Jesus and His Fishermen

Randal Teague has fished since he was five. He's caught tarpon along Central America's Caribbean shoreline jungles and sailfish off its mountainous Pacific coast, Nile perch in East Africa's largest of lakes, tuna and dolphin in the Gulf Stream, and white salmon from the nearly frozen waters of Russian Siberia. Add the fierce vampire fish of the Orinoco River between Colombia and Venezuela, halibut off Alaska's south coast, flounder in the Atlantic's barrier island channels, trout in streams too many to count, and lowly shad within sight of the Lincoln Memorial in our nation's capital. He's had days and bad nights in which he hooked not a single finny creature. It's at moments like those that he tamped down his disappointment by recalling Jesus's disciples, future saints though they were, had frustrating nights of empty nets on the Sea of Galilee.

When Teague walks the shorelines of that iconic sea, he is aware of the roles fishermen and their fishing had in the life of Jesus for ~ Jesus chose Galilee and its inland sea around which to build his ministry. He centered that ministry around fishing villages, especially Magdala and Capernaum. His first four disciples were each a fisherman. Three, each a fisherman, of the twelve witnessed his momentous transfiguration. He filled his disciples' nets with abundant fish when those disciples had failed to catch any or many, and He used Peter's fishing boat as a platform from which to address a multitude and used Peter's fishing boat to transport him from shore to shore to avoid overland lengthy and treacherous travel. Jesus's knowledge of fish, fishing and fishermen is a seldom told account from the Bible. Teague has every intention to make it widely known!

So why fishermen? Because Jesus chose them first—and the author has lived their life.

There has seldom been a more important time for Christians to reclaim Jesus and his message for their selves, families, communities, and nation. Yet Christian values have never been as unknown, forgotten, or sidetracked as they are now. Amid the social chaos now permeating America, Christianity is losing ground to other faiths on one hand and lack of faith on another. It's as if the light of the Christian faith is being hidden under the proverbial basket.

Christianity must regain the commanding heights of public opinion in religious edifices, classrooms, and extracurricular settings from kindergarten through college; news broadcasts and entertainment venues; government, law schools, and courts of justice; and associations of volunteers. Proud acknowledgment of personal, family, and faith-based values should replace defensive cringe at their mere mention.

Christians must commit themselves to adding and multiplying, not subtracting and dividing. We can do that in working with other believers who value each person as a unique creation. Jesus and His Fishermen motivates us to achieve that goal. We see evidence for this among young adults.