Seeds of Life

Many years ago, seeds of faith in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ were planted in fertile ground throughout the Bible Belt region of the United States and throughout rural America. I have enjoyed the fruit that has cropped up there and grown from it. It has made me want to die to my own self-interest and live as Christ. It has made my family and me more integral and wholly God's possession. It has made us realize we are blessed to be a living blessing!

So, numerous partners are sending our team with bare seeds in order to sow them on fertile ground in Wollongong, Australia. We believe many beautiful plants will grow up because God has already prepared the ground for the harvest and Jesus is the light that enlightens and enlivens everyone. We're so excited to be his workers. Pray with us that we can present a new crop to God as a pleasing offering to Him. As Paul said, "I’m doing this because God gave me the gift to be a servant of Christ Jesus to people who are not Jewish. I serve as a priest by spreading the Good News of God. I do this in order that I might bring the nations to God as an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit." Romans 15

With another thought in mind, somewhat related, we are not going as church-planters per say, but as seed-planters. As Jesus said, "Go and make disciples . . ." and it was God who has always added to the church and created new communities.

So, what is this seed? It's often difficult to distinguish the seed from the fruit, message from the messenger. On one hand, it is a seed that can only grow properly in one kind of soil: the fertile kind. On the other hand, it is a seed that can grow all across the earth wherever people are found; and that is what it is meant to do. In fact, a preview of this "seed" was given to Abraham: "Through you all the people of the world will be blessed." In this very seed is the truth that it is for every tribe and subculture in the world. God loves the world.

Of course, in addition to the purpose in the seed itself to fall across the universe, is the deep and central life and story of Jesus. Though outwardly the world is wasting away due to sin, inwardly it is being renewed day by day through whom none other than the Resurrected One. The redeeming, resurrection power held dormant in the seed will not be exhausted until it has transformed every tribe and club and destroyed all present powers including the final power: death. Life overcomes death.

So, if I were being extra concise about describing this seed, I would say that 1) it must be planted in every tribe and language and, 2) it is universal life through the only one who can defeat evil and death. It must be planted to the ends of the earth, but its roots must be deep in the indestructible life of Jesus.

I didn't include other essential beliefs (e.g., One God) or related core practices (e.g., one baptism), though there aren't very many of these. I wanted to be too concise and just say what, latently, the seed is in four english words: ONE FOR ALL LIFE.