Fishermen without fish
Published January 14, 2011 | 
Pastor Tim Frisch, of Calvary Baptist in Claremont, showed me this modern day parable that can be found in numerous books and internet locations. Unfortunately, I don’t know the original writer of the parable or else I would mention it here. I found this article interesting in light of the launching of our “fishermen’s club” here at CCC. Let’s pray that this parable does not describe us!
Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And 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 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, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of fishermen.
These fishermen built large, beautiful buildings for local fishing headquarters. The plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn’t do however, they didn’t fish.
In addition to meeting regularly, they organised out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board was formed by those who had the great vision and courage to speak about fishing, to define fishing, to promote the idea of fishing in faraway streams and lakes where many other fish of different colours lived. Also the board hired staffs and appointed committees and held many meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, to decide what new streams should be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish.
Large, elaborate, and expensive training centres 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, how to define 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.
Further, 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 programmes, to arrange and encourage meetings, to talk about fishing. A speakers’ bureau was also provided to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing.
After one stirring meeting on “The Necessity of Fishing”, one 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 his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. 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. 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 and talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19)?
Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who didn’t fish were not really fishermen, no matter who much they claimed to be. Is a person a fisherman if, year after year he never catches a fish? Is one following, if he isn’t fishing?
May we all find this parable a warning and an encouragement for our fishing this year!
Blessings,
Allen
People, Not Pixels
Published December 17, 2010 |
People, not Pixels
Social Media, Technology, and the Christian
We are in a technological revolution. Even the print media is recognizing the shift from paper to pixels. For example, the founder of Facebook has been named, “Time Person of the Year.” How is the Christian to respond? How will this revolution shape our lives in the future? What are the questions we should be asking? What are the actions we should be taking? Quite frankly, I am perplexed when I try to ponder all the ramifications this revolution is having on our world.
Watch this video to get a sense of just how impacting this revolution is … so far!
In pondering all of this, what I have come to understand the most, is that we need to be sure our lives are interacting with people and not pixels. In other words, let’s be sure we know that ultimately, our interaction is with people. We need to see the people at the other end of our messages. We need to see the people that are reading our status updates. We need to see the people that are posting on our walls. Most of all, we must do our very best not to allow the pixel interaction to replace the people interaction. Face-to-face always was, and always will be, the best way to communicate. And when you do Facebook instead of being face-to-face, remember the golden rule of Facebook, “interact unto others as you would have them interact unto you.”
Here are some principles we can employ while navigating through this information revolution. Many of these principles were taken from blogs and other internet resources. Please use the links to go to the sources.
Biblical principles that we can use to view technology:
1) God created all things, including technology. God created the forces (electricity, wave-lengths), elements (needed to make electronic components), and the human intelligence needed for the creation of technology.
2) God is good, and the gift of technology may be used for good. Technology has many good uses. Sharing of videos, photos, communication, access to news sources, education, shopping, banking, etc. There are many things we can do to serve and to demonstrate love to others using technology.
3) Technology is not inherently sinful. It is just sending signals. Without interaction with human beings, technology is amoral. However, Technology has been perverted and abused by the sin nature of man. This changes God’s good gift to be bad.
Ways to respond to technology:
Here are ways we could respond to the technology (the third being the advised way):
1) Enthusiastic acceptance: accept and welcome any technological development without considering the consequences. When we do this, we do not consider the possibilities and consequences of embracing something which man may have changed from good to evil.
2) Complete separation: going to the opposite extreme of embracing. Some would reject digital technology as completely wrong and unacceptable for the Christian to use. This response fails to consider the goodness of God. Furthermore, in doing this, it will separate and remove us from society and may result in our being ill-equipped to engage in the world.
3) Disciplined discernment: distinguish between true and false, sort out what is good or harmful. We need to approach technology with a Biblical view, much the same way we approach everything else in life.
General Guidelines Regarding Digital Technology:
Here are a few guidelines that are useful when using digital technology.
1) Permanence: Whether we realize it or not, what we post, message, email or otherwise share on the internet, is forever available permanently. Electronic media has the appearance of being temporary. However, it is not. Realize that all your Google searches, all your Facebook status posts, and all your messages are captured. Someday, they may be used against you.
