The Nets – The Distractions
This month I started renting an art studio space in an old industrial factory building. I couldn’t afford it on my own, so I got three other artists to join me, all who have a checkered past with the Church, and now range from agnostic to Pseudo-Taoism when it comes to matters of the faith. Years ago, all of them used to be connected with our church’s youth group and now they’ve all grown up into incredibly talented, innovative and delightful friends.
“…He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, a they enclosed a large number of fish, and a their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” -Luke 5. 4-11
Leading up to this year’s ARC conference in Toledo, God has brought deep conviction upon me in the area of evangelism. He has shown me that yes, in fact I have been obedient to let down the nets at His word, but each time, as the nets swell and grow heavy with fish, I invariably get a cell phone call or an email informing me that I’m needed back at the docks – PRONTO! So I do a dastardly thing: I leave the nets in the water intending to haul in the catch later. I simply do not have the time to deal with slippery, smelly, slimy fish when I’ve got to be at another church function in 5 min. But, like a good Christian I return a few days later to check on the nets and “Hey! What do you know? There’s a few fish still alive! I’d better do something about…Whoops, I’m getting a text from the Church Growth Committee…I’ll take care of this situation some other time.” And so it goes, the story of one ARC Assistant Pastor who hasn’t ordered his life in such a way to realistically care for a desperate and dying world.
In Jersey, our biggest deficit is time. Time that is not related to tangible, quantifiable results is time squandered. People don’t walk here, they jog. People don’t run, they sprint. The Garden State is in a perpetual state of late-ness and rushing ahead. In terms of sharing the Gospel, have you heard the term “Drive-by Evangelism?” It’s not that we’re too timid to fish for men; we’re much, much too busy.
Paying for this studio space is barely justifiable by my family budget, and it’s downright irresponsible in light of my growing responsibilities at the church. (I barely have the time to decide what I believe regarding eschatology.) But then, if I’m not reaching the lost, what right do I have to the Pulpit? What do I have to offer my wayward friends if my gifts and callings and resources are being earmarked for Church functions? I certainly want to make great art in this rustic and inspiring new workspace. But more than that, I want to finally do what is necessary to haul in the nets and call upon my brothers and sisters in the nearby boats to help me in this.
I consider myself a churchman. I believe in serving the local church and the importance of investing in the relationships within your church. But I’m also coming around to the fact that community exists for something greater than itself. I was so struck by what Joshua Dylan [Peebles] had to share during the conference, namely of being “a Pastor of Non-Christians.” And I will forever be haunted by the way Kathy Padley puts it when she says that “wasting time together” is the foundation for their incredibly fruitful ministry in Brazil. The first thing the Lord wants to teach His disciples is how to fish for men. Maybe I’m finally going to graduate pre-school!
-Ben Stamper, Associate Pastor at Lamb of God Fellowship in NJ