Jeremy L. Berg

I wrote this piece on January 26, 2022, from a pastor’s conference, and didn’t post it. Not sure why. Probably worth sharing.

Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you? ‘ They answered him, ‘No. ‘He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some. ‘ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.

John 21:6

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. By this definition, many pastors and church leaders may just be insane. The prevailing conventional model of church ministry and discipleship continues to be the Sunday-centric worship model. We leverage massive amounts of time, talent and resources for the one-hour singing and sermon event as our main “net” we cast out in order to catch and disciple “fish.” 

While some larger megachurches will be the exception (and claim to define the rule), this model of ministry is yielding less and less fruit every year. To keep with the fishing metaphor, this particular net or fishing technique is bringing in less fish these days. The Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed its weakness as many former regular attenders are slow to resume pre-pandemic worshiping habits. Many continue to watch online, many check in far more infrequently, and many others have checked out and may never return.

Simon and the boys can commiserate with pandemic-weary pastors, knowing what its like to try their best to reach the masses while finding their nets lighter and lighter each Sunday. Jesus’ word to the disciples is a word for pastors today: If one “net” is no longer getting the job done, then maybe you should 1) try dropping your net in a different place, and/or 2) casting more than one net into the water. Sadly, many churches will continue to drop the same old net in the same old place every week while hoping the Sunday net will begin to fill up again. This is quite literally an insane leadership strategy.

MULTIPLYING NETS

We love the story of Jesus multiplying the bread and fish, but the miracle we need these days is for churches multiply the number and kinds of “nets” (or outreach ministries) they toss out in their efforts to spread the gospel and make disciples. Church leaders and attenders (not to mention “givers”) are just so accustomed to measuring a “successful” or “healthy” church by how many fish swim into the Sunday worship net—whether disciples or seekers. 

The church I lead decided some years ago that we were not going to measure our ministry fruitfulness by Sunday attendance alone. Our original vision was to be a church that reaches and ministers to people beyond the church walls and Sunday 1-hour gathering, not just waiting for people to find their way to us as in the attractional model. And like many churches during the pandemic, our Sunday attendance has plummeted the past couple years. If the Sunday gathering was our main or only net in the water, we would all be sensing Jesus saying to us, “Children, have you no fish?” And many church goers who only pay attention or measure fruitfulness by how many fish are in the Sunday attendance net feel like they are failing and dying as a church. 

While we still keep our Sunday fishing net in the water, we also are tossing out other nets all week long in all kinds of fishing spots near and far. My main task as a leader right now (as we try to raise funds and morale for another year of ministry) is to show people that even though our regular attendance is lower than ever, our ministry reach and impact may be larger than ever.

I want to encourage pastors to give themselves freedom to go where the fish are biting, and that’s often outside the Sunday event. Spend less time preparing for Sunday and more time dropping nets and casting kingdom seed (to mix metaphors) at a nursing home where lonely residents would love to have you lead a Bible study. For me, it means teaching college students the Bible on campuses during the week. My mantra right now is: I am going to go where I can find a group of people interested in what I have to teach.

Consider some of our nets and congregational reach this past year:

• I’ve encouraged people from afar thru 60+ pastoral letters.
• Holy Yoga on Zoom reaches folks who don’t attend Sunday.
• Our fall youth gatherings drew unchurched kids monthly.
• I’m teaching and discipling 70 college students at two schools, the very demographic least likely to show up for Sunday services. 
• I’ve published 153 blog posts viewed by thousands of people.
• I’ve put out 95 Anchor Podcast episodes offering wisdom to people on the go.

These are some of the different outreach “nets” we have dropped on the other side of the conventional ministry boat. We must not grow weary when we find our go-to ministry net more and more empty these days. Times are changing, and so must our fishing or ministering approaches. 

I’m writing this from a pastor’s conference where I have had many conversations with dispirited pastors who are only counting the number of fish gathered in the Sunday worship net. Yet, week after week, they keep throwing the same old net in the same old place and expecting it to eventually begin to fill up again—“like the good ole days.” Leaders, its time to stop the insanity! It’s time to throw more nets in the water. It’s time to find different fishing spots on the lake. It’s time to count all of the various ways you are reaching out and having an impact. Jesus called us to go and make disciples, not stay and hold church services.

Ready, set, go fish!