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Reachout Trust 24 Ormond Road Richmond Surrey TW10 6TH England Phone & Fax: 0845 241 2158 E-mail A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, number 4162936. A registered charity number 1087085

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So often when we hear this parable, we apply it to ourselves and ask what kind of ground are we? This is a valid point to consider, but I want to look at this in terms of evangelism, and ask what kind of ground are we sowing into?

If we as a church want to reach out to the community with the gospel we have to take a step back and consider who they are and where they are in their lives. Because we know the state of society today, we have a general idea of what people are like, but we do not know the situation of each individual we may contact. We cannot categorise people and say that we will only go to those who are 'good ground'.

It is not for us to judge and decide who should hear the gospel and who not. Jesus commanded us to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt.28: 19).

If we concentrate solely on preaching we will find that our words very often fall on poor soil and never have a chance to bear fruit. If you were planting in your garden, you would firstly look at the soil and see what needed to be done to improve it, and before you started even that work you need to make sure that you have the proper tools and everything you need to do the job properly.

Let us look at the parable of the sower again, and see what needs to be done to produce a crop from much more of the seed we sow.

v.4, 15 The path bears no crop because the people do not understand the message.

v.5-6, 16-17 The rocky places bear plants that wither because they have no root. These people do not stand up under trouble or persecution.

v.7, 18-19 The thorny soil chokes the plants. These people are overcome by the worries of this life or the deceitfulness of wealth.

We need to dig up the path, remove the stones and pull up the weeds before we can even think of sowing the seed. What does this mean in real terms?

When we go out into the community we will find people who have problems - financial, employment, health, family, education, all sorts of things. We need to earn the right to be heard. We need to be Jesus to them. We can visit the lonely, get shopping, look after children and elderly dependants, do jobs around the house and garden, and offer other services. People will come to know that this church is a place of refuge, a place of service, a place of love and acceptance. Then they will want to know why, and we can share the gospel with them (Acts 2:47; 1 Peter 3:15-16).

So we have identified what is wrong with the soil, and what needs doing to improve it. Before we can start work we have to make sure that we have the right equipment. This is where 'the rubber hits the road'. We are the equipment. Are we willing to give ourselves in service for this community? What can we do, each of us? When we think of evangelism, so often we think, "I can't go out and preach the gospel. I'm not good at explaining things. I don't have the strength to tramp the streets for hours knocking on doors. I don't have the time." Forget about that for now. Could you find the time to fetch some shopping for someone when you do yours? Could you collect someone's children from school for them occasionally? Sit with an old person for an hour? Invite someone in for a cup of tea once a week? Even write letters to someone who has no-one else? Maybe you couldn't speak to lots of people, but could you make one individual your special project?

Listen to this story from Adrian Plass, in his book View from the Bouncy Castle:

"A friend of mine who is a Pentecostal minister, was anxious that his father should become a Christian. With customary energy he set about expounding the scriptures to his ageing parent, threatening him with hell, promising him heaven, and generally giving him the 'works'. After a lengthy experience of this kind of approach the old man did his best to be out when he knew his son was likely to call. Conversion was definitely not on his agenda.

It was only when my friend stopped talking and started listening that God was able to whisper to him: 'When did you last tell your dad you loved him?'

'Never', thought my friend. 'I should have done, but I never have…'

The next day he went along to see his father, put his arm around his shoulders and, ignoring the flinch of resistance to what his dad obviously thought was going to be yet another evangelical blast, said those three words that are so difficult to use when they are not common conversational currency: 'I love you.'

My friend's father made a Christian commitment very shortly after that, and became a member of his own son's church.

God knows what will melt hearts much better then we do, and it may be different in every case. I hate the thought that my pet formulae might obscure or postpone the work that the Holy Spirit wants to do. Perhaps, rather, we should aim (as my friend Jo Marriott puts it) to find out what God is doing, and then join in.

He wants people in heaven much more than we do, and he knows how to achieve it."

I don't think I can better that advice. My challenge to you is not to rush out and do more evangelism, but to prayerfully consider one thing that you could do to prepare the ground so that the soil is fertile.

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