Fishing in the aquarium is probably a saying that you already heard among the pastors. It simply means, pastors don’t go out to evangelize the lost so that they may receive Christ and have salvation. Instead, they attract and sometimes intentionally convince a talented or a wealthy member of another Church to transfer to their Church.
True or not, how many members of your Church transferred to another Church for the reason that they have better facilities, they have better preachers, they have better programs, they have air condition rooms? And when they transferred, have you heard back from the pastors of these Churches where your members went? I guess, pastoral etiquette is not too common these days among pastors in the evangelical block.
I have had several incidents like this when some of our members transferred to another evangelical Church because of conflict. In one incident, one of our Church leaders (imagine even our Church leader) approached by one of the leaders of an evangelical Church and told her that they are praying for her to be a part of their ministry work force. When I heard that, I feel so alarmed and these big Churches are trying to lure our leaders to be a part of their Church. Can they not train their own leaders?
Remember, pastoral ministry is not about fishing in the aquarium. It is about taking care of the flock and growing those flock God gave you.
What did you do when you had this experience?
POINT OF VIEW
Now a days, most of the churches see themselves as a business institution; in which, competition is a natural occurence. I can say then, “fishing” in your sense, cannot be stopped; historically, it existed in the times of the great apostles. Christian pastors will not stop fishing because of their own interest in their churches; much more of the other religions.
Weak churches instilled a very shallow christian doctrine into their members; that’s why they lost a lot of them in a matter of time, wondering how it happened. I disregard the facilities and other visible aspect of a church; if the doctrine is deeply rooted in their hearts, members will always hold on. When Jesus Christ started to do his discipleship, he didn’t have anything, he taught them under the trees, in seasides and on mountains. One thing he assured, he taught them well and touched their hearts.
On Jesus Christ’s time, he won against the other powerful sect; because he understood competition
Best regards!
Yes, you are indeed right that some Churches instilled a very shallow Christian doctrine. However, I believe it should NOT be a goal of every Christian pastor to fish in the aquarium. Can it be stopped? I don’t think so either because whether we like it or not there will be pastors who are not ethically educated either.
Is it ugly to fish in the aquarium? Yes it is… and it destroy’s a pastor’s dignity and honor as a pastor. Should there be competition? No… and there is a lot of opportunities out there. Sometimes it is just because of laziness and incapability of a pastor to preach among the lost.