I came across this short and convicting story in preparing my sermons on witnessing.
The story is told about a group called themselves fishermen. There were many fish in the water all around this group. 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, these who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, the abundance of fish, and how they might go about fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of fishermen.
Continually, they searched for new and better methods of fishing and for new and better definitions of fishing. Further they said, “The fishing industry exists by fishing as fire exists by burning.” They loved slogans such as “Fishing Is the Task of Every Fisherman.” They sponsored special meetings called “Fishermen’s Campaigns” and “The Month for Fishermen to Fish.” They sponsored costly nationwide and world-wide congresses to discuss fishing and to promote fishing and hear about all the ways of fishing such as the new fishing equipment, fish calls, and whether any new bait had been discovered.
These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings called “Fishing Headquarters.” The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. There was one thing they didn’t do, however—they didn’t fish.
In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board hired staff and appointed committees and held many meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what new streams should be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish.
Large, elaborate, and expensive training centers were built to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years courses were offered on the needs of fish, the nature of fish, where to find fish, the psychological reactions of fish, and how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in fishology, but the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing. Year after year, after tedious training, many were graduated and were given fishing licenses. They were sent to do full-time fishing, some to distant waters which were filled with fish.
Many who felt the call to be fishermen responded. They were commissioned and sent to fish. But like the fishermen back home, they never fished. Like the fishermen back home, they engaged in all kinds of other occupations. They built power plants to pump water for fish and tractors to plow new waterways. They made all kinds of equipment to travel here and there to look at fish hatcheries. Some also said that they wanted to be part of the fishing party, but they felt called to furnish fishing equipment. Others felt their job was to relate to the fish in a good way so the fish would know the difference between good and bad fishermen. Others felt that simply letting the fish know they were nice, land-loving neighbors and how loving and kind they were was enough.
After one stirring meeting on the necessity of fishing, one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught 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 other fishermen about his experience. He was also placed on the Fishermen’s General Board as a person having considerable experience.
Now it’s 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 every day. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen’s clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen yet never fished. They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to talk about fishing. Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don’t go fishing are not really fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman if, year after year, he never goes fishing?
Now, read the same story again, but I changed a few of the words…
The story is told about a group called themselves Christians. There were many lost people in the world all around this group. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by towns and cities filled with lost people. And the lost people were hungry for truth.
Week after week, month after month, and year after year, these who called themselves Christians met in meetings and talked about their call to witness, the abundance of lost people, and how they might go about witnessing. Year after year they carefully defined what witnessing means and declared that witnessing is always to be a primary task of Christian.
Continually, they searched for new and better methods of witnessing and for new and better definitions of witnessing. Further they said, “The soulwinning ministry exists by witnessing as fire exists by burning.” They loved slogans such as “Witnessing Is the Task of Every Christian.” They sponsored special meetings called “Soulwinner’s Campaigns” and “The Month for Christians to Witness.” They sponsored costly nationwide and world-wide congresses to discuss witnessing and to promote witnessing and hear about all the ways of witnessing such as the new witnessing ideas, witnessing methods, and whether any new attractions had been discovered.
These Christians built large, beautiful buildings called “Churches.” The plea was that everyone should be a Christian and every Christian should witness. There was one thing they didn’t do, however—they didn’t witness.
In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a mission board to send out Christians to other places where there were many lost people. The mission board hired staff and appointed committees and held many meetings to define witnessing, to defend witnessing, and to decide what new countries should be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not witness.
Large, elaborate, and expensive Bible Colleges & Seminaries were built to teach Christians how to witness. Over the years courses were offered on the needs of witnessing, the nature of witnessing, where to find lost people, the psychological reactions of lost people, and how to approach lost people. Those who taught had doctorates in Theology, but the teachers did not witness. They only taught witnessing. Year after year, after tedious training, many were graduated and were given degrees. They were sent to do full-time ministry, some to distant countries which were filled with lost people.
Many who felt the call to be in full time ministry responded. They were commissioned and sent to witness. But like the Christians back home, they never witnessed. Like the Christians back home, they engaged in all kinds of other occupations. They established publishing houses and built bookstores to produce and provide books on how to witness. They printed all kinds of tracts and other sorts of materials to make witnessing easier. Some also said they wanted to be part of a local church witnessing ministry, but they felt called to work at a Christian school.
Others felt their job was to relate to the lost people in a good way so the lost people would know the difference between good and bad Christian. Others felt that simply letting the lost people know they were nice neighbors and how loving and kind they were was enough.
After one stirring meeting on the necessity of witnessing, one young fellow left the meeting and went witnessing. The next day he reported that he had led two lost people to the Lord. He was honored for his excellent witnessing success and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it. So he quit witnessing in order to have time to tell the other Christians about his experience. He was also placed on an Advisory Board as a person having considerable experience.
Now it’s true that many of the Christians sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived in towns and neighborhoods around lost people every day. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their Christian circles and the fact that they claimed to be Christians yet never witnessed. They wondered about those who felt it was of little use to attend the weekly meetings to talk about witnessing. Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don’t go witnessing are not really Christians, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a Christian if, year after year, he or she never goes witnessing?
Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Mark 16:15-16 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
