From Fishing to Shepherding: Both Evangelism and Pastoring Are Needed

"17 He (Jesus) said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, 'Do you love me?' and he said to him, 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.'"

-John 21:17 (ESV throughout)

In our day, we often see a striking overemphasis in churches on either evangelism or shepherding. It seems like one of the two, evangelism or shepherding, is pursued wholeheartedly while the other is neglected.

Now, in most cases this is slightly overstated. Many churches fall somewhere between the two on a spectrum.

Also, occasionally, evangelism and/or shepherding are defined in some bizarre ways. This may lead some to say that they are pursuing either evangelism or shepherding when it seems, after further reflection, they may not actually be pursuing that goal.

For example, evangelism can be reduced to gimmicks to draw a crowd and shepherding can be reduced to small group leaders who lead a Bible study. (That is not meant, in any way, to reduce the role of small group leaders, but simply to point out shepherding is much more than a Bible study and the pastors should be involved as well!) Alas, that's another post for another day!

Nevertheless, when we examine the Gospels, we see Jesus using two important metaphors: fishing and shepherding. He doesn't choose between the two. Instead, he says both are important. Both are necessary.

In the Gospels, we see Jesus using two important metaphors: fishing and shepherding. He doesn't choose between the two. Instead, he says both are important. Both are necessary.

Both metaphors also show up in his interactions with Peter.

In the first scene, in which we see Jesus and Peter interacting, Peter is in the process of fishing. See Matthew 4:18-19,

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Jesus uses fishing as a metaphor for evangelism, and he tells Peter, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (v. 19).

But, notice this, one of the last interactions that Jesus and Peter had also takes place during an episode of fishing.

After Jesus died on the cross, Peter and the crew labored all night trying to catch fish. They caught nothing. Surely they were exhausted. Perhaps that explains why they listened to a stranger call out fishing advice to these expert fishermen from the shore. The stranger (Jesus) calls out the instruction to fish on the other side of the boat.

Now, this has often been a funny story to me. Boats sit on top of the water and fish don't normally just sit down and rest on one side of a boat. Fish swim around. Logically, the conditions on one side of the boat wouldn't be dramatically different from the other side of the boat. Still, they listen to the stranger and move the fishing nets, and they pull in a massive amount of fish. In the process they realize that it is Jesus on the shore preparing breakfast.

After they ate breakfast together, we are told that Jesus and Peter have this interaction as a follow up to Peter denying Christ three times (John 21:15-17).

"15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' 16 He said to him a second time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Tend my sheep.' 17 He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, 'Do you love me?' and he said to him, 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.'"

Thus, years prior, Jesus tells Peter that he will teach him to fish for lost people, but now he tells him to feed and tend his sheep. And, in a sense, Jesus is doing that very thing with Peter himself. First, he fished for him. But later, he does the gentle, patient, and slow work of shepherding Peter.

To choose between fishing and shepherding is a false dichotomy. We need both.

Charles Spurgeon has made the same observation,

"Fishing is not all, as many seem to think. It is a great part of our service, and would God, it were more attended to. But after it has been attended to, shepherding comes in and is a work of equal weight. Our Lord Jesus Christ would have his servants attend to this second task with all their hearts. If souls are converted, they have been brought up from the depths of sin, and the scene changes. We see a flock, 'the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood' (Ac 20:28). This flock needs as much care as any other. Yes, it needs to be tended with the utmost labor and watchfulness. The Lord Jesus himself is the good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep (Jn 10:11), the great Shepherd who is brought again from the dead (Heb 13:20), and the chief Shepherd under whom he has appointed shepherds to watch for the souls of men (1 Pt 5:4). He will have those of us whom he calls to his service to shepherd those who are converted--leading, protecting, feeding, comforting, and helping them. He will call us to account if we neglect this charge, for he will require his flock at our hands, saying, 'Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?'"[1]

Without evangelism, there is no one to pastor.

Without pastoring, people are lost, confused, wounded, and needing help.

We need both.

End Notes:

[1] CSB Spurgeon Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman, 2017), 1461.