We are looking at starting a new program for the women at Hillcrest called Apples of Gold.  It's based on Proverbs 25:11 that says, "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver." 

The format is a 6-week study that meets for 3 hours each week!  Crazy, but this is what happens.  You meet as a group and prepare dinner together.  The experienced teaching the less experienced.  While dinner cooks you go over the Bible study and then when you are finished you fellowship over the dinner you made!  How cool is that!  I'm really excited about the possibilities of sharing life with women across ages. 

I ordered some of their materials and in the mentors guide there is a poem I just had to share. I hope you hear the words in your hearts. I cried when I read this, knowing I too am called to serve those younger than me, and wanting those that are ahead of me to show me the way as well:

Young at Heart by Betty Huizenga

If you're among the young at heart,
there's work for you to do;
No time to waste -
the younger generation's calling you.
They seek and need your loving care,
advice and wisdom too,
because your hair is turning gray,
they'll listen well to you.

I pulled the covers higher,
and snuggled in my bed.
This time is mine, for things I like,
and books I haven't read.
I've worked so hard these many years,
as you can understand;
This time is now for me, Lord,
for long walks on the sand.

The kids are grown, my time's my own -
I've earned it fair and square,
and now I hear you calling me
Your kingdom work to share?

And then because I love you, Lord,
I read Your word and see
that never do you rest or sleep
and how You care for me.
I also read Your words that say,
"If you love Me, you will obey."
And, in pain I realize
I've followed my own way.

So eagerly I'll follow Lord,
Give me strength each day;
Give me wisdom, kindness, love,
Teach me what to say.
Help me pass the joy I've found
to those who follow after,
that they may learn to fill their lives
with joy and love and laughter.

And as I watch them grow in You
my spirit will revive;
And every day I'll thank you Lord,
for keeping me alive.

Mile Marker

Written 6/28/07

I keep a journal of events that mark changes in my walk with Christ. I call it my "mile marker" - so I know if I am moving forward, standing still, or going backwards.

One of the things in the journal is an October 2005 entry for when I decided to call Mike Simmons my Pastor. For me it is more than just a title - it's a position of authority. It was significant that I trusted a man enough to call him by that name.

A later entry marks the first time I was introduced as a "religious leader" in the community. It was at CrossRoads Covenant Church in DeSoto. I was humbled to be introduced to the church along with others that minister God's Word.

I've even noted my first invitation to pray for a group where I was not a member.

But, not everything is positive. I also included the time I used scripture to hurt someone I love and did it publicly. I cried for hours at the realization of what I had done. On top of that, he came to me to apologize for making me upset enough to do that! Was a powerful lesson in humility and love that I will never, ever forget.

Then there is yesterday. What made it a mile-marker? I have received several phone calls and emails from people saying how they appreciate that I stood up for Christianity and even more so for not backing down when pushed. I surprised myself when I realized I was standing on the front steps of City Hall loudly proclaiming Jesus Christ is Lord! It was the first public assault on my faith and I survived the test.

These events will soon fade into my memory, but I will have this record of what happened, how the Lord met my ever need, and blessed this path He has set me on. 

"But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3

I was right, it is good to remember and to measure progress.  Do you have a Mile Marker Journal to help you remember how the Lord is working in your life?

Are You a Team Builder?

I attended a meeting led by David Simpson who works with The Table Group.  The meeting was about team development and interaction.  We were asked to read a book called The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business.  The main theme is that having a healthy team is more important than having a highly skilled team.  I agree.

I was surprised that I was invited to this church staff meeting.  I am not a part of this leadership team.  I interact with them, and am dependent on the decisions they make, but I am not a part of this decision making body.  I do not have input into the vision this team sets or the direction they take to accomplish the goals.

I am in a no man's land when it comes to ministry.  No, that isn't a joke about being in Women's Ministry!  What I mean is that I do the job of a staff member, but I am not staff.  I lead a large ministry in our church.  I set the vision, develop the programs, enlist the workers, manage the budget, and minister to the needs of several hundred women and their families.  It's the same thing the ministers on our staff do, but I do it as a volunteer. 

