Fort City Church

A call to see ourselves as one global family in Jesus, this message celebrates how Christianity is rapidly growing—especially across Africa and Asia—while challenging us with the reality that billions still have little or no access to the gospel. It highlights how the Alliance focuses on least-reached peoples through three pathways—church development, relief and development, and marketplace engagement—and notes that many international workers serve in hard and dark places. Rooted in Matthew 9, it urges us to see people as Jesus did—harassed and helpless—and to be moved by His visceral compassion. With the nations already on our doorstep in Fort McMurray, the invitation is practical: pray for workers, consider going, and give generously so the good news is both declared and displayed. Life becomes an adventure when we join Jesus in His mission.

Jesus invites every believer to join his unconventional Kingdom by being “born from above” so we can actually see what God is doing—especially in places of lack. With Spirit-opened eyes (Eph. 1:18), we learn to view every challenge through three lenses: hope, provision, and power, repenting daily of agreements with despair, scarcity, and powerlessness. Like Elisha’s servant whose eyes were opened and the boy’s lunch that fed thousands, God meets need with unseen resources as we raise our sails to the Spirit and give thanks not only for what he’s done, but for what he’s about to do. The call is to turn toward Jesus, trust his abundance, and live as agents of renewal in our homes, workplaces, and city.

Jesus turned the world upside down by welcoming those others overlooked—women, children, outsiders, and even enemies—and declaring that in his Kingdom, everyone is invited. In the opening lines of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, he spoke blessings over the poor, the grieving, the humble, and the persecuted—not as rules to follow, but as gifts to receive. These words reveal that God’s Kingdom is built different: it’s not about earning or deserving, but about belonging. In Christ, weakness becomes strength, loss becomes comfort, and even persecution becomes blessing. And the best part? These blessings aren’t just for some distant future—they’re available here and now, breaking into our everyday lives through the presence of Jesus.

Jesus was not killed for being kind—He was killed because He announced a new Kingdom that threatened the powers of the world. His Kingdom is built different: upside-down, unconventional, and rooted in God’s presence and power. Prayer is at the heart of that Kingdom. Far from being empty words or a cultural punchline, prayer is powerful—it changes circumstances, transforms hearts, and pushes back the darkness as heaven breaks into earth. Jesus calls us to pray in secret, not for show, and to join Him in the battle cry of the Lord’s Prayer: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.” In this season, we are praying for unity, renewal, and fruitfulness as we seek His presence and advance His Kingdom together.

Life often feels like a space between—between longing and fulfillment, despair and hope, brokenness and restoration. Tracing the story of God’s people from Abraham to exile, through the rubble of Jerusalem to the rebuilding under Ezra and Nehemiah, we see how unmet longings can weigh heavy and how even faithful efforts can fall short. Yet into that longing, Jesus enters as the greater Temple, the greater King, and the once-for-all sacrifice. Every story points to Him—the One who meets us in the tension, fills our waiting with His presence, and turns the wilderness into holy ground. Whatever space you find yourself in, when Jesus is with you, it is not the end of the story—it’s where He does His best work.