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Years
ago, when I was serving at a church in Williamsburg, Virginia, I helped
to oversee a team of summer youth ministry interns. One of my favorite
parts of the summer was sitting together with our lead pastor, who
would answer whatever questions the interns wanted to ask about faith,
life, and ministry.
One
afternoon the conversation turned to evangelism.
I’ll
never forget his response.
He said,
“Jesus doesn’t call us to be spiritual hunters, but spiritual
fisherman.”
Then he
explained.
Hunting is
active, targeted, and focused. The hunter identifies a specific animal,
potentially tracks it down, to make the kill.
Fishing
is different.
A
fisherman doesn’t chase an individual fish. He prepares his gear, goes
where fish are known to be, casts his nets or line into the water, and
patiently waits. He can choose the right bait. He can learn the habits
of the fish. He can position himself wisely. But ultimately, he cannot
make a fish bite.
That
image has stayed with me for years because I think it captures
something essential about Christian witness.
Too
often we think of evangelism as hunting—finding the right person,
saying the perfect words, closing the deal, and feeling responsible for
the outcome. That approach often leaves us anxious, discouraged, and
often silent.
Jesus
offers a different picture.
Our
calling is not to chase people down or convince them through force of
personality. It is to faithfully place ourselves where people are, to
build genuine relationships, to share the hope we have in Christ, and
to trust the Holy Spirit with what only the Holy Spirit can do.
In both
Matthew 4 and Luke 5, Jesus doesn’t simply tell the disciples to become
fishers of people. He first calls them to follow
Him.
The
order matters.
We
cannot become people who faithfully cast the net of the gospel unless
we are first walking closely with Jesus ourselves. The more we behold
Him, the more naturally His love begins to overflow into the lives of
those around us.
Perhaps
evangelism is less about becoming a better hunter and more about
becoming a faithful fisherman—present, patient, prayerful, and trusting
God.
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