Our Thoughts Turn to Gardening

With the onset of Spring the thoughts of many turn to gardening. Dirt to be tilled, seeds to be sown, and beds to be tended are all a part of our annual ritual. Each action with the anticipation of the end result.

A farmer friend and I were talking, discussing the vast amount of work that comes with the dawning of Spring. As our conversation progressed the many references to gardening in Scripture were brought up. I remember asking him about his take on the Parable of the Sower. His response took me a bit by surprise. "All ground can be good ground if you are willing to invest enough to prepare it."

Different plants require different care and feeding. One garden does not fit all, and thus we see different plants growing with different results. The acidic soil that gives peak potato performance will cause your spinach to under produce. What we do then is to adjust the pH to an average that will give the best overall results. We settle for less than the best in order to maximize the overall performance of the garden.

The Word shows that God views the Church much like a garden. Stones, weeds, fertilizer, and seeds all represent issues that we in the Church deal with on a daily basis. Unlike us, God seeks to move each of us into ideal conditions for growth. He wants us to be fed, watered and exposed to the light that will cause us to be the most fruitful we can be.

Unlike a backyard garden, we, the seeds of God's garden, get to have a say in which garden we will grow. Some of us just take which ever garden is most readily available no matter what it has to offer to support our growth. Others of us are part of a garden that is actually detrimental to our growth. A few of us are actually in the garden God wants us in and we can thrive in fruitful living.

If we can understand that the key to success in life and ministry is staying in proper perspective, keeping the end game in focus, we increase our chances of seeing destiny manifest. Just as seeds are planted and must be allowed to grow to the place of producing and ripening fruit, we need to stay connected to the life giving ministry of the Local Church until our mission has been fulfilled and our destiny reached. Like some plants, we may need to be repotted from time to time to allow us to continue to grow, but we should never fail to avail ourselves of the powerful, life-giving infusion of the Local Church.^

^24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ^25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Changing churches can be painful, but keep the end game in sight. It is all about being the most fruitful believer we can be.

No matter who you are, you need to be planted, rooted and grounded in a Local Church that gives you the best chance to reach your destiny.

Get a Move On

I had a chance this week to help a friend in ministry move. He was not moving because he wanted to, but rather because he was forced to move. The church he had been pastoring fired him over what they felt were irreconcilable differences. You see, he actually expected those who were part of the leadership team to be in church more than once a month.

You and I may have trouble relating to this kind of a problem, but it is something that many pastors are faced with, the politics of church life. In a church where the pastor is not the final authority, which is more often than not, politics often decide the fate of those in ministry. Pastors are often kept distracted by the sniglets of church politics and are not free to pursue the call of God. The life of the church suffers, the pastor suffers, and the Body of Christ suffers as a result.

I never cease to be amazed at how many of my friends in ministry just quit and walk away. Call it frustration, burn out, or weariness, the fact of the matter is we lose those who have great potential and much to offer because, as one friend of mine put it, "sheep bite."

As you look at what is going on in your world, keep a proper perspective. The Bible says that pastors have two overriding priorities: prayer and the Word. (Acts 6:1-4) If the politics of church is getting you down, perhaps it is time to expand your team and delegate the things that distract you from your time with the Father and your ability to get a word in season for your church family. Remember, take care of yourself or you won't be able to take care of your church. Here's a great article that drives that point home. (http://www.pastorfinder.com/article.asp?article=Robert-Withers-Changing-Oil-Vacation-Re-creation)

If you are thinking of quitting, consider that you may just need someone to come along side you and encourage you. If you don't have anyone like that, call us, write us, email us, but don't let the devil steal your destiny. We are here to cheer you on to success and to see you become all God has called you to be. Don't wait; get a move on before you are forced to move on.