Jumpstarter 8 of 10

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Question 8

In the power-mower illustration, John and his neighbors get excited about a mower’s power but never mow their lawns. What are the “unmowed lawns” in contemporary Christianity—areas where people talk fluently about grace and spiritual power yet remain unchanged—and what weeds does that produce in real communities?

Another way to ask: In the mower story, people love the power but never mow. What are the “unmowed lawns” today—areas where Christians talk about grace but don’t change—and what harm does that cause in a church or community?

Direct Answer In Bercot’s terms, “unmowed lawns” are Christian lives and churches where people speak confidently about grace and Christ’s power but fail to produce fruit—especially the mercy and obedience Jesus names—resulting in visible neglect and spiritual overgrowth that harms communities.

Support from Transcript:

The illustration: people rejoice that “all the power comes from the gasoline engine,” yet “never actually mow their yards,” leaving “foot-high grass and weeds.”
He applies it to theology: Reformers “eagerly spread the good news” of dependence on Christ but “ignored what Jesus said about producing fruit.”
He draws the parallel: “Understanding how a power mower works does not get a lawn mowed. Likewise, understanding how the vine works does not in itself produce fruit.”
He insists the real issue is action: “What matters is whether or not we actually produce fruit.”
Fruit is defined by Matthew 25-type mercy and by obedience (“keep my commandments”).
He warns theologians’ approach can “hide [God’s word] in darkness” and “nullify” commands, which would naturally create unchanged communities.

Discussion Follow-ups Where do you see strong Christian vocabulary but weak mercy or obedience? If Jesus inspected your community’s “lawn,” what would he say is growing there—and why?

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Jumpstarter 8 of 10