The Church Is Like A Garden

Churches need to prune themselves sometimes. You can let the church’s energy get scattered in a hundred directions at once, and there isn’t energy left for the most important things, planting the good seed of God’s word, watering it with love.

I am really pleased that we are working on a mission statement now so that we can think deeply about what our mission is and where we want to direct the most of our energy.

If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time. If you aim at everything, you’ll still hit nothing.

Today we celebrate the history of a church that first saw itself as a garden for growing people for God, that started a strong Sunday School and two youth groups right from the start. We celebrate all the faithful gardeners who have worked hard to plant the good seed of God’s word in as many hearts as possible and have watered that word with love. Today I encourage us to renew that commitment, to be faithful students of God’s word. Plant the seeds. “For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.” The church is like a garden.