LAUNCH OUT INTO THE DEEP

Mission Challenge – Challenge for Pioneer Evangelism

Jesus said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch...” (Luke 5:4 cf. vv. 1-7)

Often the Church continues to remain and preach in already evangelized areas, when there are thousands of places that never had the first chance of hearing the Gospel.

The Lord wants us to launch out to the Virgin Fields that never was exposed to the Gospel. Paul exhorts us to go where Name of Christ is never heard (Rom. 15:20). He challenges Christians to ‘preach the Gospel to the regions beyond’ (1 Cor. 10:16).

Most of the missionary efforts are concentrated in already evangelized areas. Majority of missionaries volunteer to go to easy places that are near cities and towns where all facilities and comforts are available. It is said that 80% of our giving is spent for the missionary works in evangelized places. 

But God wants His Church to ‘lift our eyes and look’ to the far-off lands and hard places and carry the Gospel to those people who never heard the name of Christ. To give emphasis for this urgent task, let me draw your attention to four passages of scripture.

1) SHORELINE FISHING VS DEEP SEA FISHING (Luke 5:1-7)

Jesus called the disciples and said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mat. 4:19). Evangelism and soul winning is compared to ‘fishing men for Christ.’

There are two kinds of fishermen. Many are ‘Shoreline fishers’ while there is a minority for ‘deep sea fishing’. Look at the difference. See the contrast.

Shoreline fishing: I have seen fisher men standing at the shore and trying to catch fishes using nets and at times poles and hooks. But they were getting very few fishes. I knew the reason for this. The fisher men did not want to go into the deep areas of the ocean and risk their lives to catch fishes. They were catching only few fishes because of two reasons:

(i) There were many fisher men trying to catch fishes from the same area.

(ii) The fishes remaining near the shore were clever and will not enter into any net.

Again, I saw these fishermen quarrelling among themselves claiming jurisdiction for the same area, saying, “This is my area, do not fish here.” 

This is a good example of the confusion and fruitlessness that prevail in most of our evangelistic efforts. We go to places that are already evangelized. We send missionaries where there are other missionaries already. This creates much conflict and competition in Christian Churches and Para-Church organizations. Many souls may have already been saved in that place. Now the response is very little. The remaining (fishes) are very clever and will not enter in anybody’s net. 

This truth should convince us to get involved in ‘Deep Sea Fishing’. At Shankhumukham beach in Trivandrum, I saw some fishermen taking their boats and nets and going to the deeper parts of the sea. I asked them why they also do not remain on shore and do the fishing. One of them replied, “Here at the shore there are many fisher men. They quarrel one another. There are not many fishes. If there are some fishes, they will not enter into any nets because they have become too clever. But we who are going into the deep sea are aware of the dangers because of the high waves, strong wind and darkened sky with thick clouds. But there in the distant areas of the sea there are plenty of fishes. When we cast the nets, at times we feel that these fishes are ‘biting’ to come into our nets in large numbers. Surely, we will return with big catch at the end of the day”.

In evangelism this truth is clearly seen. Religious orthodox people in urban areas have heard the gospel and many of them are ‘gospel hardened’. In the Indian context, most people in that environment are deeply rooted in their religions and they are hostile to Christian witness. But as we go into the rural areas, villages in remote places and tribes on the hilly regions, they are not strongly bound by any religion. Though they are labeled as ‘Hindus’ in the census taken, they are nature worshippers and they are known as ‘animists’. These people are very much open for the Gospel of Christ. If they are given a chance to hear the good news of Jesus Christ, they will respond and believe in Christ. 38% of the population in India is tribal, it was reported. It is to these people we must go.

Though we should not forget or neglect the orthodox religious people, we must give more emphasis to the receptive people. Now is the harvest time for them. If we delay, it may become late. One missiologyst rote, “Win the people when they are winnable. If not, they will become un-winnable”. 

One of the major reasons for persecution in India is the large number of tribal people turning to Christ. The majority religion in India is paranoid because of this. They are afraid that their number will decrease and Christians will increase in India. But we should not be discouraged because of these attacks. We should not slow down. We should leave our comforts and climb the mountains and live in remote places to win precious souls for Christ. Let us launch out into the deep. Let us risk our lives. Let us win multitudes for our master. 

2) FRONT PEW FEEDING vs. BACK PEW FEEDING (Mark 6:39)

From the story of this miracle, feeding of five thousand we can learn the same principle of carrying the bread (gospel) to the back pews. To feed the multitude in an orderly fashion Jesus commanded the disciples “make all sit down by companies upon the green grass”. If this was not done, many people will not get even a piece of bread while those in the front lines will receive much and will; be ‘overfed’. 

That is what happens in these days in our evangelization programs. To geographically easy regions and to culturally comfortable places we send more missionaries and spend more money. But we neglect the difficult regions and uncomfortable places. To the socially cultured people and economically strong communities more missionaries are ready to go. But to the economically poor and socially down trodden people we do not venture much. 

The over fed Christians have time to argue on doctrinal issues that are not at all fundamental for salvation. They forget the fact that there are millions that never had a chance to hear the Gospel even one time in their life. Do not misunderstand me, beloved. We must not neglect sound doctrine. We should not complain about discipling programs. What I mean is that many of us forget the most important assignment to the Church by Jesus, “Go ye into all the world and make disciples of every nation”. We must fight the good fight of faith and contend for the faith that is fundamental for salvation. 

