Even though much of the planting was delayed this spring, it’s been fun to watch how fast the corn and soybeans have grown. The old saying, “knee high by the 4th of July” was almost replaced by “tasseling by the 4th of July.” We expect the crops to grow and mature so that it will produce a great harvest.
Growth and maturity are expected principals in the kingdom of God. Paul says in Galatians 6:7 that we reap what we sow. In Philippians 1 Paul prays that their love for each other would grow. The writer in Hebrews 6 suggests we should leave the elementary teachings of Christ and go on to maturity. Jesus often likened the growth of a plant to spiritual growth in the kingdom of God. In John 15 Jesus suggested that the Father is the gardener and has high expectations of more fruit; he’s cleaning and lifting those lower hanging branches so they bear more fruit and then cuts off those that bear no fruit. In Mark 4 Jesus tells the parable about the good soil that produces 30, 60, or even hundred times what is sown. There is no doubt, growth and maturity are expected principals in the kingdom of God.
The staff, the Ridder Church Renewal Team, the Consistory and Discipleship Team have been examining and celebrating the growth and maturity among the members of ARC. We have noted many who are developing greater intimacy with God through silence and solitude and other spiritual disciplines. We have been celebrating stories of those who are learning how to listen to the Holy Spirit and joining Him where he’s at work. We celebrate with many young people who are authentically pursuing a love relationship with God and who are using their gifts to sow the gospel, and in some cases, are participating in the harvest. We think of those who are involved with TEC and all the kids who chose to become further equipped at different camps. We celebrate members who are increasingly living a Sermon on the Mount lifestyle; members who are choosing to live on less, worry about less, and risk giving more. We celebrate the stories of those who seek reconciliation of broken relationships. The kingdom of God is growing in the lives of ARC members!!!!
And yet we are also concerned about the lack of growth. We have been reflecting on why we lack growth in our vision and strategy for reaching the lost; reflecting on why the make-up of our congregation doesn’t more closely match the make-up of our community and why our congregation doesn’t want more harvesters to join our ministry (did you know that the majority of our congregation doesn’t really want our ministry to grow?)
Could it be that some of our underlying assumptions and attitudes and traditions have been stunting our growth? I’ll let you decided which of the following underlying assumptions, attitudes, and traditions may need to be pruned.
-Saying “the prayer” results in eternal life and therefore excuses me from living on mission with Jesus.
-Our discipleship efforts result in passionate followers of Jesus who know how to listen to, and are empowered by the Holy Spirit.
-“Church is where we go” and not the means of bringing the kingdom of God to our circle of influence.
-Lost people will eventually walk in our doors.
-Women shouldn’t be nominated to serve as Elders and Deacons.
-We’re doing fine, just look at the general fund balance and the pews are full enough.
-Giving, Life Groups, apprenticeship/life-long learning, and participation are all optional.
What might be stunting your growth? May it not be so with us that we would not be passionate about spiritual growth, maturity and the harvest, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few…GO! I am sending you.”
Laboring for the harvest,
Mike Altena