Living in a creative-access country and sharing God’s love is much like fishing. We draw near to the water, prepared with the best lures and hooks available (training, spiritual depth, emotional readiness and cultural understanding), and then cast our line. Again and again, we cast and reel in—always praying that God will place us in the right location at the right moment to meet a sincere seeker of truth.
What do these ‘lures’ look like? you may wonder. These lures—which must attract the hearts and minds of seekers—can be as simple as living with intentionality in everything you do and say. While you may not be able to openly declare that you are in the country to share God—because that may be illegal—you can and should demonstrate that you are a deeply spiritual person who communes daily with the Almighty.
So we cast our line with the lure and hook appropriate for the fish we might find in that region.
Lures might look like praying openly in a culture that values public prayer, posting spiritual reflections on social media, using expressions like “Praise God” or “Thanks be to God” in everyday conversation, or explaining that you cannot meet for a football game on Friday evening because it is the time you have set aside each week to be with God. These are visible expressions that quietly communicate: God is the center of my life. Do you want to know why?
One day, while living in a creative-access country, I posted a simple story about Joseph and his eleven brothers in colloquial Arabic on my WhatsApp status. It immediately sparked responses. Some were surprised that my Holy Book included Joseph. But one message stood out—it was an attraction to the lure and a bite on the hook.
A friend wrote privately, asking if he could pose a serious question: “Do you believe that the God you serve is the same as the God of my religion?”
The fishing line tightened.
We arranged to meet in person, as such conversations are not always safe or effective online. As he opened his heart, he shared something deeply personal. Many nights, he lay awake wondering: What if Jesus truly is God—and I am rejecting Him? He had no answers, but he needed to know.
We spent hours together, exploring who God is and seeking truth. That journey is still ongoing as God patiently, skillfully guides my friend to the hook. There were many facets to convince him to begin to believe in Jesus as the Son of God. I pray that at least one of them will instill a desire to serve Him and to commit to Him.
Across creative-access countries, many are quietly searching for truth, often with nowhere to turn. While the Holy Spirit can reveal truth directly, He frequently chooses to work through people to reach people.
The question is: Are you willing to be a fisher of men, living intentionally in a place where few know the truth—simply allowing your life to point others to God?
I pray you will consider joining AFM in this mission with the vision of reaching the unreached in this generation.
