About the Kingdom Living Apostolic Network of Churches & Ministries
Kingdom Living’s Apostolic Network of Churches and Ministries is a network of like-minded, Kingdom-focused leaders from around the world who are called to be part of the great end-time harvest. The Network was designed to help build and maintain strong relationships, strengthen and equip one another, provide a healthy apostolic covering with accountability, and also to have a family of leaders ready to work together. Simply put, KLM is here to help leaders more effectively advance the Kingdom of God. Rev. Andy Miller has personally drafted these pages to help you learn more about the vision and values that drive the Network. If you decide you would like to be a part of the Network, please complete and return the Application (on page 23, and also available online – see pg. 23 for details), or if you have any questions or would like any additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact our offices. Our contact information may be found on page 26. God bless you so much!
Our History
Thank you for taking time to learn more about Kingdom Living Ministries. Below is a summary of the history of the ministry beginning with the original vision the Lord laid in my heart.
- Rev. Andy Miller
FROM SHORT TERM MISSIONS TO A LIFETIME ASSIGNMENT
Kingdom Living Ministries, Inc. was formally established as a non-profit organization registered and incorporated in the United States in 2020, however the original vision was birthed long before then. In 2007, I had the opportunity to take a 10-day mission trip to Kenya, Africa. While there, my team participated in various evangelistic crusades, building projects, etc. After the trip, I returned to the US thankful for the experience, but not fully capturing the whole picture that God was painting.
The following year, I was in prayer and the Lord gave me a vision. I saw myself praying in a certain place in Kenya. Within seconds, the scene changed, and I saw the whole continent of Africa. Over the next couple of minutes, I began to clearly see the faces of people that I didn’t know. They seemed joyful and determined – focused. Soon, there were hundreds of thousands of faces covering the entire continent. When I asked the Lord to give me the understanding of this vision, He told me, “This is the fruit of your life’s ministry in Africa”. It was in that vision, that the Lord called my wife and I to move to Kenya for ministry. During our time there, the Lord brought a deep, spiritual awakening to our hearts, and transformed our lives. We have been deeply involved in Kenya ever since and the Lord is continuing to connect us to His people all across the world, but still with a particular focus in Africa.
THE BEGINNING OF AN APOSTOLIC MINISTRY
In 2016, I was having a conversation with a Bishop from Congo. He was expressing to me the need for basic leadership training for his pastors and leaders there and asked if I would be able to develop a training course for him. Over a few years of development, this became the Kingdom Living Leadership Academy. It was through that time of developing the Leadership Academy that the Lord placed a grace in my life for equipping and impartation. The ministry of the Leadership Academy has opened so many connections and even requests for more than the trainings, but a continual, apostolic covering and regular impartation… this is how the vision of the Apostolic Network of Churches & Ministries (or commonly referred to as “the Network”) came about.
Today, as the Network is being established, I regularly receive seemingly “random” communication from around the world from people who are hungry for a spiritual father or partner and a desire to be a part of what we are doing – some of them aren’t even familiar with what we are building, but God simply directs them here. By the grace of God, I will continue to serve His leaders for as long as He allows. It is a joy to serve the King – and a joy to serve YOU!
Our Values and Priorities
In our generation, God is unveiling the life-altering truth of His Kingdom to many people of all ages from across the world and from all different backgrounds, upbringings, and cultures. We are seeing many like-minded leaders desiring to fulfill the specific assignment on their lives and hungering for fellowship, guidance, and equipping as they do so. Their goal is not to build their own “brand”, but to propagate the message of God’s Kingdom by walking in selfless obedience to their calling and doing their part to bring in the end-time harvest – which may look completely different from one local body to the next. To do this effectively, we must think differently than we did in the past. In this section, we will cover the values and priorities which guide the mindset of the Kingdom Living Network.
WE VALUE THE CHURCH’S ROLE IN GOD’S KINGDOM
The most commonly used Greek word in the New Testament for the English word “church” is the word ekklesia. Ekklesia is commonly defined as “called out ones” or “the assembly of those who have been called out”. This is a correct and proper definition, but it fails to paint the full picture of the meaning of the word that even Jesus Himself used for His Church. The word ekklesia dates back to ancient Greece, who, at that time, had several self-governing states. One such state was Athens. For many years, Athens was ruled by a tyrant who would single-handedly determine the political rulers, governmental policies, writing law, etc. That was until a man named Solon was made the tyrant and decided to do things a little differently. Instead of claiming all of the power for himself, he established a large council and gave the authority of the land to that council. History tells us that there were as many as 40,000 men who sat on this new governing council and now held the authority that had previously only been reserved for one man. Interestingly, he called that council an ‘ekklesia’. This bit of history brings a whole new meaning to Matthew 16:18, when Jesus was conversing with Peter and told him, “upon this rock, I will build my ekklesia…”
Through this, we see that the heart of God in establishing the Church was for it to bear the utmost authority in His Kingdom. It is the responsibility of the church to hear from the King, and establish His rule and policy in the spiritual realm with governmental authority. We believe that if the Church can grasp this truth, we have the ability to change the trajectory of society in every sense. The mandate of the Church is so much broader than a weekly worship service, we have a governmental assignment to fulfill – knowing that we have the entirety of God’s Kingdom backing us up.
