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A popular bumper sticker declares: "I'd rather be fishing!" When I read that motto, I realize how fortunate I am that my whole life is taken up with fishing, one way or another. You see, my hobby is fishing for fish. My vocation is fishing for souls. And my spiritual hobby is personal soul-winning. To Jesus, fishing came first and last. He went fishing every day of His three years of ministry, because He wanted to draw all people to Himself. He called His disciples from their nets to become fishers of men and women. Christ's ministry took place mostly outdoors. His life and preaching were plain and simple. If He had had an office, there would have always been a sign hung on the door: GONE FISHING! My experience. When I was a young pastor in Michigan, I often spent my days off with my friend, Pastor Fred Wiese, fishing in the Manistee River. It was my first experience trout fishing. Often I was skunked, meaning I caught only small fish. Meanwhile, Pastor Wiese caught big ones. I assumed he was just lucky. He coached me how to catch bigger fish, but at first I didn't pay attention. Eventually, I took his advice, imitated everything he did, and even studied trout fishing books on my own. After years of carefully learning effective angling skills, I became a seasoned fisherman. Since then my children, grandchildren, and other young people have fished with me. Whenever any of them became frustrated over their small catches, I tried to teach them what I had learned. My friend, Pastor Wiese, also coached me how to catch men. He modeled for me how to make calls and how to reach people. Later in my ministry, I learned from: evangelist Billy Graham; James Kennedy of Evangelism Explosion; Francis Schaeffer, minister to youth and intellectuals; Herb Franz and Bob Griffin of Lutheran Evangelism Movement; Dawson Trotman of the Navigators; Bill Bright and Josh McDowell of Campus Crusade for Christ. They and others taught me how to train people to catch souls. The purpose of this book. I want to tell you about my Best Friend and Best Fishing Buddy, my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. I also want to pass on to you some of the effective soul-catching skills He has taught me through the years. Reaching people is a process of growth with all Christians. We are all at a certain point in skill development, and we all can learn to do better. Athletes need practice, but some Christians seem to think they can be soul-winners without practice. Although Peter, Andrew, James, and John were expert fishermen, to become fishers of people they needed years of walking with Jesus and being tutored by Him. In all the Lord's personal ministry He modeled how He intended to love and work with people--not by whip cracking and keeping in line--but by embracing, making peace, rebuilding, and repairing. Jesus truly "dwelt among us." He never said, "Come only during office hours." He loved everyone in particular and no one in general. He treated with great tenderness everyone seeking Him. When the people followed Him around the lake, He saw them as sheep without a shepherd. So He sat down and talked with them, even though He was very tired. Jesus is the Lover of Souls. He is the Master Fisherman, because He brings people out of death to life. Jesus is still calling His disciples. He is calling us to be fishers of the men, women, and children He loves so much that He died for them, as well as for you and me! When fish are caught, they die and are eaten. But when souls are caught by Jesus' love, they are raised from death to life. So get your line into the water and your net ready! Witnessing May Take a Lifetime A fisherman must be patient. Fishers of lost people must also be patient. You will yet catch your limit, if you do not give up. It may even take a lifetime. I found out. Since I served in one parish area during five decades I got to see several slow-motion miracles of conversion after many years of fishing. I met Frank at a wedding reception. As we talked about various subjects, he let me know that "church" was not for him! However, we hit it off on fishing. In fact, he invited me to share his boat on Pymatuning Reservoir, forty miles east. We soon had four bobbers floating on the water, two for each of us. The walleye pike were ignoring our bait. I got impatient. So I thought I would impress my new friend with my fly casting skill and rigged up my fly rod. After a few minutes my new buddy, Frank, showed me one of his finest traits, frankness. He asked, "What are you going to say to the game warden when he shows up and sees your three fishing rods? The law says two is the limit." Over the next thirty-five years, Frank often delighted in telling this story to others, especially when I was present. While Frank chuckled, he also saw my embarrassment and my penitence. I prayed that sooner or later he would allow me into his "inner sanctum" and allow me to discuss his need of a relationship with God. I wedged my foot in the door a number of times at weddings, funerals, and other occasions. In addition, his sister-in-law often