WHAT about HAITI...? Did GOD PUNISH them for their SINS?

Christians everywhere, especially missionaries in the field deal with difficult circumstances and challenges. When something like the earthquake in Haiti happens, we must deal with questions that sometimes have no satisfactory answers.

Skeptics, critics and even believers in God, are asking... Why did this horrible thing happen? Is God angry with Haiti? Does He hate the people of Haiti? Is He punishing Haiti for something they have done, or haven’t done?

It seems like every time there is a catastrophic event of mass devastation due to acts of nature anywhere in the world, there is discussion as to whether or not these are acts of God’s judgment. In recent times, whether its been a hurricane, tsunami or earthquake, the devastation comes to a place that provokes discussion about God bringing judgement on the wickedness of the people in the devastated region. It happened on the heels of Katrina... New Orleans being a place of sinful decadence. It happened amidst the devastating tsunami that hit southeast Asia... a people steeped in animistic religious beliefs. And most recently, the horrific earthquake that brought destruction to Haiti... a place of Voodoo and spirit worship.

We can always depend on religious thought leaders... the likes of Pat Robertson, to fuel this speculation of God’s judgement with his off-the-wall remarks. In the immediate aftermath of the Haitian disaster, Robertson claimed, in effect, that God struck Haiti with an earthquake because of the practice of Voodoo. He bases his comments on the 1st Commandment... that humans are not to have any gods before the one true God.

It’s true God wrought such destruction in ancient times. We need only look to the Old Testament for recorded events of judgement and subsequent destruction inflicted on unbelieving and wicked people. Think about this.... God’s rules for acceptable living are routinely violated and ignored by a very large part of humanity, yet He does nothing. It seems rather odd that if God enforced His rules, He would just elect to strike Haiti and ignore so many other violations around the globe. Or perhaps God works in arbitrary ways, punishing violations of His rules randomly or just when He feels like it. Such behavior seems to be inconsistent with a God who’s very nature and essence is love, patience and forgiveness. If you doubt that, read John 3:16 and ponder what He said He would do, and did, for humanity.

Almost any attempt at explaining such events can create dangerous misunderstandings. When we say, "Everything happens for a reason," and the thing that happens is something like the earthquake in Haiti, we run the risk of justifying the kind of death and devastation experienced by the Haitian people, or even worse, becoming complacent to it. We all to easily justify such events with such comments as... “it was God’s will.”

When horrible things happen in the world, it's easy, and even natural, to seek an explanation. Explanations, good or not so good, give us a sense of control over a situation we really have no power to control. They help us to understand what would otherwise be utterly incomprehensible. Ultimately, explanations give us a sense of meaning in situations that seem devoid of all meaning.

God's rule over creation involves both direct and indirect acts. God does judge the nations -- all of them -- and God will judge the nations. We must trust that His judgment is perfect and His justice is sure. He rules over all the nations and His sovereign has been demonstrated in the rising and falling of nations and empires and peoples. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that God is actively engaged in the affairs of humanity. He is no bystander in world events. The universe, even after the consequences of the fall in Eden, demonstrates the character of God in all its dimensions. While we may be given by Him an understanding of His will and purpose and how to please Him, we have no right to claim that we know why a disaster like the earthquake in Haiti happened at just that place and at just that moment.

So... is the earthquake God’s punishment on Haiti? Does God hate Haiti and its people enough to bring about horrible death and destruction? God hates sin, and will punish both individual sinners and nations. But that means that every individual and every nation is guilty when measured against the standard of God's perfect righteousness. God does hate sin, but if God merely hated Haiti, there would be no missionaries there; there would be no aid streaming to the nation; there would be no rescue efforts -- there would be no hope. The earthquake in Haiti, like every other earthly disaster, reminds us that all of creation groans under the weight of sin and the judgment of God.

Bad things like natural disasters happen not because of God's displeasure with a people or nation, but because this is a planet that has been suffering the curse of sin since the fall in Eden (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:19-23). Jesus' own words in Luke 13:1-5 refutes the idea that Haiti is suffering worse than others because of their sins.

