Tilling the Untilled Ground: Where Does True Ministry Growth Begin?

Brothers and sisters, have you ever felt like you’re running on fumes? You’re out there, feeling the weight of the covenant path, trying to build up the Kingdom, and you look around the ward or the stake, and it feels like you’re constantly trying to keep up with the momentum of the Saints who have been in the field for years. It can feel overwhelming, can't it?

I was reflecting this week on a talk that really hit home—a talk about what Jonathan Cahn calls the 'untilled ground.' It made me stop and think about what *my* personal untilled ground is. It’s easy to focus all our energy outward—on the missionary discussions, on the comps, on helping a new member feel comfortable, or even on mastering the art of the perfect testimony. But this message was a powerful, gentle nudge back toward ourselves.

The message was clear: The strength of the congregation, the true growth in the work, doesn't just happen when we are *doing* ministry. It happens when we allow the Spirit to do the deep, sometimes uncomfortable, work *within* us. We are called to be disciples everywhere, all the time, and that means being willing to let the light shine on the parts of our lives—the habits, the secret compromises, the areas we've just learned to live with—that we’ve kept covered up.

The Temptation of the 'Little Bit'

The illustration used—the Doritos analogy—was brilliant in its simplicity. It speaks to those small, seemingly harmless indulgences, the little "junk food" habits we tell ourselves are "not a big deal." We rationalize them: "I've been clean for months, just one handful won't hurt." But like those chips, they are a distraction, a subtle filling up that dulls our hunger for the pure, sustaining nourishment of the Gospel.

And here’s the punchline, the part that made me pause my own spiritual routine: The challenge isn't just about the snack food; it’s about the ground in your life that you haven't let God change. That's the untilled ground. It’s the part of your identity, your routine, or your comfort zone that you’ve decided, "I'll deal with that later."

Remembering Our Role in the Work

It also brought me back to a principle we often discuss when we talk about the priesthood keys and the calling of the Saints. We are not meant to *do* the work for others. The ministers are to *equip* the Saints. We are to be the ones who help each other till that untilled ground, so that when the time comes for the next wave of missionaries, or the next generation of disciples, they are ready to step out fully. It's about mutual accountability, not performance anxiety.

If you’ve been feeling that pull—that whisper that you need to get deeper, that you need to tackle a habit, a fear, or a misunderstanding you’ve let linger—I encourage you to take that whisper seriously. That is the Spirit pointing you toward the next stage of your discipleship.

As we continue to gather Israel, we must first ensure our own hearts are ready to receive the light. Let’s commit to making our own hearts the most tilled, most cultivated ground in our families and wards.

If you’re looking for a place to dig into these deeper scriptures, I highly recommend checking out the Book Club options in HolyPlaces, or diving into some foundational teachings through a Bible Study Group. These are wonderful, low-pressure ways to explore what it means to be truly prepared for the work.

If you want to talk through what "untilled ground" looks like in your own life, I’d love to connect. We’re hosting a free weekly Disciple Challenge this week—it’s a great place to share vulnerability and get some practical tools for spiritual growth. Come join us!

For those who want to dig into the mechanics of answering the hard questions that come up when we talk about the gospel, remember that Davee is ready to walk you through those investigator questions. He’s excellent for prepping for those tough missionary discussions!