Mastodawn

Gone Fishing—Or Just Talking About It?

Did You Know

When Jesus first called His disciples by the Sea of Galilee, He didn’t invite them to attend a seminar or form a committee. He said simply, “Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19). Those words changed the course of their lives—and the world. Yet, as the story of the “Fishermen’s Fellowship” reminds us, it’s possible to talk about fishing for souls without ever casting a line. We can fill our calendars with Christian activities, books, and meetings, yet miss the very thing Jesus asked us to do: reach people.

Evangelism isn’t a department in the church; it’s a lifestyle of love. The call to follow Jesus was—and still is—a call to engage with people, to reach the lost, and to share the hope that has rescued us. Below are four “Did You Know” reflections drawn from Scripture to remind us what it really means to be a fisher of men.

Did You Know that Jesus chose fishermen—not theologians—to spread His message?
“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

It’s no accident that Jesus called working fishermen to be His first disciples. They knew the value of patience, persistence, and hard work. They understood what it meant to face the unknown, to cast their nets again after coming up empty, and to trust the waters would yield a catch. Jesus saw in them the very qualities He could transform for kingdom work. Their ordinary skill became extraordinary calling. In His hands, their nets became metaphors for grace. Their calloused hands became instruments of healing and hope.

Many of us think evangelism is for the gifted few—the eloquent, the bold, the theologically trained. But Jesus’ first followers remind us that He looks for availability, not ability. He promised to make them fishers of men. The making was His job; the following was theirs. And that’s still true for us. When we obey His call, He equips us with courage, compassion, and words fit for the moment. You don’t have to be perfect to reach others—just willing to cast your net.

Maybe it’s time to stop polishing our fishing gear and start fishing again. Someone around you is waiting to be reached, loved, and invited to meet the Savior.

Did You Know that heaven rejoices over one soul who turns to God?
“I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10)

It’s easy to forget how much a single person matters to God. In a world obsessed with numbers and crowds, Jesus reminds us that heaven throws a celebration every time one heart returns home. He told parables about a lost coin, a lost sheep, and a lost son—not to show statistics, but to show value. Each story ends the same way: joy. The Father’s joy is not reserved for masses but for moments—each time a wandering heart is found.

When we share the gospel, we’re not just helping someone make a better choice in life; we’re joining heaven’s search party. The angels themselves rejoice when one person believes, repents, and comes home. That’s why fishing for people matters so deeply—it’s not a task, it’s a triumph. Every conversation, every invitation, every act of kindness that draws someone closer to Jesus carries eternal weight.

You may think your efforts are small, but heaven doesn’t measure by scale—it measures by love. One kind word could become someone’s turning point. If angels rejoice over one, shouldn’t we? Take time today to reach out to one person. That’s where joy begins.

Did You Know that fear keeps more fishermen on the shore than failure ever will?
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

Jesus didn’t say, “Go when it’s comfortable,” or “Go when you’re sure you won’t be rejected.” He said, “Go.” But for many believers, fear of rejection, awkwardness, or inadequacy keeps them anchored to the safety of the shoreline. We attend classes on evangelism, listen to sermons about outreach, and applaud missionaries who go abroad, yet often hesitate to walk across the street. The call to go isn’t just for the courageous—it’s for every follower of Christ.

When Jesus gave the Great Commission, He coupled it with a promise: “I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20). We don’t go alone. His Spirit goes before us, preparing hearts, opening doors, and giving words. Like Peter stepping onto the water, we discover that obedience sustains what fear would otherwise sink. The risk of rejection pales in comparison to the reward of obedience.

If you’ve been waiting for the “right moment,” this might be it. Take one step toward sharing your faith—pray for a coworker, start a conversation, extend an invitation. You’ll find Jesus already there, guiding your words and steadying your heart.

Did You Know that love—not strategy—is what draws people to Christ?
“By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

We often think evangelism depends on programs, marketing, or persuasive arguments. But Jesus said the world would recognize His followers by their love, not their logic. The early church didn’t grow through slick campaigns; it grew through compassion. They fed the hungry, cared for the sick, comforted the dying, and welcomed the rejected. Love became their language—and people wanted to know the One who inspired it.

When we love sincerely, people see Jesus through us. It’s not about perfect words; it’s about a consistent witness. Love is patient enough to listen, humble enough to serve, and bold enough to forgive. That’s the net that catches hearts.