Everything about the tragedy in Haiti points to our need for redemption. This tragedy may lead to a new openness to the Gospel among the Haitian people. It may open the hearts of those deeply touched by the tragedy, who are reaching out in many ways. Now is the time, through the travails of this tragedy, when many will see the love of God expressed through frail and mostly helpless humans responding to Haiti’s needs. While tragic, the Haitian earthquake brings endless opportunities to see and know the boundless grace of God. Grace shown to all humanity in a world suffering from effects of sin. That is the glory of God.

Christ's people must do everything we can to alleviate the suffering, bind up the wounded, and comfort the grieving. If Christ's people are called to do this, how can we question Gods love or suggest that He has punished Haiti?

We live “in-between”... Christ’s going and His return! It is the “time of God’s grace” upon the earth and all its peoples. It is the time for His Word to go forth and be heard by all the world. The Cross of Christ casts like its light over all the earth, greater and more powerful than any natural disaster, casting its rays of hope and love embodied in the invitation of salvation. God is patient... desiring that all should come to know Him and be saved.

Natural disasters are a constant reminder of our helplessness without faith and trust in His grand promises for an eternal future... a “new earth and new heavens”... “all things made new.” If you have any doubts, reach for your Bible and read John 3:16... “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

That is God's message to Haiti.

HAITI... NOW is the time to GIVE GENEROUSLY!

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

The earthquake devastation in Haiti, has created thousands of new widows and orphans. Thousands of broken families suffering the loss of loved ones and living literally moment to moment, as they wait for something that resembles relief and renewed hope.

You certainly have plenty of opportunity to immerse yourself in the Godly expectation... to care for those who can do nothing for themselves.

Most of us have a real tough time imagining the life of an orphaned child or a widow. It’s difficult to fathom a day without food, clean water or the total lack of life’s most basic essentials. On a good day, life is tough in Haiti. Now, with the enormity of the earthquake’s devastation... for the down-hearted, life is fast approaching hopeless.

The vulnerable children have no one to care for them when they fall down, are hungry, sick, or need protection from the pouring rain. They have no shelter except that which will come from relief efforts. Many will go into the future alone with no hope for a home and a family.

The Church is the answer that will change the lives of these Haitian children forever. The Bible mentions caring for widows and orphans over forty times. In fact, as the Bible says in James 1:27, a critical measure of our faith and our standing before God Almightly is whether we care for widows and orphans in their distress.

Distress reigns in Haiti. YOU can help bring relief to the pain and suffering. Because God cares for orphans, he wants us to care for them as well.

This is part of, a major part of our intentional ministry for our Lord. We must chose to make the care of widows, orphans and vulnerable children a signature issue of God’s Church. RIGHT NOW... the most essential and meaningful way for every person to engage in caring for the needs in Haiti is to give generously. And continue giving until this human suffering caused by this horrific earthquake passes.

Churches are the most influential source of care and support. You must be a beacon for hope in a community, and a center of action. You have no time to pray about this... GOD expects you to act immediately... spontaneously... from the heart.
Whether you’re a person interested in caring for orphans locally or globally, DIRECT your giving NOW to HAITI.

To learn how to have an immediate impact on relief efforts in HAITI, please visit this website –– Northwest Haiti Christian Mission: http://www.nwhcm.org/

GIVE GENEROUSLY FROM THE HEART GOD IS REFINING IN YOU. GIVE WITH URGENCY. CONTINUE TO BE A FINANCIAL RESOURCE FOR THOSE ON THE FRONTLINES OF GOD'S WORK!

“The helpless put their trust in You. You are the defender of orphans Lord; You know the hopes of the helpless. Surely You will listen to their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so people can no longer terrify them” (Psalm 10:17-18).

The Great Commission and the Holy Spirit - Empowering the Mission

The Great Commission is one of the most significant passages in the Holy Bible. First, it's the last recorded personal instruction given by Jesus to His disciples just before He ascended to heaven. Second, it's a special calling from Jesus Christ to all His followers to take specific action...

