Preparing for Growth

Happy Monday to our CFC family;

As I was greeting people after church on Sunday, Jane Penner excitedly shared with me that some of the pre-season garden seeds she had planted indoors are now beginning to sprout. With joyful enthusiasm, she mentioned how seeing those little plants sprout gave her such hope, reminding her that spring will be here in just matter of months. She said, "Even though it’s hard to believe in the middle of January, if we just wait a little while, it’ll be here again."

As she was telling me this, it reminded me that I to had some pepper seeds from last year's plants that I wanted to start indoors. Realizing that I better get started soon if I expect them to be ready by spring. The truth is, some garden plants that need a longer growing season than our Manitoba summers can provide need a little help by being started indoors while there's still snow outside! That if I want to plant tomatoes and peppers by seed in my garden, it ain't going to happen if I wait until spring to plant them!

Planning ahead is always important—whether it’s planting our gardens, building a business, planning for our futures, or following God's will for our lives, preparation is always an essential first step.

In Proverbs 24:27, we read a valuable verse that says, “Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.” I love this little-known verse because it reminds me that not only is planning important, but it’s also crucial to know what to prioritize and plan for first. In this verse, it’s saying that before building the house, a pioneer needed to prepare their crops—because what’s the point of building a house if you don’t have food to eat when it’s done? Wise advice that can be applied to so many areas of our lives.

Over the past few months, it’s been a joy to see many new families attending CFC regularly. More smiling faces are always a joy to behold, and it’s exciting to feel the sense of enthusiasm in our midst.

In the midst of all of this, let us remember how crucial it is to plan for the future. Growth requires intentional planning, and this planning cannot wait until all the pews are filled—it must happen now. If we are not prepared to handle the numerical growth in our church, it will struggle to sustain itself and eventually fade. Similarly, if we fail to meet the spiritual needs and growth of new attendees, they will soon become frustrated and disconnected.

To address this, ministries need to be established quickly to ensure that this growth remains healthy and sustainable. One key way we can do this is by creating home groups which will provide opportunities for individuals to form deeper connections and grow spiritually as our church expands. Just like planting seeds, if we wait too late to plant, maintaining it to reach maturity will be much harder. By planning now, we can be ready to welcome and nurture those who walk through our doors in the future.

As we just read in Proverbs 24:27, let's have our garden well-prepared when the time comes to build the house. Please pray for this important ministry and others that will help grow and mature our church. Pray that the right leadership will be in place soon, and that by this coming fall, CFC will have a well-established home group ministry that fosters continued maturity, growth and development.

Question:  In what way can you help in sustaining the numerical and spiritual growth of CFC?

Have a blessed week and we’ll see you Sunday!