What do you do with people in this type of position?  There is a line that is walked on where they are included and excluded on leadership activities.  For example: I have a mailbox, but I do not receive mail at the church; I have business cards, but I do not have an office; I add events to the calendar, but they are moved for staff led ministries. The list could go on, but you get the idea.

Let's get back to that team building meeting.  When I arrived, one of the staff members came to sit with me.  When the meeting was over we were all talking and I felt like a part of the group - until it happened.  The pastor thanked me for attending the meeting.

Do you remember in the movie Pretty Woman when the Richard Gere character told the Julia Roberts character, "I have never treated you like a prostitute!" and she replied, "You just did."  Well, this was a Pretty Woman moment.  In that one comment the pastor pointed out to everyone that I was a guest and not really a part of that team.  Any momentum that had been gained toward building a healthy team was lost.

I wish I could say I knew the answer to how we include lay leadership in church governance, but today all I have are some questions for you: 

* How do you treat the volunteers that serve in your church? Are they a part of the leadership team?

* Is there a class system in your church?

* Do you respect the work of volunteers as much as you do paid staff?

There will come a day when the distinction of paid staff and volunteer no longer exists and the urgency of Kingdom expansion will force us to lay aside titles for the purpose of ministry.  Until then, do you have any suggestions to help churches blend paid and volunteer ministry?

The Role of Women in the Church - Part 1

My Associate Pastor told me one of the reasons I have difficulty serving in my church is because I am single. Specifically he stated, "You do not have a husband to submit to and that makes it harder." I was surprised he said the "S" word, but it made me wonder how I might address this issue without having to take on a husband! I found the following Acts of Submission by Foster and thought it was worth passing on:

1. The first act of submission is to the Triune God.
2. The second act of submission is to the Scripture.
3. The third act of submission is to our family.
4. The fourth act of submission is to our neighbors and those we meet daily in our lives.
5. The fifth act of submission is to the body of Christ.
6. The sixth act of submission is to the broken and despised.
7. The seventh act of submission is to the world.

I don't see anything listed that would suggest my submission is predicated on having a husband. If I willingly submit to the Triune God and His Scripture then the rest just falls into place. If I submit to the body of Christ then I will voluntarily submit to the authority of my Pastor and others in authority over me.

I don't see why being a single female should make my kingdom service any different than if I was married or even male. We are ALL called to go and make disciples and to teach them. Jesus didn't say to wait and get married first.

I wrote the above in December 2008.  I don't remember the conversation with my Associate Pastor, but it does sound like something he would have said.  It's now five years later and I am still asking the same questions.

It might be because Sunday is Mothers Day, but I have been reading a lot about the role of women in society and especially in the church.  I know I lean toward the complementarian view, but there are some aspects of the egalitarian view that I also embrace.  If you are not in seminary or reading faith based blogs you may not know what complementarian or egalitarian mean. Here is a summary by "The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood," complementarianism is the viewpoint that God restricts women from serving in church leadership roles and instead calls women to serve in equally important, but complementary roles. Summarized by "Christians for Biblical Equality," egalitarianism is the viewpoint that there are no biblical gender-based restrictions on ministry in the church. With both positions claiming to be biblically based, it is crucially important to fully examine what exactly the Bible does say on the issue of complementarianism vs. egalitarianism.

There is a lot of information available and arguments on both sides claim to have Scripture support.  I plan to examine this issue over the next few weeks. To get us started read the following Scripture, in context, and see which view you think they support:

1 Timothy 2:9-15
1 Timothy 2:1
1 Corinthians 14:34
1 Timothy 3:1-13
Titus 1:6-9
Galatians 3:28
Luke 8:1-3 
Luke 10:38-42
Matt. 15:21-28 
Luke 7:36-50
John 4:39-42 
Matt. 28:1-10  
Mark 16:7
Acts 1:8 

Candy and Nuts ...

I was talking with a friend the other day, lamenting about my life situation, and her response was "If  ifs and buts were candy and nuts then we all would have a good Christmas."  I laughed at the line, but I understood the point she was making.

I am notorious for saying "IF I can just get past this (event/meeting/project), then I can do all these other things I want to do." My other favorite line is "I would have done (fill in blank) BUT this other thing needs to be done."  I've lost the balance of work and play, but it's hard to make it all work, right?  So, I tucked this little saying into my back pocket and went on with life as usual. 