WE VALUE KINGDOM THINKING OVER DENOMINATIONAL THINKING
Let’s bring a little clarity to what we mean when we speak of “Kingdom thinking”. Kingdom minded leaders bring people together for a common work, strengthen those around them, plant new works, raise up leaders, and do mission work at home and overseas in various capacities. The life and liberty of that church will attract other likeminded ministries and churches so they can band together to reach their areas of influence. Kingdom minded movements such as the Kingdom Living Network often have these five basic characteristics in common:
1. They gather people around specific purposes, not just around specific doctrinal distinctives
2. They feel that the form and function of many present-day denominations or other ecclesiastical structures are not sufficient alone to get the harvest in
3. They encourage leadership to function with a higher level of authority than what would be allowed in most denominations, who tend to reserve most of their authority to a board
4. They tend to have a higher expectation of what a local church can do to impact the world
5. They are usually connected with other churches out of mutual respect and have common goals
While I believe that denominations have certainly served their purpose, I want to be very clear that the objective of Kingdom Living Ministries is NOT to develop a denomination. Here are some examples of the contrast we see…
· Denominations are usually made up of those who hold the same doctrine, the same system of government or the same historical roots. Apostolic Networks can be made up of people who come from many different backgrounds but share the same values and vision.
· Denominations usually place people into fellowship together because they share the same geographic location, whereas Networks tend to link people together because of relationships, despite the geography involved.
· Denominations tend to control things from a central government, where an Apostolic Network wants to give as much local autonomy to churches as possible.
· Denominations tend to require exclusive relationship of their ministers, whereas Apostolic Networks will work with anyone who is interested in building the Kingdom of God. In this line of thought, I would like to clarify that those leaders who may be part of a denomination but would desire to join the Kingdom Living Network will not be required to leave their denomination as a prerequisite to join.
· Denominations tend to invite people into positions of influence based on rank, tenure, or political influence, whereas Apostolic Networks tend to focus more on a person’s calling, gifts, and the health of their relationships with others.
WE VALUE OUR AMBASSADORIAL CALL
Another area of focus that we prioritize is understanding and walking in our call as Kingdom Ambassadors according to 2 Corinthians 5:20. Maintaining a mindset of an Ambassador helps us to keep our focus in the proper frame of mind. Below are some characteristics of an Ambassador…
Ambassadors are hand selected by the King to be His representatives
They know they are sent to a foreign land although their citizenship remains in the Kingdom
Ambassadors fulfill the agenda of the King, not their own
Ambassadors know the heart of the King
Ambassadors bring the culture of their Kingdom to their assigned territory
Ambassadors are granted a high level of authority, and speak on the King's behalf
Ambassadors are well taken care of by their home country
Ambassador, represent your King well!
WE VALUE APOSTOLIC GRACE
We not only believe that apostles still exist today, but we see their contribution as being vital to church growth and development. We find that many of those leaders who have expressed interest in the Network, may not carry an apostolic grace themselves (some are pastoral/shepherds or evangelistic or gifted as teachers or prophetic), but they recognize the importance of an apostolic grace in their ministries and/or personal lives. This is perfect, and honestly, thrills my heart! We must have all of those five gifts/offices activated in the Church!
The Greek word "apostolos" means "one who is sent forth” as a messenger and one who represents the name or authority of the person that he speaks for. The role of an ambassador is as close to this concept that we see today. The modern term `missionary’ is similar because both are “sent forth” but many denominational missionaries are not sent out with apostolic authority operating in their ministries. This prevents us from saying all missionaries are apostolic.
THREE CATEGORIES OF APOSTLES:
1. JESUS WAS THE CHIEF (FIRST) APOSTLE “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus...” (Hebrews 3:1) Jesus serves as our foremost model of the ministry of the apostle. We can look to Him alone for the full expression of the apostolic ministry, as well as the prophet, the evangelist, the pastor/shepherd and the master teacher. When He ascended, He divided up His ministry into five parts and gave them to men so that no one could function alone and so that team ministry would be necessary to fully express His ministry in the earth.
2. THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF JESUS “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.” (Matthew 10:2-6) “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelations 21:14)
3. A LIST OF OTHER APOSTLES When people hear the term “apostle”, they usually think of the twelve apostles of Jesus and because we have elevated them so much in our thinking, it is difficult for us to consider that someone might be an apostle today, but they do exist. In fact, there were other apostles in the New Testament other than the original Twelve. We know of 22 apostles mentioned in the Bible. Today, we should expect many more apostles to oversee the Church worldwide. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11- 13) These verses teach us that apostles were needed to help build up of the Body and that this would need to be done until we have attained to the unity of the faith. If this is the case, they are just as needed today as they were in the beginning of the church. “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:28) We are told that God has appointed them, but nowhere is it taught that the apostolic ministry has been unappointed. Apostles will be needed until the Church is perfected and presented to Jesus. Until then, every gift is needed to get this accomplished. There are more than ten apostles specifically mentioned in the New Testament, besides the original twelve: Silas (Silvanus) and Timothy: (1 Thessalonians 2:6), Barnabus: (Acts 14:14) Andronicus and Junia: (Romans 16:7) Titus and two unnamed brothers: (2 Corinthians 8:2) In Philippians 2:25, Paul referred to Epaphroditus as a messenger, which is also “apostolos”. James, and possibly the other four natural brothers of the Lord Jesus were all considered to be apostles in 1 Corinthians 9:5, 15:5-8; Galatians 1:19.
The Characteristics of The Apostolic Ministry
The apostle has grace to minister each of the other four ministry gifts in a limited way: prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher. The apostle often will raise up pastors, evangelists, teachers, and other leaders to help them fulfill their calling. Paul wrote that he was an apostle to the Gentiles and that Peter was an apostle to the Jews (Galatians 2:8). The apostle becomes a father to the work, and he may remain as head of the ministry with several leaders under him, or he may move on, as Paul did, turning the established work over to someone else. The apostle Paul is the best type to illustrate all of the statements above.
The Ministry of an Apostle
As we package all of this together for the purpose of the Network, those who decide to join do so in the context of “sons” under our apostolic grace. We believe, according to 1 Corinthians 11 that there is a biblical headship order and that that grace flows downward as we submit ourselves to the authorities in our lives. Below are some examples of the ministry you can expect to see from having an apostolic covering…
· Apostles have the grace upon their life to carry a revelation of Christ. In Ephesians 3:5, Paul speaks of the mystery “…which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:” One of the functions of an apostle is having the ability to unfold the revelation of the Church. Stated more simply, the greatest purpose of the apostolic is to bring a revelation of Jesus.
· Apostles have the grace upon them to father and mentor others. Paul told the Corinthian church, which he had planted: “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me.” (1 Corinthians 4:15-16) Apostolic ministries have the feel of being a “father”. Not only have they “begotten” and raised up sons in the faith, but they also have such a fatherly nurture and care that it makes others want to be “adopted”.
· Apostles are team players. While an apostle can sometimes seem to be a jack-of-all trades; he knows the overall objective can best be served through a team effort. A survey of the apostle Paul’s ministry shows he always traveled with a team and mentioned many fellow laborers in his letters by name.
· Apostles are general contractors for the building of God. Paul called himself a master builder. The term “master builder” is actually “architekton” in the Greek language and is the derivative of our English word “architect” which is the person who carries and conveys the big picture. He knows what is to be built. “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9-11)
· Apostles usually have governmental authority. One of the characteristics of being sent by God is having authority. If you are sent by God, you will have God’s authority backing you up. “But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power”. (1 Corinthians 4:19-20) Paul was saying, in essence, “Talk is cheap, but let me see what power you carry”.
As mentioned previously, the Network is designed to provide an apostolic covering for our affiliated leaders who become “sons”.
WE VALUE WALKING IN, AND LEADING OTHERS TO WHOLENESS
The Bible teaches that we are made of three parts: body, soul, and spirit. We believe that if all three parts of an individual are functioning in wholeness and in oneness, that person’s life, in totality, will be more fruitful and prosperous. This includes walking in, and leading others to freedom from generational iniquities, soul ties, heart wounds, and demonic oppression.
WE VALUE FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP
Although we typically think of finances when we talk about stewardship, there are many other areas in which God has called us to faithfully manage what He has entrusted to us. Genesis 2:5 teaches that “…the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the ground”. This means that God had the ability to bless the earth, but He withheld His blessing because there was no one to manage the blessing. This should cause us to ask whether there are blessings that God wants to release into our lives but are being withheld because He is seeking faithfulness in stewarding what He has already given us.
WE VALUE DISCIPLESHIP AND EQUIPPING OTHERS
A Kingdom minded leader has the ability and desire to see gifts inside of others and is passionate about discipling and equipping them in releasing that grace.
The Purpose of The Network
There are a number of reasons why leaders join Apostolic Networks. Here are some that I think are important to consider…
1. They Like the Purpose: Someone may want to join Kingdom Living’s Apostolic Network of Churches and Ministries because they have a desire to work with others, have a vision to plant new churches, want to develop and equip other leaders, and do missions together, whether domestically or abroad. The Kingdom of God advances best through cooperative effort and much can be accomplished when like-minded people with the same vision and different gifts work together.
2. They Want Relationships: Another reason someone may want to join the Network is because they have a strong desire for real relationships, which not only strengthens our own spiritual lives, but also benefits their local church. The healthier we are, the healthier our churches can be. The central focus of our network, the thing that will hold us together, will be the relationships we intentionally cultivate.
