Our church had a mission statement at one time that went something like this: "Our purpose is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ". Not just to be a spiritual haven, and not just to make sure people heard the Gospel, and not just to be sure they were born again, but to be active in the whole process.
As far as church was concerned, the message began in the parking lot, as a friendly helping face and attitude welcomed the people as they came. All of this seemed to say that "You are important to us and you are welcome to meet with us here.
I have related the story before, having to do with prison work, and listening to what the inmates say after the last session, that one of the things that attracts them to the opening session and that keeps them wanting to come each day, is the smiles and welcoming attitude that they see on the faces of the workers. The men in prison see that there are others from the outside world that see them as much more than just a number in a jumpsuit, and that gives them a hope that they are worthy to come, and that God may still care about what happens to them.
I see all of that, church work and prison ministry, as tangible evidence of what Jesus talked about when he told the disciples about reaping and sowing. All the work is important. Some ministry activities and jobs may get more of the worldly credit, but everyone who is involved, doing their assigned task, is an integral part of the whole process. As the work on a farm proceeds from tilling to sowing to cultivating to reaping, all the steps are necessary have a successful harvest.
Committed believers, working together, exercising their individual gifts for the benefit of the whole, carrying others through the process from unbelief to spiritual maturity, now that is a successful harvest in God's Kingdom.
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