What is flock-shooting? Flock-shooting is something that sometimes happens when waterfowl hunting. What? You don't duck hunt? Well, bear with me for just a second...this won't take long to explain.
When a flock of ducks comes into shooting range, it is very common that a shooter gets a little too excited in the moment and he forgets basic gunning principles - Select your target. Aim. Fire. In a moment with a lot of birds in the air at once, he is liable to just shoot randomly into the flock (flock-shooting), assuming that he will connect with a target simply because of the sheer numbers of birds in the air. The problem is that, even though there are many birds in the air, there is still a lot more air than bird, meaning that your chances of missing are far greater than your chances of connecting. Discipline, selectivity, focus, and precision are all key in making connection with a target.
This same principle applies in the life of the church. There are a number of objectives for an individual in church life, one of which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. But accomplishing this goal will not be achieved to any great measure with a "flock-shooting" approach.
We may be tempted to think that simply because we are surrounded by a large number of other people in the church, we can take a broad approach to discipleship (i.e. interactive Sunday School classes, group Bible studies or church fellowships) and likely make contact and hit targets. The actual truth is, if this is our approach, we are far more likely to miss than we are to hit. The correct approach is more intentional. It requires discipline, selectivity, focus, and precision. We ought to select a "target", then aim, then fire. We will stand a much greater chance of having success with this approach. (Think about Jesus and how He went about discipling...Jesus was thoughtful, prayerful, selfless, diligent, intentional)
We should spend time in prayer, asking God to bless us with someone that we can invest into and who will, in turn, challenge us to grow in Christ ourselves. We should expect that He will answer this prayer, since we know that making disciples of Jesus is according to His will. Then we are to keep an eye out for who these people may be. We should consider our spiritual and practical situations, what it is that we have to offer them, and then we should set about to seeking to bless them, invest into them and allowing them to reciprocate.
It really is that simple. Just find someone of the same gender as you who wants to grow in Jesus, then start to grow in Him together. Center your relationship around Him and not some other common interest. Read the Word. Pray. Serve. Live. Do this honestly and openly, without pride and without fear or reservation. And when trouble comes, walk through it together, reminding one another of God's faithfulness and the principles you have learned through His Word.
It won't be easy. It will be costly, just as all things that have significant value are. But honoring God by surrendering your pride and your resources for His glory and the good of His kingdom will not go unnoticed by Him. This is what true faith is (Hebrews 11:6). Reading what He has said. Doing it. And trusting that He will ensure that you are rewarded with Christ-likeness.
So, give up the flock-shooting. Select a target. Take aim. And pull the trigger!
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." - Philippians 1:6
Pastor Jeremy
