"If you say so, I'll let out the nets." (Luke 5:5) This scripture hit me square between the eyes this past week. It reminded me that timing is everything when it comes to building a launch team. Over the last 5 months we have been focusing heavily on building relationships and connections in our community. God has opened many doors for us to meet people who are interested in knowing more about our church. Starting in January we will be meeting with our Launch Team in our home once a week to build the foundation for the months leading up to launch.
Building a launch team from scratch has been such an exciting adventure. We've learned the value of patience and transparency when building relationships and connections in our community. When we meet people the first time (and often the second and third time) we are very intentional about spending this time getting to know them, finding out their interests, hearing about what they do for a living and where they have come from. We never want to give the impression that we are in our community solely to build a church. We are in our community to be in our community, plain and simple. God has called us to this community and we want to help make it better in any way we can. The first way to do this is to KNOW our community.
With that said, we have known that the time was quickly approaching us when we were going to have to ask the "BIG" question - "Will you join us on this adventure?" I've been wrestling with the timing of our "BIG ASK." I didn't want to damage any growing relationships by being to "pushy," and yet the reality is that we have to build our team.
That's when Simon's words in Luke 5:5 resonated with me. I'm sure he was tired of doing the same thing over and over again with no results - throw the net in, pull the net out, no fish.... throw the net in, pull the net out, no fish....
Now Jesus shows up and says, "Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch" Luke 5:4). Simon's response is remarkable- "Master, we've been fishing hard all night and haven't even caught a minnow. But if you say so, "I'll let out the nets" (Luke 5:5). If you say so....
Timing is everything. Simon and his buddies had been fishing all night with no results, but when the Master said "go" it made all the difference in the world. The fish were ready to practically jump into the nets.
As church planters, we must always be ready to "go" when God says "go." If you are like us, you have researched methods, you have developed your own strategy and are working through that. But don't ever underestimate the power of going when God says "go." We must be so in tune with Him that when He leads us we are ready to move.
As for us, God is saying "go" in regards to asking the BIG question. We have built relationships and connections and now it's time for us to ask those we have connected with to join us on the adventure of a lifetime. We know that as we put our nets out God is going to fill them to overflowing time and time again. He is going to build our launch team, He is going to build our church and most importantly, He is going to build His kingdom.
He is building your church too! He wants to use you and stretch you. He wants to show you His power in miraculous ways. He wants to open doors for you in unexpected ways. Just get ready to put out your net as soon as He says so.Be encouraged today!
