A devout Christian farmer believes that it is God who is ultimately responsible for the growth of his crops. He is quick to give praise to God for the harvest for he knows that there is so much that is miraculous in the conversion of seeds to plants to fruit.
At the same time the good Christian farmer is devoted to the science of growth. He becomes expert in the conditions of soil, the nutritional needs of his crops, and the environmental conditions in which they are to grow. He does so in order that he can create the ideal environment to maximize the yield from his crop.
In so doing, the farmer is not working at odds with the miracle of growth. He is rather discovering and working with the principles that God has built into creation by which growth happens. The growth is still a testament to the handiwork of God.
A case could be made that of two farmers, the one who attends to the principles and massages his field to maximize the growth is being far more pious and devout than his neighbor who does little, and simply prays for growth.
Those reading this know that I am no farmer and that my interest there is minimal. My question is whether what is said above can be said about the ministry of a church, replacing ‘farmer’ with ‘pastor’ and ‘crop’ with ‘church’.
I am interested in what people think.
PS A special prize to the person who first correctly identifies the crop in the above picture. (Just click the ‘comment’ button below – it’s easy if you try!)
Elsa
If you open the picture in its own window, you can see that the file name is “s_beets_CIG.”Could the crop be beets?
Gus/Adri
Romaine lettuce? Or some kind of leaf lettuce. –ae
Gus/Adri
Okay, now that I’ve read elsa’s comment I’m changin’ my guess to sugar beets – based on the relationship of you and your “sugar beet” gal. =)–ae
Randy Greenwald
Wow… what a bunch of detectives you all are. Elsa, you are sharp. I did not think to change the title to something obscure. But I know that at least TWO of my readers would have identified this picture without a hesitation – having spent hours standing in the rows hoeing them for days on end as young girls. Which simply brings me back to the original question. Is something like hoeing a field messing with God’s glory in the growth of the crop, or is it cooperating with and contributing to his glory? And can the same logic be applied to the church?
Anonymous
I think the logic transfers over directly. Jesus told his disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest that He would bring forth workers for the harvest. Jesus is reminding us that it is God who calls and equips workers in the harvest of souls. In the same biblical book in which Jesus makes that statement it is also records Jesus teaching, training, testing, correcting and rebuking his disciples. Yes, God is the one who calls and equips but we are responsible for our God given role to tend the crop following the example of Jesus.Good post Randy!Scott Ellison
Gail and Keith
Adam tended the Garden of Eden, did he not? So, we inhabitants of the garden (church), do likewise.
Rebekah
I was going to say tobacco….Just as farming is a blend of common and special grace, so is church growth…