Fishing According to God’s Word

When I was younger I spent a lot of time trout fishing. I was born and raised in Oregon. On opening day of trout season we'd head up an old logging road and find a spot miles away from anyone else. There's nothing like being alone in the woods with your fishing pole and a bunch of hungry trout.

Fishing in Oregon 

When I moved to Missouri I quickly learned that fishing here is not like fishing back in Oregon. Bennett Springs is a favorite trout fishing spot in this neck of the woods. The first time I saw pictures of Bennett Springs on the opening day of trout season I couldn't believe my eyes. People were literally shoulder to shoulder trying to stake out a spot to fish. I bet they spent more time untangling their lines from each other than they did catching fish.

Fishing in Missouri

Where do you like to go fishing? Where thousands of people are stepping all over each other? Where the fishing hole is fished day after day for years? Where the same bait is thrown at the fish week after week? Where the fish are gorged with bait, and most of them swim apathetically by as hordes of fishermen desperately jockey for position and stumble all over each other?

Or would you prefer to fish where the terrain may be difficult? Where danger may lurk? Where the only way to get to the fishing hole is by strenuous work? Ah, but where the fish are oh, so hungry! Those big rainbow trout are just starving for the bait that you have. Many of them have never even seen the tempting bait you have to offer them!

Trout fishing in Oregon reminds me of the Apostle Paul's goal as a fisher of men. For two years he worked in the area of Asia Minor. In Acts 19:10 we read "all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks." In Romans 15:19 Paul writes, "from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation." The country of Illyricum is present day Yugoslavia. It's approximately 2000 miles from there to Jerusalem. So what did Paul mean when he said that he fully preached the gospel in this 2000 mile stretch? Did he knock on every door and witness to every man, woman and child? That would be impossible! Paul's strategy was to establish churches in key locations throughout this region. We know that he planted churches in Corinth, Thessalonica, Philippi, Crete, Iconium, Lystra, and Antioch. In turn, these churches had the responsibility of reaching their own area. That's seven churches in a 2000 mile stretch. Yet Paul considered that area to be evangelized. I wonder what he would say about America today? In Romans 15:23 Paul says that there's no place left for him to work in that region. I can imagine him being alive today and taking one look at America he'd shake his head. No doubt he would ask us why we are still hanging around here when there's so much work to be done elsewhere.

If the apostle Paul were a fisherman I'm sure that he would much rather go to the far reaches of the Oregon woods for trout than fish the confined quarters of Bennett Springs.

In 1989 I was in the dense jungles of Papua New Guinea. I met people there that were literally dying to have the gospel proclaimed to them in their language. When it comes to fishing for men, that's just one of the many unreached territories on this vast planet. Too bad so many fishers of men are content to stay in the Bennett Springs of this world!

Please send me an email if you would like to learn more about how you can help to reach the unreached people groups of the world.

Because of Calvary,

Bob Nyberg