Then a group of friends went out to lunch and we are all talking about schedules, priorities, and how hard it is to get things done.  I could hear the candy and nuts being tossed out by each of us.  Perhaps there is more to this than I had thought.

Priorities.  How do we make them and how do we keep them?  There is no set answer for which specific thing is a priority since they will change as our life situation changes, but the principals remain constant.  Jesus made it very clear throughout His ministry what His priorities were and how each of us should follow His example. He taught, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40). The first commandment addressed the vertical relationship between man and God. The second commandment addressed the horizontal relationship with other people. All of your priorities will fall into these two basic categories.

I did a quick search online for Christian priorities and this is a summary of what I found:

1. Love the Lord through disciplined obedience in all matters of prayer, worship, and daily walk.
2. Respect your spouse, loving them above all others.
3. Cherish your children and spend time with them. Teach them to follow the Lord.
4. Service through the local church to include community outreach.
5. Employment so you are not a burden to others.
6. Friends to share life with and to help encourage each other in difficult times.

Let's walk through them and see how I do:

1. Love the Lord.  OK, I've got that one down pretty well.  Oh, the rest of the line too?  Hum, "through disciplined obedience in all matters."  OK, maybe I could use a little work on some things.

2. Respect and love your spouse. Ha!  I don't have one so I don't have to do that!  Wait, this means potential spouse too?  I need to think about my actions today because they will affect relationships that come in my future.

3. Cherish my children.  Since I do not have children I need to make sure the environment around me is inviting and supporting of other children in my family.  In some cases, I may be the only light of Christ they experience.

4. Service through my church.  I do serve through my church almost to the exclusion of other things in my life.  This is where I have to go back to the first line, "disciplined in all matters."  The local church should not be a priority over your relationships with God or your family.  If we have a disciplined life we will also have a balanced life.

5. Employment.  I have a job, in fact, I work for myself!  This has allowed great flexibility in my schedule, but I sometimes abuse that freedom.  How we handle our business affairs reflects on our walk with the Lord. 

6. To get a friend you must be a friend. Do I really love others as I love myself?  Am I willing to make others a priority?

Do you see a trend?  I see discipline and balance are the arching theme for all the priorities.  If I keep the first priority in it's right place then the others seem to fall into their correct place.  A balanced life will result in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  If I see the fruit multiply then I know I am on the right track!

If and but will probably always be a challenge for me.  Hopefully, by recognizing the things I need to balance I can do better at setting the right priorities!

Solid Rock

"You have got to be kidding" I yelled when I discovered a hairline crack running across my ceiling.  I just stared at it for a while thinking it might magically repair itself, but nothing happened.  I'm disappointed, but it's not like there weren't warning signs. 

My driveway has dropped about two inches where two sheets of concrete meet or should I say met.  My mailbox leans like the Tower of Pisa, and the vent cover of the AC intake won't stay shut.  None of these things bothered me much so I have simply ignored them. Until now that is.  The crack in the ceiling is a significant problem that has caused me to face reality. The foundation under my house has shifted.

We often live our lives in the same fashion.  As Christians, we ignore obvious signs that the foundation of our life is shifting. What we don't consider is the collective damage the underlying cause of the shift is creating and how much harder it is going to be to correct the problem by waiting.  Here are some examples of how your spiritual foundation may be shifting:

1. You don't have any type of small group connection through your church.

2. You sleep through your morning devotional time on a semi-regular basis.

3. You go days without praying never noticing you have stopped.

4. You skip gathering with other believers for Sunday morning worship.

5. You start to hang out in places you don't want your Christian friends to know about.

Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27.
 

I have seen the result of a shifting foundation in my house and I know I need to make things right again.  If you have need to make things right in your spiritual foundation don't delay.  Talk with a Christian friend or your pastor and stand firm on solid ground!  Build your house on rock instead of shifting sands!

Count Your Blessings

For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10

It was a difficult morning.  I woke up late and rushed to the office only to learn my first appointment decided to cancel.  Good news is that it gave me time to write reports.  Bad news is that’s when we discovered we are out of office supplies.

