We exist to glorify God by cultivating Christ in each other so that we can be Christ to the world. We are a people who love God, love His word, and love people.
What words stand out to you why? What makes them so significant to you? What do you thinks this means to a Sunday school classroom?
When I look this statement over there is a word that fits so clearly with children. It is cultivate. Why you may ask? This is what we are about when we are planting the seeds of the Gospel. Think about the times you have read the Gospels in the New Testament, how many time can you think of or remember Jesus using agricultural language? Largest portion of Jesus illustrations were using agricultural terms think about how then we can use these in thinking about discipleship.
Here a few examples of the words He used:
Plow, yoke, winnowing fork, vine and branches, fig tree, pruning, sower and the seed, soil, wheat and weeds, mustard seed, harvest, white with harvest, parable of the weeds, a tree and its fruit, and many more.
Now think about these things in light of the mission statement you just read. Now think through the lens of a farmer, especially in the cultivation of soil and examine the definition below:
Cultivate: 1 : to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops; also : to loosen or break up the soil about (growing plants)
2 a : to foster the growth of
1. To grow plants, notably crops
Farmers should cultivate their crops to get a good harvest.
2. To nurture; tend
They tried to cultivate an interest in learning among their students.
3. To turn or stir soil in preparation for planting.
Discipleship is a cultivation ministry. It takes hard work and time; it takes thought and relationship to do this word justice. Cultivation is not easy sometimes it hurts. Imagine trying to cultivate soil with out modern machinery. How would this feel? How long would it take? What muscles or body parts would be sore after you were done? Cultivation is what God has called us to as the church, which is where you come in as a Sunday school teacher. The thing about cultivating children is that we are preparing their heart soil; we are helping to nurture and prepare their hearts. This word cultivate is very significant when you think about the ramifications. What will they see in you and remember about what was said in class about the God of the universe?
What a profound ministry we have, to be apart of what God will do in the heart of children. Have you ever thought that sometimes children have a different perspective when they listen to you then when they listen to their parents? It is like bringing in new machinery that has not been on a field before. It has the potential to go deeper into the heart of the soil, unlock something that has not seen sunlight. Remember when you would listen to other adults and not your parents? Our goal is to work hard to come along side of families to help cultivate the heart soil of their children, to bring added nutrients from scripture to be apart of the process. What a joy that we have to be able to love these little ones this way, now go back to and re-read the mission statement with some fresh perspective. What comes alive now? How will your class look different having thought through the mission the leadership of evbc has set forth?
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