STANDING waist-deep in a freezing Austrian lake, surrounded by people sensibly staying dry, I realised something about faith.
The difference between being slightly out of your depth and swimming where you can’t see the bottom isn’t huge—but it changes everything about how you approach the water.
Many of us misunderstand what ‘deep faith’ means.
Some think it’s about knowing every Bible verse or mastering theology.
Others fear it means becoming strange or losing yourself.
But deep faith isn’t about what you know; it’s about who you trust.
In Luke 5, Jesus tells Simon Peter to push out into deep water and let down the nets.
Simon, the experienced fisherman, knows it’s the wrong time to fish.
Yet he replies: “Because you say so, I will.”
That one line captures the essence of deep faith—trusting Jesus enough to act, even when it doesn’t make sense.
Deep faith shows up in ordinary life: forgiving when it’s undeserved, giving when it’s uncomfortable, serving when it stretches you, speaking up when it feels risky.
It’s not just for Sunday mornings but for Monday meetings, family tensions, and quiet moments when no one’s watching.
Deep is not being able to touch the bottom.
It’s choosing trust over certainty, obedience over comfort.
The water may be cold and the bottom out of sight, but Jesus is in the boat with you.
What’s your next step into the deep?
Chris Simpkins is lead pastor of Finchampstead Baptist Church.
Sunday services at the FBC Centre, Finchampstead, are at 10.30.
For information, visit: https://www.finchampstead.com/
