Carrying benches for a meeting in Haiti in the '80s.

By Tom Shanklin

“Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.” Luke 5:4-7, KJV.

God is calling forth an army of people united in the great purpose of the hour, to bring in the harvest. One person cannot bring in a great harvest alone. Like the slogan of a church I visited in Canada stated, “Teamwork makes the dream work.”

Peter and the disciples’ supernatural fishing expedition with Jesus illustrates this truth. Fishing for souls without Jesus can be empty, futile, and fruitless. We need His power and direction to fill the nets, to bring in the harvest. Jesus told Simon Peter, “Let down your nets for a draught.” In other words, “You’re going to get a great catch. Just let down your nets and I will fill them.”

Peter said, “Lord we’ve been fishing all night and haven’t caught a thing. It certainly isn’t going to do any good to let them down again. But because You said it, I will let down the net.” (paraphrase) Notice Jesus said “nets” but Peter said “net.” Jesus always has a bigger vision than we do. And His vision requires “all hands on deck,” rather than a one-man show. They were to let down the nets, but all the faith Peter could muster was to let down one net.

As he dropped the net into the water, he felt the weight of the sinkers on the net, pulling. The resistance began to increase more and more, and one by one the fisherman on Peter’s boat grasped the net with all their might. The force of the weight became so great it began to tear apart the net. The fabric of their harvesting machine was being ripped apart. Then, they called for their partners in another ship.

This is the great need in the Body of Christ—partners. Partners are needed to bring in a great catch—prayer partners, financial partners, churches partnering, ministries partnering. To bring in the great harvest, we must work together.

It’s time for change in the Body of Christ. It’s time for us to unite and to be about the Father’s business. When we see the Lord’s vision for glory in the Church, our divisions and struggles will melt away.

It’s only by working together that we will see the great harvest. True unity can only be achieved by focusing on the same things—particularly one Father, one Savior, and one cause. When we focus on these things, other things will take their proper place. “Look to the fields,” Jesus said, “the fields are white unto harvest.” The harvest is of primary importance, and I’m willing to set aside my pet doctrines and spiritual idiosyncrasies in order to see the harvest come in.

This article is an excerpt from Tom’s book, You Can Touch the World.