Hit the Ground Listening
Recently, whilst attending a webinar I was struck by a phrase the key speaker used: “hit the ground listening”. As I have ruminated on this, I have found myself considering Acts 16.6-10:
“Paul and his companions travelled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. ”
Paul and Timothy and a few others pass through two places having been forbidden to speak by the Holy Spirit. Then they attempt to enter another place, only to be prevented once again by the Spirit. Eventually, Paul receives a vision of a man in Macedonia, begging them to come to his country and so they go, immediately!
They hit the ground listening and do not waste their breath in other places and for other people. For the strivers and the enthusers, these are tough words. Can we be sufficiently disciplined with our efforts to not spread ourselves thin in a desperate attempt to make something happen? For the people pleasers also, this is hard to hear. When someone more senior than you is expecting you to plant but you haven’t a clue where, and you just know that all suggestions so far don’t feel quite right, it can be hard to stave off the expectation: surely God is telling you something!
Jackie Pullinger, famous for all that God has done and keeps on doing through her willingness to serve in the Walled City in Hong Kong, is clear that her ministry became more effective when she stopped trying so hard and began listening better. She didn’t suddenly become a brilliant evangelist, but she did begin to see many more drug addicts come to Christ and be set free from addiction when she listened and went to the specific people God sent her to. Listen to other effective servants of the Gospel and they will say something similar.
Be attentive
When we are ready to listen, the Spirit calls us to attention with the next step. By the time Paul and Timothy had passed from Phrygia to Galatia and then up to Bythinia, they were at the coast. To some, this may have seemed like the end of the journey. No more land and no converts along the way. Did they get it wrong? Did they waste time travelling? But location and listening came together at the right moment for Paul to be alert to a night-time vision.
Be responsive
It is unclear whether the party is made up of just Paul and Barnabas or several others in accompaniment, but they are small enough to act immediately and urgently. This is the time, the place and the moment. Being a small party, they can move fast. Many a big business has gone to the wall during Covid which has made way for start-ups and entrepreneurs to give it a go. Hopefully, this is encouraging those large Resource Churches to simplify and enable so that no one is put off planting at a time when more people than ever are trying church online.
Be courageous
Paul and Barnabas didn’t get the nod until they were out of land with nowhere else to go, except to get into a boat and find fresh territory. This well-known quote from André Gide, “You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore,” could not be more apt or more scary. Models of church and church planting are helpful but letting go of what is known and letting God lead you into fresh contexts is also part of the plan.
Claire Elwood
Claire came to St. Nic’s, Durham as church planting curate in 2019 with a view to planting a new worshipping community in 2022. She, together with her husband, Tim, a photographer, have been loving the North East and are looking forward to all God has in store for them as he leads them into the planting adventure.