3. They want a structure that releases ministry, rather than restricts it: We all have experienced both the blessings and limitations of structure. While some structure is needed, we do not want to put all our time and resources into maintaining a system of government that is too top-heavy or cumbersome. Our goal is to keep the structure as light and flexible as possible.
4. They Want to Build Something for the Next Generation: One reason to join our network is to help build something for the next generation that we didn't have ourselves. What if we worked together to build the kind of network that our young men and women would flourish in? Join us if you want to help do this through our godly example of how we build relationships, maintain healthy accountability, and find balanced teaching. We can also help them by giving them training through seminars, reflective retreats, and powerful outreach opportunities, which allow them to build stronger ministries.
Our Beliefs and Statement of Faith
Please take a moment to carefully consider our Beliefs and Statement of Faith. If there are any points of concern or conflict, please feel free to reach out to us.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
· We believe the Scriptures are the inspired Word of God upon which we should govern every aspect of our lives.
· We believe the Godhead to be the Trinity, which consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
· We believe in the Deity of Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His atoning death, in His bodily resurrection, and His ascension to the right hand of the Father.
· We also believe in Christ’s personal return, which brings an end to this age, upon which He will judge the living and the dead.
· We believe that salvation, healing, and deliverance are available to everyone through the redemptive work of Christ at Calvary.
· We only baptize those who trust Jesus Christ for their personal salvation and who confess Him before others.
· God's Order for the Local Church includes all Christians being committed and submitted to a local expression of the Body, which is known as the local church.
· We believe in Elder/Pastor rule, giving the pastor the first and final authority to lead the flock.
· The Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal. Ours is a spiritual conflict, which needs to be fought by spiritual means.
· We believe in the Baptism with the Holy Spirit as a distinct and separate experience from the New Birth.
· We believe the gifts of the Spirit and His miraculous power are as available today as they were at the beginning of the Church.
· We also believe that each ministry gift, such as prophets and apostles, are necessary to build strong, life-giving, churches today.
· We believe that marriage is a sacred covenant between a man and a woman, as God intended it from the beginning.
· Marriage by God’s design was to be a life of commitment and should be the priority as long as both the husband and wife shall live.
· Sexual sins include adultery, incest, and homosexuality. If we practice sexual sin and remain unrepentant, it will result in our ineligibility to be part of the Kingdom of God. For this reason, those who are practice these sins would also be ineligible to be part of our Network.
· We believe that life begins at conception and that we should provide the same love and protection before the birth of a child as we would give after.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
· We believe the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16)
· We believe the Messiah is revealed in both the Old and New Testaments, and that Jesus Christ is God the Word manifested in the flesh. (John 1:4, Colossians 2:9, 1 Timothy 3:16)
· We believe in the Holy Trinity, i.e. Christ is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the Triune Godhead. God is self existing and self-revealing in three divine persons - The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.
· We believe that at the beginning God created all things by His Son Jesus Christ, and God created man in His own image.
· We believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Luke 1:26-35)
· We believe in the physical death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (John 11:25-26, Acts 2:24; 4:10, Romans 14:9)
· We believe that on the cross Jesus Christ carried our sickness and our infirmities, and that by His stripes we are healed.
· We believe that man's sin separated him from God. God, in His mercy and grace, sent Jesus Christ His Son to die on the cross for the purpose of redeeming mankind.
· We believe that a person must be "born again" to receive eternal life. (John 3:3)
· We believe that man is reconciled with God only through repentance of sin and by believing in Jesus Christ. Those saved have everlasting life and shall reign with Christ after His second physical coming. The unsaved will enter in everlasting damnation in the lake of fire.
· We believe that Christians should at all times present their bodies as a living sacrifice to God hence living holy in the midst of this wicked world without conformity to the worldly ways of lifestyle.
· We believe in baptism by immersion for all those who repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation as demonstrated in the scriptures. (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38; 10:46-48; 22:16, Romans 6:3-4)
· We believe in the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and the consequent manifestation of the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit as per the scriptures. (Matthew 3:11, Luke 11:8, Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 10:46-48, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Galatians. 3:2; 5:22-23, Ephesians 4:7-11)
· We believe in the taking of Holy communion by born again believers, and that it signifies the Lord's broken body and shed blood. (1 Corinthians 11:24-26)
· We believe that marriage is divinely ordained by God, and that a man and a woman intending to enter into a marriage covenant should do so both prayerfully and thoughtfully.
