"As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
Matthew 13: 23
This week I am preparing a message for First Seattle concerning a vision for the future. Like many churches, First has lived through a period of decline. Like many churches, we have attempted to arrest this decline through a variety of methods, but none have produced growth.
I believe the simple question we must ask is why? Why do we find ourselves here?
There are always many reasons for any action. A long-term trend has even more reasons. As I talk with people, I can focus on three or four major issues that have helped bring about the decline in membership at First. I believe most churches can point to at least this many reasons for their plateau or decline over the past couple of decades.
The problem is that we cannot go back and fix the past. Poor decisions were made. Poor execution of decisions occurred. So what?
Early in my ministry a wise church revitalizer/church planter encouraged me to focus 90% of my time on bringing new people into the church and 10% of my time worrying about the people who left. This is sound advice! I might actually practice a 95/5 split, but the idea is the same.
Have apologies been made to those who were hurt by poor decisions and poor execution of decisions? In our case, the answer is by and large yes. What else can be done? Nothing. It is time to move on. Unfortunately, many church and many individuals cannot move on. They prefer to "work on their issues" and stay where they are.
Jesus made the Christian life simple. We make it difficult and convoluted.
Seed placed in good soil will produce fruit. It will bear fruit that results in a good harvest. Seed on good soil produces a return that is multiplied by what is sown. It does not merely replicate itself, but produced 30, 60, or 100 times what is sown.
Why have we reduced this instruction to something merely personal, individual, and at best additional instead of multiplicational?
What do I mean? We have made the individual Christian life virtually the entire work of salvation. We make church survival (in terms of maintaining numbers and ministries) our vision.
This vision is too small. Such a vision sells short what the Holy Spirit can do within the life of an individual and a church. When the gospel falls upon good soil, it produces a harvest that multiplies the planting. It will produce 30, 60, or 100 times what was sown.
Do you see this multiplying growth in your life or the life of the church? Perhaps it is not from lack of effort, but lack of focus on what is truly important.
In this parable, the issue is not the amount of work/effort, but the quality of the soil. Good soil produces good return. Poor soil produces little if any return.
Are you and is your church good soil for the gospel? If not, pray for Holy Spirit fertilizer. Pray the Lord removes the rocks and thorns from your harvest patch. Repent and believe the promises. Ask that the Lord will transform the soil. Individually and corporately, do not be satisfied until the harvest is counted by multiplication.
God is not through building His Kingdom. He wishes to use you. He wishes to use your church. May we be good soil!
No comments:
Post a Comment