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 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 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 other fish of different colors lived. Also, the board hired staff and 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 fisherman how to fish. Over the years courses were offered on the needs of the fish,
the nature of the 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. Further, the fisherman 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. A speaker’s
bureau was also established to schedule special speakers on the subject of fishing.
After one stirring meeting 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 and 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 claimed 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 constant reminder for us not to be fishers of men in
name only! Orlando church let me commend you as “fishers of men” in name and in deed. God has been glorified
this year through your efforts to seek and save the lost. (Luke 19:10, John 15:8) Amazingly, after sending out 33% of
our congregation to plant both Gainesville and Houston the Lord is beginning to really grow our church again! Three
have been baptized in the last three weeks! Our membership is presently only 65, yet we are averaging 116 people at
church services every Sunday! We have had two record attendances in June of 130 and 124! At this time 37 people
are studying the Bible and many are close to restoration or baptism! Indeed the harvest is plentiful! Let us finish the
last 6 months of 2014 with GREAT faith and NO “fish stories”. Rather let us glorify God as we “baptize the nations”
Matthew 28:19 and as we see the remnant gathered in Orlando!
He stoops down to make us great!
Matt Sullivan
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