Digging a Little Deeper

Before I move on and explore Comm-unity, Comm-unication and Comm-union further, we need to look a bit more at our word "culture." We've looked at the term in light of making yogurt. Here are some other definitions:

1. the cultivation (tilling up) of soil



2. a growth of bacteria intentionally or specially made



3. improvement by study or training, especially of mind, manners and taste (refinement)



4. the ideas, skills, arts, tools and way of life of a certain people in a certain time (civilization; see anthropology)



5. the arts (to be cultured one observes the arts)
   

These are ALL ways in which the Church can be more cultured. "What?" you say, "We're to plant gardens?" It wouldn't hurt if it would feed the hungry, however you probably know it's a metaphor.

It was Jesus that first gave this metaphor in the parable of the seeds. The Great Awakening evangelist Charles Finney spoke also of “breaking up the follow ground” using cultivation as a metaphor for stirring up the human heart. Whether an individual’s heart or the organism of an entire church, God as the farmer, can so turn the dirt that growth and a bountiful harvest result. This, I believe, is the primary reason for existence of the church—growth and harvest.

A healthy church does a lot of soil cultivation. A church that works the earth will have a harvest. And a church cannot grow unless the fields are worked. Put plainly I mean to say that the church will endeavor to fulfill the Great Commission that we all can regurgitate, but often fail to prioritize.

“You go into all the world and preach the good news to all people, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” ~Matthew 28

So, who goes? You go.
Where? Part of the world? All the world.
Do what?
Preach, baptize, teach.
To whom? Some people? All people.
Teach what? To
do what Jesus commanded.

Pretty simple, huh? Well, simple to break down anyway. Maybe a little harder to put into practice, but that's where we need to start.



Next time I'll be adding some thoughts from interviews I've conducted with pastors and take a look at what THEY say about the church and communication.