Fruitful ministry hides in plain sight
Jesus said, “Listen to what I’m telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest.” (John 4:35 CSB)
It’s like searching everywhere for your glasses while wearing them on your head, or looking for your cell phone while holding it in your hand: sometimes we overlook fruitful places of ministry located right in front of us. You could say they are hidden in plain sight.
“As I look back, it still amazes me how for decades our church never seemed to notice the mission field sitting right in front of our eyes.”
Just three doors down the street from our church stood the Country Barn Hotel. We existed side-by-side for decades. Although it was technically a budget hotel, The Country Barn functioned more as an apartment complex because people often lived there long term. Locals had dubbed it the Drama Barn. Police made frequent visits, especially on Saturday nights, to deal with disturbances that were usually fueled by drugs or alcohol. Despite its well-deserved label, families with children lived there, because it was the only place they could afford; the last place in town to go before living under a bridge.
I served as pastor of a church located just three doors away for nearly five years before we began reaching out to these families. One day some men from our church knocked on the door of a tenant who was just about to commit suicide. He changed his mind and started coming to our church. Country Barn children attended our summer VBS and our after-school Homework Club. Low-income families became regulars at our free Wednesday night church suppers. The manager of the Country Barn Hotel began coming; she committed her life to Christ, was baptized and became a faithful member. Suddenly and unexpectedly, we had discovered an extremely fruitful mission field located nearly next door!
As I look back, it still amazes me how for decades our church never seemed to notice the mission field sitting right in front of our eyes. Unfortunately, I believe many churches are like that.
Located all around the church are people who need Jesus, people who are ready and responsive, but we don’t see them. I don’t understand why or how this happens, but I know that it does. And pastors, I also know that, if you ask God to open your eyes, He will do in your church what He did for us: God will show you extremely fruitful places of ministry that have been hiding in plain sight!
Sam Taylor serves as the Boston area regional coordinator at the Baptist Convention of New England.