mgpcpastor's blog

Talk among the local pastors this morning turned to planting churches.
The conversation covered various hair-raising stories, and involved church plants which have gone on and others which didn’t take root.
Which got us onto remembering that churches are born and grow not according to human will but the sovereign purpose of God.
This observation reminds us to recognise the working of the Holy Spirit to bring life and growth, while not turning the circumstance in which He worked into a series of steps, which, if repeated will bring the same result.
Rather that a program, a set of steps which produce a certain outcome, it is helpful to observe a pattern of behaviours which can be commonly observed as being present when the Spirit is working.
I think this is true for all of life, not just for planting churches.
The book of Proverbs and other wisdom literature provide patterns of behaviour and values which are representative of a life which experiences the blessing of God.
They don’t present their instruction in a ‘do this – get that’ programmatic manner.
Instead they describe the patterns of life marked with wisdom.
The temptation is to observe someone else’s unpacking of these patterns in their context and the way in which God has sovereignly worked through them, and then decide to emulate their actions as a series of steps expecting the same outcome.
We like programs because it puts us in charge.
Do this, get that.
Patterns are more uncertain because, in effect, we’re undertaking to be available for God to use us as He wills.
We’re undertaking to be available in ways through which God most usually is pleased to work.
It’s not so much the outcome as the availability which is our goal.
Programs may be useful in encouraging intentionality or discipline.
Patterns are essential in encouraging availability and humility in discipleship.