The Parable Of Found Sheep

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Ride The Wave

Fishing Is Simple
It’s Canada Day weekend 2007 and I’m going fishing with my not quite 5 year-old daughter Anya. I’ve got a tackle box full of lures, a container of worms, and a myriad of accessories to help me catch “the big one.” Anya, on the other hand, only brings her pink, plastic, Barbie fishing rod with a single rubber worm on a hook. I’ve packed a tonne of stuff because I’m attempting to prepare for every possible scenario. Anya brings very little because, for her, fishing is simple

Don’t Fish Alone
My wife gets nervous when I go out fishing alone. Often she’ll insist that I take along a walkie-talkie when I’m fishing alone from my canoe (which is also handy for summoning me for lunch!). Admittedly, there is a safety issue here, but there is one big setback to fishing with a buddy: There is competition for the limited supply of fish! Yes, fishing can be a competitive sport. How many fish did you catch? How big were they? Fishing with a buddy will likely limit your personal catch. Nearly 2,000 years ago Jesus approa

Afraid To Fish?
I think most Christians get that we’re called to “fish” for people. Jesus made His agenda for His followers quite clear (Matthew 4:19). And yet, from what I see, many Christians are reluctant to fish. It’s not that we think fishing for people is unimportant or unnecessary. Our challenge, I suspect, is that we’re afraid to fish. We’re nervous about the potential of fracturing a relationship if we talk about Jesus. We’re paralyzed by the prospect of offending someone. We’re a

Why I Talk About Jesus To Others (Part 2)
I know there are lots of people who wish we would just keep our convictions to ourselves. “Believe what you will, but just don’t bother me, or try to convince me to agree with you” is the common refrain. On one hand, I get that. I know what it is like to open the door to a pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When I go shopping, I tend to resist the aggressive salesperson. I know what it is like to want to be left alone. And yet, on the other hand, the reason I am a Christian today is because someone chose to not mi

Why I Talk About Jesus To Others (Part 1)
When Jesus calls four of His disciples He makes His agenda known up front. You might expect Jesus, when calling these men, to say something like: “Follow Me, and I’ll make you more spiritual.” Or, “Follow Me, and I’ll make you more holy.” Instead, Jesus says, “Follow Me, and I’ll make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). I don’t think Peter, Andrew, James and John knew exactly what Jesus meant by this at first. Luke’s version of the story describes what precedes the