· We believe in financial giving for the extension of God's Kingdom. (Leviticus 27:30, Proverbs 3:9-10, Malachi 3:8-11, Matthew 23:23, Luke 6:38)
· We believe in the spiritual guideline for church leadership and ordination. (1 Timothy 3:1-7)
· We believe in working to unify the body of Christ, and avoid activities that divide the body of Christ. (Matthew 18:19, John 17:23, 1 Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 4:11-16)
· We believe in the great commission as given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. This includes loving one another as Christ loved us and being willing to go anywhere He directs us, sacrificing anything we have by giving, praying and going to fulfill the great commission. (Matthew 28:18-20)
· We believe in the existence of hell and eternal punishment. (1 Samuel 22:6, Matthew 5:29, Revelation 20:15)
· We uphold the operation of the five-fold ministry within the church of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians. 4:11-16)
Our Mission and Vision Statements
OUR MISSION
The purpose of Kingdom Living’s Apostolic Network of Churches and Ministries is to build a relationship-based fellowship of likeminded pastors and ministers, so we can work together in missions, both locally and abroad. We have defined our values and vision, established a course of action, and set a standard of accountability so that, together, we can build strong, healthy churches. In order to fulfill this purpose, we will focus on the following areas:
· We will provide a place where church leaders can establish meaningful relationships with those who are like-minded
· We will provide general oversight that enhances local church autonomy and inspires accountability among our pastors
· We will provide events and conferences where church leaders can come together for mutual edification
· We will provide resources for ministers and those preparing for ministry, that will enhance their personal life and help develop their ministry
OUR VISION
God is raising up many Kingdom-minded leaders to bring in the end-time harvest. The Network will bring people together around a common purpose, which will include strengthening local churches, planting new churches and ministries, raising up and equipping leaders, and doing mission work locally and abroad. The Network shall be comprised of many smaller networks of geographically central churches who share the same values and vision. However, these networks are not new denominations. Our networks have four basic things in common:
1. They gather churches and people around specific purposes, not specific doctrinal distinctives or historical backgrounds
2. They realize that the form and function of most present-day denominations are not sufficient alone to get the harvest in
3. They encourage leadership to function with a higher level of authority than what would be allowed in most denominations
4. They have a higher expectation of what a local church can do to impact their region, and the world
Our Global Mandate
Kingdom Living Ministries has been active in several countries across the world. As we continue to establish and nurture connections, we do so under the following mandates…
· TO EQUIP LEADERS through one-on-one mentorship, Kingdom Living’s Leadership Academy, Nation-2-Nation Christian University, and the Greenhouse School of Ministry
· TO STRENGTHEN THE CHURCH by providing support, mentoring, accountability, and spiritual oversight. Also planting new churches and supporting those who do the same. Additionally, we desire to help indigenous leaders build autonomous networks of their own that are part of the larger, Global Network. We want to show them that it is important to be connected and accountable to others, so we can build safe, healthy churches for our people. We believe it is possible to have real authority without dominating another’s faith.
· TO PARTNER IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT through drilling wells, opening schools, and small business development
· TO HOST EVENTS & CONFERENCES to encourage various groups including youth, teachers, couples, singles, evangelists, missionaries, etc. As well as evangelistic crusades with our indigenous partners.
To accomplish these goals, we intentionally limit our own authority/rule within our affiliated churches and ministries as an example of how we serve the Lord. We desire no other authority beyond what this affords us. We desire that each local network work with other kingdom-minded ministries who are doing the same kind of work in their area. We want to find ways to bless and support them because “freely we have received, freely we give.” It is our desire to come alongside those who are already helping the poor, planting churches, providing leadership training, and doing evangelism, rather than going into an area and doing this ourselves. We desire to support our local partners through counsel, training, and other resources, which will help them fulfill their mission.
We unapologetically have a passion for the entire world, and the Network is designed to be a resource to leaders from around the world, not just one specific country or continent. Geographic location will never be a contingency for affiliation.
It is important to note that we are looking to partner with those who want what is in our hearts, rather than what is in our wallets. It would be inappropriate and out of alignment for us to create an unhealthy financial dependency. Instead, we aim to show how to trust the Lord to meet our needs, even by applying the creativity He has given us toward business ventures and other income generating opportunities.
Our Resources & Services
The following resources are available for anyone who is hungry for real fellowship, good spiritual food, and to part of the great end-time harvest.
· LEADERSHIP TRAINING & EQUIPPING
o Kingdom Living Leadership Academy
§ The Leadership Academy is a 24 class, basic leadership training school that is available both online and locally. Students will pay a nominal tuition and be equipped in everything from communication, basic pastoral counseling, financial management, and more. The Leadership Academy is the gateway to the rest of our educational programs, and we recommend that all of our affiliated leaders participate in it as early as possible. Contact us if you would like to become a student or a local facilitator. Tuition for the Leadership Academy is USD $5.
o One on One Mentorship
§ One on One Mentorship is available to our Network members. You can reach Rev. Andy Miller directly via WhatsApp (preferred) or Zoom and receive advice or assistance when needed.
· BIBLE COLLEGES
o Nation-2-Nation Christian University
§ Kingdom Living has partnered with Nation-2-Nation Christian University to be able to provide local, accredited, degree-awarding Bible Universities within our Network. To become a student or local facilitator, please contact us!
o Greenhouse School of Ministry
§ Kingdom Living Ministries, Inc. has also partnered with the Greenhouse School of Ministry to provide many practical trainings for many different aspects of ministry including specific trainings for praise and worship leaders and many others. The Greenhouse School of Ministry is also the platform that our Online Leadership Academy students will use to access their courses. For more information about the Greenhouse School of Ministry and how it can be a blessing to you, please contact us!
