Buying the Field

As we continue to pray for each of you, the Holy Spirit continues to open our understanding about the people to whom we’ve been sent to minister. Jesus said, in Matthew 13:44, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

We see you guys as that treasure that was found in a field called Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Interestingly, the parable says that after the man found the treasure, he didn’t announce it. He didn’t tell everyone to come and see it. He hid it! We believe that he hid it because he did not have the right to take the treasure since he did not own the field. In order for him to legally take possession of the treasure, he had to buy the field. What do we learn from this part of the parable? We believe that this parable is telling us that whoever was the owner of the field, did not realize there was treasure within it.

For a long time we were disappointed that our congregation was small and the weekly attendance was sporadic and low, but now we realize something. The Lord was requiring us to hide our discovery. In a time when church leaders are advertising and trying all kinds of strategies to enlarge their ministries, the Lord told us to focus on the people who already attend our weekly gatherings. Instead of trying to “grow” a congregation numerically, the Lord instructed us to “grow” a church family relationally. This meant hiding our treasure.

In last week's Midweek Connection letter, we talked about investing our all in order to buy the field. We had no legal right, as outsiders, to come into Harrisburg and take its treasure. Even after we discovered the treasure, we still had no right to it. Perhaps, that’s why so many ministries have come and gone over the years. Perhaps they tried to take the treasure without buying the field. They came in and tried to raise offerings and solicited for donations. However, this Kingdom of Heaven principle says that you have to buy the field before you can access the treasure within it.

So, our first six years have been all about investing and buying the field, so that we could obtain the legal right to the treasure. The treasure is not a church member’s money or property. The treasure is the presence, power and purpose of God within each of you. We had no right to ask you to join this church, help us in our outreaches, connect with the vision, and advance in kingdom work together, without FIRST making an investment in your lives and in our relationships.

After discovering the treasure, the Lord made us hide the treasure. This ministry has remained hidden while we are legally taking possession of the field from an owner who has no knowledge or appreciation of what was is in his field.

We’re not boasting in ourselves and we’re not putting down any other pastors or churches when we make the following statement: Some of you have lived in this region all of your lives and you’ve never been taught about the treasure that is within you. You’ve never been told how precious you are to the Lord and how vital you are to the fulfillment of His will and purpose in your family and community. 

Many “owners” stand before their congregations and all they see is the potential for income through tithes and offerings.  Many “owners” of this field (Harrisburg) have failed to realize what treasure was in their midst all along. Those who have failed to recognize the treasure will lose their treasure. 

So right now, we're rejoicing over the treasure that we have found. We're hiding it and selling our all to take legal possession of the field.

Challenging the Prosperity Gospel

Matthew 13:44, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

We see each person that attends our weekly session, as that treasure that was hidden in a field called Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. If you only knew how valuable you are to this community. You are priceless. And it’s all because of the treasure that is within you.

Paul wrote: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels; that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” - 2 Corinthians 4:7-10.

Urban Life isn’t a large ministry, but we have a prosperous work. The prosperity far exceeds what money could buy. The Word of God told Chris and Carol Green to sell all and buy THIS field because they had discovered the hidden treasure within it. That treasure was a select and special people who understood what it means to always carry in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in them. Even though you have been hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down, you have not been crushed, despaired, forsaken, or destroyed because you have a treasure within you.

Over the past 30 years, America has been saturated with the so-called prosperity gospel, where the emphasis was placed on quantifiable blessings through earthly assets and finances. That message caused many ministries and churches to grow into massive mega-congregations during the 1980's and 1990's. However, true prosperity is that which takes place in the soul of a person. Yet, the soul prosperity message doesn't seem to cause rapid growth. In fact, it seems to take months to hear it, and even longer to receive it.

Ever since we first moved to this region, we have been asked, 'Why in the world would one want to move to and start a ministry in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania?' Many people felt it was their duty to inform us that there’s nothing in Harrisburg. Our answer, today, is the same as it was when we first arrived. We came here because God told us to GO and work in this part of the vineyard.

After we arrived in this field, we found its hidden treasure. It wasn’t in the government, business, education, sports or entertainment. We have watched organizations and churches fight over memberships, grants, donations and contributions through fund raisers, activities and events.

Thankfully, we discovered that the treasure was in God’s people. The treasure was in YOU. The treasure was not your tithes and offerings. The treasure was not your property or special connections with rich people. The treasure was IN you. It’s CHRIST in you. It’s HIS LIFE in you. It’s HIS PURPOSE through you. It’s the rivers of living water flowing out of you. With this understanding, we can now change the emphasis of the prosperity gospel; that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

So today, hopefully, you can understand why we consider ourselves to be two of the wealthiest people in Pennsylvania. We found treasure, hidden in a field, and it’s been worth it all to purchase that field. We have learned that you cannot measure one's prosperity by their income. You measure it by their investment. We found treasure!