There is a touching documentary on Netflix called “Daughters.” It’s about a program that hosts a “Date with Daddy” dance for inmates and their daughters. The program provides coaching for inmates and their families leading up to the dance, and they provide formal attire and barber services for the men so when their daughters see them, they are well groomed with fresh haircuts, suits, and ties. They transform a multipurpose room in the prison with lighting, balloons, tablecloths, and a DJ, and the girls get to spend precious time reconnecting with and dancing with their fathers. The program coordinators reveal that the idea for the dance came from a child while they were brainstorming about ways to honor incarcerated fathers. As of today, the program has been active for 12 years, and 95 percent of the inmates who participate do not return to prison after they are released. A life-transforming program that impacts hundreds of families, a fresh expression, was birthed in the heart of a child.
Oftentimes, when we think about ways to impact our community and new fresh expressions, we come up with big and lofty ideas. Some of us don’t believe we can make an impact unless our idea is huge, and our fresh expression hits several areas of need. In many cases, we become so overwhelmed by these big ideas that they begin to seem impossible, and they die before they are ever launched. However, we have to realize that it’s not the size of the idea, mission, or fresh expression, and it’s not the perceived reach that will determine its success and impact for the kingdom, but it’s what the Lord can do through us and those fresh expressions. Even if our fresh expression meets one need in the community, its impact can be great when it’s put in the hands of Jesus.
John chapter 6 teaches us about how Jesus can multiply our impact even if what we have doesn’t appear to the meet the needs of the people. A great multitude had been following Jesus and the disciples for some time, and they hadn’t eaten. After Jesus travels up a mountain and stops to rest with the disciples and the great multitude, he asks Philip where they are going to buy food for the multitude to test Philip (verses 3-6). Philip, probably overwhelmed by the number of people, says to Jesus, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little” (John 6:7 NRSV). Then Andrew informs Jesus of a boy who has two fish and five barley loaves, but he, too, is doubtful that it will be enough for all of the people. Jesus then takes the food and begins to distribute it amongst the people. He never runs out of food. In fact, so much is left over, they fill 12 baskets (verse 13). In the hands of Jesus, a meal intended for a small family, is multiplied and becomes more than enough for the multitude.
What does this mean for us when thinking about fresh expressions and what we can do to impact our community? Don’t be deterred by the size of your ideas or by its perceived limitations. In the hands of Jesus, little becomes much. A simple idea becomes transformational, and what doesn’t seem to be good enough can be just what your community needs to impact generations. Remember the parable of the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32). It’s the smallest seed, but it grows into the greatest shrub and ultimately a tree. Step out on faith, and plant your fresh expressions (seeds).