invited him to church. Meanwhile Frank and his wife, Dorothy, prospered and built a home in the country, offering gracious hospitality. My family often enjoyed use of their farm pond filled with bluegill and bass. We even caught an occasional trout, much appreciated. At a much later date, my fishing buddy met up with his doctors concerning a troublesome ailment, which turned out to be cancer. When the doctor declared the unhappy diagnosis, I called on Frank at the hospital and later at home. He was cheerful despite the prognosis. This was not the only time I had shared the Gospel with him, but it now appeared to comfort him. He also was willing to hear his sister-in-law's testimony after brushing it aside for twelve years as "feminine immaturity." She brought to Frank a cassette I had made with hymns and brief messages on the promises of God. The tape captured his attention, for he invited friends and relatives to listen to it. As his condition grew more serious and threatening, the recording cradled his mind with divine light and peace. As I often called on Frank at his home, we would watch the birds feed at his window and tell stories of the past, but also we would frankly gaze into the future. The light of this life grew more dim, but hope from God's Word grew brighter. I saw how Frank drew strength from the Savior whom we now shared. So also his family and visitors found courage, because Frank was full of peace and hope in the risen Christ. The Scriptures from my "technicolor" Bible had interested him, to understand the reasons for underlining verses in various colors. Now his Bible lay open on the table. Also I would respond to his song requests for him and family members to hear. About three weeks after I had begun to call, he visibly began to slip. One evening as I was about to leave, Frank said, "I think it's today!" I asked, "Do you mean God is going to take you home?" "Yes!" he replied. So I sat down and we scoured the Scriptures, rejoicing over his prospects. The next morning at 8 o'clock God chose to take my fishing buddy home to be with his Savior. During recess at our Bible school, the kids play a wild exciting game called Freeze! Here's how it's played. Mark off a limited area, such as a basketball court. Appoint three out of the group of thirty or so to play the part of the Enemy. They can freeze any player by tagging them. Those who are tagged must stay frozen in the position they were in when touched by the Enemy. The goal of the Enemy is to freeze everyone. The other thirty players are the Free. They have the contrasting power to unfreeze people by touching them. When frozen players are tagged by a teammate, they can run again and set others free. As the game begins, they are all off and running. The game continues until all the Free are frozen by the Enemy or the Enemy give up in exhaustion or the five minute time limit expires. Now, thirty ought to be able to defeat three. At first it seems that way. But, surprise! It seldom turns out that way. Usually all are frozen in a short time. Why? The reasons are a study in human nature and a commentary on lazy Christianity which fails to evangelize and disciple people.
Each of these eight points explains why Christians are often defeated. They rejoice in being free, but fail to recognize they have been set free by the Gospel to free others. So they play a self-centered, defensive game, and they lose. The surest way to stay free, to stay a saved Christian, is to be constantly moving in search of others whom we can touch and set free from the Enemy. I have a standing fishing appointment with my brother-in-law Frank Block. Our fishing encounters began when I was courting his older sister. But then he went off to World War II. During those years he saw action in North Africa and Italy. Even now I vividly recall our thankfulness to God for his safe homecoming. Upon his return in the spring of 1946, I invited him to go trout fishing. I wanted to introduce him to fly fishing which I had learned while he was in the service. What a fine time we had. Such a good time that Frank and I always made an appointment a year ahead to go fishing. Even after I moved to Ohio, we still met every year at Michigan's Au Sable River. What brought us back each year?
Frank went home to heaven in the spring of 1989, forty-three years after our first fly fishing jaunt. How I missed him during that fishing season. But then I remembered that the preceding fall, Frank had given me a large trout he had just caught. I had put it in my freezer and forgotten all about it. As far as I know, it was the last fish he ever caught. So I took it to a taxidermist and had it mounted. Whenever I see that trout, I think of Frank, and I remember we have an appointment. An appointment to meet where the river of life flows with water as clear as crystal. Frank, along with many other friends, and my Best Friend, Jesus, are my lifetime fishing buddies. Share Christ with your fishing buddy, and you'll have one in heaven! How to Order Purchase Fishing for Souls through Roller Coaster Press. To Order Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. |
