Fish Tales 9/7/2016

Pastors of Peace

One of the aspects of pressing toward movement, is the idea of finding the "person of peace" as referenced in Luke 10.  Our hope is that we find people in the harvest that fit some basic criteria.

1. They receive the messenger.
2. They receive the message.
3. They receive the mission.

The work of the Spirit is preparing people in these communities we are going into.  Jesus is already at work and waiting for us.   You know one when you find one.  It's a real joy.

There is another person of peace that is out there, that needs to be found,  the "Pastor of Peace".  God is not done with his church as some may think.  He is taking it back and reforming it.  The leaders from many denominations, non-denoms, and house churches are feeling His pull. 

As we talk to pastors and explain Discipleship Multiplication Principles, they reveal their long desire to see the lost won in their city.  They want their people to be involved in the harvest. They realize that they have modeled and invested in a "come and see" church.  They want a "go and tell" church that embraces the Great Commission.

Pastors are receiving the messengers, the message and the mission.  They need to know how to do the stuff, so they can see the magic. (Fruitful and Multiply)

As you pray for laborers and persons/households of peace, don't forget to pray for Pastors of Peace!


Be encouraged, Go Fish!

Fish Tales 6/3/2016

A whole new world..

It's been at least a year since I've had a discussion with a homosexual friend.  Prior to that person coming out, I had been reading a number of articles from "First Stone" and a couple of books.  My own denomination, Anglican, had a major split with it's USA group and the global south.  (Another story)
I've felt the need and have prayed regularly for God to connect me with someone that I could disciple that is gay.  Last month while prayer walking, God answered that prayer.  It wasn't until our second meeting did I find out that he was gay.  Our initial conversation was about truth and about sect of Christianity that the majority view as a cult.

We both realized our meeting was an answer to prayer.  He was asking God for a person to explore the truth of the Scriptures and help him to be a disciple.  As he shared about himself, he asked what I thought about homosexuality? He said, I'm gay.  We chatted for a while about what God thinks of him specifically.  I wasn't harsh. Nor did I avoid it.

What I realized was, he was open.  He understood that from the Scripture, active gay lifestyle is sin.  That's not what God wants of him. His openness, honesty and ownership of his sin was refreshing.  It's down right painful when a person is in denial and justifying it.

Now we have committed to meeting weekly to become a disciple. Also, we are trying to figure out accountability.  This is new territory.  I know that God is in it.  I'm hopeful for this young man.  Your prayers are needed.

As you become fishers of men, we encounter challenges.  Do not be afraid. God is working on you as you are working with them.

Be encouraged.  Go Fish!

Fish Tales 6/26/2016 Tat-versation!

Say what!?

There are different times I'm in situations that I'm looking for ice breakers to start a conversation.  One of the places I'm trying to start up conversations is in the gym.  I feel awkward.  While there are a lot of people in the gym, it's very individualistic.  There isn't much conversation.

People are very focused or listing to music that will psych them up mentally so they can do a workout.  As I was on the treadmill one day, I began looking around at all the different kinds of people.  Everyone there has goals they are trying to accomplish.  Many are trying to achieve a certain look or  level of health.

Some people are there to be seen.  They draw attention to themselves.  Some gain attention by the clothes they wear or lack there of.  Some do it by flexing in the mirror. (not me) Occasionally, you get a captain oxygen.  The captain won't stop talking or making noise.

Who could I talk to? As I walked to the free weights I noticed a guy that had a tattoo of Scripture on his chest.  Could he be a Tebow fan? Is this just another tat? Did this mean he had a relationship with Jesus?  I thought I'll ask him.

Initially, he looked right at me and I pointed to his tat and gave him a thumbs up.  He smiled and went back to working out.  He couldn't hear me for the headphones, but understood the sign language.  Later, I walked by and said hello.  Then, I asked him.  Are you a Tebow fan? Is that just another tat? Or are you a follower of Jesus?

He laughed then, said he was a believer.  I asked him what his story was and he shared some deep details of some trails he has gone through.  Jesus and working out has help him get through it.  He thanked me for the conversation and gave me his name.  Discipleship will soon follow.  Based on his response I could tell he wasn't in a discipleship relationship.

As I went back to workout, I noticed all these other people that had tattoos.  Many of the guys had cross tattoos or religious icons.  It looks like I'll be having a lot of tat-versations!

Look around.  You will see ways to connect.

Be encouraged. Go Fish!

Introduction to Disciple Making Disciple

Fish Tales 5/27/2016

Why do we worship?

Discipleship always brings up great questions? Recently we have been discussing the person of Jesus.  Where does he say that he is God? What does it mean to be the Son? Does Jesus command us to worship him?

You never know what to expect when the Holy Spirit guides your feet into the homes of the lost.  What you can expect is that God is discipling you while you are discipling another.  A co-laborer in the harvest uses the idea called duckling discipleship.  You share what you know as you go. (future article)

Seriously,  some questions really cause you to pause, pray and dig into the word before responding.  This is good.  Good for you and for your disciple.  You both grow in the knowledge of the Lord.  What about worship? Worship is complex and simple at the same time.  We can look at what is important to us just by looking at two registers.  Open up your day timer and check register.