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

The Great Commission - Its Significance for ALL Christians
The Great Commission is the end of a Gospel and the beginning of faith in action for all Christians. This command from Jesus is significant because it's a personal instruction for Christians to have a profound faith in Jesus Christ as indicated in verse 18. "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." This is an incredibly powerful statement which demands faith in Jesus Christ, validating His power in the lives of Christians and their commitment to Him. If Christians do not believe this statement, complete faith cannot exist. Jesus is very clear about His authority in the world... it is complete and total from the beginning of time itself (John 1:1-3).

In verse 19, Jesus gives His believers specific directions to follow after they have affirmed their faith. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Jesus calls all His followers to act and share the Good News of salvation throughout the world.

Missionaries hear this calling and travel to all corners of the globe, spreading the word of Jesus Christ. Many Christians have made incredible sacrifices, traveling to remote regions of the world beyond the civilized cities into jungles and deserts. Mission fields can also be very close to home. It could be a neighbor who has not heard the Good News of Jesus Christ, or a poverty stricken area just down the road where people can't afford Bibles. In the 21st century, the Internet has become a mission field where people can reach out and share Christ's love. The places and people who need to hear the Gospel are everywhere!

Finally, in verse 20, Jesus provides specific direction with affirmation to His followers, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Christians are instructed to teach others about Jesus Christ and the entirety of His truth. We can't profess Christ as Savior and Lord, while rejecting certain parts of His teachings. As we teach Christ's truths, verse 20 declares that we can be confident, in faith, that Jesus Christ will support us. This fact has proven trustworthy throughout the centuries as millions of believers have heard, accepted and shared the Good News of Jesus Christ. Yes, Christ has ascended back to heaven, but He is present by the power of the Holy Spirit in every believer working faithfully to proclaim the Gospel around the world!

Acts 1:8 - Our Mission Imperative
The Great Commission clarifies our responsibility. Jesus calls every Christian to step out in faith and spread the Good News. So where can I do that? Everywhere! NO limits, NO restrictions!

Jesus said just before he ascended to heaven... "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8)

Obedience to the Great Commission coupled with the power of the Holy Spirit enables our evangelism. It means there are no boundaries, no barriers, no obstacles that will stand in our way. It means we respond to the needs of people no matter where they are in the world. This is our faith in action!

It could be you spreading the Good News to a neighbor or moving to another country to reach the people there. It could be sharing with less fortunate kids down the street or spreading the Word in a town two hours away. It could be a church body rapidly responding to the urgent needs of people on the other side of the planet... people you don’t know, may never meet, but are suffering and in dire need.

Wherever we go, every faithful Christian is compelled through obedience to share the Gospel. If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, where has He called you to go? Who has God put on your heart to share the gift of salvation? What small or large steps can you take, with the knowledge that Christ will be by your side, "to make disciples of all the nations"? You can do it... because HE said you can!

WE are ENTRUSTED TO GIVE

Two brothers walked across the young earth, each carrying an offering for God. Cain, a farmer, brought some produce while Abel, a shepherd, brought the choicest animals from his herd. Together they presented their offerings. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, but not with Cain and his offering (Genesis 4:2-5, NIV). God looked into their hearts and judged their offerings accordingly.

In Cain, God saw a man who considered himself owner of his crops. Cain took what he needed, but always gave the best first to God. We can describe Cain’s attitude and his offering as a "careless, thoughtless offering." In Abel, however, God saw a man with the heart of a steward or good manager of what was entrusted to him. Abel considered God the owner of his herd, so he gave back to God what was rightfully His. This attitude... that God is the owner of all we have... pleased God in the beginning and continues to please Him today.

Wealth and honor come from God, according to 1 Chronicles 29:12, and He rules over all things. In His hands are strength and power to exalt. We must master this truth and know that we are only managers of the money and possessions God has entrusted to us. As such, we must use them for His glory and to further His Kingdom.

