04.12.06
shake the dust off your feet..
One of the more interesting and potentially controversial sections in Cole’s “Organic Church” occurs in chapter 5, “Kingdom 101: What you sow you will reap.”
Neil talks relates Jesus parable of the seed and the sower, noting the four types of soil. He focuses on the fourth type of soil, the good soil. Neil relates that “I have now come to expect two thirds of those who accept the message to fizzle out and not bear fruit.. This has given me hope. Why? Because ..If only two bear fruit, I no longer babysit the unfruitful eight. Instead, I invest my life in the two. These two will bear much fruit.” (69)
It sounds harsh. But what have been the impact on churches full of unfruitful “disciples?” We are forced to spend much of our energy and resources on trying to keep these people happy. By and large they are not there to contribute but to be served. In other words, they think ministry is for them instead of by them to the world. Jesus and religion are just another spoke on the busy wheel of their lives, and not the transforming center. Neil continues,
“Because we think that the number of people is a sure sign of fruitfulness and success, we do everything we can to keep people. We try to woo them to keep coming. What we end up with is an audience of consumers.. we compromise and keep the bad soil in our membership..”
Of course, this is even more convoluted when our jobs depend on the crowds.. and the mortgage has to be paid.. Neil recommends we rehear Jesus on this issue.. and rehear his call to “shake the dust from our feet” when the good news does not take root in soil and produce fruit.. We can go from here directly to Ronald Sider’s article “The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience.”
I think Neil is right.. we have some work to do around this issue. Perhaps like Jesus we need to worry less about results and remember that “he who has ears to hear,” will hear. What happened to the good soil that will bear fruit “thirty-fold, sixty-fold or a hundred-fold?” We have spent 90% of our energy on the worst soil, effectively crippling a missional movement and getting it stuck in fast drying cement.
David Porter said,
April 12, 2006 at 3:15 pm
I agree… It is not our job to make people “faithfull” rather we are called to pick up our cross and follow Jesus and to invite others along the journey.
Adam said,
April 12, 2006 at 6:00 pm
“An audience of consumers.” Ouch, that hurts! But it’s right on I think. Our efforts to “woo” only ending up creating this type of environment.
Frank said,
April 13, 2006 at 4:08 am
Having visited the Church of the Saviour (and having read their story) I always wondered what made them so fruitful? What was it that made them count the cost. I think this post has help me to understand that a little more. We simply have used up too much energy on people who only want their needs met. Though we are not to make people fruitful we are called to equip others to be fruitful.
Casey said,
April 13, 2006 at 2:37 pm
Len,
I need to read this book!
A very wise teacher once told me that true preaching and teaching is 80% plowing the grounds of hearts, (speaking a message people don’t want to hear), the other twenty is sowing into the hearts.
I like how Jesus uses the image of plowing in terms of seeking after the kingdom,
“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God”
and
“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat?”
Good imagery, Thanks for the post!
kevin Holte said,
April 13, 2006 at 10:08 pm
what a gross mis read of scripture. Jesus’ parable is not a math problem!!! He is simply describing four types of soil…nowhere does he even hint at percentages of the population who might represent the specific soils. Could the first soil be 85% of the population? Or the good soil be 50? To take it as Neil does as some sort of mathematical sampling is not on.
Casey said,
April 13, 2006 at 11:37 pm
If, as a farmer, I heard that phrase, I would surely want to plant my seeds in good soil, not waste it on soil that won’t produce! Jesus’ audience knew what he was talking about!
maryann said,
April 14, 2006 at 6:29 am
its kind of funny though…when we were still “in” church and becoming hungry for MORE, we were told by the pastor that he felt he needed to keep the sheep together. Pull the ones that were running ahead (uh…that would have been us), break the legs of the ones that were heading for the fence ( a direct threat to friends of ours that were specifically asking for MORE), and keep us all with the slower, weaker sheep. i guess we didnt want the slower weaker sheep to feel challenged to get off their fuzzy tails and MOVE!
i see the point being made here…put the energy into the plants that are taking root and are pushing into their purposes…this encourages the weaker ones that truly want more to mature and “grow up” without 15 years of coddling and pampering.
makes sense…wish i would have seen it sooner…God had His timing. it is perfect.