Say what? Yes.  See how you spend your time and money.  It will show you what you worship.  Most of us are selfish and self-focused.  Time and money is spent on us.  We worship what we perceive as worthy.  God is the creator.  We are the creature.  God is holy. He has shown mercy and is good to us. He is worthy to be praised! We see throughout the NT where people and angels worship him.

A person received sight.  He worships.  A woman healed of bleeding.  She worships. Child raised from the dead. The family worships him.  Jesus receives that worship.  He doesn't tell them to stop.  Yet, he tells Satan to worship the Lord your God only.  God the Father in Hebrews 1 tells all the angels to worship Jesus. Why? Why does God the Father say worship him? Why do people worship a man?
He is worthy! He is creator. (John 1, Heb. 1, Ps. 102, Col. 1) He died and rose on the third day and now sits on the throne! He is worthy to be praised.

Brothers, as we make disciples who will make disciples we will help others learn not only how, but why we worship Jesus.  We help them discover who he is and what he has done.  Worship is a life lived for Jesus.  All of our lives bring him glory.

Be encouraged! Go Fish!

Fish Tales 05/26/2016

What "can" you do?
 
In the every day life of a disciple maker there are challenges and great things.  Not everything is perfect or goes perfectly as planned.  There are many ups and downs.  You hope it is more like the stock market.  We have to view it over a period of time.  What we are looking for is the "trend".

It's not always what you are doing, but the direction you are going.  As disciple makers we must regularly remind ourselves that disciple making is a process or cycle.  While it has results, the focus is on the process.  A number of years ago we worked along side CRU.  Part of the focus was getting a decision.

When that didn't happen, people got frustrated.  Some decided to quit.  Others pressed forward.  Success was gauged on the results.  We found that this was not healthy.  The cycle of discipleship (diagram)  is focused on "faithfulness" as the main metric for success.  There will be fruit.  From time to time you can still get frustrated or down in the process.  Even Jesus asked his followers, how long must I still be with you?

We have to ask ourselves, What "can" you do? Emphasis is on "can".  When we get frustrated in the process or the results or people just not getting it. Our mind tends to think on obstacles and barriers.  The people won't... They don't get... They like listening, but... Where the multiplication? We are doing the stuff, where's the magic?

What can you do?
Think about it.  Write it down.  Say it loud. 

I've had to have this conversation with myself and others.  Then I pray.  I go to a place and get quiet.  Share my frustrations and concerns with God.  Then I read his word.  I talk to Him about it.  I might cry.  Yeah, I said it.  I ask God to show me what's happening.  He reveals what I have done and can do.  Then I go do what I can.  I leave the rest to him.

When we arrive at the throne of grace, he will not list all the metrics we are concerned about.  He will address our faithfulness to his will.  So, continue to do the process.  Plant seed. Water it. Care for it.  Trust that this foolish process will yield what God desires of it.

Be encouraged. Go Fish!

Fish Tales 5/19/2016

Barracuda!

How many of you now have the song by Heart playing in your head right now? Besides that song, I remember an interesting run-in with an actual barracuda while snorkeling in the Keys.  It was very unsettling.

We were swimming around and enjoying the clear water and seeing all the colorful fish and plants.  It was exciting.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw something flash.  About ten yards away from me and my son was about a five foot scary fish with big teeth staring at us.  I wanted to walk on water at that moment and get the heck out of there.

Honestly, most of the church feels this way when they see JWs and Mormons heading to our doors. Some people, not me, like to argue with them.  I heard that some will turn the lights off and go hide.  We have to stop looking at these people like barracudas!
It's an opportunity. 

JWs in particular are trapped.  The Organization uses guilt and fear to keep the people in check.  They use mind control techniques to convince them that the Watchtower is the "true" church.  Only through them is salvation possible.  They are truly in bondage.

We must strive to be learners and find ways, not to win arguments, but to win souls.  You will definitely grow in your knowledge of the Lord as you engage these people.

Be encouraged. Go Fish!

Fish Tales 5/9/2016

Into the Darkness

One of the things we do as followers of Christ and fishers of men, is go where others don't or won't.  That is nothing to brag about.  Many of the places we go to have very evil people.  They have the appearance of kindness, but they are not.

When the Kingdom of Light encroaches upon the Kingdom of Darkness, we have to use caution.  Several of the areas are known for drugs, prostitution and poverty.  It's really not much difference than high end communities other than it is in your face.

The Kingdom of Darkness is marked by brokenness.  One neighborhood has had a number of shootings, beatings, stabbings and a decapitation.  This is not even overseas.  It is in the good ole USA.  Other places you hear and see the normalcy of violence.  People are quick to fight and fights escalate to stabbings or shootings.

During an outreach a car almost hit three little children and the father yelled at the driver.  The car stopped and two men jumped out not to apologize, but to fight the one who called out their wrong.  The very next day a woman shot her boyfriend in the head for selling her television set.  Fifty yards from where we had our tent the day before.  People are a mess, a hot mess.  They need Jesus, the King of the kingdom of Light.

Paul states that we are at war in the Spirit world in his letter to the Ephesians.  Jesus calls us  to be light in the darkness.  We have to go.  We have to bring the light to them.  Jesus warns us that we are being sent like sheep among wolves.

Fear not! These are the most fruitful places.  You will grow in your dependence on and confidence in God, his Word and his Spirit.  You will grow more confident in yourself as a mighty gospel warrior.

Be encouraged.  Go Fish!