Mary Lynne and I saw the Kingdom truths of the parable of the sower in action when we ministered in Southeast Asia this past May. We stayed for three days in the home of our good friends who are missionaries. We met Oso, a man of peace, our friends had discipled and was now leading a House Church within his Muslim village. Our friends had been sowing the seeds of the gospel in Oso's life for three years. After having an encounter with Jesus and watching his wife be healed of cervical cancer, Oso began studying the way of truth with our friend. Two and a half years later there are 24 House Churches of Muslims leading Muslims to Christ.
Wow! I was so excited about all that I heard of the grace of God and the move of the Spirit in the lives of these Muslims who were following Isa (Jesus in Arabic). I thought the principles of Luke 10 could give birth to a similar movement the United States! Mary Lynne was a little more skeptical and with good reason. Not all the House Churches were thriving. As it turns out one of the persons of peace who launched a House Church had fallen away and some of the groups were struggling. The picture we saw on that island mirrors the picture of the Kingdom Jesus speaks of in in Matthew 13.
Jesus taught His followers that the sower sowed seed on four different kinds of soil. The First soil was the path on the field. When the seed fell on the path the birds came and ate the seed. Not all Muslims who hear the word of God respond with faith in Isa.
The second soil was rocky. When the seed fell on the rocky soil it sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. When the sun came up it scorched the plants and they whither because they had no root. As it turned out, when Oso started his Discovery Bible Study, he invited his brothers, family and closest friends. They received the word with joy and even witnessed there lives being transformed as they studied the word. Just as the sun scorched the plants and they whither, so their village responded with a harsh persecution and all of Oso's brothers and most of his family and friends fell away from following Isa. Oso is a very courageous man who together with a few family members and friends are faithfully following Isa in the midst of much persecution.
The third soil was full of thorns. The seed fell on the thorny soil and began to grow. However, the thorns choked out the new plants and they didn't bear fruit. In the same way, another person of peace, who received the word from a member of Oso's House Church, chose to follow Isa. However, later she was caught up with the world and fell away from following Jesus.
The fourth soil was good and fertile soil. The seed fell on it and it reproduced 30, 60 and 100 fold. Our friends met with several of their House Church leaders the last night we were in their home. I was amazed as I heard their stories! Each one of them started a Discovery Bible Study with their household and was now leading a House Church of Muslim followers of Isa. One woman was even starting her second House Church the very next day.
When I heard of 24 House Churches being planted in two and a half years, I was very excited about the growth of the church on this island in Southeast Asia. What we witnessed was the truth of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. The Kingdom of God does grow as we sow the seeds of the gospel. However, many who hear the word do not respond at all. Some fall away from the Lord Jesus because persecution and still others fall away because of the cares of the world. The good news is that still others bear fruit 30, 60 and 100 fold and the Kingdom of God expands with the sowing of the seeds of God's word.
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