Author: Phil Christensen
Much of ministry involves “low-hanging fruit.” There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that; if nothing else, good stewardship demands it! To be clear, we’re talking about people who appear out of the blue, hungry for a new life in Christ. They seem to drop from the tree into our hands.
I’m fascinated by how they became “Ripe and ready,” though. Those “easy” folks - when asked - will usually point to Christians who took a moment to express interest in their lives. Small acts of connection. Those acts were often not religious, but simply safe and compassionate.
I’ve seen a clear pattern that has led to personal and corporate revival. During our compassionate encounters with pre-Christians, we listen twice and speak once. We draw them out to hear what’s troubling them (without force-feeding them our astonishing wisdom). We listen carefully to their worries and dreams. We quietly ponder how such matters might be met in Christ. Often, this may not include showing them the bridge illustration or pressuring them to attend church immediately.
Prayer is the heart of the matter here; this is the slender nerve that moves the mighty arm of God. And that prayer should be strategic. After listening to these heart-matters, there comes a moment for us to express genuine affirmation, and briefly let them know we’ll be praying for them and offer to stay in touch.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we launch those Prayer Warriors! Let them intercede for the felt-needs of such folks AND the true spiritual factors beneath the surface. (This is hardly ever a one-and-done process; God’s timeline belongs to Him alone. In fact, we may never know the whole arc of the story until we get to glory.)
Paul speaks of one planting, another watering and - eventually - someone else harvesting. This harvest will appear to be “low-hanging Fruit!” But behind that “easy” harvest is the faithful Spirit of God, partnering with a queue of God’s Children to draw others to Jesus.
What a marvel our God is, and so worthy of our praise and thanksgiving! He engages our frail hands to join Him in bringing the dead to life and light to the darkness. Never get weary of compassion and prayer, dear ones; it’s how the family of God grows and how heaven is populated.
Blessings,
Pastor Phil
(Phil is the former Worship Pastor of Stonebridge and is currently one of Stonebridge's Global Partners serving with Standing Stone Ministries)
