This is going to be a “teach a man to” blog. You know the old adage: Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime.

The Problem with Modern Missions

So much of what is called “missions” or “ministry” these days is “giving people a fish.” Building dwellings, digging wells, handing out food. Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing bad about doing these things. Christians especially must be ready at all times to lend a hand, to be generous to others. We are called to be kind and caring. Historically, it has always been Christians who have started orphanages and hospitals and schools, who fought slavery and oppression. Don’t stop doing good deeds!

The Gospel: The Greatest Gift We Can Offer

But our culture, our time, seem to have allowed those good things to take the place of the best thing: telling another soul where to find Heaven. We are all, every single one of us, fallen and heading for a very nasty eternity… except for the grace of God Almighty. That He, completely uninspired by us, reached down… no, came down, and offered Himself as the Atoning Sacrifice for our sins, the sins we cannot escape because of our fallen human nature… well, that is GRACE. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. This is the Good News of the Gospel. [Eph 2:1-10]

The Eternal Impact of the Gospel Message

This Good News is the best thing we can offer any human. It will change their life for eternity. More, it will offer them hope for today – something sadly lacking in our modern, imploding, scary world. With it, they have the hope of living honestly and justly, taking care of their families, and making a difference in their world. Yes, give a man a fish for him and his family today. But teach him the Gospel, and give him and his family a Future and a Hope — for today, tomorrow, and forever.

Physical Needs Matter, But Souls Matter More

As precious as safe shelter is, it cannot touch this gift. As urgently as we need clean water, we more urgently need cleansed souls. As hungry as we may be for food, we are even hungrier for this Bread from Heaven.

Don’t Neglect the Most Important Ministry

It is not disparaging of other kind actions to urge all of us who minister to others to not neglect to give them the one thing that will make the most difference of all – the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. With all your kind actions, don’t forget that one. Dig a village a well, and satisfy their bodies. Share the Living Water with a village, and satisfy their souls!

Share the Gospel Easily with 5fish

And it is so simple these days to do this. With whatever else you do, share the Gospel – in simple Bible-based stories – from a little app called 5fish, which you can install on your phone and take with you wherever you go. To the market, to the streets of a big city, to the ends of the earth – carry the Good News with you… and change the world.

A New Adage for a New Mission

Can we even expand that old adage? Teach a man to fish, and he eats for a lifetime. Teach a man to nourish his soul from 5fish, and he may well live forever!