How does the work of the United Nations relate to the work of the Kingdom of God, and vice versa? Do they overlap? Do you have some practical examples to share?

Consider these two brief quotes below as a launching point for discussion. Leave a comment!

“The United Nations is a 20th-century organization facing a 21st-century challenge as an institution with impressive achievements but also haunting failures, one that mirrors not just the world’s hopes but its inequalities and disagreements, and most important, one that has changed but needs to change further….The single greatest problem facing the United Nations is that there is no single greatest problem; rather there are a dozen different ones each day clamoring for attention. Some, like the crisis in Lebanon, the Palestinian situation and the nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, are obvious and trying. Others we call “problems without passports”— issues that cross all frontiers uninvited, like climate change, drug trafficking, human rights, terrorism, epidemic diseases, and refugee movements. Their solutions, too, can recognize no frontiers because no one country or group of countries, however rich or powerful, can tackle them alone.” Shashi Tharoor, The Good for Something United Nations, Newsweek, September 4, 2006

 “The Christian mission requires that we meet basic human needs for education, food, water, medicine, justice, and peace. As is evident in the Apostle John’s assertion that Jesus was sent to “destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3: 8), our mission is to continue his earthly mission by undertaking the kind of organized research and enterprises that combat evil in all its forms—violence, injustice, poverty, environmental exploitation, drug trafficking, and disease…In this way, Christians extend God’s rule in the world, particularly in the transformation of society, render the Christian gospel believable, and make world evangelization possible. All of this is to the ultimate glory of our good and gracious Creator and Redeemer God.” David Hesselgrave, describing the essence of Dr. Ralph Winter’s “kingdom mission.” Evangelical Missions Quarterly, (Volume 46, April 2010; p. 196).

Note: The above quotes were part of a presentation at Fuller School of Psychology in the United States in June 2010. The presentation focused on the role of organizational culture in mission/aid and its impact on staff well-being and operational objectives. Participants were encouraged to explore viable ways to practically link and connect with some of the most challenging global issues facing humanity. You can access for free the materials and audio/video at:

http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/fuller.edu.4220124415.04220124420