In a society heavily laden with shopping channels, outlet malls and mega malls, changing our thinking about material possessions will require more than a little effort. We alone can't change ourselves, but God will gladly change us as we renew our minds by meditating on His Word. Consider spending serious time, maybe the next 30 days, meditating on 1 Chronicles 29:11,12 to develop the proper attitude towards financial faithfulness. Begin to think of what you have and possess as "the Lord's" instead of "my" or "mine" and acknowledging God's ownership of what you acquire each time you make a purchase. This personal practice will begin to transform your mind as the responsibility we all have towards the material possessions we have.

As stewards we have a manual, the Bible, that contains principles for giving, saving and spending. How believers are to view and use their material possessions is a pervasive theme throughout the Word of God. It contains more than 2,350 verses on handling money, for God is concerned with even the smallest details of our personal finances.

As in the case of the servants entrusted with wealth while their master was away (Matthew 25:14-30), our Master, too, will return to question us as to how we have used His possessions. If we are diligent and reliable in using the treasures (whether many or few) God has entrusted to us, our Master will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

As we think like faithful servants of the Master, our behavior changes. We look for ways to use our car or house or money to bring glory to God. If we know that the car we drive belongs to God, we use it generously to help friends and neighbors who need a ride. If we know that the house we live in belongs to God, we cheerfully open it to others who need a place to stay, or to host visiting missionaries. If we know that the money we have belongs to God, we use it to expand His kingdom because He desires that all men come to know Him.

This desire is God's priority and should be ours as well. While our personal funds might not be enough to tell the world about Christ, if we join others in giving to our churches missions fund, we can help tell many. Currently, Christians give just 2 percent of their income to Christian causes. And less than a tenth of a percent goes specifically to foreign missions. Not a ringing endorsement that we have gotten the message God wants us to understand.

God's Word teaches generous and sacrificial giving. "The early Christians did not limit themselves to the tithe: Acknowledging God's ownership of all their possessions, they gave with an abandonment produced by love. Those first believers must serve as examples for us today in their rich generosity despite extreme hardship and poverty. The tithe should serve as a starting point for giving. In our heart we must determine how generously and sacrificially we will give.

In Matthew 25:45, Jesus taught specifically about giving to the poor: "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me" (NIV).

Jesus identifies with the poor, can we really do less? When we share with the poor, we are actually sharing with Jesus Himself. And if that truth is staggering for you, then the reciprocal has to be terrifying... when we do not give to the poor, we leave Christ Himself hungry and thirsty. No one really wants to be in such a desperate situation with the Living God.

The trick, and it’s a hard one, is not to hold on too tightly to earthly things. Jesus said, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21, NIV). Our cheerful generosity as we share with others leads to personal treasures in heaven.

But to give so that someone else can have more means that we might have less. And that can be scary. Giving requires faith that God will provide for our needs. For example, when difficult times hit you and your family, make it a point to keep your giving commitments despite periods of low or interrupted income. God is faithful, and with selfless giving you demonstrate complete faith that God will provide for your family. You may not be living in the lap of luxury, but God will be faithful in providing exactly what we need and when we need it.

As we faithfully give of our worldly treasures, acknowledging in our hearts that they belong to God, we are obedient and faithful stewards. And to God, obedience shows we love Him. Such faithfulness brings blessing, for God will use us to provide for someone else in need, just as He might use another to meet our need. And through it all, the kingdom of God advances.

Give to the Kingdom what is already His and do it with Passion, so that we may Not Hinder God’s Work in the world today!

SACRIFICE for GOD is NEVER in VAIN

In 1904, William Whiting Borden, then heir to the famous Borden dairy fortune, graduated from high school in Chicago Illinois. As a graduation gift, his parents sent him on a cruise around the world. While on this cruise, God began to open William's eyes and heart to the masses of unsaved people around the world. William wrote to his mother about his desire to be a missionary. In one of his early letters he wrote, “I think God is calling me to be a missionary.” In his final letter he wrote, “I know God is calling me to be a missionary.” One friend expressed amazement that William was throwing his life away by choosing to become a missionary.