Later we had a physician come in who felt I needed to hear every gory OB-GYN story he knew.  He said think about what you see in ears and multiply that by a hundred and that’s what I see every day.  I guess he wasn’t having a very good day either. 

When our lunch break finally arrived I bought a glass of lemonade and sat with the sun on my face.  I spent a few minutes with the Lord to quiet my mind and my soul.  Yes, it had been a difficult morning, but I decided that wasn’t reason enough to be frustrated.  I decided to count my blessings instead:

1. I love my family and they love me.

2. I have amazing friends who are never more than a phone call away.

3. I have a comfortable home with a yard to enjoy.

4. I have a car that gets me where I need to go (even if the AC is out right now!)

5. I have a business that I own that provides for my needs.

6. I have a church that I cherish.

7. I get to do ministry with some amazing women.

8. I have a God that knows my name.

I came back to the office after thanking God for my day.  I was feeling better about life.  Time with the Lord always does that for me.  Then my first afternoon patient came in for help.  We did the test and as we were ending she said “Thank you for being my doctor.”  She then reached across the table grabbed both my hands and began to pray for me!  She thanked the Lord that I was here to help her and for His Spirit that shown through me.  She asked Him to sustain me.

 I smiled because He just did.

Do we live under the law?

I'm reading a book called 40 Questions About Christians and Biblical Law by Thomas Schreiner.  The purpose is to learn how Old Testament law affects New Testament Christians.  It began as you would expect with definitions and descriptions.  Then something caught my attention.  The author said, "It's hard to conceive of Paul saying that the law in conjunction with the Spirit frees people from sin (Romans 8:2), since elsewhere Paul emphasizes that those that are 'under law' are under sin."  This specifically addressed the issue that led to reading the book so I thought I should read the Scripture.  This is what it says,

             " Therefore, there is now no condemnation  for those who are in Christ
              Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives
              life has set you free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law was 
              powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending
              his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.  And so he
             condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ in order that the righteous requirement of the
             law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but            
             according to the Spirit." Romans 8:1-4

Let me paraphrase the last line.  We do not live by the things our flesh wants us to do, but instead according to the things the Holy Spirit leads us to do!  Now, go back one more line.  The law is powerless to help us do that ... did you get that? Powerless because of our weak flesh!  We would never be able to keep the law and God knew it so He sent Jesus and then the Holy Spirit. 

I am involved in a Bible study that is looking at the role the Holy Spirit plays in our relationship with God.  Here are some of the questions we will discuss this week:

     1. In what ways do we hold each other in bondage to our own convictions?

     2. How has God used multiple means to confirm what He was saying to you?

     3. What did Paul mean when he advised us to be careful how we enjoy liberty in Chirst?
                                                                                                                  
                                                                                       (Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer)

If we are no longer under the law, and it is sin to do so, does that change the way you would answer these questions? 

Did You Miss Me?

I didn’t make it to church this morning.  Once I decided to not go I could have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep, but I didn’t.   I immediately sent three text messages.  Why?  I knew I would be missed.

When you think about the people in your small group or Sunday School class would they contact you if they knew they were going to be absent?  Would they know they would be missed? 

Here are some suggestions on how you can build groups that care for each other:

Talk to Others: Everyone has a need to be noticed. 

Smile: A smile can turn around a bad day for someone else.

Use Names: It shows you cared enough to remember.

Care About Others: Empathy means involvement!

Priase Others: Reinforce good behaviors.

Encourage Others: Use your words to build up others.

Respect Others:  Try to see situations from the other person’s perspective.

Touch Someone: You may be the only physical human contact some people get each week.

Servant Leadership: What counts most is who we are in Christ and what we do for others!

What other things would you suggest?

One Sows - Another Reaps

For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ John 4:37
I read a great story that fits with yesterday's post on witnessing:

The great English preacher Francis Dixon asked a young man in his church named Noelle to give his testimony at a revival. So Noelle stood up and gave this testimony:“I was in Sydney, Australia when a little old man walked up to me and said, ‘Sir, if you were to die today, do you know where you would spend eternity?’

