Sow … What’s Next?

No, this is not about a female pig. This is PLANTING SEASON and so I’m picking up on the word “sow!”

As we approach the first year anniversary (May 1 st) of our new facility, we know that God has inspired us to relocate and plant a church in a new community with the intention to grow. That seed of possibility has now been in the new ground of 464 Carriage Lane North for a year. Three new member classes and additional baptisms have added thirty-six new members to our congregation during that first anniversary year. We thank God for the growth, a direct answer to our prayers!

During this year we’ve established our worship rhythm, finished quite a few projects and will now, this next anniversary year, pretty much complete our first phase by moving and setting up our shed, building our half of Filer Avenue (street, sewer, sidewalk, to our north), adding sinks to two of our Sunday School rooms and putting in two light poles to our parking lot.

As we grow one thing is becoming very clear to me, your pastor. If it was difficult to keep all the bases covered before, it is totally impossible to do so as we grow larger. This means that as we sow and grow, we need to move from a “pastor-centered” kind of congregation to a more “programmatic” one. This means that some of the tasks that I have been expected to do need to be shared. Visitation of new members, shut-ins and in-actives is one area we need to tackle with vigor. I think we’re doing a great job making people feel welcome when they get here, but there are those who are unable to attend and others who have slipped away due to getting busy, family difficulties or other unknowns that need our welcome to return.

Fortunately, excitement and participation are running at an all-time high. We have active Bible and Book Study groups with more ministry opportunities on the horizon. The “thundering herd” of young persons flooding the front of the church on Sundays is a wonderful sign of vitality. We love welcoming little ones to the love of Jesus. What a joy and privilege!

This past month I’ve been involved in two separate training sessions to be a coach for a program called “Natural Church Development.” Our Council is excited about this program which helps us identify a particular area of our church life (the “minimal factor”) which needs our attention. I mentioned visitation as an example but there might be another area of even greater need. Like a farmer who sows seed in his field, s/he needs to pay attention to a combination of factors in order for the plant to grow, thrive and produce! So it is in church work. When we focus on our area of greatest need, the rest of our areas of ministry will likely become stronger, too (and survey results confirm this).

So … what’s next? We pray that God will help us to do what is necessary to help what we have already sown to grow. We pray that God will help us to know what new things we can sow to help our ministry to grow so that …

“Inspired by the Holy Spirit,

we reach out

that all may experience the joy of Christ’s love

and respond in thankful service.”

Enveloped with you in Christ’s growing love!

Pr. Dan