Christ says if we follow Him, He will make us fishers of men. (Mt 4:19) So, if we are following Him, He has indeed been doing this in us. What does it look like?
The fisherman’s mindset is focused on how to catch something that’s elusive; he’s always strategizing how to lure fish, more innovative ways to catch them. He wants to know what interests fish, studies their habits and anticipates their behavior, finding out how, when and where to maximize results. It’s an art as well as a science.
Fishing for souls is similar, yet significantly different. It feels like a stirring, a concern for the eternal health and safety of every soul we encounter. Christ is our supreme example, always mindful of the spiritual needs about Him (Jn 4:11), so we should study what He does; after all, He’s 100% successful. (Jn 6:39)
Christ’s ultimate goal is to glorify His Father by justifying, purifying and sanctifying His elect (Ro 8:29-30), and He is pleased to allow us to collaborate with Him in carrying out His redemptive plan. (2Co 6:1) Our mindset must be aligned with His purpose (1Co 2:16), making true disciples rather than filling pews. (Mt 28:19-20)
Wisdom says our general strategy should focus on seeking those who are pursuing truth and spiritual things, or who are at least open to them; in other words, we should be looking for those who are looking for God. For example, when Paul entered a new area, he typically began in the synagogue, where he expected to find those in the region who were earnestly seeking God (Ac 17:1-2); he would also go where people were praying (Ac 16:13) or engaging in spiritual or philosophical discussions. (Ac 17:17) He didn’t start out in taverns, brothels or places of amusement; he sought out those who were already pursuing eternity. (Jn 9:35)
How we approach evangelism should also be informed by our understanding of our expected audience. If we’re in the Third World where people have very limited access to information and have never heard of the Resurrection, presume ignorance and focus on the basics of the Gospel. But if we’re engaging a culture with churches on every corner, Bibles in every hotel room, where Easter is a national holiday, where anyone with a cell phone may conveniently download Bible apps and advanced study tools as they please, with unprecedented access to the Internet and AI … where anyone with a working brain can easily search for God, this suggests a much different strategy. (1Co 9:19-22)
This is where the heart of evangelism finds its loving nuance; we cannot see other people’s hearts, and we might at times find ourselves in very worldly, or otherwise unspiritual places. Wherever we are, every soul is an opportunity; and we should always be on the lookout for openings to steer conversations toward eternal things. (Ja 5:19-20) We might lead with, “Do you consider yourself to be a spiritual person?” Regardless how they answer, we can ask them why, and invite them to tell us their story, about their interests and values. A listening ear might be all that’s needed to soften a hardened or wounded heart. (2Ti 2:24-26)
Once we are engaged in spiritual discussion, we can look places of common ground and build on them (Ac 17:28-29), or ask questions which might start them thinking (Jn 5:6), or point out an inconsistency or an insight to help them. (Mt 22:41-42) We should cast our net far and wide, as we have opportunity. (Ga 6:10)
And as we’re pondering about how to engage others in seeking Christ and His kingdom, we must be careful to not misrepresent Him, or appeal to interests which are contrary to or inconsistent with His nature (Ju 23); we should not dilute His message or misrepresent His heart. (2Co 2:12) We should never use the proverbial bait-and-switch; lay it out as it truly is, and God’s elect will eventually inquire further.
If a person has no interest in spiritual things and doesn’t want to talk about it, we should not be forcing the discussion, casting our pearls before swine (Mt 6:6); Jesus doesn’t push himself on people who aren’t listening: He doesn’t chase them down; He lets them go their way. (Mt 19:21-23) Our job is to let God’s light shine through us (Php 2:15), giving sight to the blind is His. (Jn 9:39)
And we should keep in mind that Jesus is not primarily interested in making people comfortable or happy. He healed, did miracles and miraculously fed multitudes to help those who are seeking God find Him (Mt 7:7-8), to identify Him and understand who He is, not primarily to please them. (Ga 1:10)
People do need Jesus, no doubt about it, but telling people God loves them and that He has a wonderful plan for their life, implying He wants to make them happy and successful, is not the biblical message. (Jn 12:25) He did not come to send peace on Earth, but a sword (Mt 10:34-36); He did not come to call rich, pleasure-seeking worldlings to their best life now. (Php 3:18-19) He came to call all of us sinners to repentance (Lk 5:32), to radical transformation (Ga 6:15), to turn from our rebellion and willful Torah-violation (Mt 1:21), to forsake all (Lk 14:33), take up our cross and follow Him. (Lk 14:27)
Let’s follow His steps in reaching the lost (1Pe 2:21), prepared with a sound grasp of the Gospel and how to present it (Ep 6:15), ready always to give an informed answer to those who are asking (1Pe 3:15), and leave the results to Him. (1Co 3:7)