Crawling and Pulling Up

Becky and I have just returned from a weekend trip to California to visit our oldest daughter Rebecca, her husband Ravi, and our grand-daughter Anjali.

Anjali is amazing . . . precious . . . beautiful (a very biased grandfather is writing.) We have enjoyed holding and playing with her.

In many ways Anjali is a metaphor for church planting.

First, she reflects her heritage. She has the jet black hair and dark brown eyes of her father and many of the facial features of her mother. In a similar way, try as we may, it is impossible for us to deny our heritage. It is like the water we swim in or the air the we breathe. At best we can only grow in our understanding of the influences that form us.

She has her own personality. She loves her mother and father. As grand-parents we had to get to know her slowly and establish a relationship. And then we learned how to laugh and play. Churches, while incarnating the nature of Christ, however, also vary in personality. Some picture Christ as a suffering servant bearing the pain of others; others prefer to see Christ as the powerful resurrected Lord who defeats the principalities and powers; still others look on Christ as a personal Savior. Some like dim lights, others bright lights. Some like a collage of art and music in their worship; others are comfortable only with traditional songs 100 years old or more; others like chanting and consider Western music sensual; still others treasure simplicity. Some like noisy, joyous worship; others sedate quiet worship. The personality variables are innumerable . . . but they are all loved by the Lord.

Anjali is rapidly developing. After only seven months of life she is crawling around the house and pulling up on the furniture. I am amazed at the progress of our church plantings. Christ Journey in Southwest Fort Worth is like Anjali, not yet walking but crawling with high expectation. The Parker County church in Weatherford is taking its first steps. The Higher Point church in Denver is in the womb, (unlike Cynthia James who just had her little boy named Braydon!) but forming.

Oh, the joy of children and young churches . . ., who both grow to maturity.

Gailyn