Tucked away in the narrative of the earliest days of the church is a fascinating and funny story. In Acts 18:5-8, the apostle Paul and his team are in Corinth, and he initially spends his time preaching to the Jews, but they oppose him and become abusive. So Paul shakes out his clothes in protest and says, essentially, “Fine! If you’re not interested, from now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
Here’s the funny part: Paul leaves the synagogue and goes next door to a Gentile home, where there is a person of peace, and it’s the beginning of a lengthy, fruitful ministry in Corinth. This is a story about what to do with “difficult soil,” and highlights a principle of fruitfulness in disciple-making and gospel ministry: Cast seed widely, but concentrate your efforts where the harvest is ripe. If the harvest isn’t ripe, move on.
I can imagine Paul feeling frustrated that his own people weren’t responding to his message. Oftentimes I’ve felt this way when I’ve really wanted to see a harvest among a certain sub-culture, but it just isn’t happening. It seems right to “keep plugging away,” and “stay faithful,” but the New Testament pattern doesn’t seem to line up with this approach.
Instead, Paul and others seem to move on fairly quickly when they don’t see their “gospel seeds” taking root quickly. They certainly cast the seed widely, but then they watch for where the fruit is emerging, and concentrate their efforts there. It’s a bit like Jesus’ parable of the soils – the farmer throws seed all over the place, but only 25% of it bears fruit. It makes sense for the farmer to cultivate the crops that are growing in good soil as opposed to spending time trying to coax them out of rocky or thorny soil. Ultimately the total harvest will be better if he concentrates almost all of his time on the good soil.
So if fruit is not forthcoming from a gospel effort, it’s good to remember that this is certainly no fault of the gospel, and often no fault with the preacher. From the New Testament’s perspective, the readiest explanation is that the soil just isn’t ready, so the best solution in most situations is to simply shake off the dust and move on until you find good soil.
Interestingly, the (Jewish) synagogue leader Crispus becomes a believer after Paul gives up on preaching to Jews in Corinth and goes to the Gentiles. Moving on to better soil can often bring the original fruit you were looking for. It’s a good reminder that this is God’s work, we’re just workers in his harvest fields, participating in his kingdom work in the world.
That said, however, there is a tension to be navigated: sometimes it’s time to shake off the dust and move on, and other times we need to stay faithful in the battle and push for a breakthrough. The trick is discerning which season is which, because we can easily normalize fruitlessness in the name of “faithfulness,” just like we can excuse ourselves from the battle in the name of “looking for better soil.”
This demands a bi-focal lens when it comes to faithfulness and fruitfulness: embracing the BOTH/AND of fruitful opportunism and faithful tenacity, the pragmatism of testing the soil and working where the harvest is ripe, and the prophetic passion and sight to see potential in unlikely places and fight for the breakthrough.
How about you? Any stories of frustrating fruitlessness or an ultimately fruitful “moving on”?
The 1 out of 4 principle. The "sowing of the seed" parable, 3 times out of 4 the seed does not bear fruit. Jesus gives us the percentages? of course, I'd be happy with 25% in my own experience of the percentages. 🙂
Indeed! 25% would be great. I heard Willard say that a couple years ago and the Ecclesia National Gathering. Great stuff!
Ben–this is great stuff. Love this: "we can easily normalize fruitlessness in the name of 'faithfulness'"
Too true. I wonder what happened in Paul's heart on that walk to the Gentile house next door… did he feel disheartened or was it 'water off a duck's back'? I get bummed and feel like a failure when seed doesn't take root. Did Paul?
Great question! I bet he felt bummed a lot – you get glimpses of loneliness and discouragement in some of the letters. I know I certainly feel discouraged when things don't go according to my “plan.”
I have learned this lesson the hard way. I was working in a small rural church as an associate pastor. We were there for 6 years with very little fruit. The body of believers there, and the town for that matter, like everything just the way it was. Change, growth and making an impact was not they had in mind. After being there 6 years trying to get them to engage and challenge them the lead pastor moved on. I should have, but I felt like I would have been "giving up" if I left. I took on the lead role there and after a year me and my family were so beat up that we took a four year sabatical from ministry.
The good news is God moved us and placed into a congregation where we could heal and now I'm on staff there. God is good. But I agree. If I had recognized the "fruitlessness" and moved on I would have experienced a lot less self enduced pain and I would not have lost 4 fours of ministry.
Thanks for sharing a bit of your story, Kurt. I'm so glad to hear about God's redemption and healing in the midst of the journey.
I enjoyed this post. One tension that I battle is moving on too quickly. There have been opportunities that, if I had waited longer or invested into more deeply, would have yielded a greater fruitfulness. Often times I get itchy feet and want to go on to the next project or person. I have learned to discuss these tendencies with a few close friends to serve as a "safety" to keep me from pulling the trigger haphazardly.
Rusty, that's a great example of what a bit of self-knowledge combined with accountability can do. Knowing your tendencies and having others around you with the guts to shoot straight goes a LONG way in helping discern when it's time to stick it out and when it's time to move on.
fruitful opportunism and faithful tenacity… dig it.
Yeah, so I think it's about time I start reading my coaches blog. Lol. Great post Ben.
I suppose I hadn't thought through the shake-the-dust-off logic. Kairos after reading this? Yes.
"John, my son. Stop putting the pressure of thinking I expect you harvest 100% of the people you meet when my Son harvested 25%. I release you center down on less. Less is enough and deep is best. Go ahead, try my yoke on for size. Release fruitless connections, guilt-free. Brood on the gleaming fruit for in them is hid your legacy– yours and Mine." (Selah)
Yeah, so I think it's about time I start reading my coaches blog. Lol. Great post Ben.
I suppose I hadn't thought through the shake-the-dust-off logic. Kairos after reading this? Yes.
"John, my son. Stop putting the pressure of thinking I expect you harvest 100% of the people you meet when my Son harvested 25%. I release you center down on less. Less is enough and deep is best. Go ahead, try my yoke on for size. Release fruitless connections, guilt-free. Brood on the gleaming fruit for in them is hid your legacy– yours and Mine." (Selah)
That's a great articulation of what God's saying to you, John! I might “steal” it for myself as well 😉
Thank you, Ben! There are many times I would prefer a neon sign from God, but God seems to prefer that we go through discernment. I love the balance you describe between faithful tenacity and fruitful opportunism. Good food for discernment!
Glad it was helpful Rebecca!