Engine Building
The Book and the Bench is a blog from CWI (N America) that sets forth principles from the Book and conversations from the Park-Bench in the world of Jewish mission.
Blog #7 Engine Building
Matthew 13:31 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’
In my local church I have become noteworthy in my nerdiness concerning board-games, to the extent that some of the young adults invited me to join them in their marathon gaming experience of an all-day play of the heavy strategy game, ‘Twilight Imperium’. It is no exaggeration to say that the game takes no less than 10 hours and often far beyond. (My experience was 13 hours!)
Perhaps it was my gaming experience as an only child that now loves a table full of players, or perhaps it is my mathematical mind that loves to engage in a heavy puzzle; either way, I am fascinated by the rules and the playthrough of many modern board-games. It is fair to say that games today are very different from when I was a child but there are some basic aspects that date back to some of the well-known game content of Monopoly or even Chess.
One such aspect is called ‘engine building’. In chess experienced players will seek early to develop their ‘position’. Their first few moves are effectively building the engine for later strategic engagement. In Monopoly the person will try to buy sites for properties and then develop houses and ultimately hotels. The engine starts small but grows to more major economics later in the game. Modern games like Settlers of Catan, or even Ticket to Ride, have a similar ‘build’ mechanism of obtaining resources, to gain other resources, to ultimately gain points or prizes for victory.
One recent Boardgame I purchased is called ‘Terraforming Mars’. It truly epitomizes the ‘engine building’ genre. Your resources in the early part of the game are very limited and even mid-way through, you really wonder if you’ve made any progress at all. Suddenly towards the end of the game, the pace really increases dramatically. You then release your impatience at the start was unwarranted, as your developed game engine is now paying off.
Jesus taught that ministry has an engine to it, a divine engine, and provided we engage with diligence and depth (see Blog #5), God will see to the extent. In one of his most famous parables Jesus taught that the kingdom is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all, which becomes the largest.
Why do I bring up this subject, and this illustration? One of the concerns I have is seeing people in kingdom ministry wanting to ‘buy’ the success prematurely, instead of planting the mustard seed engine of faithful labor. So let us take a look at a couple of ‘Book’ principles that must undergird our ministry in Christian Witness to Israel (N America), as we seek to engine build for His glory.
Do not despise the day of small things
It was to the prophet Zechariah that the challenge came concerning the despisal of small things. (Zech. 4:10). All too often the covenant people and the prophets lament that they might simply be the only ones left. Where is God? How long O Lord? Show me your might and power! Show me your glory!
While it is right to seek the greater things (and we shall come to this in a moment), it is essential that we understand the nature of divine engine building, and the principle of the mustard seed. The use of the small, the insignificant, and the development of the unseen, is precisely the manner in which the Lord has built his church throughout all ages. Why then should we seek another route?
I look at my Terraforming Mars board in the early game turns and I despair. I look at our ministry in these early years of labor in the USA and I could easily despise the small things. But no, we must not do so, for we are building an engine – no, God is building his kingdom, from the mustard seed up.
As often referred to in these blogs, we are establishing a biblical framework of operation. We have an Executive Board made up of the finest who take their ‘trust’ seriously. We have an Advisory Board of some major figures in evangelical America, who have been willing to endorse us. We are establishing the best of connections with good congregations and pastors. We have a frontline evangelistic presence in several Jewish locations and are actively seeking more. We are training churches and individuals in their own friendship evangelism. Our online presence is increasing with courses and literature, blogs and podcasts aplenty, which are being used by several churches in their Sunday School classes. We are working with seminaries and students, professors and presidents. But with staff of one Director, one Missionary / Development officer, one Finance officer and one Media officer, it looks small; it is small. But I must not despise.
One rather cynical businessman once commented to me that ‘you’re basically going round churches to obtain a salary’. However unkind in the extreme his comment, there are times when I might be reduced to thinking such – and then I remember the ‘Book’ principle of the mustard seed and the boardgame principle of engine building. ‘No sir, you may despise my method from your ivory tower of business success but take it up with the Lord. He shows us a mustard seed and says kingdom ministry is like this! Oh, and by the way sir, your wonderfully successful money-making business is one day going to be burned up. At least mine has a future…’ (Sorry, I think his cynicism rubbed off on me.)
Long for the fulfillment of greater things
Of course, an awareness of the mustard seed and the slow growing engine build, does not mean we must either condone inactivity, or rejoice in our ‘one talent’ return to the Lord.
There must be the longing for more, while being content with the present. This is why boardgamers will build their engine slowly, surely, but with expectancy of greater things towards the end of the game. If the kingdom is like a mustard seed, then we should desire the growth into a tree. If our labors currently appear small, yet with faithful building, we are desiring the Lord’s smile, approval, and ultimate success.
A godly impatience is just that – godly acceptance of the here and now, with holy longings for the ‘not yet’. As we self-examine in CWI (NA), we long for the fulfillment of Romans 11 and the great things promised. Until then, I will not despise the small engine currently being developed; I will not despise the position on the chess board, but faithfully and carefully grow the framework of a biblical ministry.
‘…let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap… (Galatians 6:9)
Conclusion
The end of the Game is coming and our building with wood, hay or stubble will be laid bare. Or it may be that we are growing our engine with biblical parameters and the Day will bring that to light. The fire will prove the quality (not the quantity) of the work. Therefore, as we set things out in this blog, the Book must be our Guide. The build will be by the Divinely revealed engine. The fruit will be kingdom success, evident in the Final Day, and therefore and thereby He will obtain all the glory.
STEPHEN ATKINSON