When he returned home, William enrolled in Yale University, where he was instrumental in starting campus prayer and Bible study groups and evangelism initiatives. He also worked with the least of these on the streets of New Haven and founded Yale Hope Mission. Henry Wright, a professor at Yale, said, “It is my firm conviction that the Yale Hope Mission has done more to convince all classes of men at Yale of the power and practicability of Christianity to regenerate individuals and communities than any other force in the University.” While in school, William renounced his fortune in favor of missions and wrote two words in the flyleaf of his Bible - No Reserves. William wanted to live by faith and trust God for everything in his life.

William attended a Student Volunteer Movement conference in Nashville, where he learned about the great number of Muslims in China. He felt God wanted him to go to China, where he hoped to work with Muslims. When he graduated from Yale, he had many lucrative job offers, including the opportunity to take over the multi-million dollar family business. However, he was determined to fulfill God's call to serve as a missionary. Once again, he opened his Bible to the flyleaf and wrote two more words - No Retreats.

In the fall of 1909 he was twenty-one years old and a seminarian at Princeton Seminary. By 1912, William Borden was twenty-five years old. He had completed a trip around the world, earned his B.A. at Yale, and his M.A. at Princeton Seminary. It was time to leave his family fortune behind and pursue his calling to minister to the Muslims in China.

William set sail for China on Dec. 17, 1912. Part of his plan included a stop-over in Egypt to study Arabic so he would be better equipped to work with Muslims. While in Egypt, William contracted spinal meningitis and died on April 9, 1913, at the age of 25. Years of training, a promising future, and William never made it to China. Charlie Campbell, one of William's closest friends from college, received his Bible after his death. When he opened it, he found what William had written in the flyleaf. In addition to the words No Reserves and No Retreats that William had jotted down during his college days, he found two more words that William had written just before he died - No Regrets.

Although William Borden never made it to the mission field in China, he touched hundreds of students at Yale University and Princeton Seminary who when on to become missionaries. Because of his families wealth and noteriety, the news of his death was published all over the world and many people wrote letters to his family expressing how their lives had been influenced by William's story of faith and commitment to the cause of Christ. His story continues to inspire selfless service for the cause of Christ.

Some will say William Borden’s life was wasted, futile, accomplishing nothing more than death at a young age. Borden, an heir to great wealth, rejected a life of ease in order to bring the gospel to Muslims both in Egypt and eventually in China. He refused even to buy himself a car during his college and seminary years, and gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to the work of missions. He understood what many of us seem slow to comprehend... as 2 Corinthians 4:18 admonishes us.... "We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen; For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

William’s life did not leave lives untouched. Even though he never made it to China, by God’s grace, he was given a burden for missions which led him to study at Yale and in turn his passion inspired hundreds of students to take up the call of missions. Numerous memorials were held all over the world after his death, all packed with people who heard the inspired story of his short life. Even in death, William Borden sowed the seeds of the gospel... that others would cultivate and harvest. In God’s plan no one is ever wasted. In Isaiah 55:8 we are told, “for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.”

Even today,nearly 100 years after his untimely death, William Borden continues to inspire those who seek to serve in the mission field. As believers may we truthfully confess with William Borden, No Reserves... No Retreats... and No Regrets.

"Do not put out the Spirit's fire." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:19

DISCERNING YOUR GIFTS FOR GOD'S SERVICE

We often ask others and we also look introspectively into ourselves to know the will of God for our lives. What does He want me to do? We often miss the obvious, His Will is written into our very nature. The matrix for serving Him is already in us, in the form of our skills and talents or gifts.  When we understand from Scripture what God’s Will is, then His purpose for “you” becomes much more discernible and clear, as to how we can use our gifts serving Him.

Are you looking for help discovering or better understanding your gifts?  You can discover Kingdom work and service that is meaningful and rewarding once you recognize how your talents can be used to further the Great Commission. All God wants is for you to be willing to use your gifts for Him. Even with your willingness, He let’s you make the choice as to what you want to to do. Once you begin responding with what you already have in God-given abilities, the Holy Spirit will work in you to match your skills and talents to the needs of the Kingdom.

