Jesus told one parable that was so foundational that He provided the meaning, and the three synoptic gospel writers record it for the proclamation of eternally necessary truth (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8). The Parable of the Sower describes the receptivity of the human heart to the word of God. The receptive heart that overcomes the cares of this world and fear of opposition, obstacles, and persecution bears kingdom fruit thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundredfold (Mark 14:20). This picture, like a vineyard with clusters of beautiful grapes, cultivated, thriving, and flourishing is an attractive value-added proposition (John 15:1-10). Ideally all of Jesus’ followers yearn to bear abundant fruit. Yet, is that what we are seeing in our lives and those around us?
The problem:
Suffice it to say, most of us as church goers, converts, Christians, servants, ministry leaders of some capacity, or church leaders, if we anecdotally assess the “fruit-yield” in our lives and the lives of those around us, might be seeing a significantly lower yield than a hundredfold. The soil analogy of the parable describes the condition of the heart, but also reminds us that environment for growing fruit matters. In this case, we may be treating a post-pandemic environment like it is a pre-pandemic environment — and neglecting the impact of environments upon disciple making and fruit bearing.
In the present post-pandemic environment, self-identified Christians are attending weekend church gatherings less frequently than pre-pandemic. Similarly, they are engaging more online and less in-person. This dynamic tends to reduce volunteering (serving). For example, if you go to church one time a month (or less) the odds of you volunteering to serve on that one occasion seem to be reduced. In effect, there are a lot more “converts” in the local church rather than disciples of Jesus. Thus, the fruit-yield seems lighter today than pre-pandemic yields.
The solution: Cultivating a culture of disciple making and providing a trellis for growth.
Imagine a pyramid: The base is the broadest part and the pinnacle is the narrowest. Between the base and pinnacle are successive layers that become narrower as we move from base to pinnacle. (I know I mixed metaphors from agriculture to architecture, but I am confident that you are still following my ideas.) Let us explore these layers and let us reach the top together and discover a hundredfold ministry dynamic.
1. Bible learning:
This is the base layer, and as revealed in the parable, it is the foundational necessity of becoming a disciple (Matthew 11:28-30). We need to emphasize the critical importance of Bible learning in our lives and the lives of those we influence. Assuming that because the Bible is being taught at Sunday services and people are present passively listening they are thus effectively learning the Bible is naïve. More effective Bible learning is developed through intentional discipleship with a mentor whether one-on-one or one with few (e.g., small group).
2. Service:
Using your God-given gifts as a volunteer in a Christ-centered context (e.g., church or para-church organization) should be normal for all Christians. This is the attitude and actions of our Master that we are to emulate (Mark 10:43-45). Thus, as His disciples we have come to serve not to be served. Alas, this level of the pyramid is narrower (i.e., fewer participants). Thus, we need to recognize, encourage, exhort, equip, and beseech if necessary the importance of service for disciple making and fruit bearing.
3. Evangelism:
Sharing the gospel with others, especially those who do not know Jesus, is a third layer of this pyramid. Disciples of Jesus are seeking to make disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). The most common manifestation of the filling of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts is boldness to proclaim Jesus and his gospel. Yet, this discipline is oft neglected and thus fruit is inhibited.
4. Making disciples of others:
A culture where people are equipped, empowered, and encouraged to make disciples of others seems axiomatic to Christian life. Yet, again this layer is narrower. A culture where making disciples of others is normative is likely to bear significantly more fruit than a culture that does not.
5. Leading others:
Since leadership is at its essence influence, then all should and could be leading others. Yet, most church cultures do not equip, empower, and encourage people to lead. Furthermore, many disciples who are leading others in a marketplace context are not using those gifts to lead in a Christ-centered context. Again, unless leading others is normalized, the fruit will not be hundredfold.
6. Bible teaching:
Most local churches and most Christians are not teaching the Bible to others. The layer is again unfortunately significantly lower than the base. A culture that prepares Bible teachers as small group leaders, Children or Youth Ministry workers, class leaders, etc. will bear more fruit than those that do not. (CGN offers abundant resource through Expositor’s Collective and the Teacher Training model in Cultivate’s Church Planter Training Manual.)
7. Leading leaders:
Leaders who can lead leaders are yet a narrower strata, but this group can be exceptionally fruitful in the kingdom when their effective working (energeo) is directed in Spirit-prompted kingdom work.
8. Church planting:
It is reasonable to recognize that the pinnacle of the pyramid is about 2.5 % or less of the base. Yet, there are countless church cultures that have literally no pinnacle. There is no engagement, encouragement, or intentional effort to support church planting. This unintentionally hinders the scope of every preceding layer. And as you might imagine, hinders bearing fruit. CGN’s global church planting initiative is available to help.
Conclusion:
Fruit bearing is magnified 30-, 60-, 100-fold in cultures where all of these developmental stages are present, like a trellis that supports a fruitful vine. God brings us to good environments for bearing fruit. In the Promised Land, the cluster (eschol) of grapes (fruit) was so abundant that two men had to carry the cluster suspended from a pole. Let us yearn to create those disciple-making conditions so God can be glorified and the gospel advanced in our lives, communities, and world (Numbers 13:24, John 15:5).
