Playing Your Part

We recently had a beautiful experience watching some local fishermen do their daily catch here on the coast of Colombia. We couldn't get over the size of the group in one little, tiny boat. While they were pulling their net to the shore, we were talking to them about their fishing process. We learned that when Colombian fishermen do their daily catch, they need a group of at least 15 fishermen to pull in the heavy nets that they cast far into sea in the early morning.

 It was amazing to see them work together pulling for over 45 minutes to get their net of fish ashore. Talk about a lot of hard work and teamwork! This reminded us about Jesus' command to be fishers of men and the task to be making disciples. Similar to the Colombian fishermen, to handle the heavy load of the net, we need a group of people to work together to pull people in to be part of the kingdom of heaven. 

In order to do the work that we are called to we are reminded what a vital role all the different parts of the team have that we get to work with. If a fisher goes out on his own it can be a lonely, tiring, and long journey to try and catch even one fish. But, as we witnessed, when the group of fifteen go together each of them has a different role that they play, and working together, they can achieve the task at hand.

Church planting is the exact same way, each of us is called to a specific role and we are equipped by the Father with gifts and skills that we are to use in that role. It might be Church planting, or it might be a different, valuable, and vital, ministry that the Lord has called you to. So, what is your role? What is the gift and skill that the Lord has given you to use to impact the kingdom and to be a part of the bigger picture of what God is doing?

It is a beautiful thing when we work together in the work the Lord has called us to, to share the good news of the gospel with those around us. Your fishing team might be looking for someone just like you, with your skills and talents, to help further the work the Lord has called them to. Will you join them?