The world is full of “Fishermen’s Fellowships”—people talking about love but not showing it. Christ calls us to put love in motion, to cast it into the waters of real life. You may never preach a sermon, but you can preach through kindness. You can model grace in how you treat others.

Love, lived out loud, becomes the most irresistible invitation to the gospel.

The story of the “Fisherless Fishermen” reminds us that discipleship is not about information—it’s about transformation. We are not called to merely know the Great Commission; we are called to live it. When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” He meant movement, not maintenance. So let’s step away from the meeting halls of comfort and back to the waters of obedience. There are still fish in the sea—and a Savior who’s still calling us to cast our nets.

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Belgian Ecclesia Brussel - Leuven Feb 25, 2020

The Christadelphians or Brothers and Sisters in Christ are a community of lovers of God, who follow the teachings of the Nazarene Master Teacher Jeshua, better known as Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

As followers of the Jewish man from Nazareth, we are aware that Jesus him being a Jew, worshipped the God of Israel, and asked to do his followers to do so too. That God of Abraham is a Singular Eternal Spirit Being, no man can see. Jesus did not come to earth to undo the Law of God or the Torah. He came to explain it and to show the Way to God. Therefore, we take the words of Jesus seriously as an indication of how to continue our life on the path laid in front of us by this rabbi, and keep to the Law of God, God and His son their teachings and wishes, instead of keeping to human doctrines.

Jesus preached love for all creatures of God, and that is why we find it necessary not only to show and share that love for the whole of creation (earth, plants, animals and human beings), but also to come up for the weaker ones and to help and defend those in need.

In case you are looking for making your life easier or want to know more about the present and the future and our position in the whole picture or Plan of God, then you are right at our address.

Even when you are not sure about the existence of God, you are welcome to join us at our meetings and Bible Classes. We also provide printed material which you are welcome to read and to question us about. Any time of the day someone shall be willing to help you with your questions or solving your problems.

At our ecclesiae we have meetings for studying and worshipping but also moments of gathering and sharing good time and food. Also, at those events you are very welcome.

In Wintertime, we also provide shelter for the night, in certain towns, for the homeless people. Waifs and strays are also welcome at our food supplies.

But our main occupation in the ecclesia is the provision to glorify God and praise Him with a merger in prayer and Bible reading in the unity of spirit.

For those gatherings, where they may take place (Leuven, Leefdaal-Bertem, Tervuren, Brussels, Nivelles-Nijvel, Mons or Newbury), we invite you to join us and to feel the spirit of our brotherhood.
In Belgium, we are financially very limited and do have no building of our own. We have to rent spaces and also use private houses, making house-church. For that reason it is not possible to offer set days and hours for our meetings. In Newbury, it is different. There our brethren and sisters have their own hall and offer services on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with regular events on different days as well. Never be afraid to contact them or us to have further contact or to know about their and/our activities.

For the Carelinks (like the Antwerp Ecclesia) and Old Paths Christadelphians you shall have to contact them. We as Free Christadelphians are not bounded to any person or organisation and could be considered being part of the more progressive branch of Christadelphianism, having liberated ourselves from all boundaries of this world, only to be bounded to the sent one from God, the son of God, Jeshua, Jesus Christ.

One of us might have a strength in one area and another might be strong in another. We believe that when we can join hands to make ourselves stronger. We are convinced that when we come together in union, we all benefit and are made into the image of Christ.

We believe that all can help each other to grow in the Body of Christ, becoming more like Christ, pure and set apart. Coming together we give each other the opportunity to learn more about the Word of God, by sharing and discussing that set apart or holy Word. Together we can help each individual around us, to become part of a bigger unit, able to be compassionate, gentle, and to have a great capacity for mercy and forgiveness.

When coming to our ecclesia you should not be afraid that people would look at you as a strange intruder, because nobody would. Nobody shall go to point to the faults of yourself or others. Instead, you may find we try to use the strengths the Lord has given us to build up the body of Christ. We all have faults, and we all have gifts, and they are meant to work together. We all go for the same primary goal, to grow in the spirit according to God His Wishes, and to form a strong unit in the Body of Christ. By the influence of our fellowships you and we can have our character transformed.

At our ecclesia or church, we are people who want to share the hope in a better world. To reach that goal we know we have to start by ourselves and our own surroundings. We hope to inspire each other in our community of believers in Only One True God, but also to encourage those outside our community, to work at a relationship with Jesus, because when we seek him and not this world, he will teach us, and we will grow in all good things. A lot of this process is done through our brethren and sisters, who are here also for you!