Signs of Harvest
Church planting is a lot like farming. Even Paul said this (2 Timothy 2:6). In his commentary on this passage, Kent Hughes reflects on the life of a farmer. It involves:
- early and long hours because he could not afford to lose time;
- constant toil (plowing, sowing, tending, weeding, reaping, storing);
- regular disappointments—frosts, pests, and disease;
- much patience—everything happened at less than slow motion; and
- boredom.
Sounds familiar!
The thing that keeps farmers motivated is the harvest. Paul even says this: “It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.” They are also encouraged by signs pointing to the upcoming harvest.
I love this metaphor for what we’re doing in Liberty Village. We keep working, but sometimes it seems like we can’t see the results. That’s because the results aren’t instantaneous. We continue to plant and work, trusting that God is doing work even when we can’t see it.
Every once in a while, we see evidence that God is producing a harvest. Most recently, we heard about a conversation between a member of the community and a friend of ours who is going through a hard time. “If you are going through a hard time, you should check out Liberty Grace Church,” the community member said. “I’m not religious, but they’re committed to the community, and I would go to them if I had a need.”
Another community member regularly calls Nathan the “village pastor.” She recently posted a picture of Nathan on Facebook with this comment, “Spending time with my village pastor, his wife, and my girlfriend.” I don’t know if I’ve read many things on Facebook that have made me happier.
We continue to plant and work, seeing early signs of the harvest. Please continue to pray that we will be faithful to do our part, knowing that God is always faithful in what he does.
Church Planting Incubator
Our denomination, in partnership with the C2C Church Planting Network, has invited me (Darryl) to be part of a Church Plant Incubator in Toronto. Developed by Redeemer Church and City to City Network in NYC, the Incubator is a strategic two-year program to serve, train, and develop church planters in urban cities. It covers topics such as the gospel, church planting, leadership, preaching, and mission. It provides practical help in a group learning environment.
It’s exciting to be part of this Incubator, and the content is fabulous. It’s also great to be able to apply the information immediately to our efforts in Liberty Village.
Two Months to Go
A generous donor has agreed to match donations to our church until the end of the year. We are aiming to complete this year in the black, and we need your help. Please consider a special year-end gift. It’s easy to donate online.
Thanks for your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for us as we start this church in Liberty Village!