I keep hearing a word whispered into my spirit: grassroots. First, while sleeping, then during church three times on Sunday. At first, I didn't know what God meant. But as this Monday morning broke, I've begun to see it more clearly.
Grassroots is not about grand platforms, wealth, or titles. It is about the ordinary, faithful work happening quietly in our communities, God's people living out their calling in ways that often go unnoticed. When we think of change, we often look upward, imagining leaders, institutions, or movements shaping the course of history. Yet the Kingdom of God rarely moves from the top down. More often, it grows from the bottom up, planted like seeds in the soil of everyday lives, nurtured by ordinary people doing extraordinary things with God's help.
Lately, I've found myself sent into spaces I never expected. God has opened doors that led me to sit with people I might not have known otherwise. In those conversations, I've discovered their deep heart for God, their longing to serve Him, and their quiet faithfulness in doing so. Each time, I realize how much I still have to learn, not from textbooks or experts, but from the lived experiences of those who faithfully follow Jesus in ways I may have overlooked.
These encounters have also made me face my own blind spots. For too long, I've been blind and deaf to God's movements all around me. I expected His presence in the obvious places like church services, conferences, or well-known ministries, while missing Him in the smaller, quieter corners of my community. It took humility to admit that I had ignored what was happening right in front of me. Yet in that admission, God began opening my eyes to see that the grassroots is where His Kingdom thrives.
The elders mentoring teens and families at the nearby park, the business owner who never compromises faith for wealth, the parent teaching their children they are never to young to pray and form the heart of a servant leader, the volunteer joyfully serving meals to the hungry, the long-time resident offering hospitality to a stranger, the young adult leading a Bible study in a coffee shop. These are not small things. They are grassroots movements of the Kingdom. They are sacred. They matter deeply to God.
But walking this path is not without its challenges. We live in a world that constantly seduces us with money, status, and influence. These temptations whisper that our worth is measured by our possessions, our reputation, or the size of our following. Yet God's ways are different. He does not value arrogance or self-promotion. Instead, His Kingdom is marked by humility, service, and love. True grassroots ministry is not about building personal empires; it is about building God's Kingdom.
Another distraction comes from the political battles that dominate our culture. It is easy to get caught up in arguments, campaigns, and ideological divisions that consume our energy and attention. While civic engagement has its place, too often these battles distract us from God's higher call. They stir up anger and fear, pushing us further apart instead of drawing us closer together. The Kingdom of God is not won through political victories but through transformed hearts. The grassroots reminds us that real change begins when we love our neighbor, serve with humility, and live as witnesses of Christ's grace in everyday life.
"Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved" (Matthew 9:17)
Jesus spoke about new wineskins. Old ways of thinking and rigid systems cannot contain the fresh work God is doing. Grassroots ministry is like new wine; it requires new wineskins, open hearts, and flexible forms that make space for God's Spirit to move freely. If we cling too tightly to the old, we risk missing the new thing He is creating and orchestrating in our midst. At the grassroots level, God is shaping His Church into something alive, responsive, and rooted in His love.
That means we must be vigilant. Anger, fear, and exclusion can so easily take root in our hearts and in our communities. But these are not the fruits of God's Spirit. Instead, He calls us to cultivate peace, hope, and belonging. As we align our hearts with His, we begin to see the world not through the lens of division but through the eyes of love.
I admit there are many things I don't fully understand. I wrestle with the terms and movements that swirl in our culture, including what people call "woke" or "unwoke." But even in my uncertainty, I return to what I do know. God desires all people to come to Him. He longs for every person to experience His love and to acknowledge Him as the one true God. Through Christ, He has made a way into eternal life, not just for a select few but for all who believe. That message is timeless, and it is as grassroots as it gets. It begins in one person's heart, then extends to families, friendships, neighborhoods, and beyond.
So my prayer has become simple. Lord, open my eyes to see Your people doing Your work. Show me how to come alongside them, how to encourage them, and how to elevate what they are already doing. Keep me faithful to the calling You've placed on my life. Protect me from chasing status or influence, and instead root me deeply in the soil of Your Kingdom work.
Perhaps this prayer is not only for me but also for all of us. Too often, we wait for something big to happen before we take notice of God's work. But the grassroots reminds us that God is already moving, right here, right now, in ways we might easily miss. Our calling is to pay attention, to join Him in what He is already doing, and to let His Spirit guide us as we walk alongside others.
The Kingdom of God does not always arrive with a shout. More often, it comes quietly, like seeds growing in the soil, unseen until the day of harvest. To notice and nurture those seeds is the work of the grassroots. And when we step into that work, we not only strengthen our communities, but we also deepen our own faith.
So let us look closely. Let us listen carefully. Let us join God at the grassroots level, where His Spirit is alive and active, transforming lives one encounter at a time. Let us advance good and God together.