“With that the old man turned on his heel, said, ‘Toodle-loo’, and walked away. So when I got back to England the first thing that I did was to seek out a pastor who led me to Christ.”
After the service, a young man came up to Noelle and said, “That’s my testimony too. I met that same man!” Francis Dixon was so moved by this that when he went on a world tour of preaching, he shared it at every meeting. And when he preached in cities across Australia, he came across hundreds of people with the very same story.

So when Dixon made it to Sydney, he tracked down this old man at his home and told him about all of those people who had come to Christ through him. The old gentleman broke down and said, “Sir, this is the first time in my life that I’ve known of anyone who has ever come to Jesus because of my witness.”

Now that is a great story about how to be yourself and witness with intention!  Some sow the seeds; some harvest. So whatever role God calls you to fulfill, be faithful in it because you never know the impact you can have!

You want me to do what?

We just finished a missions conference at my church.  The final sermon was on four types of evangelism: intercession, relational, service, and proclamation.  The idea was that we are all called to be a witness, but we are not all called to do it in the same way. 

For people who don’t have the spiritual gift of evangelism, the word witness can stir up some unpleasant memories or paralyzing anxieties. In fact, I felt like a complete failure when I tried to follow the FAITH method that was designed to make witnessing easier!

Jim Henderson, author of Evangelism Without Additives: What if Sharing Your Faith Meant Just Being Yourself? suggests just being yourself is the best way to share the Gospel.  The authentic story of the work Christ has done in our lives is the best testimony we have.  When we tell the truth about Christ’s power to save us and keep us from sin, our testimony will be credible.

If the thought of taking classes has kept you from witnessing, try a different approach: be yourself!  Like the blind man Jesus healed, simply say, “Though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25).

SBTC Empower Evangelism Conference Information

Encouragement

"One word of encouragement when someone is first starting to pursue their dream is worth more than a million words of appreciation when they have acheived it and already become sucessful." Doe Zantamata

I serve as the Director of Women's Ministry at my church. I remember during the first few weeks I would hear criticism about ministries I was developing. People were telling me I wasn't doing things the way they thought it should be done. Some of the men said they would be talking with staff about my leadership.

Then my Pastor sent me an email. "Uh-oh," I thought, "Here it comes."  The email said, "I want you to know that I think you are doing a great job. You're doing exactly what we asked you to do. Just keep at it." My attitude was changed and my confidence came back. I began to work with renewed joy and now, six years later, the Women's Ministry is growing numerically and more important spiritually.

Paul told the Roman believers that he wanted to see them so they could encourage each other. You and I know how helpful that can be. We all appreciate an arm around the shoulder or a kind word.

If you've received some unexpected encouragement, thank God for it. And when the Holy Spirit leads you to encourage someone, go ahead and do it. Be an encourager. Both of you will be glad you did. 
 
"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith." Romans 1:11-12

Mentoring

One of my favorite aspects of serving with women is mentoring. I enjoy watching women discover new things about themselves and helping them work through the trials of life. When I first began working with women however, mentoring was the last thing I wanted to do!  Nobody told me what mentoring was all about.  I didn't know what I was supposed to do.   I found the process frustrating and I am sure the women I wanted to help would agree.  It is only by God’s grace that I remain in ministry after such a negative experience.  Here are some things I have learned along the way.  I hope they help you as you begin to reach out to others.

Someone to learn from. Find someone with experience to help guide you.  I asked an older woman to teach me how to minister to women.  We continue to meet regularly, and as she builds into my life, I can better build into others.   Learn by watching others with experience.

Going slowly. You can’t help the whole world.  Mentoring can take a lot of time and it is better to serve two or three faithfully instead of nine or ten poorly.  Jesus had an inner circle He worked closely with even as He discipled the twelve.

Regular debriefing. Ask for input from those you trust.  Find someone you can talk with on a weekly or monthly basis to evaluate progress in those you are helping.  Do people see spiritual growth in them?  Can others suggest new materials you might use or ways to help connect them to the church?  There is wisdom in asking for help.

A supervisor to help. Sometimes you run into problems.  Ask your women’s minister or pastor to be available for consultation. I frequently spend evenings on the telephone helping others plan a new approach to situations.

These are just a few ideas.  I would love to hear what you would add to this list!

