Grow Deep
Grow: Rethinking Church Growth - Part 3
April 28, 2024
Mark 4:1-20, Ephesians 3:14-21, Psalm 1:1-3, Jeremiah 17:7-8
Happy are those who trust in the Lord,
who rely on the Lord.They will be like trees planted by the streams,
whose roots reach down to the water.
They won’t fear drought when it comes;
their leaves will remain green.
They won’t be stressed in the time of drought
or fail to bear fruit.Jeremiah 17:7-8
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We all like the idea of growth, especially when it comes to our church “growing,” but growth is about a lot more than what we see on the surface. Just as a tree can be extremely tall while rotting inside and posing a great risk to nearby homes in a storm, so churches of any size can also be rotten inside and pose a great
spiritual risk to their members and their larger community.
Growth, whether in the church or in our own lives as we seek to grow in Christ, is about a lot more than we see on the surface. Growth depends primarily on a healthy root system to nourish, to anchor and to connect us with our larger environment. Jeremiah writes that it is our trust in the Lord which strengthens our roots so that we will not be stressed in time of drought. Jesus warns us of thorns and rocks and birds that will prevent the seed of God’s word from truly taking root in our lives so that it can produce good fruit. Paul calls the church to be rooted and grounded in the love of Christ. (Ephesians 3:17, Colossians 2:7).
There is no question throughout scripture that being deeply rooted in the love of God through Christ is essential to any kind of growth as individuals or as a community. Yet tragically we live in a culture that teaches us how to polish the surface of our lives while hiding the rot on the inside that nobody wants to see. From small talk to resumes to our social media feeds, we have become experts and presenting highlight reals of our lives. At the same time we know the pain and brokenness that is under the surface, and when we compare our brokenness to someone else’s highlight reel, we fall even deeper into our despair.
Most trees have root systems much longer / taller than the tree we see above ground. I assumed that the bigger the tree, the deeper the roots, but it turns out the deepest recorded roots are found in a relatively small tree called the “Shepherd’s tree”, native to the Kalahari Desert. These roots stretch up to 230 feet into the ground to find nourishment. Other roots hang out of the ground directly over a stream and don’t need to stretch far at all to find the sustenance they need. Farmers have even found a way to nourish certain roots in the air through hydroponic solutions to increase fruit & vegetable growth where there are less than ideal soil conditions. Like the numbers we measure on the surface, the measurement of the root is also not what matters. Rather, what makes a plant healthy is the way the roots sense the environment and seek out water and nutrients. Environmental Scientist Ying Fan Reinfelder says that the roots are the smartest part of the plant. They will always find the perfect depth to reach the most favorable source of nourishment possible.
Where do your spiritual roots find nourishment?
What obstacles keep you from tapping into the source of life?
If you want to grow, start with the health of your roots.
