To Be Fishers of People: Begin Again

The morning sun glints off the water as weary fishermen clean their nets after another long night of catching almost nothing. Their hands are calloused, their shoulders hunched from laboring. This is their life—day after day, casting nets, hauling them in, hoping the sea will give them enough to survive.

Then, Jesus steps in. He climbs into Simon’s boat, asks him to push out a little from the shore, and begins to teach. And Jesus says something Simon never expects: “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

This is no ordinary invitation. Jesus doesn’t promise an easier life or a clear roadmap. He calls them to leave behind their nets—their livelihoods, their survival plans—and step into the unknown. He asks them to trust, to believe that God’s love is big enough, abundant enough, to sustain them as they build a community that reflects God’s love to the world.

At Bethany, we find ourselves standing on the shore. We’re in a season of transition, preparing to say goodbye to our beloved senior pastor and step into the waters of change. It’s tempting to cling to what we know, but Jesus’ call is always bigger than comfort. Jesus calls us to step into the “more”: more connection, more hope, more abundance.

And let’s be clear—Jesus doesn’t ask us to manipulate others. He doesn’t send us out to attain worldly success. He calls us to open our hearts, to embrace one another with the radical love of God. Because when we do, we become more fully the body of Christ, and the whole world catches a glimpse of the holy.

Jesus didn’t choose those in seats of power to carry his mission forward. He chose fishermen, people on the edges of society. And he chooses us. Ordinary, imperfect, sometimes hesitant—and yet, enough.