When I was in the military, I once flew from Singapore to the beautiful island of Diego Garcia on a cargo plane. Island life is great, but if you need something that the island doesn’t produce, you are forced to import it. And sometimes, importing fruit goes badly. During this five-hour flight, my nostrils were assaulted by the stench of rotting fruit!
Have you ever planted something and been disappointed in the outcome? Jesus famously said in John 15 that when we abide in Him, we will “bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16).
This points to a spiritual reality that inspires me. Fruit is much more than what we can see, touch or smell. We can invest in people in ways that will provide an enduring legacy—a rich bounty of spiritual fruit and earthly good!
Mission Hills Church, in Littleton, Colorado, intentionally works to pursue projects that produce “lasting fruit.” During a recent meeting, I was so encouraged to learn more about their missions philosophy. It affirmed why our two organizations have enjoyed such a long, fruitful partnership.
Mission Hills Church has four Key Focus Areas for their outreach:
Community Transformation – Partnering with ministries to provide a spiritual foundation to transform lives; meeting the needs of the community (Matthew 25:35-36).
Kids at Risk – Partnering with ministries to provide a spiritual foundation to transform lives while meeting the needs of the youth and those facing troubled lives (Matthew 19:14).
Leaders of the Future – Partnering with ministries who empower the next generation to become transformational and influential leaders (2 Timothy 2:2).
Women in Need – Partnering with ministries that provide a spiritual foundation to transform lives while empowering and encouraging women, single mothers, victims, or those facing abuse (Proverbs 31:8-9).
If you know Hope Haven Rwanda at all, you can see why there is so much alignment between our organizations. May God help us all bear “fruit that remains!”