LORD, SEND US A SHARK

Sometimes it takes a shark to focus on catching the right fish.

The Tennessee Baptist Mission Board hosts a variety of Off the Grid experiences designed to help pastors and ministry leaders unplug and recharge mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is part of the effort to strengthen gospel leaders, and healthy ministers lead to healthy churches.

One of our Off the Grid opportunities is a deep-sea fishing expedition. Recently a group of 24 pastors and ministers paid their way to Destin, Fla., for a day upon the Swoop II with an eye toward catching every fish within miles of the boat.

The day began with rain and rainbows and a healthy amount of trash talking about who was going to catch the most fish and the biggest fish.

The obvious prize was bragging rights and there were a lot of guys claiming the title before the boat even cleared the dock and it didn’t take long for things to escalate. It was every man for himself, and we were catching, counting and comparing. A few large fish were caught, leaving some of us a little jealous that we didn’t catch a big one ourselves.

The working mates on board hooked a couple 5-to-6-foot sharks, each weighing probably 100-150 pounds. The mates battled the fish then handed the pole to a couple of our guys to let them get the feel of a large fish. The rest of us enjoyed watching them battle the sharks, get them to the boat, and release them. It added to the excitement of the day, but it didn’t change the prevailing mindset: catch, count and compare.

But things changed toward the end of the day. The crew hooked about a 10-foot, 400-pound bull shark. It was the largest shark the crew had ever hooked. They passed the fishing rod around to anyone who wanted a crack at landing it. It became a bunch of guys against the shark!

And then things changed. These guys stopped counting and comparing. They began working together, cheering for each other, encouraging one another. The interpersonal competition was over. There was a man-eating beast on the line, and one guy wasn’t going to conquer it. It became a group effort with all hands on deck!

During the battle, Keith Pierce, Clinton Baptist Association Director of Missions, said “If we could get the pastors of my association to work together like this, then send us a shark.” Keith saw the power of collaboration and teamwork. He wants to see it in Anderson County. We need to see it in Tennessee.

We as Christians, and especially pastors and ministry leaders, can get caught up in a catch, count, and compare mindset. If we are doing as well as the church down the street, we must be doing all right, right? But we’re not focused on the shark of spiritual lostness in Tennessee that is devouring our families, friends and neighbors. Apathy is leaving our churches weakened for the fight. Competition leaves us focused on our thing rather than on working together, and isolation leaves us ineffective.

One church, regardless of how strong or big, is not going to win Tennessee for Jesus. Hundreds of churches working by themselves will see results, but the impact won’t be as big as if we are working together. If every Tennessean – every man, woman, boy, and girl – is going to hear the gospel, we must connect, collaborate and support each other.

I wish I could say we landed the shark, but it was a case of the big one that got away. However, we were unified in the fight and that was the defining moment of our trip. What will be our defining moment as Tennessee Baptists? I’m praying we’ll be unified in the fight for the souls of Tennesseans.

Lord, send us a shark. B&R