What does Jesus's parable about seeds have to do with the church? Makoto Fujimara spoke in January at the Gathering in Chapel Hill about this parable, and gave Spirit-inspired insight about the church representing the soil, or terrain, in the parable. A link to the sermon is below, as well as the passage itself. 

As described on his website, "Makoto Fujimura is an artist, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural shaper. A Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts from 2003-2009, Fujimura served as an international advocate for the arts, speaking with decision makers and advising governmental policies on the arts."

 He went back to teaching by the sea. A crowd built up to such a great size that he had to get into an offshore boat, using the boat as a pulpit as the people pushed to the water's edge. He taught by using stories, many stories.  "Listen. What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed.  As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it.  Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly.  Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it.  Some fell on good earth and came up with a flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams.  "Are you listening to this? Really listening?" (Mark 4:1-9)

Below is a link to the sermon.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gathering-church-chapel-hill/id349362154?ign-mpt=uo%3D4#

For more on Makoto Fujimura, go to his website.

http://www.makotofujimura.com/bio/