As we begin to explore what discipleship should look like, it’s worthwhile beginning with the three main metaphors the New Testament uses which are farming, parenting and apprenticeship. This week we’ll focus on farming.
In 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, when describing his ministry with Apollos to establish the church in Corinth, Paul explains that they worked like farmers planting seeds and watering, in the knowledge that it was God who ultimately made the “crops” grow:
5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.
With this farming metaphor we see that discipleship is not like a production line sausage factory where if every person goes through the same discipleship course, or reads the same books, that they will all end up disciples. There is no one formula for discipleship.
As farmers, we can think about getting the “soil right” - setting up the right conditions in the church community for disciples to grow. Soil conditions can very from place to place. I wonder how the soil conditions vary between Clifton Hill and Fairfield or amongst youth and retired people? Our church’s name is based on the local creek, which gets its name from the Woi-wurrung language 'Merri Merri' which means “very rocky” because of the volcanic rock found along the creek. When we first planted in 2013 we often reflected on how the discipleship soil in our pocket of Melbourne was also very rocky and therefore going to be difficult (Matthew 13:5-6). I wonder how true that still is? Perhaps the soil conditions are changing?
As farmers, we need patience as we trust God and wait for the crops to grow. But also, like good farmers, we cannot sit back and neglect the crops and assume it will take care of itself. We have to put effort in while remembering that it’s ultimately God’s work.
Sometimes discipleship will be frustrating and it can feel like one problem after an another. This is just like farming! Last week I was talking to the owner of the Five Ducks Farm in the Grampians who make ice-creams, jams and sauces. All their berry crops burnt in the recent bushfires so they won’t have any more crops for two years. And yet their shop remains open and they keep pressing on. We need to have this kind of farmer’s resilience with discipleship trusting that we will go through times of discipleship abundance and fruitfulness.
Right now our youth are away on the first Merri Creek youth camp. Let’s pray for their discipleship as the youth leaders “plant” and “water” and God brings the growth.
Peter Carolane
Senior Minister
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