· MONTHLY “REFRESHING” VIDEO CALLS
o Once a month, Kingdom Living will host a brief Zoom call with a quick word of encouragement and refreshing for members and friends of Kingdom Living. This call will generally be hosted by Rev. Andy Miller, with occasional guest speakers from both within and outside our Network. These calls are hosted on the first Monday of each month at 11:00am Eastern Standard Time (Indiana Time). Please compare this with your local time zone to determine the time in your area. A link to the Zoom call will be posted in the “Kingdom Living – Network” WhatsApp Group and will be available to join 5 minutes before the official starting time. We will prioritize keeping time and the call will start promptly at the stated time.
· WEEKLY EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
o Kingdom Living will also send weekly email newsletters including a brief word of encouragement, a YouTube link to a sermon, announcements about upcoming trips, events, or conferences, a link to donate to the ministry, and more!
· PASTORAL CONSULTATION
o Rev. Andy Miller will be available to provide consultation and assistance for all of our pastors and their churches.
· MISSION TRIPS & MISSIONARY SENDING AGENCY SERVICES
o There are always various mission trips in the works, which we want those who are part of our network to be able to take part in. Actually, we need more short-term missionaries just to meet the current invitations that we have. These missions trips can consist of anything from short 1-2 week mission trips, or long-term missions where Kingdom Living serves as the sending agency for missionaries. While Kingdom Living Missionaries are financially self-supported, the ministry can provide fundraising resources to assist in your fundraising process.
· CONFERENCES & EVENTS
o We will also continue to host various conferences and events around the world for leadership training, specialized training, marriage conferences, youth conferences, and more!
· COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT INITIATIVES
o We believe that community development projects (which may include well drilling, opening schools or hospitals, serving HIV/AIDS victims, orphanages, etc.) are not only part of the mandate of the Church, but also a necessary focus and a powerful means of reaching thousands with the gospel. Kingdom Living will provide leadership and connections to the vision of our affiliated leaders for various community development projects in their respective communities.
· RESOURCES FOR LEADERS
o We will also make an ever-growing library of available resources to those within our network. Some of those resources currently available include…
§ Sample Church Constitution
§ Our Pre-Marriage and Marriage Counseling Curriculum
§ A sermon series on overcoming offence
§ A sermon series on The Church
§ … and much more!
How is Kingdom Living Ministries financed?
At its core, Kingdom Living Ministries is a non-profit organization. We are not here to make a profit or to be a burden to any local church. However, with that said, it is not a secret that ministry takes finances and although we attempt to leverage the use of technology, being an international ministry also requires international travel which can also be expensive.
Although our funding strategy may change as we continue to grow and develop, our focus for now is to look for funding from various resources outside the Network whether through regular partners, fundraisers, or grants. It is our desire to never require our Network to support the ministry, however, we will certainly bless it if our leaders do decide to contribute. This model of contribution from our affiliated churches and ministries could even be supported scripturally.
For affiliated leaders who are in a different region or country away from our offices, one area that we would request for your consideration is if you are hosting Kingdom Living staff that you make your best attempt to at least provide transportation while in your region. We will take care of flight arrangements and hotel accommodations, but your assistance with local travel would be appreciated. If your budget allows for our flights and hotels to be reimbursed, whether in part or whole, that will be welcomed, but is not required. When there is an option of flying over driving, we will typically fly to maximize time and typically prefer to sleep in hotels that offer Wi-Fi and have restaurants so that we can most effectively use our downtime as well. We recognize that these are additional expenses incurred simply by our preferences, and that is the reason that we do not expect those costs to be covered by our hosts, but as was mentioned earlier, if the budget allows even partial reimbursement, or any honorarium, that would be a blessing.
Any contribution made to Kingdom Living Ministries, Inc. will go toward ministry expenses, event costs, programming, travel, etc., and potentially staff salaries at some point in the future. We are committed to being transparent with all finances and annual reports will be available upon request. We regularly receive communication from friends and affiliated leaders requesting financial assistance for various reasons – including hospital visits, assistance with school fees, supporting building projects, etc. Please always feel free to share these requests and know that each one will be taken seriously and intently prayed for. However, please also understand that while we would love to fully meet every financial request that comes our way, that may not always be possible or even realistic. Please do not be offended if we are not able to financially contribute to your need.
What do relationships within The Network look like?
Kingdom Living is led by a leadership team of four individuals who serve in the capacity of Elders, just as in a local church. Their responsibilities include:
1. To establish the vision for and give direction to Kingdom Living
2. To ensure that the ministry and network functions in a way that honors the Lord and is in alignment with the vision He gave us
3. To maintain doctrinal purity by issuing of position statements as the need arises
4. To help raise up and release like-minded leaders to assist in reaching our goals
5. To help set the direction and themes for the conferences and events
6. To be available to assist our pastors and affiliate churches, as the need arises
7. To provide accountability to Rev. Andy Miller
8. To oversee the finances, including collection, budgeting, accounting, and distribution of finances given in trust by our members and contributors. They shall provide an annual report to the network.
