Recorded in the three synoptic Gospels is the story of Jesus calling the first disciples from their careers as fishermen to come and be "fishers of men."
Jesus calls these men who have been rejected from the educational system to be the people to take the Gospel around the world. In the strict sense of the term they are evangelists, proclaiming the evangelion to the world. Unfortunately the term "evangelist" has been co-opted by culture and by poor theology.
When we hear this word it brings to mind images of people yelling messages of hell and handing out pieces of paper telling us we're going to hell. The message is often filled with condemnation and hate. Or else, at best, we think of people whose sole purpose is to get us to pray that prayer and say those words that will get us to heaven. If we properly walk through the 10 step process we get a believer in Christ.
I'm not sure what any of this has to do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to proclaim freedom from oppression spiritually and physically. He came to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven where things are radically different. He proclaimed this message in love. He never forced anything. Jesus told us to go and make disciples. There's a difference between "believer" and "disciple". A believer intellectually agrees with something. A disciples agrees and follows through with action. Jesus calls us to make disciples.
This Sunday I'll be talking more about the calling to those fishermen and Christ's calling to us to "Go and be fishers of men."
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