Tending the Soil

A composition of thoughts and prayer in recognizing the call to help tend the soil of our Garden City Family by Jordan T. Rivera.

In Timothy Keller’s section on ‘Culture Making with God’ in his book “Every Good Endeavor”, he says --

“If we are to be God’s image-bearers with regard to creation, then we will carry on his pattern of work... its(the world) potential is undeveloped, so it needs to be cultivated like a garden.. we are to be gardeners who take an active stance toward their charge. They do not leave the land as it is. They rearrange it to make it most fruitful, to draw the potentialities for growth and development out of the soil. They did up the ground and rearrange it with a goal in mind: to rearrange the raw material of the garden so that it produces food, flowers, and beauty.”

I tend to help people.
It’s in my nature. It’s how God designed me.
It has its strengths and its weaknesses.

Moreover, I have a passion for ministry.  A little over 3 years ago, God revealed Himself to me and He took precedence in my heart and my life. Ever since I’ve had this fire I promised to never let go out. That fire consumes me and affects how I view my life, the church, and my role in His plan.

With the blessing of the staff at my former church, I parted ways and came to Garden City with hopes of being in this community to grow with great depth and expansiveness. Let me tell you, this last year and a half here has been such a beautiful journey. I’ve learned much of the makeup of this body and through that, God has shown me more about myself. I’ve shared the depths of my soul with many of you and I’ve seen joint growth in discipleship, character, love, joy, trust in God, peace, facing conflict and trial, etc. This is God at work. He continues to amaze us through His tender provision for the bride.

As a full-time Community Manager in tech education, I recognized that God has created me in a way that can be helpful in the corporate setting but also this church setting. In my last season at Westgate church, I was assisting the Director of Community thus wasn’t too startled to see God enable me to assist Fred to nurture community.

Constructing community and shepherding/stewarding growth within it is and will always be my jam. God has blessed me with wonderful opportunities of exercising that here through things like a road trip from CA to Texas and back to help a fantastic family move and settle here in the Bay; or forming a small Friday morning discipleship group of amazing men from different backgrounds and diverse stages of life. There is no doubt that I find much joy in participating in this Kingdom cultivation thanks to God. I’m so thankful I can use that gift across the entire board of my life.

For many us who enjoy the outdoors, we generally have much respect for park rangers whose job is to protect the land they tend to. Their duty is not to change the space they inhabit but to preserve things as they are. Yet God calls us differently as image-bearers of creation, to imitate Him and regard this land we live in as a garden.

Therefore, hearing about this new church plant and thinking of the eternal opportunity led me to be excited but also kind of terrified. I’ve never planted a church or been part of a new one. I come from a megachurch - I thought to choose to be at Garden City was already downsizing. Why shake things up? I am comfortable. I have a good Community here. I love my friends so deeply here.

“We rarely see what God is doing in the background and even at the forefront of our lives.”

I prayed for wisdom, clarity, and discernment about making a decision. I gave myself some time, but not too much. I confessed to God of an idol and had to set up boundaries that protected me. I had to mute hearing about other's decisions of either leaving or staying. I can get influenced by those around me, especially if it’s by people I affectionately love.

I set a goal for myself to decide before any conversations with others could happen. Only then could I have made a decision with no other influence but God; one that would be considered impartial. Decision-making can be hard. But I trust that God would use me in whichever path I take. Just like my early commitment to joining this church as a complete stranger. I had no idea what God was going to do when joining Garden City. I’ve seen the power of God through many decisions like this — where I let go of trying to control or force a specific outcome. We rarely see what God is doing in the background and even at the forefront of our lives.

I told God I’d like to join this church plant. I told Fred and the Mok family I'd like to come alongside them in this unknown adventure. It's the same thing that happened when I told him I wanted to become a member. I took a risk then and trusted God in the process and look where we’re at now. I know God will stretch me in newfound ways with this plant. I already started to think about ideas of cultivating this church plant. (One idea is meeting with pastors who have planted in south San José to grasp the fabric of the community that has entered their churches. In collecting this insight early on, we can prepare ourselves and our hearts - I'd love to start praying for these souls/people we have yet to meet and get a head start in understanding them and their lives.)

Thank you Garden City for enabling me to participate in the growth and development out of the soil of this church body. I’ve encountered and seen much produce here; cheers to much more. This (Garden City Church) is such a special place that belongs to the Kingdom. I’m excited to see the leaders He will raise up to assist in building a community here. I’ve already seen great leaders make great strides towards a deep and wide church family here.

Though I am blessed to be a part of the growth and planting of this specific new garden with this family,
I am forever looking to any and all opportunity, ordained by God, in the cultivation of the Church.

Kingdom Ambassador,
Jordan T. Rivera