Are you an English teacher or do you aspire to be one? Then why not teach English using the gospel in some far off mission field? Are you a passionate communicator? Then maybe you should be praying for God to open the way for you to become a preacher. See, it’s really easy to figure out how God can use you... just think about what you do well, those things are your gifts, and then think how you can use what you do well in Kingdom service. God does want to see evidence of your passion and desire to use your gifts for Him. Half-hearted lip-service about maybe doing this or that won’t get you much help from the Holy Spirit in shaping you for service.

Remember, your gifts are already in you. Identify them and see how they can match up to the needs of the Kingdom. Pray about your desire to use your gifts in a way that will please and glorify God. Be patient. Be alert and watch for opportunities to come your way. Most likely, they will come to you from within the context of your congregation and fellowship. Small steps and your willing heart empowered by the guiding Holy Spirt will lead you to accomplish great things for the Kingdom. Serving God is really very simple. It just takes a willing heart!

Seeking and Sowing... Anywhere, Everywhere.

Maybe you know a missionary couple who have toiled for decades in a far away country and ended up with precious little to show for their labors.

You know them to be be hard working and faithful in their efforts to evangelize the gospel. They've preached faithfully and passionately for years but hardly anyone came to hear and even fewer gave their lives to Christ.

Some church people will think such a couple could have spent their lives in more productive places. With few results to show for their efforts, many will say they were wasting valuable time and they could have moved on to another, more fruitful field. For a dedicated couple in lifelong mission work, “each day” of their lives is a day of renewal and hopeful expectation for the people they minister to... that today, or tomorrow, or the next day will be the day they accept Jesus as Savior.

What would say to such a missionary couple? What would you tell them to do? All Christians are evangelists and missionaries. There is no “observer” section in this stadium, we are all on the field charged with preaching the gospel. How are we as ambassadors of Christ to take His gospel to the world? Just how and where should we sow the seed of God's Word?

According to the gospels, the Parable of the Sower recorded in the synoptic gospels at Mark 4:1-20, Matthew 13:1-23, and Luke 8:1-15 was an important story told by Jesus that defines our role and actions as His ambassadors.

Clearly at the time of the telling, like so many of Jesus parables, not everybody who heard it understood its meaning. Not even the apostles, whom we should view as the world's first missionaries understood its meaning. Like them, we tend to think this story is all about the different “soils.” There are different kinds of hearts who hear the gospel, Jesus explains, and the gospel grows best in fertile, receptive fields. So, as some have argued, this parable invites us to cast the seed of God's word on good soil... to preach the word to people who are most likely to be receptive and believe.

Church growth experts, church planters and missiologists say we should be looking for the most fruitful fields... places that are most likely to yield the best harvest, to give us the best return on our investment of kingdom resources. Sounds like a very sound strategy doesn’t it?

However, it is interesting to note that Jesus does not call this the “parable of the soils”. He calls it the “Parable of the Sower ”. Rather than just focusing on the different types of ground that receive the seed of the Word, Jesus invites us to pay special attention to the one who sows it.

When we do this we are confronted by a surprising, even somewhat scandalous perception. The sower is hardly a conventional farmer. Instead of carefully choosing only the best soil and meticulously preparing it for the planting process, the sower in the parable just randomly and recklessly begins to cast seed. Anywhere and everywhere. He casts it as if he had a never-ending supply, as if he didn't care where it fell. He casts it on the sidewalk, he casts it in the weed-infested vacant lot, he casts it in the sight of hungry birds. Now here’s the key to the parable... the sower does it intentionally, purposefully, knowing full well that most of his precious seed is falling on unreceptive soil. Who is this Sower and what it the world could he be thinking?

