“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.” Mark 1:17-18
Now it came to pass that a group existed that called themselves fishermen. There were many fish in the waters all around. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry. Week after week, month after month and year after year those that called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and techniques of fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is to be the primary task of the fisherman. These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings for local fishing headquarters. The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and that everyone should fish. However, one thing they did not do… They did not fish!
In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. A board was formed by those who had great vision and courage to speak about fishing and to promote fishing in far away streams and lakes, where many fish of different colors lived. Also, the board hired staff, appointed committees, and held many meetings to decide what new streams should be considered. But the board, the staff and committee members did not fish. Large, elaborate and expensive training centers were built, whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years, courses were offered on the needs of fish, the nature of fish, the psychological reaction of fish, as well as how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish, they only taught fishing. Furthermore, the fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing guides. Presses were kept busy day and night to produce materials solely devoted to fishing methods, equipment and programs to arrange and encourage meetings to talk about fishing. Seminars, conferences and jubilees were also established to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing.
After one stirring seminar on the “Necessity of Fishing,” two young fellows left the meeting and went fishing. The next day, the first fellow reported he had caught a hundred fish! It turned out to be just a “fish story.” The other young man actually did catch two outstanding fish! He was honored for his excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it. So he quit fishing in order to have time to tell the experiences to all other fishermen. He was also placed on the fishermen’s board as a person having considerable experience.
Now it is true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their call to fish and their fishermen’s clubs. They even wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend meetings and talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men?” Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don’t fish were not really fishermen, no matter how much they claim to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman, if year after year he never catches a fish? Is one following, if he is not fishing?*
This modern parable, though at times humorous, should be a sobering reminder not to be “fishers of men” in name only. I am so encouraged by the growth of the churches of SoldOut Movement, and how being very serious about Jesus’ charge unites us! While so many in our movement are united in our mission of fishing to seek and save the lost, many more need to remember the call to fish and imitate those who are working hard. Every week we send out a “Good News Email” to many eager listeners around the world. The following are a couple of exerts from our movements good news email from this past week:
Raul Moreno of Sao Paulo: It was great to see Junior & Leny be baptized into Christ last Sunday! They are a married couple who have been studying the Bible on and off for about three months. At one point they stopped studying because they read about the SoldOut Movement persecution online and even stopped coming to church for a while. But after witnessing the ongoing love of the disciples, they said, “The Internet says all these negative things about them, but all we have received from them is love. We are going to go with what we see and not bitter Internet articles!” They came back after that and now they are your brother and sister in Christ! Truly our love converts people as the Scripture teaches in John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Then, last Tuesday, we saw Mateus be engulfed in the saving waters of baptism through the efforts of the campus ministry. Mateus studies Molecular Science at the prestigious University of Sao Paulo. He speaks four languages and has a great heart to be a “fisher of men.” Since Brazilians love soccer, the brothers and I decided to “sacrifice” and went to our first game with him prior to his baptism. We all loved the experience and we survived! God is truly moving around the world! And we love you with the love of the Lord!
Ricky Challinor of Portland: Good news from the City of Bridges! God has given us many bridges of success these last two weeks! To start off, we had the blessing to run a firework stand! And in less than a week-and-a-half the church was able to make nearly $4,500! Encouragingly, we will have the stand next year which will be great for getting people to the 2013 GLC! A little over two months ago, a woman named Cheryl Demartimprey was restored to God. Her husband was watching from the sidelines, but last Sunday – praise be to God – through the diligent efforts of Ted Green and Richard Caoile, her husband Sean was restored to God! In addition, I was inspired and encouraged that morning as my wife woke up at 4:30AM to get ready and pick up a visitor and personal friend all the way in Olympia, Washington which is more than a two hour drive one way! This week, we gathered a few of the disciples to do a final tagging to help those who are short in their finances to get to the GLC and God blessed us with $1,500! Though we have worked hard to raise money for the GLC, since we’ve arrived seven weeks ago, GOD has given the church seven additions – six baptisms & one restoration! Pray that we continue to bring the gospel urgently to this great city!
Ron Harding of Washington DC: Though there was a transition “lull” after our arrival in late June, the DC Church is beginning to surge forward! Last week, the entire congregation welcomed my mother into the fellowship! Excitingly in the four weeks since our arrival, we’ve gone from three Bible studies in nine Bible Talks to 23 Bible studies in 13 Bible Talks! We’re looking forward to the arrival of the Clarks from the great Eugene Church in three weeks! To help with their landing expenses, the church generously gave a phenomenal $6,996 contribution – a 65% increase over our weekly average for the year!
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