What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)

Just a short message this morning. But it’s important. Just as important as my, “Don’t miss our last Sunday in Brandon” invitation from a couple of weeks ago. Here it is, and to anyone within 100 miles:

• “Don’t miss our first Sunday in Wake Forest!”

Rebekah started work Monday August 19. Our first Sunday at WFPC is today.

There’s such a spirit of anticipation here! There is, as we say, a “buzz” around the church. The Wake Forest Presbyterian congregation has been without an installed senior pastor/head of staff for over three years. That’s a long time.

But now it is time:

• All we’re here to do is to sow seeds.
• All we’re here to do is to encourage.
• All we’re here to do is to believe.
• All we’re here to do is to love people with the Jesus kind of love.
• All we’re here to do is to remind people about how beautiful it is to follow Jesus.
• All we’re here to do is to look up and to wonder at God’s grace.
• All we’re here to do is to live faith out loud, to follow Jesus with passion, and to live like we mean it.

Because God most certainly means it.

GOD WILL GRANT THE INCREASE: I can’t help but extend the metaphor from yesterday’s post (“The home, the garden, the church, the vision” was viewed, the statistical report tells me, by well over 1,000 people), and so I’ll include this photo (above) from Rebekah’s Saturday potting expedition.

Because this is God’s church. First Presbyterian of Brandon is God’s church; Wake Forest is God’s church; both are full with God’s good people and – in consequence – both congregations own a future that’s going to shine brilliantly!

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 

Wake Forest Presbyterian Church will never be about Rebekah, but about the story of the Gospel of Love being released with passion into a community of believers who are so ready to move forward that they can hardly stand to wait!

So pray for us, please. Pray that God’s work will prosper here and that the power of the Good News will take up residence in the hearts of these good people to the extent that this community of faith will thrive and multiply.

That’s all. Happy Sunday – DEREK