Ask any experienced farmer and they will tell you that no one would plant seed in that way. In the time of Jesus, seed was expensive and the pressure to produce a good harvest was great for these poor Judean families. Good seed should never be “wasted” on “bad soil” would have been the first reaction to hearing this parable by any Jewish farmer of that day. Probably a lot of head scratching was going on trying to figure out what Jesus was talking about. Most probably thought this “sower” to be a foolish farmer with little or no experience. But... is he?

Maybe the sower knows something about the seed and the soils that we simply have a hard time comprehending and accepting. Even today, with our sophisticated church planting and evangelical strategies, we often ignore an important aspect of what we’re doing and for whom we are doing it. The power of God, the power of the gospel message and the hearts of men can coalesce to overpower any of our slick strategies and techniques.

Conventional farming, the kind that we are inclined to do, saves the seed for the best fields–-the good, receptive soil that promises to yield the biggest crop. But it seems that in kingdom planting the seed is extravagantly scattered on everyone, regardless of how shallow, hard or weed-infested the recipient lives may be. In conventional farming the soil is carefully selected and cultivated using the best, most proven methods to guarantee a harvest. But in kingdom farming the sowing is done with loving, non-discriminating abandon, knowing that the harvest is guaranteed by a God who promised that his word would not return to him empty. (Isaiah 55:11)

When we understand this, our evangelism is driven by a totally new and different dynamic. Rather than depending upon ourselves and the genius of our own strategies, we learn to depend upon our God and the irrevocable guarantee of his promises.

Rather than worrying about being successful and living up to human expectations, we are free to be sacrificial and thereby meet the expectations of God. Rather than deferring to the path of least resistance, we are free to pursue the path of the greatest need. Rather than focusing on where we can find the most good, we can focus on where we can do the most good.

It's not easy sowing seed on hard soil. That's why so few people attempt it today. It's risky business for churches to support such ventures. Those who are willing to do it are often misunderstood and even criticized, most of that criticism ironically coming from within the body or community of Christ they depend on for support and encouragement. Supporters want to see results... souls saved. The visible indicators expressed in a growing number of baptisms, year after year. Mission minded Christians after all, should go where the opportunities are and stay away from hard soil. We are concerned about how we look to the watching world. It's hard to look “holy” when you are up to your elbows in hard soil–rubbing shoulders with people living in sin who care for nothing about Jesus and the Gospel. Good people, holy people, just don't hang out with folk like that. This might sound harsh and critical, but one only needs to look at the work of evangelism in the world today to see such attitudes.

By now you might be thinking, “How idealistic, how wonderfully theoretical. But it just doesn't work like that in the real world.” Are you certain about that... or have you forgotten the stories from the Bible? Oh, and don’t forget Church History. Some of the gospel's greatest harvests have come out of the hardest, most unreceptive soil.

We know ONE who trusted that seed cast anywhere and everywhere would produce fruit. Jesus, the Christ. He was the holiest person who ever lived. In fact this Sower went out of his way to sow seed on hard soil and in the process showed us what true holiness is... not the holiness of religious propriety, but the holiness of unqualified devotion to God's calling and unconditional love for all people. Even Jesus trusted in God the Father to bring forth the harvest. He did... and He is.

And that's what evangelism is really all about. Missions is not about the good taking the gospel to the worthy. It is about the loving taking the gospel to the lost. The world will not be won by the holiness of the church. It will be won by the love of the church... the people of God willing to sow the seeds of truth anywhere and everywhere. It will be won when the church learns to love people like Jesus loved them, when like this Sower, we passionately cast the seed of God's word on all kinds of soil... all the time.

All the great missionaries, whose lives and ministries inspire us, understood this basic principle. They knew that there was no heart so hard, no culture so resistant that it could not be penetrated by the supernatural seed of God's word. So rather than avoiding hard soil, they sought it out and spent their lives casting seed. It’s a really good thing to think and act like an unconventional sower. There are no boundaries, no barriers, no resistance that should ever hold us back from casting the seeds of salvation to a lost and suffering world. Our job is to sow the seed. God will make it grow and bear fruit.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have everlasting life.”

He who has ears, let him hear.