A Reflection on Cultivation

The magnitude of the moment was not lost on me as I sat in the “Cultivate” preaching seminar, shoulder to shoulder with my fellow officers and session mates in the very chapel where I signed my officer’s covenant more than a decade ago. The promise to “proclaim” that I signed with such urgency then now sits neatly framed on a shelf in my office next to the light switch that is part of my daily routine. The uncomfortable comparison between then and now stirred in my spirit, and in the days of “Cultivate” the tilling of my soul began.

Tilling a garden unsettles the surface that’s become compacted over time. It shatters what’s become hardened, stagnant, or resistant to growth. God’s good work of tilling in my spirit during these days came as a challenge and a conviction. It wasn’t meant to hurt me, but to prepare me. Tilling may feel disruptive. It may expose things I would rather keep hidden. But it’s also an invitation, making space for transformation. Where there is tilled soil, there can be fertile ground, and fertile ground is where calling springs to life.

The word "cultivate" speaks of intentional care and preparation. It speaks of resilience and persistence. In light of our calling, cultivation is what happens when we commit to purposefully growing the gifts God has placed inside us. We don’t wait for the right moment to appear by happenstance. We don’t wait for the right season or for the right feeling that would finally compel us to move. We faithfully till the soil, water the roots, and trust God for the fruit regardless of where we’re planted. But the resounding truth that has stayed with me throughout this experience is that the fruit that is coming isn’t just for us. The fruit is for those coming behind us and the ones standing in wait nearby. Over the years in my own leadership journey, I have held closely to the perspective of, “They have to see it, to be it” and that never resonates more than when I look into the eyes of my own children.

What we cultivate now will prepare the ground for others to flourish later. It’s not only a calling on my life but a true joy and honor to proclaim the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With renewed focus and fervor, I bind myself to Him in this solemn covenant to love and serve Him supremely all my days.