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18)
The gospel wasn’t just about personal salvation—it was the announcement that Jesus had been enthroned as King. His first followers understood that His reign had already begun and that they were called to live under His rule, transforming the world around them.
They met in homes, sharing meals, caring for the poor, and forming a new kind of society. The earliest Christians weren’t waiting to escape the world—they were actively living as citizens of Jesus’ present kingdom.
- Their Message: Jesus reigns on earth now. Live under His authority.
As Christianity spread into new cultures, a major shift occurred….
2. Greek Philosophy: It’s All About Heaven (100–400 AD)
As Christianity spread into the Roman world, it absorbed Greek philosophy, which taught that the material world was inferior to the spiritual. Over time, this led to a shift in thinking—instead of expecting Jesus to rule now, people saw His reign as something that happens only in heaven.
Jesus had taught His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” But as these new ideas took hold, the focus flipped—instead of bringing heaven to earth, people focused on escaping earth for heaven.
- Their Message: Jesus reigns, but in heaven—not on earth.
If Jesus isn’t reigning on earth, who is? The government. And so….
3. Roman Empire: Church Aligns with Government (313–500 AD)
In 313 AD, Constantine legalized Christianity, and by 380 AD, Theodosius made it the official state religion. Christianity was no longer a movement of Jesus’ reign spreading through discipleship—it became a state-approved institution.
Church leaders gained political power, and Christian identity became a matter of citizenship rather than discipleship. Now, instead of looking to Jesus as King, people looked to the empire and its bishops.
- Their Message: We should partner with them government to protect the church.
As the church gained state power, its leaders became more powerful….
4. Empire Falls: The Clergy Are the Rulers (500–800 AD)
When the Western Roman Empire collapsed (476 AD), the church became the only stable power left in Europe. Without emperors to rule, popes and bishops stepped in to fill the vacuum.
Instead of spreading Jesus’ reign, the church itself became the ruling institution. Popes and clergy now claimed the power to define doctrine, punish heretics, and even command kings.
- Their Message: The church speaks for God—submit to its leaders.
The institutional church became central to everything….
5. Feudal Control: Salvation Is Through the Church (800–1100 AD)
As feudal society took hold, the church controlled baptism, marriage, land ownership, and law. People were taught that obedience to the church secured heaven, while disobedience meant excommunication, torture, or even damnation.
For most, salvation was increasingly tied to church rituals rather than direct faith in Jesus.
- Their Message: Salvation comes through the church.
Somehow they felt responsible to defend God….
6. The Popes: Fighting for Christianity (1100–1300 AD)
The Crusades were launched as military campaigns to reclaim Christian lands from Muslim rule, particularly in the Holy Land. The idea that violence could be a holy act took root in Christian culture.
At the same time, the Inquisition sought to enforce doctrinal purity within Christian societies. Heretics—those who disagreed with church doctrine—were tried, imprisoned, tortured, and sometimes executed. In some regions, Jews and Muslims were forced to convert, expelled, or killed.
- Their Message: Defending the faith is worth killing for.
But power built on fear is fragile. When corruption and disaster struck, people lost faith…
7. The Plague: Christianity Has No Power (1300–1500 AD)
The Black Death wiped out 60% of Europe’s population, and the church had no answers. For many, the church seemed powerless, leading people to question its authority. Corruption, indulgences, and failing leadership shattered people’s trust in the church.
Rather than seeing Jesus as a present King, people saw Christianity as powerless to affect the real world. Faith became more about survival than transformation, and many began to turn away from the institutional church altogether.
- Their Message: God is in control—but we don’t know what to do.
With the church’s credibility shattered, people began looking for new sources of spiritual authority….
8. The Reformation: The Bible Is Our Only Authority (1500–1700 AD)
The Reformation rightly rejected church control over salvation, restoring the truth that salvation is by grace through faith. But instead of recognizing Jesus as the living King, many Christians treated the Bible itself as the final authority.
Rather than returning to listening to Jesus as Lord, people replaced one external authority (the church) with another (the written text). Many saw the Bible as the only way God speaks, rather than recognizing that Jesus Himself still leads His people.
- Their Message: The Bible is our highest authority, under Christ
Without an emphasis on hearing God’s voice, they turned to human leaders….
9. Revivalism: Following Dynamic Preachers (1700–1900 AD)
The Great Awakenings focused on personal salvation. Instead of priests, people followed revival preachers who drew massive crowds with passionate sermons.
Over time, the rise of popular preachers led to a culture where people chased powerful spiritual experiences rather than living under Jesus’ reign. The focus shifted from kingdom transformation to individual encounters with God.
- Their Message: Follow the anointed leaders.
Eventually, these kind of leaders disappointed, and faith became purely personal….
10. Individualism: Authority Is Dangerous (1900–Present)
In the modern West, authority itself has gone out of fashion. People don’t just reject church control—they reject the idea that anyone should tell them what to do. The church, government, and even Scripture are seen as tools of oppression, and faith has been reduced to personal preference.
Christianity is often treated like a personal escape plan, something to enhance individual life choices rather than a call to live under Jesus’ reign. The modern culture of tolerance and self-definition teaches that no authority is absolute—not even God.
- Their Message: No one has the right to tell you how to live.
This has left us like sheep without a Shepherd, often anxious and depressed….
Restoring the Plot
For centuries, authority has shifted away from Jesus. Instead of submitting to His reign, Christians have placed their trust in institutions, leaders, theology, and personal experience.
Each shift seemed reasonable at the time, but together, they have distorted the kingdom message and left us with a faith that often looks nothing like what Jesus proclaimed.
Yet, Jesus never stopped reigning. His kingdom is not just a spiritual idea—it is the reality under which all things exist. Families, workplaces, communities, and nations are already under His rule. The question is whether we will acknowledge and live under it.
Our calling is not to escape the world. It is to establish the reign of Jesus in it.
Odd Sense of Zero 
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