Planting, watering, growing

Have you ever wondered what it was like to watch Jesus heal, or bring back from the dead, or simply to spend a few minutes in prayer?

What was it like to trudge up that mountainside before the transfiguration?

What was it like to see Lazarus come out of the tomb? Not to mention that morning a while later when Jesus did it in a different manner.

What was it like to feed 5,000, constantly handing out fish and/or chips?

I don't know, obviously, but I felt yesterday something close to those incredible moments. I've asked Fitzgerald, one of my two churches, to do a mission Sunday, a local mission Sunday. Now, getting churches to do some of these types of thing isn't the hard part. Nah, the hard part is getting more than, say, 30 percent of the church (that elusive but much talked about core group) to "volunteer."

After three weeks of talking about it, praying about it, pushing and pulling and yanking and yearning, we have 54 persons signed up for four areas of mission. That's 54 of the average 82 we bring to the table each week. That's more than 50 percent of the church that will paint a carport, redo a yard, pray for the church, the country, it's leaders, etc., and deliver more than 50 loaves of bread, new brochures, books and baskets.

God is so very good. And his people, HIS people, fall in line pretty well, too. Did I see loaves and fish multiply yesterday? No, not exactly. But I saw God's people step into the batter's box and line a sharp single to right field. I saw a baby baptized. I saw two persons join the church. I heard wonderful music sang and played. I saw and heard and even felt worship leave the chests of God's people and flow gently but forcefully toward His throne room.

Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."

Find your gift, exercise that gift, then wonderfully, cheerfully watch God show the results. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow."

Team. Team work. Team work changing. Team work changing the community. Oh, the beauty of it all.