The Kingdom Living Ministries Leadership Team includes:
· Rev. Andy Miller President & Chairman of the Board
· Elder Susan Mbugua Member, Board of Directors
· Elder Nicholas Mbugua Member, Board of Directors
· Elder Peter Mbugguss Member, Board of Directors
FROM KINGDOM LIVING TO OUR NETWORK
Should you decide to join the Network, you can expect to hear from us, in one way or another, at least on a weekly basis. We will begin by sending you a weekly email with a brief word of exhortation and impartation. Then, monthly, we will bring the entire Network together on a Zoom call for a word from Rev. Andy Miller or another minister, and of course, direct communication is always available via email, social media, or WhatsApp (preferred). You will also be made aware of any upcoming conferences and events that you will have the opportunity to attend as well.
RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE NETWORK
Probably the most important line of communication within the Network is that of fellow leaders. You will have the opportunity not only to communicate in the Global Network WhatsApp group, but also with your regional group. We also encourage the regional groups to gather at least quarterly to encourage each other. It is great for the leaders to gather, but if you can also gather all of the church families together for a special time of interaction, that is an added value to everyone involved.
Do you provide Ordination and Credentialing?
We believe that the leaders within our network should be ordained or credentialed by the local church. This is not only more practical, but it ensures true autonomy of the local church and the best way to ensure accountability. If someone fails to maintain their ministry, the local church can remove their credentials. Kingdom Living Ministries can provide credentials for pastors who are in transition from one church to another or for those churches who have not developed to the point where they can do this for themselves. We will also provide Certificates of Membership for those leaders and churches who do decide to join our Network.
Please note that Kingdom Living Ministries is only registered in the United States of America so some other countries will not legally recognize our credentials. In this case, if you are located outside the USA, we encourage you to register your local ministry with your country’s government in order to be able to provide services available only under that license. If you do decide to register with your local government and desire to do so under the name “Kingdom Living Ministries” or something similar, please communicate that request to us before you initiate the process.
At this point, since most of our leaders are coming to us already having some form of ordination, we are not ordaining leaders, but this may change at some point in the future as the need arises.
What does Accountability look like within the Network?
We believe that every church and ministry should be autonomous, but with accountability. Here is what we mean by accountability…
1. INTERNAL ACCOUNTABLITY
· Have a constitution that outlines how you should function in the following areas… How the church government is structured, How decision-making takes place, How to install and remove a pastor, How to install and remove an overseer, How to manage Church finances in compliance with the local government.
· Publicly give an account for the major decisions that have been made and allow your members to have input in the major decisions that you face as a church.
· Establish good record-keeping procedures, such as maintaining church minutes of your meetings, and accurate and transparent bookkeeping
· Have someone other than the pastor looking after the finances of the church
· Have a clear outline of how the authority of the church is structured
2. EXTERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY
· Have someone known by the members as the overseer of the congregation
a. Ensure that he is not just a friend of the pastor, but a friend of the church
b. He should be geographically accessible
c. The overseer should also have someone or a Network that he is accountable to
d. Determine the limits of his authority and ensure his responsibilities are clearly defined
HELP IS AVAILABLE
Kingdom Living is available to work with pastors and leadership teams of local churches to help them become established and accountable. We can provide a sample of a good constitution to any church that is looking for one. We believe each church should have an overseer who can help the church in difficult times.
WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN AN OVERSEER?
There are a number of things you should look for in an overseer, beyond what is listed in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
· You should find an overseer who has accountability built into his own life and ministry
· His relationship with the Lord should be fresh and vital
· You should find someone who will be a friend of the church, not just a friend of the pastor
· You should find someone who has pastored growing congregations. (If your church is a recent church plant, find someone who has experience in church planting. If your church is redeveloping an existing congregation, the overseer should have experience with that.)
· Find someone who geographically accessible. Long-range relationships should be on a short-term basis
· Talk about what your expectations are, such as: how long will his term last, how often he will be present or even preach in the church; how often he should initiate visits with the pastor; is he expected to attend board meetings; is he expected to attend annual meetings; should he receive church minutes; will he be compensated; at what rate will his travel expenses be reimbursed
· Talk about how to handle disgruntled people from the congregation when they contact the overseer with a complaint
THIS ROLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR CONSTITUTION
The limits, expectations, and qualifications of an overseer should be clearly stated in your constitution. It should also state how an overseer is added and removed. The overseer does not necessarily have to be a member of Kingdom Living’s Network, but it is important that they have a real relationship with that local church and the pastors. Here is an example of what one local church has put their constitution concerning the overseer:
The Overseer shall demonstrate a divine call to Pastoral ministry and have the qualifications described in 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:7. The Overseer shall be a Pastor to the Pastors and shall provide an objective source of counsel for the congregation.
a. The Overseer shall be consulted before any major change takes place in the life of our pastors or church.
b. He shall be invited to attend the Annual Meetings of the church.
c. He should initiate contact with the Senior Pastor or church leadership as often as agreed upon at the beginning of the term.
