Sega Bass Fishing and the Church

For my birthday this year, I got a new Wii game that I love. It is the Sega Bass Fishing game. It is a pretty neat game with an attachment that makes your Wii remote look like a fishing rod. I love to fish so this game allows me to fish while at home.

The other day I was playing this game and the Lord taught me a lesson about the church. Yes, I believe that the Lord can use Wii games to teach people. Anyway this game and its layout taught me that we have mistaken the Lord's command of being "fishers of men". Let me explain.

In the Wii game, the player must choose an area to fish, time of year to fish, time of day to fish, type of weather, a casting spot and the type of bait to use in an area. Once these are chosen, then the player cast and hopes he gets a bite by either playing the line or changing bait. The better the chances by choosing the right spot and choosing the right bait.

What is really interesting about this game is that you never completely fish out a spot! Some fish never bite the bait even when you keep on switching and even when you change the weather or time of day. In other words, you can't catch all the fish.

While playing this game it dawned on me: This is the church today! Many churches are looking for the right bait, the right casting spot, the right season and the perfect fish to catch. Don't believe it. Look at all the methods of outreach. Look at all the books and research. One says we need to do house church; one says need to be large church; one says contemporary music; one says traditional music and so on and so forth. All this and we see churches jumping from one methos to another. All of this in the name of being successful in catching fish or in this case men and women for Christ.

Guess what? I think we have gotten all wrong. One, when Jesus gave the call to be "fishers of men" the Zebco casting pole was not invented then. He was speaking of casting a net! That net is us! It is every believer, every church and yes, every method! You see it is all of us bound together or better yet woven together, to reach the world for Christ. It is large church, small church, traditional, contemporary, house church, church plants and multi-site woven together to make up the net. You see it takes all of us! It takes each part to make a strong net. It takes all of us working together to strengthen the net. When we see a church or Christian weakening, we need to unite to help them because the net is beginning to break. (see Luke 5:1-11).

I believe that we have missed the boat (no pun intended) by looking for the magic lure that is going to reach people. I believe that we find out what the Lord enables us to do best it be small groups, house church, multi campus, traditional or contemporary worship; determine where He wants us to fish and join with others to make a strong net to reach and transform our community for God's Kingdom.

Enough said! Lets go fishing!!!!