(photo credit: harvestba.com)
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38, New International Version)
I spent 20 years as a pastor of Southern Baptist churches before I came to my current ministry. In the churches I pastored, as well as in the churches that are a part of my current network, there is a common problem: too many needs and too few people responding to those needs. There has been an axiom tossed about for years called the 80-20 rule. That is that 20% of the people are doing 80% of the work and providing 80% of the resources. My observation is that, in many churches, it is more like 90-10.
When we read these words from Jesus and realize that ministry needs always outnumber willing workers, we put together a strategy to address it.
- The pastor (or a guest preacher for a special event) puts together a rousing sermon highlighting the great needs around us. The text for this sermon may even be verse 37: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
- We form a committee to organize some new ministries.
- We put up sign-up sheets around the building and encourage people to “get involved.”
- We observe a brief up-tick in activity and then realize that most of the people who signed up were already in the 20% that were doing everything before.
- We start the cycle over.
Here’s the problem: We missed the instructional part of Jesus’ statement. Verse 37 is observation: many needs, few workers. Verse 38 is instruction: start with prayer.
I love the way The Message translates this passage: “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”
Jesus’ call was not to work, but to prayer … intentional, strategic, fervent prayer.
Here’s the twist: You can’t intentionally, strategically, fervently pray for something very long without beginning to see how God wants to use you in it. Jesus knew that effective ministry begins with a heart in tune with God. A heart in tune with God will result in a life (and ministry) empowered by God.
Question: What are some specific and practical ways you can think of that might help God’s people properly focus on the harvest?
Leave a comment below. Our community would greatly benefit from your insight.