　"Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behavior, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited."  Titus 2:3-5

Crazy Busy

I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2

My life is crazy busy right now.  Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about!  It seems there are always more things to do, places to go, and people to meet than there is time to do them!  And while none of us would want a life without meaningful things to do, this fast pace threatens to rob us of the quietness that we need. 

When we’re driving a car there are warning signs to slow us down.  We can’t have our foot on the accelerator all the time. We need those same  kind of reminders in all aspects of our lives.  Today, my body is telling me to slow down.  I need to take take my foot off the accelerator and rest for a while!

The psalmist clearly knew the importance of times of calm and quiet. God Himself “rested” on the seventh day. And with more messages to preach and more people to heal, Jesus went apart from the crowds and rested a while (Matt. 14:13; Mark 6:31). He knew it wasn’t wise to accelerate through life with our gas gauge registering on “weary” all the time.

When was the last time you could say, “I have calmed and quieted my soul”? (Ps. 131:2).  Just for an hour or even a few minutes today turn off the distractions that keep you from listening to God’s voice, and let Him speak to you as you read His Word. Let Him refresh your heart and mind with the strength to live life well for His glory.

Stop and take a break from the busyness of life so that you can refuel your soul.

 

A Corn Field

There is a corn field I pass on my way to work each morning. Last spring as the ground was being prepared for planting I thought of the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-8). The ground was tilled and soon I saw rows where the seeds had been scattered. Each week there would be changes and I began to considered how the corn field was like the fields we tend for the Lord.

The crop began to grow and I noticed the corn in the center was tall and green. The plants on the edge of the field were green, but shorter and not as bright in color. As the season progressed, some of the stalks on the edge began to turn brown and others struggled hard to grow. My attention was drawn to the lush, thick, green stalks in the center and the sweet corn I knew they would soon produce. I sometimes wondered why the farmer didn't water the edges more so all the stalks would yield a good harvest.

Summer arrived and we experienced record breaking heat. The field began to dry out. The stalks at the edge died quickly and even the thick, green stalks in the center showed signs of the rough weather. The farmer must not have cared for his field because after only a few weeks I looked at what was once lush and green to see it had become of sea of brown. The stalks were dead or dying. The corn had not been gathered. The work this farmer had done in the spring was now wasted and no good had come from it.

A few weeks later I noticed the field had been cut and the dead stalks were gone. It had become a barren, uninviting place to see. However, the empty field was soon covered in bales of dried corn plants. I smiled as I realized that the plants would serve a purpose, though not the original one intended, and the work had not all been in vain. The farmer is now preparing the field for winter and I anticipate a new crop will be planted in the spring with the hope of a great harvest next fall.

When someone is asked for a philosophy of ministry they often say the Great Commandment and the Great Commission (Matthew 22:37-40; Matthew 28:19—20) guide their path. Likewise, if they have been in church life, they might say the goal of ministry is to reach, teach, and minister to the people. Both of these descriptions are correct, but they do not reflect the nuisance of Christian ministry as seen in the growing corn field.

The process begins with the farmer getting up early to prepare to go to his field. Ministers of the faith must also prepare themselves through regular time in study of God’s Word and prayer. The fields must be plowed so the seeds can take a firm hold in the soil.

For the ministry to grow deep roots, relationships must be built with the people we hope to reach. The field needs to be watered, weeded, and watched for consistent growth. Likewise, we must consistently care for all the people and not only those that are most receptive or willing to serve. The people on the edge of the church may require extra attention, but it will help them grow to be fully devoted followers of Christ.

If everything goes well then the corn will grow large and the harvest will be full. There will be seasons, however, when the fields do not grow and we watch our labors fall to the ground. In ministry these may be the times of greatest personal growth and spiritual renewal as we call upon the Lord for His leading and help. If we remain faithful (1 Corinthians 9:24) we will be given new direction and the ministry will continue to grow. Ministers must remain open to change.

The final stage of the corn field is preparing for the future. Just as the farmer prepares the field for next year’s harvest so must we prepare for the future. Leadership development and mentoring in a Paul and Timothy manner is essential for the continuity of ministry within the church. Every minister should have someone they are mentoring and someone that mentors them.

For me if comes down to loving God and loving others. If I love above all else then the fields will be white for harvest.