What's Happening at Linworth?

Hispanic Ministry Fundraiser | Sunday, July 20

On Sunday, July 20th, plan to stay after the service and pick up some delicious lunch, provided by our Hispanic Ministry! All proceeds go directly to helping fund this ministry's Hispanic Camp. The suggested donation is $8 and will get you a drink and two arepas.

Love Thy Neighbor | July 16-18, 5-8pm

Join us as we participate in Love Thy Neighbor, an event hosted by Crossroads World Outreach Ministries in Franklinton. We will begin at 5pm each evening with worship and a message. There is a cookout by the Church Next Door Men’s Group on Wednesday, Clothing Giveaway will be held on Thursday, and the Food Giveaway on Friday. We are usually finished with cleanup around 8pm. The biggest volunteer opportunities are on Thursday and Friday. For the Clothing Giveaway, we will need to organize the donated clothes onto tables prior to the event, greet people during the event, then box up/clean up any remaining items after the event. For the Food Giveaway, in addition to organizing the tables with the food items, we will be assisting during the event and with cleanup afterwards. Set up will begin around 4pm on Thursday and Friday if you are able to make it that early. If you have clothing you would like to donate, you can bring it down to Crossroads (165 S Cypress Ave) on Wednesday. For more information, contact Scott Nishizaki.

Kairos Prison Ministry Training | Begins July 25

Men, are you looking for a way to put your faith into action and serve Him? The Friday evening team building meetings for the North Central Correctional Kairos weekend begin on July 25. The weekend itself will be held September 18-21. Read Matthew 25:36 and ask the Lord if you are to answer His call to serve the least of these. There will also be a weekend at London Correctional in November (dates to be announced). Please email Barry Cook for more information.

Women’s Event- Third Friday, July 18, 6:30pm

Join us as we gather to review, reflect, and share what God has spoken to us, so far this year, on the topic of prayer. Bring your praises. Bring your "aha" moments. Bring your questions. Bring a refreshment to share. Bring yourself, we just want to be with you.

Leadership Retreat | Saturday, July 26

Life Group and Ministry Leaders, Save the Date for the 2025 Leaders Retreat! We will meet from 9am-12pm, with lunch following. Please Register so we can plan for food.

Family Camp | August 7-10 Michindoh Conference Center

Our Family Camp team is super excited about this year’s camp! If you haven’t heard, this year's camp is extended one day (Thursday afternoon until Sunday). Secondly, we are simultaneously having a Youth Camp led by our Student Ministry Director, Krieg! There are very limited spots left, so don't delay! More information about the camp is available on the registration page. You can register via the church app or on our website. If you have any questions, please contact Rich Hendricks.

Value Life—a Ministry of Vineyard Church

Value Life provides baby items (diapers, formula, clothes, car seats, pack and plays, strollers, toys, etc.) to mothers with few financial resources here in Central Ohio. The heart behind the Value Life ministry is for women to know that, should they experience a pregnancy in times of financial difficulty, the Lord will meet their baby's needs through His church, with quality and abundance. We hope that the lives of many children are saved from abortion, hunger, and suffering, and that they know their Creator loves and values them. If you have good-condition baby items that your children have outgrown or no longer need, please bring them to the church office. Carrie Heiden will be collecting the items on a regular basis and taking them to Value Life.

Kitchen Remodel

The kitchen remodel project has begun. Dur Foulis has agreed to head up this project, and Scott Nishizaki will provide management support. A sub-team of ministry leaders and/or those with commercial kitchen experience have developed a plan to expand the kitchen's serving capabilities. Please note that this will impact reserving some spaces in the building, as there will not be a working kitchen. If you have questions, you can reach out to Dur or Scott .

Kingdom Prayer | Tuesdays, 7-8am

Join us for prayer and breakfast on Tuesday mornings! This is an opportunity to pray for God’s kingdom and includes time to pray for each other. After our prayer time, we will have coffee and breakfast provided or folks may leave promptly for work or school if they need to. Remember that God gives us special promises about praying together.

The Parable of the Sower--Matthew 13:1-23

1. Ethics (Sermon on the Mount)
2. Discipleship (Lordship, costs of following, interactions with Jews and Gentiles)
3. Mission (sending out the disciples)
4. The Kingdom (“the kingdom of heaven is like…..”)
5. Church and End Times (the Olivet discourse, the crucifixion, and resurrection)

1. Understanding the parable
2. The “great aside”
3. Applications of the parable

"At its simplest a parable is a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt of its precise application to tease it into active thought."
- CH Dodd The Parables of the Kingdom, 1935

Some points about interpreting parables:

1. They are made-up stories to illustrate a larger spiritual truth. We interpret them as parables, not as historical narrative.

2. There is usually one point or very few points being made. Stretching it beyond that leads to problems.

Luke 14:16-23:
“A man once gave a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time for the banquet he sent his slave to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going out to examine them. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’ So the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and alleys of the city, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.’ Then the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’ So the master said to his slave, ‘Go out to the highways and country roads and urge people to come in, so that my house will be filled. For I tell you, not one of those individuals who were invited will taste my banquet!’”

"Our text becomes especially fatal when we understand the first three soils as others (e.g., Israel or the unchurched) and the fourth soil as ourselves. The text works as it was intended to work only when it is used self-critically. For Matthew assumes that in the church there are people who are completely untouched by the gospel, even though they hear it all the time. Should we not wonder about ourselves if we hear this parable honestly?”
- Ulrich Luz 1938 - 2019

1. This parable should encourage us to see and listen to what God is doing in our lives.
2. This parable should encourage us to be patient with God, with others, and with ourselves, since much of the seed sown did not yield fruit.
3. This parable should encourage us to be responsible in responding to God’s word.
4. The Great Aside should remind us of the essential quality of humility that all Christians must possess.