The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds - The Church will Survive and Thrive in Influencing Culture

By the 4th century, many historians, Rodney Stark, Roger Bagnall, and Shiley Jackson Case and others have argued that the spread of Christianity was nothing short of miraculous. By the early part of the 4th century, some estimate that over half of the Roman Empire had converted. They were actually running out of people to convert! Seriously? And yet today, we seem to be in a decline. A century ago, a pastor held a high position in society. Today, they are often labeled as fanatics, prone to disgraceful activities among the congregation, and full of pride and arrogance. Many fall from grace, but most seem to find their role diminished and relevant to a remaining, post Covid, 40-50% smaller congregation. Believers feel their faith is impotent to change culture or to bring about sustainable change in culture. Christians feel often sidelined and irrelevant to influencing world and cultural issues. And then there’s the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds found in Matthew 13:24-30. Jesus says the wheat will stand strong, grow grain and reap a harvest. Be patient. Even among the weeds that vie for its food supply and very survival. I often want to throw up my hands in complete disappointment in response to the state of the church in America. Then I read this parable and I think, shut up. Stop this nonsense thinking and be the wheat planted. The world needs a harvest and it survives. Quit complaining. And for those that have given up on the church, got too busy, distracted, apathetic, get back in the game or one day you will look back and miss out on the reward of the harvest. You will look back and and see that your lives did get drowned out by the weeds because you didn’t stay in the field with the other wheat.