The film provided a small window of insight into the most effective way to catch salmon – quite an eye opener for a fishing virgin like myself! After the film, curiosity turned me to Google and I learnt all sorts of interesting tips and techniques for catching fish. Apparently, different fish like different bait! Live bait, prepared bait, artificial bait, dry flies, wet flies, streamers…you get the point!
Have I turned into a ‘feek’? (That’s a fishing geek – but don’t use it in Ireland where it means something else altogether!) Is this youth worker set to don a pair of waders, grab a line and head out to sea? Not likely!
So why the sudden interest in fishing? Because Jesus called out - ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’ (Matthew 4:19) We are told to fish for people and this includes the young people we work with. Do we strive to engage with young people in a way that pulls them out of the stream of confusion, apathy, and frustration that so often they swim in? If so, we need to do all we can to encourage them to grab onto the hook of the gospel that we put before them. And that, like with fish, requires the use of the right bait.
Gone are the days when we can rely solely on church based programmes and expect young people to turn up; they just aren’t interested. Our outreach strategy should involve looking beyond the church walls to identify bait the young people in our communities are likely to find attractive. This will be as varied as it is for fish - music, football, discussion, gaming, skating, bands, craft, food, books, film…anything that young people enjoy. We need to ask ourselves whether the bait we are currently dangling in the sea of youth culture is effectively gaining the attention of young people. If not, we fish in vain.
However, relying entirely on the bait is not enough to guarantee a net full. Good technique, knowledge and skill are also necessary components of a successful fishing trip. And again, this principle should be paralleled in our work with young people. If attractive programmes and events are the bait, then a youth worker’s skill, interests and resources are correct technique and equipment. The unique and God given gifts of the youth worker are a vital element of outreach and should always be considered alongside the interests and needs of young people.
If we are failing in our attempt to impact the lives of the young people we work with then perhaps we need to put down our fishing tackle, walk away from familiar waters and let Jesus show us when, where and how to fish!
Jo is an Associate Pastor from Basingstoke who has been involved in youth work for over twenty years. She loves to sit in a certain coffee shop and watch the world go by. This watching often leads to reflections on life, love, laughter and sometimes even the ludicrous! She is passionate about keeping church real and relevant, gender equality, and being able to preach in jeans and Converse! Follow @joroyal to see what she has to tweet about!