Elections and Appointments. The Elders shall appoint the Overseer for a term of three years, with a review. Those placed in any position within the church shall assume their responsibilities upon election at the Annual Meeting.
Removing an Overseer
a. Any office may be declared vacant by a vote of the majority of the Elders at any regular or special business meeting. Grounds for such action shall be: 1. Un-scriptural conduct; 2. Doctrinal departure from the tenets of faith; 3. Incompetence in office.
b. Any incumbent under charges shall have the opportunity for a fair and impartial hearing of his case before the assembly if he so desires.
c. The Elders are empowered to fill by appointment any irregular vacancy until the next annual election of any official capacities.
What does local church autonomy mean?
There has always been a tension between being autonomous and being accountable, especially when it comes to ordination and membership, which are the basis for speaking into each other’s lives and ministries. Our Network is established in a way that ensures mutual accountability without encroaching on local autonomy. We believe that each mature local church should be completely autonomous; that is, locally governed, locally credentialed, and locally supported.
1. LOCALLY GOVERNED. We do not want to have the kind of authority that allows us to come into a local church and tell them how to function or who their pastor should be. That authority should rest at the local church level. Our authority, or influence, comes from our example, teaching, and the advice we share when asked. Our leadership team automatically provides oversight for all our pastors or churches, as our responsibility is to oversee the entire network. We would only exercise specific oversight or pastoral care for a congregation if we were asked to do so and would prefer that to be on a short-term basis, unless that church is geographically located within our region. If this is case, our leadership team may require that a different approach to church government to be put in place, which we feel would improve the life and function of the local church. We would provide a consultation and pastoral care for the pastor, overseer, or churches if it was formally requested of us.
2. LOCALLY CREDENTIALED. We think the ideal is that each local church should provide the credentials needed by their own pastors. Our goal would be to help the local church, so they could do this legally, and with responsibility. Kingdom Living Ministries will gladly provide credentials for a pastor that was in development or transition. We would also help any church we planted with this kind of assistance while are getting started.
3. LOCALLY SUPPORTED. Kingdom Living Ministries does not own local church property or financially support pastors apart from those that we have planted and oversee. We feel this would prevent the local church from truly being self-supporting. In terms of accountability, we want to know that each church is fiscally responsible and that they give a proper accounting to their members annually. A mature church is one that has developed to the stage that it can stand alone and has its own incorporation or registration, constitution, and leadership in place.
What Titles and Terminology do you use?
While we believe that the five-fold ministry gifts are very much active today, we do not mandate that these gifts be used as titles when referring to each another or ourselves. We believe that the elder who leads the church, usually referred to as the Senior Pastor, holds the highest level of authority within a local church and all other leaders are accountable to this office.
With that said, we do believe that it is a healthy practice to address those in any ministry office with a title honoring the call of God on their life. For example, the majority of the congregation at the church that I lead address me as “Rev.” or “Reverend Andy” as their way of honoring the call and grace God has given. Others call me “Pastor” and some within our Network refer to me as “Apostle”. These are all good and proper, but not mandated. The title “Reverend” is simply used in alignment with the standard procedure of the ecclesiastical body that ordained me, but again, is not required to be used by members of the Network.
Again, we don’t use titles to lift a man higher than he should be lifted, but since honor is a currency in the Kingdom of God, we gladly honor those whom He has called and are walking faithfully in that calling.
In the Bible, we can find the following titles…
· BISHOP & ELDER: While these two terms are interchangeable in the New Testament, we can see some distinction between them that all of the “leaders” were referred to as Elders, but perhaps a smaller number were referred to as Bishops, perhaps the senior elders or those that were given additional responsibility. Throughout church history, we have defaulted to giving all of our leaders the title of “pastor”, although for some, that is simply not the grace that God has given them. For example, I have a friend who is an evangelist by calling but was ordained as a pastor. Since his ordination, he has floundered in ministry because the congregation and even the community have expected him to serve as a shepherd, but he does not naturally flow in that grace the way he does in the area of evangelism. This is why it is so important to identify the specific calling on a life and empower them to walk in that calling – even call them by that title if you are so inclined.
· DEACON: The ministry of the Deacon is introduced in Acts 6 and serves the purpose of caring for the “physical” needs of the church. Deacons are assistants to the church leaders. In our church, our Deacons also care for our benevolent ministry and look after the needs of the poor and needy families within our community. I would highly recommend that you make a place for Deacons within your ministry.
As a side note, our affiliate churches are not required to re-name their churches upon joining the Network. Some have done so on their own accord, but it is not required.