Christmas is a marvelous time when we see the influence of God’s Kingdom in mainstream culture. Carols about Christ’s rulership, declarations of peace and joy, songs heralding God with us, and generous giving to those in need. At Christmastime, we witness the Kingdom affect culture. Yes, this influence only seems to last for the month of December, but it is still a glimpse of how God’s kingdom could transform our worldly culture.
In light of the Christian influence on culture during Christmas, I introduce to you, Abraham Kuyper. Read on to discover the rich example of one of the most brilliant kingdom influencers in recent history.
Who is Abraham Kuyper?
He was born in the Netherlands in 1837 and lived there until his death in 1920. If you were to glance at his resume, you would see he was a pastor, newspaper editor, professor, university founder, political party founder and leader, minister of parliament, and prime minister. For many years, he held three or four of these positions at the same time.
What was the secret to his incredible productivity? The quote that defined his life mission was, “There is not one square inch in all creation over which Christ does not cry, ‘That is mine! That is mine! That is mine!’” Kuyper was a man of tremendous energy and kingdom ambition. This conviction drove him to labor and lead tirelessly to see God’s kingdom manifest on earth. From this standpoint, he was one of the first thinkers to articulate the idea that the kingdom of God is meant to influence spheres of culture, or as many of us know it, seven mountains of culture.
“There is not one square inch in all creation over which Christ does not cry, ‘That is mine! That is mine! That is mine!’”
Abraham Kuyper
What are the seven mountains of culture?
In recent times, the idea of seven mountains of cultural influence gained popularity in charismatic and evangelical Christian circles. This vision essential contends that believers should aim of bringing the kingdom of God to bear by influencing the seven categories that make up human culture
- Religion (Church being a part)
- Government
- Business
- Education
- Science/medicine
- Media/Arts/Entertainment
- Family
The term “mountains” nods to the Ancient Near Eastern belief that the one attained power to influence by worship of a god in a high place or mountain. This concept can be seen throughout Scripture as people worshiped and had spiritual encounters on mountain tops: Horeb, Sinai, Gibeon, Zion, and other high places where Yahweh or other gods were worshipped.
How does Abraham Kuyper’s contribution to Christian thought impact me today?
Significantly, Abraham Kuyper pioneered a theology of how Jesus’ kingdom mission should be carried out in modern society. In his line of thinking, human society is made up of independent yet related “spheres” as noted above. These spheres are a part of how God created humans to live collectively as a society. Therefore, each sphere possesses its own unique principles and culture. Just like a unique geographic environment has its own ecosystem of plants, animals, and climate, a culture sphere has its own rules, wisdom, and function that God designed it to have.[1]
Suddenly, every hour and every task becomes an opportunity to testify, whether in words or actions, of the power of Christ’s work and his kingdom. The pulpit is no longer the ultimate end of Christian ministry. It is the launch pad for the ministry of every believer for the rest of the week. With this understanding, Kuyper encouraged Christians to extend the influence of kingdom of God by working for God in any cultural sphere which they were called.
[1] Kuyper, Abraham. Lectures on Calvinism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005.
An Activation Prayer
Father, I thank you for sending your Son Jesus to be our King. I ask that you would activate and invigorate my imagination to envision what your kingdom influence could look like in the places I live and work. Father, what would my personal, family, and work life look like when your kingdom is fully manifest? Show me and give me practical steps to make it a reality. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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1 Comment
Bobette Friend · December 24, 2020 at 5:10 pm
David, This is what I was thinking about this morning except I got it from meditating Genesis1:1,how God created, what Jesus did for us and what we are to do with our days and our places of influence. Thanks so much for posting. Merry Christmas!