Catch and Release

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” — Matthew 4:19

In our encounters with God, we are formed by him, and we make disciples of him. Here, Jesus relates evangelism to fishing. In Jesus's time, fish were gathered in nets and held. Today, sport-fishing rewards catch and release. Jesus' commission to make disciples assumed his followers would gather people and hold them in Christian community. We moderns must strive for the same. We shouldn't be satisfied with catch-and-release methods.

Building Beyond

Who trusts institutions? All of us have been formed (and deformed) by them. Institutions are not just inanimate structures that disappoint us. They are the collective efforts of people over time, often generations. Good ones stay rooted in the past and adapt for the future. A culture with strong institutions can do more creative work because its citizens don't sweat routine things. When disciples withdraw from institutions, we commission foolish and malevolent people to determine how we will live. A great way to love the world and our grandkids is to bend our institutions toward the ways of God's kingdom.

Meet Your Maker

Prepare to meet your Maker. Why is this used as a death threat, rather than an invitation to life? I can prepare to meet my Maker every time I read Scripture, take Communion, or take in the Arts. I can prepare to meet him when I walk in the glory of his creation or when I talk with a friend. When I visit the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. I can prepare to meet him when I pray. I can prepare to meet him every day!