Fishing for Men: How Jesus Calls His Church to Reach the World
We study the gospel, discuss it and defend it. But are we sharing it? Geoff Thomas brings us back to Christ’s call to become fishers of men. With searching application, vivid illustrations and warm pastoral encouragement, he urges every Christian to take up the work of making the Saviour known. Across fourteen chapters, Thomas explores Christ’s preaching, his miraculous provision, his call to discipleship, his power to save and his complete sufficiency in the Gospel.
For Christians conscious of their weakness, this book offers an enduring encouragement: Christ equips his people for the work he gives them, and their labour in him is never in vain. Christ is the net we are called to cast out and he is the only hope of salvation for those living in darkness around us. He is powerful to draw the lost to himself, and as we cast out our nets he will bring in his catch.
Be reminded of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ through the heart-warming yet challenging pages of this book by much-loved pastor and author Geoff Thomas.
Table of Contents
(1) Labouring at Night (2) Christ Preaches at the Lake (3) Christ’s Unique Preaching (4) The Great Sign That Confirmed Jesus’ Truthfulness (5) How Simon Peter Responded to Christ’s Glory (6) What Peter Saw That Made Him a Fisher of Men (7) Never Be Afraid! (8) From Now On You Will Catch Men (9) They Forsook All and Followed Him (10) Why All Christians Should Be Fishers of Men (11) The Second Miraculous Catch (12) Simon Peter Casts His Net (13) Simon Peter Explains How to Fish for People (14) Let’s Never Stop Fishing!
What is Fishing for Men about?
Geoff Thomas explores Jesus’ call to become fishers of men and shows how it applies to the whole church. Following Peter through the Gospels, Acts and his first epistle, he explains how Christ prepares his people to make the gospel known.
The book addresses ordinary church members as well as pastors and preachers. Its applications extend to conversations with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues, alongside the public preaching of the gospel. Geoff Thomas’ style is accessible and saturated with vivid illustrations, making this book a gripping read for every Christian believer.
Which Bible passages does the book explore?
The opening chapters of Fishing for Men primarily focus on the account of Peter’s calling in Luke 5. The latter half of the book features chapters on the risen Christ’s encounter with his disciples in John 21, Peter’s preaching at Pentecost in Acts 2, and Peter’s instruction to believers to give a reason for their hope in 1 Peter 3:15-16. In all these cases, Geoff Thomas pays close attention to the text and provides numerous Scripture references to illustrate his points.
How does the book reconcile God’s sovereignty with our call to evangelism?
Throughout the book, Geoff Thomas firmly grounds evangelism and the call to fish for men in God’s power to save. He encourages Christians to be hopeful and expectant in their evangelism, since the Lord is able to bring in a mighty catch even through those who feel inadequate or unskilled. Ultimately, it is through trusting God’s word and his sovereign will that we are enabled, by the Holy Spirit, to obey Christ’s command to cast our nets far and wide.
Does the book give practical advice about evangelism?
Whilst Fishing for Men contains many practical applications of God’s word, Geoff Thomas’ interest is not in “methods” or “helpful tips” when it comes to sharing Christ with those around us. Instead, as the preface highlights, a preoccupation with practical methods of evangelism can easily draw us away from Christ, the one who calls us to fish for men. In this light, Geoff Thomas encourages believers to seek a closer relationship with God, to warm their hearts with his word, and to be diligent in prayer. It doesn’t matter how “skilled” or “un-skilled” a Christian is in evangelism; if they are filled with the Holy Spirit and are on fire with their love for Christ, then their love for their Saviour will pour out into their lives and make them fruitful fishers of men and women.
