During the ‘intermediate years’, (basically the decade from 1981 to 1992), the artist’s primary subject matter was fishing, which obviously stands out in the scope of his work. There Joe recalls a season of transition, and refers to a devotional by Dennis Fisher:
Ephesians 4:11-16:
Jesus Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,… for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry.
In the church, there are Spiritual Leaders whose job it is to equip us for ministry. In Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus, he wrote about equipping the people for service (Eph. 4:11-12).
The word used here for “equip” is the same one used to describe the disciple’s mending of their nets when Jesus called them into service (Mark 1:16-20). For three years, Jesus “mended holes” in their “ministry nets” so they could be effective fishers of men (v. 17).
Since Joe has come to regard his artwork as a form of ministry, that passage may also be applied to the span of process between once painting as a ‘fisherman’, and now painting within the ‘fisher of men’ concept. He sites various pastors and teachers who have in this sense, mended holes in the net which gets cast through the offering of his art, and through his various shows. He thinks there are probably not many walls better suited for this exposure than those of the Gallery at Common Grounds.
Joe is resolved in this transformation, seeing no more meaningful reason to paint, other than to explore and present some obvious influence of God’s Word, and/or His Holy Spirit. Hence, his is a visual ministry to the Church, as well as a mode for us to worship our Heavenly Father.