2) Politeness: The correspondence you have with someone today, may be tomorrow’s “wikileak.” Therefore, be polite and Christ-like in all you write. If you don’t want what you are writing to be displayed on the church projection screen on Sunday, don’t write it. Harvard Business Review writes, “Thanks to Wikileaks, you can now expect that day to come when your most private and candid communications will appear for all to peruse. In preparation for that moment, you better make sure that your private dealings match your public declarations, if not perfectly then at least pretty close.”
3) Moderation: What do we accomplish when we spend time online or playing video games? What do we have to show for our time? Will we be held accountable for our lack of doing worthwhile activity?
4) Mundane versus meaningful: What characterizes our technological activity? Are we building the Kingdom of God or a larger enterprise on Farmville? Are we reaching Spiritual maturity or are we reaching the next level of Halo? Are we cultivating spiritual conversations or are we gossiping about the latest celebrity? We are accountable for what we say and what we do with our lives, the talents God has given us. It is certainly acceptable and good to be entertained and to have fun, but we should not be a people characterized as amusing ourselves to death.
5) Relationships: Don’t let the internet, text messaging, Facebook, and other technology become a substitute for face-to-face interaction with people. An online blog by Tim Challies states, “Studies show that time spent interacting online comes at the expense of face-to-face relationships at about a a 2:1 ratio. So every hour we spend on Facebook comes at the expense of 30 minutes talking to a person face-to-face.” Consider verse 12 in the second letter of the Apostle John, “Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full.” Whenever possible, do not allow technology to remove us from face-to-face interaction with people. Think people over pixels. 
Biblical Principles:
Here are just a few Scriptures that help us define good Biblical principles for technology use. Basically, any Scripture passage that describes how we are to communicate and interact with one another is applicable.
Matthew 12:35-37 35A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment. 37For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Romans 12:1-2 1Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
1 Corinthians 10:31 31Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; 33just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.
1 Timothy 4:12 12Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
Titus 2:6-8 6Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; 7in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, 8sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
Hebrews 13:15-18 15Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. 16And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. 18Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.
1 Peter 1:13-16 13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
I hope this will help you as you seek to point people to the cross.
Blessings, Allen
12 Days of Christmas Witnessing Ideas
Published December 9, 2010 | 12 Days of Christmas Witnessing Ideas
Christmas is an ideal time of the year to strike up a Christ-centered conversation with the people around us. Here are 12 ideas of how we can do this with our neighbors, friends, co-workers, and loved ones.
First day: Invite your neighbor(s) and their children to a gingerbread cookie bake. Tell the mom you are going to share the story of Jesus’s birth during that time.
Second day: Ask a loved one, “What do you suppose the song, ‘Joy to the World’ means when it says, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come, let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room …”
Third day: Invite friends to go see the lights at “LaSalette” in Enfield, NH (or the Christmas lights around your neighborhood). As you are riding in the car, ask them about Christmas. Discuss the manger scene.
Fourth day: Find a family in town that has small children and is in need. Bring them a small gift for Christmas and tell them about the love of Jesus Christ.
Fifth day: Put a Gospel tract in your Christmas cards.
Sixth day: Next time you are shopping, find a frazzled person that appears stressed out. Tell them that Jesus came to bring “peace on earth.” Ask them if you can pray with them that they would experience the peace of Christ.
Seventh day: Find a group of Christians to go caroling with you. After you sing a few carols at someone’s home, give an invitation to the church or an invitation to your home fellowship.
Eighth day: Invite someone to the Christmas Eve service at the church.
Ninth day: Shovel the walk for your neighbor. Tell them that the love of Christ compels you and that you wanted to do it because you are joyful about salvation in Christ (read the heraldry from the angels, Luke 2:8-14).
Tenth day: Visit a local nursing home. Ask the staff if there is anyone there that may want to be encouraged and may be looking for visitors. After you visit for a while, leave them something to read, such as the Gospel of John.
Eleventh day: Invite people to your home for a “reading of the Christmas story” fellowship that will be accompanied by coffee, hot cocoa (or cider) and dessert.
Twelfth day: Ask someone, “What is the meaning of the word “Immanuel?” and, “Why does Immanuel have to rescue captive Israel (in accordance with the song). Post the YouTube video “O Come O Come Emmanuel” on your Facebook site and ask your friends to post comments on the meaning of the lyrics.
This is not the time to get into arguments about the commercialism of Christmas or about other secular traditions surrounding the Advent. Instead, do your best to keep your conversations focused on Jesus Christ.
I hope this will help you in your ministry of reconciliation.
Blessings, Allen