(Click here for a video of John reading this Catch.)
These are truly strange days, indeed. If I ever feel myself growing tired or complacent, I simply pinch myself and say, “Is there no crisis? No hijacking of Christianity by issues? No washing out of the message? Steeples are toppling everywhere; the institutional church is crumbling. The big churches are being torn apart by personality cults and conflicts; the little ones are like turtles pulling inside their shells. People aren’t trusting the churches anymore, especially Millennials, because the churches have mostly all become political. They know that’s what keeps people coming in their doors.
Historians are telling us our Christian leaders have been influenced more by John Wayne than by Jesus. There is a militant, even violent strain of Christian leadership in this country bent on any means to the end of “taking America back.” Sometimes I wonder if the Holy Spirit has left the building.
We’ve been saying for weeks that we have to go outside the camp to find the Lord anyway (Hebrews 13:13). That’s where He died and that’s where we meet Him today, and where He wants us to meet sinners and spread the good news of the gospel of welcome — grace turned outward — to everyone everywhere. So what am I doing falling asleep?
If you are serious about living for Christ in these last days, I urge you to listen to our BlogTalkRadio interview Tuesday, May 10, with Paul Clark. It’s a prophetic message that will grab you by the collar and shake you into realizing our message today is a simple one, as it always has been. It’s a message of love — what we call grace turned outward. We’re right on target. It’s the same thing we ended up with in Tuesday’s Catch — Jesus and love. And I’m suggesting you show love first, and then when they ask you why you’re being so kind, tell them that the kingdom of God has come in the person of Jesus who lives in you.
Then write me and tell me how it’s going. But don’t tell me it was a nice Catch. I don’t care if it was a nice Catch; I want to hear about what love looks like in your neighborhood. What does it mean to love inside your home? What does it mean to love outside your door? Are you meeting Christ and sinners outside the camp? What’s that look like? Tell me, because I need help doing this too (especially the part inside my own home).
We are the voice of Christ to the next generations. We are here to make disciples all over the world. And remember that, to that end, Jesus Christ has promised to be right here with us even to the end of the age. But He’s not with us just to make us feel comfy. He’s with us to help us make disciples.
John Fischer The Catch 
This hit the nail on the head. No one even wants to admit they’re a Christian because it’s synonymous with being one of “those people.” The most Jesus-like people I know are atheists. And some of the worst people I know are “Christians”. I’m strongly pro-Jesus and anti-Church. My biggest goal in life is to make sure that people know I’m a believer and also not an asshole. I don’t candy-coat myself or the world for our family. Making a living is exhausting and if you don’t like my tattoos or think I should put away that beer, I don’t have much time to deal with you except to show you the door. Shut up with your “love the sinner, hate the sin” b.s. Is it any wonder that the lgbtq community is disenfranchised? They don’t find acceptance when church “hates the sin”.
Guess what churchy church people: we all see your sins too. So let’s just let it all go and humbly walk together as the good people of this community.
Agree to disagree I PROULD admit to being a Christian, or as Pastor John likes to say a follower of Christ simply b/c if I am talking to an intelligent person hopefully they have enough common sense to know I DON’T and CANNOT speak for ANYONE BUT myself. .
NEEDS to tell you Pastor John and I can admit I maybe wrong, I SURELY have been before, which is something I simply cannot recall you being able to do… Yet please consider re-reading the first few paragraphs of Today’s Catch and please explain to me and a bunch of my Facebook friends that are non-believers and a few followers of Christ and a few Muslims too, yet explain to us (besides trying to use this BUNK that you tried to use before when you refused to accept Trump’s apology as “sociological observation” Because those first few paragraphs in my opinion AREN’T full of love as Paul Clark suggested, (and a Great BlgTalk too) yet full of judgment and being kind of like a Pharisee! As if the Catch & John Fisher is the only one that’s promoting God’s grace & forgiveness…
As you once wrote about in your book “The 12step recovery for a Pharisee (like me)” Please consider re-reading your own book and let me please suggest picking up a book you NEED to seriously consider reading and turning off MSNBC, CNN & putting down the Newspaper! B/ C you often are one of the most negative, judgmental things I read… So please I beg you to get the book: “What To Say When You Talk To Yourself 365 Days of Positive Self Talk” by Shad Helmstetter. PH.D to educate yourself
I talk about the Catch at work and the message its about and also how it hits right to the point of following Jesus and always remember how he came for all of us and the gospel begins and ends with him. I talk about when the Catch is read on line with sincerity and the simplicity of the reader. This makes one want to go back again and have it read to you or read along with the reader. I hope millions will discover this as soon as possible because this is very urgent. Take care, God Bless, everyone now and forever.
