There is this incredible aspen forest down in Utah, which encompasses 106 acres. The leaves cover branch to branch, and fall gracefully to the ground when the wind blows. Each year they experience a colour change, and the creatures build and rebuild a home amongst them. The coolest thing about this forest though, is not that the leaves change colour, or that animals call it home, but that it is all one tree! Is your mind blown yet!?  This aspen forest, also known as Pando, which is Latin for ‘I spread’, is a group of single, identical quaking aspen trees making one living organism – all attached to the same root system. The Pando weighs about 13,000,000 pounds, making it the heaviest known organism, and has about 40 000 stems, or trunks, that die individually and are replaced by new stems.

There is also another kind of Pando tree. Some 2,000 years ago, a special seed was planted on earth. His name was Jesus. God planted His only Son here to take root, and change the meaning of life. The moment He was put in the tomb, and the stone was rolled in front, was the moment the dirt covered the seed in the ground to let it prepare itself for the life it was going to create. Three days later, life is already exposed – penetrating through the darkness of the underground. This new life produces the best fruit around. Jesus didn’t keep this fruit to Himself though. It was ‘spread’ among everyone – but specifically, at that time, the 12 disciples.

Jesus started with 12 ordinary men – who were not so ordinary in God’s eyes. He poured His entire self into them, loving them, teaching them, and simply doing life with them. He shattered their categories, and exposed sin. He loved with a greater love than man can understand, and taught them how to care for those who felt utterly hopeless. He brought light into darkness, guiding others along the way.

But then Jesus left them, sending them on their way and telling them to do the same.

It all started with a seed, who grew 12 beautiful stems. Those stems in turn, gave life to a few more stems, then each of those new stems grew a few more stems. Now we have this beautiful forest of discipled people. Some stems die early, some stems are barely holding on to life, but there are others which radiate in the sun.

Pando.

I spread.

Although I’m only a rookie at discipleship, my branch has spread onto three more girls. I get to watch them grow into a beautiful new stem, producing the kind of fruit that only the Spirit can fertilize. The goal is that they, in time, will then spread to discipling a few girls themselves, who will then find a few more girls to disciple. The growth is exponential, and it all started with a seed – named Jesus.