"Catch and Release?"

 

“Catch and Release?”

 

There’s a fishing pond in our community which residents and their guests are welcome to use with one restriction: any fish caught must be released back into the water. My New Hampshire friend mentioned in “Mountains” had a canoe which he used for relaxation and fishing on a local river but he’d always throw his catches back. This practice has been dubbed “catch and release” and is often used in fishing tournaments and for conservation purposes.

“Catch and release” is a good practice for protecting certain species of marine life that may be depleting but it has no place as we seek to fulfill Jesus’ “Great Commission”. Let me explain. Our Lord’s disciple records His final charge to His followers in Matthew 28:19-20: “…As you are going make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Literal translation, emphasis added). Interestingly, the only imperative in this charge is “…make disciples….”. Dann Spader in his helpful book Growing a Healthy Church points out the three activities surrounding this command: winning people to Christ (“going”), building them up in their faith (“baptizing”) and equipping them for service in the Body of Christ (“teaching”). Balancing these elements leads to spiritually healthy believers and, in turn, healthy churches.

We rejoice (as we should) when people receive Christ. But too often what follows is a “Christian version of catch and release”. We pray for them, pat them on the back but then thrust them back into the environment they came from and wonder why so many who make a “decision for Christ” soon fade away. Winning them to Christ is the beginning of a life-long process in which we as God’s people are involved through building them up by helping them “…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18) and equipping them to serve (“Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.”—2 Timothy 2:2, NLT). Let’s be proactive and prayerfully consider whom we might help on this life-changing journey.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan