Have you ever been so focused on something that you thought was important that you missed something more important? I think about all the times that I missed special events with my kids because I had a conference to attend or a meeting to facilitate. I just knew what I was doing was the right thing, but after missing some of those events with my sons I realized that I was putting more equity into an institution than I was into my own family.
In the same way, I have come to an eye opening understanding of what is important in God’s Kingdom and its contrast to the kingdom work I’ve been so busy doing.
Here is how it came about. I have been taught for decades that a successful pastor is a pastor of a large church. Somehow, if I am to really be a man of God, I have to pastor a church of over a hundred people, and then a church of over two hundred, and on and on until I am pastoring a church with more than 1000 people in attendance. That was the definition of success that was planted in me, and that has been my focus through the majority of my pastoral career. As long as I could show that I was bringing in the large harvest then I was on my way to being a success.
We all know to recognize the Kingdom of God in the harvest, and the Kingdom of God is constantly growing. However, I’ve recently begun to understand that the Kingdom of God is just as much in the seed as it is in the harvest, it is in the individual as well as in the masses! So while I’ve been focusing on the masses, I’ve been neglecting the seed. Which comes first, the harvest or the seed? Until the reapers overtake the sowers, it is the seed which comes first!
Jesus was once asked, “When are You going to show us Your Kingdom?” Jesus responded, “The Kingdom does not come with observation. Some will say it is here, others will say it is there, but in all reality, the Kingdom is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21 The Authorized DBjr Version).
Sometimes we become so focused on showing what the Kingdom looks like in mass that we stop building up the Kingdom within each other. Not to say we should stop building our churches and reaching the lost! But it serves very little purpose to win someone to Christ if we will not disciple them! How many Kingdom seeds sit in our seats and leave without having grown the Kingdom within themselves?
If the average pastorate in our churches is less than three years, then how are we as pastors really building the Kingdom when there is no relational equity put into the seed thus developing a Kingdom harvest that will outlive us?
The last church I pastored grew at a phenomenal rate. Had I stayed, there is no telling what it would be like today, (I would have had to pray the elders through or prayed them on into glory, but there is no telling where that church would be today.) After almost three years there, thinking the new blood in the church would keep it growing, I took the biggest challenge of my pastoral career and moved to WV. Unfortunately after we left, because the relational discipleship in the lives of the new converts was short term, they either found other churches or gave up on serving Christ all together.
So what is the point? Growing churches and reaching the harvest is a desired part of building God’s Kingdom, but more to be desired is the ability to build with relational discipleship. Remember, spreading the Gospel is only one half of the Great Commission, the other half is making disciples!
So if you are pastoring a large church, make sure you have enough small group leaders who can truly disciple; working to nurture that seed of the Kingdom inside.
If you are a small or medium size church pastor, nurture that Kingdom seed in your converts and pre-converts, because it is that seed which is intended to bring forth fruit, and you won’t have to be stressed out trying to force in the harvest. Know that God has put you where you are, and don’t leave it until He is done with you!
If you are a leader within a church organization, stop focusing on observing the Kingdom growth, and start empowering your pastors to make disciples. Help them to realize the Kingdom is not only about big churches and big budgets, but is about making disciples of all men.
Remember we are only stewards of His Kingdom, it is not our own. Sow, water, nurture, reap…but since its His Kingdom, it is ultimately His job to bring the increase.
I enjoyed your writing.
The below is simple and maybe something to think about?
Thanks!
Phil Edwards (pmespeak.com)
In the book called Matthew: Chapter 26 – Verse 28 is this sentence. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is freely given for the forgiveness of sins.”
The history of all religion is a record of blood and fear and warfare and horror and rule. Men and Women are damned? Is formal religion a creation of all thngs dead?
Peace, Love and Understanding
By: Philip Edwards on March 24, 2009
at 4:54 am
Philip,
While much of religion has been soaked with blood, the blood of Christ, as God in the flesh, became the ultimate sacrifice to redeem fallen men. The resurrected body of Christ became the ultimate pinnacle of mankind’s destiny.
Christianity was never intended to be a religion, but a relationship. A relationship with God through Christ, a relationship with our neighbors, and many would argue even a relationship with creation.
The Kingdom of God is not religion, but is the life which all were created to live. That is why the Gospel of the Kingdom was so important almost 2000 years ago, and that is why it is still important today.
Wishing you peace and love beyond our limited ability to understand,
darrell b jr.
By: darrellbjr on March 24, 2009
at 6:37 pm