Mill Creek Blog

Our original "strategic ministry alliance" at Mill Creek was with DeSoto Youth Ministries (DYM)--though not by that name.

There is a bigger story. Mill Creek Community Church is in Shawnee because of Bill and Donna Wilting, the founders of DYM. Bill and Donna were seeing fruit to their ministry with youth in DeSoto and saw the need for a church in the area. They met with the leadership of Olathe Bible Church and made their case.

The rest is now history. 

This Sunday the Wiltings will give us a taste of the work of DYM. Their kids will be there. They will tell a little about their recent trip to Nicaragua and other great things happening at DYM. 

Jesus' parables about the Kingdom included a "cluster" of parables that spoke about its growth. That growth was, in some ways, surprising. It didn't come the way people thought "God's Kingdom" would come: quickly, overwhelmingly, suddenly, etc. Instead, it came slowly--with a steady and miraculous growth.

And so the kingdom progresses today. Little mustard seeds have a profound effect over time.

In our Sunday service this week we will hear from some of those little seeds, whose investment for God's kingdom in recent days He has already begun to use. Eighteen of our youth recently travelled to Hidalgo County, Texas. There they ministered to the needs of an impoverished family living in an old trailer. The kids will never forget it. The family will never forget it. And God's purposes have been fulfilled.

Last Sunday's parable about the seed was interesting. I was thinking about the statement about the seed that grew...that produced 30, 60, and 100 times the seed that was sown. The emphasis in the passage is not the root or the growth...but the fruitfulness of the seed.

Scripture describes the church as a resource instituted by Christ and charged with helping believers become fruitful. We often use the word "develop" to describe this process.

Can we get better at this task? I believe we can. This Sunday I want to suggest how we can get better at our charge to grow productive disciples. It will mean making some changes and going after some ministry improvements...and we can hit that next level of ministry effectiveness.

It has been a great 15 years. It's time to take it to the next level.