Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men. Mark 1:17
A pastor told me a fascinating story of a church in a Canadian fishing village. The
founding fathers had chosen to build the church at the rocky edge of the Atlantic Ocean.
Because it was located in the center of where the fishermen and townspeople lived, the
church flourished.
As the congregation grew, however, the members decided to construct a new building far
from the waterfront. Then an interesting thing happened. They seemed to lose their zeal
for the lost after they moved. Why? Some said it was because they were no longer among the
people.
We see in Mark 1 that Jesus began His ministry by walking along the Sea of Galilee and
calling fishermen to be His disciples. He told them, "Follow Me, and I will make you
become fishers of men" (v.17).
Where are the "fish" in our communities? Do we expect them to come on their own
to our church and hear the pastor present the gospel? Or have we chosen to follow Christ
and become fishermen who dare to go to where the fish are, taking the message of life and
hope to our schools and workplaces and neighborhoods?
Just as we won't catch fish in a kitchen sink, we can't "catch" souls if we
don't go where they are.
-DCE
You do not have to cross the seas
Nor foreign lands explore
To share God's Word with needy souls
You'll find them right next door.
-Anon.
After accepting Christ's invitation to come, we must obey His commission to go.