When I was younger, I always looked forward to fishing with my father. Sometimes people would ask about the type of fish that we would be angling for during our outings at the lake. My father would reply, “Any fish that will bite the end of our hook is good.” There are many parallels between fishing and doing evangelism.

When you cast a net, you are uncertain about what you might catch. This is true of single cast fishing as well. You might be fishing for catfish and catch carp in some instances. When we are seeking the souls of men in personal evangelism, we cast a wide net so we might catch some for the Master. 1 Corinthians 9:22b says, “…I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. The simple fact of the matter is we do not know who might respond to the proclamation of the gospel.

This might sound simplistic, but you will not catch any fish if you do not cast your net. If one stays on the shore or in bed on a day when he might otherwise be fishing, he cannot catch any fish (Matthew 28:19-20). Regarding personal evangelism, I wonder how many people are even casting their nets?

When you go fishing, using the right kind of bait is important. There are certain types of bait that some fish will not consider biting. Sometimes they prefer live bait over artificial lures or minnows over nightcrawlers. When my father and I observed a person catching a significant number of fish we would invariably ask, “What are you fishing with to catch so many fish?” There are many useful tools that one might use to do personal evangelism, and we need to learn to use them so that we might have the right bait to bring souls to Christ. Suffice it to say, the best and only thing that we can possibly use should be Bible based, and it should adequately reflect the truth to those we are attempting to convert.

The teaching of the gospel is how we bring people to Jesus. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 says, “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The message of a Savior who died for our sins should be powerful enough to attract any honest person to Christianity!

When you fish, you might have to change locations if you are not catching any fish in the place you have initially tried. Jesus told the Apostles to cast their net on the other side of the boat. John 21:5-6 says, “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Children, have you any food?’ They answered Him, ‘No.’ And He said to them, ‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.” While we know Christ had miraculous knowledge of where the fish would be, this same principle applies to doing evangelism. We need to seek out fertile fields for planting the seeds of the kingdom.

Consequently, Paul understood that the message preached would not appeal to every audience. 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who

are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

When you fish, you need to learn patience and persistence. This message was implicit in an experience that the Apostles had after an unsuccessful night of fishing. Luke 5:3-7 says, “Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’ But Simon answered and said to Him, ‘Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.’ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.” It sometimes takes a significant amount of work and patience to convert a person to Jesus.

When you fish, there are varieties of fish that are more likely to be caught during certain times of the year. The same might be true with those that we are attempting to convert to Christ. Certain significant life events will cause people to stop and ponder their relationship with God and the condition of their soul. A death, the loss of a parent, the diagnosis of a serious sickness can make one stop and take stock of their spiritual situation. The age that one finds himself at can also make him think about his eternal destination.

Finally, when you fish, you might not catch the fish you are attempting to land. Paul was unable to “land” some of the fish he attempted to catch. Felix was looking for a more convenient time to become a Christian (Acts 24:25). Agrippa was “almost” persuaded to become a disciple of Jesus (Acts 26:28). Sadly, there is no evidence that either man became a child of God. Sometimes the big fish gets away!

As followers of Jesus, we need to be fishing for the souls of men. His invitation to the Apostles applies to His people today. Matthew 4:18-20 says, “And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”