Awaken to Growth in the Spirit

Growth is a key strategic objective in St. John the Divine’s vision for the future. In our leadership’s continuing strategic planning for the next five years, our working documents name this desire explicitly: “We want to be obedient to Christ’s Great Commission to grow his church among all people (Matthew 28:19).” We are developing ministries to grow the numbers of new members joining our life in Christ as well as to grow the engagement level of current members who are not deeply involved.

For faithful believers, it may seem obvious that any church would want to develop strategies aimed at this kind of growth. Alas, that has not been my observation across the Christian landscape in the West. In many cases, challenges within and outside the life of a congregation dictate a focus on merely maintaining what is already happening. There are a multitude of churches that simply aim for survival. Thus, I am so grateful to belong to a Christ-centered, deeply loved, and vibrant parish that wants to share the life God has given us with others who do not experience it. We want to see growth.

However, I raise two critical questions: what is growth, and how does it happen in the church? St. Paul famously reminded an expanding and diverse congregation in ancient Corinth that while leadership is obviously important, it is God who is responsible for growth: “Neither the one who plants, nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth” (1 Cor. 3:7). Eloquent and wise words are good things, of course. But the message of the gospel grows through the “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Cor. 2:4). Jesus said it even more succinctly: “without me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Our call is to show up, surrender our busy schedules for one weekend, and be awake to whatever God may do.

For St. John the Divine to live into the Lord’s vision for our future, we need to rely less on our own power and more on God’s power. And that is counterintuitive to a parish like ours, whose cultural history and current state are defined by much human activity. Indeed, our activist nature as a congregation is a large part of what makes SJD so special. This church never seems to stand still. We are a very busy place. We work very hard to secure a successful and growing parish.

I once heard the Christian leadership author and speaker, John Maxwell, say that the best place to conduct a job interview is at a cafeteria. An employer can quickly learn the job applicant’s capacity to prioritize! Sometimes I wonder if SJD is a bit like a cafeteria: we offer an abundant buffet of ministries, but find it difficult to prioritize them. We do many things and do them well!

Still… do we hear the words of our Savior? “Without me you can do nothing.” His lordship is our only priority. If he does not preside over our life together, it doesn’t matter who else does. Now is the time to return to this priority more than ever if we are to see the growth we yearn for.

I am calling all members of St. John the Divine to a significant ministry in the life and history of our parish on the weekend of October 3-5, 2025. Please come and be a part of what we are calling Awaken ’25, a church-wide, in-town weekend retreat for spiritual awakening, renewal, and rededication for all ages and stages. It has been almost two decades since SJD came together for a parish renewal weekend. With other parish leaders, I sense now is the time again, given all that we need to be praying over for the coming years. Awaken ’25 is not just a weekend event but a catalyst to awaken us anew to the Spirit and power of God that can “accomplish in us abundantly far more than we too seldom ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).

You will be hearing and reading much more about Awaken ’25 in the coming weeks. I pray that in the years ahead, we will look back and say that this October gathering of the entire parish was one of the most significant movements of God in the entire history of SJD. What would have to happen for that to be said? Well, it’s up to God. Our call is to show up, surrender our busy schedules for one weekend, and be awake to whatever God may do, trusting entirely that Christ wants to bless us anew with his undying love in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

While we rightly hope to see expanding ministries, increasing membership, and burgeoning resources, the growth God cares most about is greater and greater awakening to the presence of Christ in the power of the Spirit. Awaken ’25 will be a unique opportunity for all of us to come together under that reality, under what we pray will be the Lord’s outpouring. This growth is our priority in this vital season of parish life. And I earnestly desire to share the experience with all of you in early October.

Awaken '25

October 3 - 5, 2025
Through worship, teaching, and shared meals in small groups, we’ll grow closer to God and each other. Speakers include the Rev. Ed Newton from Community Bible Church in San Antonio and bestselling author Shauna Niequist. Children and youth will have their own engaging program.

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