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The Good Soil

Starting. Restarting. Restarting all over again? Life is all about turning over a new leaf, shedding our old skin so the new shoots of rebirth can take root. But growth is difficult if you’re not planted in the right environment.

Jesus spoke a lot about growth. In the Parable of the Sower, he spoke of four kinds of seed which a farmer sowed as he went on his way. The first type was that which fell upon the path and was devoured by the birds as they passed by. The second was the kind that fell on rocky ground in shallow soil and grew up quickly, but when the sun beat down it withered due to a lack of roots. The third seed fell amongst the thorns and briars, and was choked as it grew.

But the final type of seed was the kind which fell on good soil, and through patience and perseverance, produced a crop — thirty, sixty, sometimes a hundred times what was sown.

The Darkened Heart

In Jesus' parable, the soil type is a metaphor for the condition of the human heart. When we hear the word of God, we have a choice as to how we respond. But for many Christians, we often need the same seed planted over and over again before we see any evidence of renewal — if at all. So what's causing the disconnect?

It is a sad truth that many churches today have proven to be barren pasture. As modern Christianity continues to row back on thousands of years of scriptural truth, many of our churches have seen shrinking congregations, and even when they are full, it's often with confused, damaged and fruitless people. Most damningly of all, many churches have simply given up on discipleship: the primary vehicle by which Christ taught, led and loved his own. So if the wider church has become infertile, what hope for the average Christian?

Well thank God for Jesus! As our article on Jesus explains, Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday — and forever will be. Regardless of the state of our churches, leaders or nation, Jesus is the shepherd who will never mislead or abandon us. His presence pervades time itself, and his bride, the church, has survived two millenia of assault, periods of decline, and persecution. So if anyone can get us through a rough patch it's our Lord and saviour — we only need keep our eyes on him.

A church where you can grow

As the individual must be receptive to the word of God, so must the church. A church which merely satisfies itself with human concerns, and is content with shallow soil, will not withstand trouble and the heat of the day when it inevitably comes.

So at Grace Church Caversham, we aim to build and sustain a church with good, deep soil. We believe that Jesus is both our light and our water, so we need only to position ourselves in the optimum place — at his feet — to make the most of our Christian walk.

In that manner, we pride ourselves only in the word and the spirit of God. Not in preachers or pastors, not in large congregations or large wallets, and not in lights, cameras or spotlights — and least of all, in ourselves.

Word. Spirit. JESUS.