Can you imagine laughing in God’s face? Even worse, hearing His plans, then taking matters into your own hands?

This isn’t a make-believe scenario. It’s the lived experience of Abraham, the man of faith himself.

God had made some big promises to Abraham—unbelievably big.

He promised Abraham and his descendants their very own land and that He would be their God forever (Gen. 17:7-8). In a time when land was seized through conquest and the power of the gods was seen as fickle, the scope of God’s land promise and the perpetuity of His commitment seemed almost too good to be true.

Add to that the promise of children, and things became downright inconceivable. Abraham would be the father of many nations (Gen. 17:4-6).

Abraham believed God’s promise, but he struggled to understand the process.

After all, he and Sarah were well past the age of having children. As time passed, wonder turned into impatience, and impatience into redirection. They weren’t trying to change the goal of God’s plan… just the process to get there.

In short, Abraham trusted the promise but tried to produce the results in his own timing and in his own way (see Genesis 16-18).

Trusting the Promise. Questioning the Process

I think many of us can relate to Abraham.

We know God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present. We can look back and see all He has accomplished—how He created the cosmos, parted seas, hushed lions, and brought about redemption through the work of His Son and the power of His Spirit.

We know He never fails to keep His promises. He says nothing will prevail against His church (Matt. 16:18), and that He will grow and shape her into the likeness of His Son (2 Cor. 3:18).
We trust His promises for His bride, but many of us (especially pastors and ministry leaders) struggle with His process.

God’s Blueprint: The Ordinary Means of Grace

We long to see numerical growth and radical life change. We want more people visiting our ministries, hearing the gospel, and becoming faithful followers of Christ.

These are good desires! But when growth doesn’t come at the pace or in the way we envision, impatience and worry can creep in. Before long, we’re tempted to “help” God along by altering the process.

But God has already given His church clear avenues through which He promises to work, empower His people, and draw others to Himself.

Christians throughout history have called them the ordinary means of grace. They are “the objective channels,” as Louis Berkhof described them, “which Christ has instituted in the Church to communicate His grace” and bless His people.

These channels or pathways consist of:

Reading and hearing Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

Praying (Philippians 4:6; James 5:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Corporate worship (Hebrews 10:24–25)

You might read this list and think, “That’s obvious.” And that’s the point. These pathways are supposed to be… well... ordinary.

They’re everyday Christian practices that God has promised to use to shape His people. We should be thankful that He works through such simple, accessible means!

If God only worked through extraordinary events, then only extraordinary people would experience His grace. Instead, every child of God can grow in Christ through the ordinary means of grace.

Innovation as Renewal

You don’t have to climb mountains, use gimmicks, or dream up the next big thing to grow in Christ or expand His church. You need only trust the process of an extraordinary God who works through ordinary means.

But because these means are so ordinary and often seem to work slowly, we can get anxious.

We begin to wonder if weekly rhythms of Bible teaching, prayer, and fellowship are enough. We start thinking we need to add more—more events, more resources, more programs. More. More. More.

Before we know it, we’ve spent so much time chasing after extraordinary things God might use that we’ve overlooked the ordinary places He’s promised to be.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with fresh ideas or innovation. In fact, innovation can be a wonderful gift.

But innovation isn’t meant to replace the ordinary means of grace—it’s meant to help us experience them more deeply.

True innovation isn’t about doing something new for the sake of novelty. At its heart, innovation is about renewal—improving, clarifying, and re-engaging with what matters most.

Implementing Innovation

In ministry, this means asking, “Where have we drifted from God’s ordinary means? How can we better position ourselves to use them and experience Christ working in us to the fullest?”

For example, you might pray:

 “Lord, You’ve promised to meet Your people in prayer. What could we adjust in our ministry to foster more intentional moments of prayer?”

That could mean incorporating different kinds of prayer (thanksgiving, supplication, intercession) into your services. It might include times of silent prayer, corporate prayer, or short prayers led by various members. It may utilize prayer stations, prayer cards, or an intergenerational prayer initiative like the Pray for Me Campaign.

Whether you implement new prayer practices or Bible engagement strategies, the goal isn’t novelty. The goal is renewed commitment to the means through which God has promised to work. It’s the innovation we cannot (and must not) overlook!

He is Faithful!

As you consider God’s promises to shape your heart and grow His church, don’t neglect His process.

Is it ordinary? Yes.

Is it sometimes slow? Yes.

Can it be hard to see results right away? Absolutely.

But is it effective? 100%.

Trust God. Trust His process. He’s working, even when you can’t see it.
He is faithful to meet us where He has promised.

Hunter Williams is the children's pastor of Ridgedale Baptist Church in Chattanooga, TN and co-host of the Cross Formed KidMin podcast. He has served in various ministry roles, including chaplain, youth pastor, and missionary with Awana. He has written articles for numerous ministries such as INCM, The Gospel Coalition and KidzMatter magazine and is the coauthor of How to Teach Kids Theology. Hunter and his wife, Sammie, have four children and love serving in their local church.