But we should not waste our money and time for arguing about issues that are trivial. 

Millions are on their way to hell. Let us rise up and go to them and stop them from eternal lake of fire. They are the ‘forgotten tribes’. They are the neglected people. They live in some of the almost inaccessible places. Think of the mountaineers who leave all comforts and risk their lives to climb dangerous rocks and mountains just as adventure for a name and fame. This week I heard the story of an Indian woman who made an adenterous journey to Antarctica. Her name came in all news papers. Her face was shown in the TV. I heard her speaking with great excitement and satisfaction. I saw her glowing in the TV media. 

Beloved, the adventure you and I can take to the ‘back pews’ of the world to serve the ‘living bread’ will give us greater satisfaction here on earth and in eternity at the presences of our Savior and Lord. For ever and ever, those precious souls we win for Christ would remain as ‘monuments’ and ‘jewels’ in our crown. Let us not be content with the front pew. Let us go to the back pews of our beloved country and also to regions beyond when the Lord calls to serve.

3) SOWING IN FERTILE SOIL vs. SOWING IN BARREN LAND (Mat. 13: 3-8)

In this parable of the sower, Jesus talks about four kinds of soil- way side soil, stony soil, thorny soil and good soil. It is true that as evangelists of the gospel, we should not refuse to sow the gospel seed on any kind of soil. We do not know what people will surely receive Christ as savior. 

However, if God does show us about the most receptive people and least receptive people, to whom should we send more missionaries? Where shall we spend more money? Where shall we go quickly? The answer is simple. We must go quickly and invest the maximum to the receptive people, while praying to God to make the others also receptive in His perfect timing. 

This is exactly we have seen in the first point, “win the people when they are winnable. If we delay, they will become un-winnable”. Orthodox Hindus and Muslims may be very slow in responding to the gospel. But the youths of today who are not orthodox in their religions are open for the gospel. They remain in their religions just because they re born in that. 

They profess those religions just because of their parents and peers. If they hear the true gospel of salvation, if they are convinced, they will come out boldly to stand for the Lord publicly. 

Let us ask the Lord for wisdom to discern and determine the kind of soils we should sow the seed urgently. May God inspire and enable us to invest much and pour our lives in those receptive places. God will surely bless us to see 100-fold harvests.

4) CLAIM THE MOUNTAINS vs. EASY PLACES (Jos. 14)

When the land of promise was distributed, the 85-year-old Caleb asked, “Give me the Mountain...” (Jos. 14:12). Other tribes of Israel were asking for places that are easily accessible and easy to conquer and possess. But Caleb wanted the mount of Horeb that was occupied by the Anakims. Though he was old and weak physically, with the glittering eyes of faith he claimed the most difficult place. He was able to do this because of his boldness to testify, “I wholly followed the Lord my God” (v. 8). and he was a man of conviction. When the majority of spies reported negatively and discouraged the people of God, Caleb courageously stood in faith and encouraged the people to go and posses the land of Canaan. He was only 40 years then. That means, for over 45 years he followed God without any wavering. People with such testimonies can surely claim the most difficult places and people for Christ.

In Judges 4, we read of the oppression of Israel under the Canaanites for 20 years because of their sin. God raised Deborah the prophetess to judge the people of Israel. Barak was the commander of the army. They called the tribes of Israel to war against the strong enemy Sisera and his mighty army. But the strong tribes did not volunteer for the battle. Zebulon and Naphtali were the weaker and smaller tribes. But they were the ones who volunteered for the great battle on the mountain. God gave them a great victory. In Chapter five we read the song of Deborah, the song of victory over the enemy and praises to God. In that song, Deborah recognized and sang about the faith, commitment and sacrifices of Zebulon and Naphtali. God is not looking for our strength or abilities. He is seeking men and women who will claim the mountains and hard places by faith. 

In one of our Gospel crusades in Manipur, one alcoholic young man was converted to Christ. His life was transformed. He often accompanied me in future crusades and Bible camps. In some of our prayer meetings I could hear him praying, “Master, you have promised me that you will make me a fisher of men. Yes, Lord, I do not want only small fishes, give me big fishes.” In his sincerely, zeal and passion he had the faith to claim ‘big fishes’. 

Brethren, is there any mountain you need to claim now? May God show that to you. May God give you the courage to claim that mountain and posses it. Are there ‘great sinners’ you are praying for? Look at the ‘great savior’ and claim that soul for Christ. Are there any difficult region or people that God is showing you to go and possess? Obey His call and venture in faith. Do not say you are old or weak. Do not look at your lack experience or past failures. Look to your commander in chief, the captain of our salvation- Jesus Christ. Join Him in the battle and go in faith. Victory is sure. If God has blessed you with material resources, give that to train, support and send missionaries to places and people that never heard the name of Christ.

“You have no right to exist if you do not get involved in evangelization and soul winning”. God expects every one to be His witness. You have no excuse. Do not remain at the shore. Obey God and launch out into the deep. Do not remain serving only at the front pew and its lime light. Go to the back pews where people are hungry for the bread of life. Seek the fertile fields- the receptive people. Do not seek easy places. Claim the hard places for the Lord.