A 2008 television ad from the United Methodist Church encourages “path finding that leads to a shared journey” –an invitation to join other Methodists in spiritual relationship.  Commendably, the international denomination declares their commitment to fish in the vast oceans of lost souls.  Encouraging the spiritually minded to find their path, the ad’s imagery evokes a perspective that is subtle in it’s meaning and effect.  But as with other mass evangelistic campaigns, I believe the invitation to path find contributes more to making a  “big splash” than it teaches soul winners how to seriously fish for the cause of Christ.  Foundationally, we must admit the only reason to fish is to retrieve souls from their hell bound destiny; not assist them on a spiritual quest to find their own way.

Biblical soul winning models the method of catching one fish at time.  It’s true, man has devised many different fishing techniques.  There’s trout line fishing that uses heavily baited line stretched across a narrow eddy.  Unsuspecting fish may meander by to take the bait.  And there’s large net fishing that traps hundreds of pounds of catch –never mind what else is actually caught in the net (as taught by the parable of the dragnet).  And there’s deep sea fishing where the end goal is not the fish but the prideful satisfaction of the one who mounts the trophy on the den wall.  There’s fly fishing and catching grunion as they run, and there’s crappie catching techniques.  There’s no end to the ways avid fishermen approach this sport.  Each technique may have its merits and levels of success.

But some are experimenting with deficient fishing lures repackaged as ‘emerging church’ methods.  It is a false notion that it is possible for paths (plural) to end in one unified journey.  It is only the Holy Spirit, and not man’s techniques or initiative that prepares hearts –one at a time –to receive the truth of the living Word.  Successful fishing technique does not lure the lost in with promises to “upgrade from coach to first class”.  It does not entice the lost with offers to “super size your order” or even to “improve one’s self esteem”.  There are not individual paths (and techniques) that succeed in growing Christ’s Body.  “Ye must be born again” is the singular clarion call that serves all good fishermen.  The gospel that saves is available only on the One Path, not the many.  There is nothing new under the sun, including the only way to fish for lost souls.

And what about that fish after it’s caught?  How secure is that one’s promised resurrection –as a result of their regeneration by the power of the Spirit and the washing by the Word?   I am reminded of an assurance offered to me by a wise octogenarian.  Gramma Thurlia shares the truth of the Living Word regarding the eternal security of any redeemed child of God.  I once asked her if she believed it is possible to be removed from the Lamb’s Book of Life, once your name is written there.  She pensively paused and then shared with me the wisest refutation I’ve ever heard of the ‘insecurity of the believer’ taught by some.  Gramma Thurlia describes the certain success of applied and received divine grace.  She says, “The Lord Jesus goes to such trouble and effort to catch each and every hand selected fish to ever consider throwing any one of them back.”  Men can make capricious commitments and fail to keep their promises.  But the Lord declares no one and nothing can remove a soul from His firm grasp once He has retrieved that soul from the grip of the enemy.  Sharing this soul winning truth is the best fishing technique available.  It will steer seekers away from exploring their own path to instead walk the One Path to eternal life.  Lady Lydia