I used to also,… Still have a few friends, family & fellow Biz Owners that read the Catch often, yet as one of them commented almost EVERYONE knows what Pastor John is referring to here “taking America back.” is a person he doesn’t like and it showed in his refusing to accept his apology President Trump old saying…
They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love. “By this will men know that you belong to me: that you have love for one another.” We all walk around with stones in hand, looking for a likely target. And the target is too often one of our own. How are we going to convince the not-yet-saved of the love of Christ and our love for them, when we show such little respect for each other?
Please help me Sandie to understand how this sentence you wrote, which is the Truth: “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love Yet does this adhere to that: “There is a militant, even violent strain of Christian leadership in this country bent on any means to the end of “taking America back.” Sometimes I wonder if the Holy Spirit has left the building.”
Also, JUST b/c people agree to disagree DOESN’T mean to everyone they DON’T love each other! In fact I tend to think/believe that can be found in reading a few good & intelligent Conflict Resolution books….
PS Pastor John would BETTER understand that IF he ever decides to read a book: The DISC Method of /Understand Personifies Types, YET me and A LOT my Facebook friends have come to believe Pastor John although a brilliant Man of God at times can be one of the most stubborn man I ever met! The proof of that last statement was pointed out to me by considering HOW many years has it been since I recommended the above book to him!?!
God’s speed
They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love is the title and chorus to an song.
Mark, I appreciate your comments and as always, the dialogue is great and what we like to encourage. Not to defend myself, but to help you understand an important part of my ministry over the years has been to apply biblical truth to the culture we live in and to also issue warnings as to where we as Christians have gone wrong. If you look at the body of my work over countless articles and 15 books, there is a thread that goes through them all. My spirit is often concerned about what I believe is wrong with the church and especially the Christian subculture. I am deeply concerned about Christians holding to the the truth of the gospel and I feel responsible when I see untruth being represented. What encourages me is that a good deal of the positive feedback I get from people is appreciation for this because they were bothered by something too, and to have an error or misunderstanding corrected is a strong affirmation of their faith. The prophets in the Bible were far more negative than they were positive. Part of prophesy is to bring people back to the truth and part of that is pointing out where we went wrong. I will agree that I was overly negative in yesterday’s Catch, but I am very bothered by what calls itself Christian today and is in violation of much of what Jesus taught us. I suppose you could call that judgment, but I would suggest it’s my attempt to try and work through what is wrong in the process of teaching what is right. It’s called discernment and we all need to be doing it.
Amen and Amen
Dear Pastor John first like to TY 4 finding the time to reply, yet let me please ask where is this to be found in yesterday’s Catch: “as you wrote: “…apply biblical truth…” Because I’m sorry I must have missed it…
Please educate yourself ONLY some people tend to think/believe expressing different opinions grieve the Holy Spirit or as you expressed in yesterday’s Catch: “There is a militant, even violent strain of Christian leadership in this country bent on any means to the end of “taking America back.” Sometimes I wonder if the Holy Spirit has left the building.” Can I please assure you the Holy Spirit DIDN’T and doesn’t ‘leave the building’ Now back in my more Pharisaical day’s I would or may have agreed with you… Yet now after reading a few books on God’s Omnipresent love and through your Great Ministry too – I’ve come to learn if our Lord could visit hades or hell – He DOESN’T flee! His love is every where & for everyone – Even President Trump supporters in their errors!
PS Also, TY for admitting to: “I will agree that I was overly negative in yesterday’s Catch…” Yet AGAIN please consider educating yourself in a few People skills books – B/C than you may come to understand when someone (like you did) sates something than uses coma but… And “… but I am very bothered by what calls itself Christian today and is in violation of much of what Jesus taught us.” I could be wrong here, SURELY have been before (And I & a bunch of my Facebook friends understand you seemingly have a hard time admitting to making a mistake!) HAS you did in NOT accepting President Trump’s apology 4 his ‘locker room’ comments to Billy Bash, yet being so darn self-righteous as to “say” it was: “sociological observation” NO it wasn’t! It’s you refusing to adhere to what Jesus taught us about forgiving one another for their sins!
Flaming Heart
What’s yours like? It’s a rough road to heaven. And there are many distractions. So put it where your love will grow. Don’t shrink back. That day is done as far as letting your fervor die down. How many people have let go of their passion? But as for you restart your motor of love if you have let it cooled.
Romans 12:11 (NIV): “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”
Keep praying in the Spirit, and meditating on the Word of God. 🙏
Andrew ❤️🔥
Lest we forget, love God, love people, nothing else matters.