This past weekend I gave out a challenge to the congregation based on our teaching from Mark 4:26-32 in the Revised Common Lectionary. Jesus illustrates with parables what he think that the reign of God looks like.

First, Jesus says that the reign of God is like a seed sown that grows through the night, and grows until it’s grain is ready, then will be harvested. Secondly, Jesus says that the reign of God is like a tiny mustard seed that grows wild and like a weed and takes over all things providing a place for all the birds of the air. We also learned that the reign of God is not something that we expect, and is not only a past event, but is a present event, and is a coming future event.

The challenge that I put before the congregation is that we as a community become more aware of where the reign of God is occurring around us. The world has us so distracted that the truth is that we are oblivious to the work of God right in our midst every single day we breathe. So I am challenging and encouraging that you today, and the days of this summer, become attentive to where you see the reign of God popping through all the clutter of the world around you. And then record it. Take a picture, write a story or poem, make a drawing, or whatever form you would like to use and we will share it here at Greenwood UMC. We will put it on the fellowship walls. We will put it on our website and Facebook page. We will even twitter about it. And along the way don’t be afraid to share it with your family, your friends, your neighbors, and any others that you might want to offer.

You might ask why we should do this? It’s about faith-sharing. Over the past few weeks I have been sharing some thoughts from my reading of the book Faith-Sharing by H. Eddie Fox and George E. Morris. In chapter 4, they begin by saying that to truly understand faith-sharing, or the sharing of the Good News, or evangelism, we need to grow in our own understanding of God and our faith. I am prayerful that together we can be more present to God’s movement in our lives and share that news with those who have yet to hear the Good News.