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.