Sustainable Growth

Twenty years ago, the United Nations Earth Summit took place in Rio de Janeiro, seeking to save the earth from its speedy destruction by greedy exploiters, most of whom live in the rich populations of Europe and the 'developed' nations.

This week, there is a repeat performance, reminding us all that difficult problems don't go away if we ignore them. They actually grow to be larger problems, requiring more drastic action. (The same, of course, could be said about the problems in the Euro zone)

All of us have a part to play in moving towards 'sustainable growth' in our small ways - with being less wasteful and much less greedy, and taking time to use recycling facilities more effectively.

As Jesus was preaching and teaching, he also presented a model for sustainable growth in the mission and ministry of the Kingdom of God. Many of his parables are about seeds growing, or yeast spreading its influence and so on. 

But how can that wonderful growth be sustained?

St. Paul tells the church in Ephesus how it can be done. ' Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.' (Ephesians 4.11-13)

Within the local church, and more widely, we are all called to grow to maturity, as we are equipped to serve Christ every day. 

Each of us has a responsibility, as maturing believers, to look after our own health and development, making the most of the opportunities which are available to us. 

Paul sets out the results of such sustainable growth, which are very appealing indeed! ' Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.' (Ephesians 4.14-16)

Let's seek this sort of growth, for His glory.

Best wishes,

Richard