We were talking about vacation. My friend told me about a hike & fishing tour he use to do every year in the mountains. This year his son had been old enough to join him. They had walk shorter distances, and enjoyed the fishing together. It had been a great experience.
Then I asked the silly question: Do you cook the fish over open fire by the creek, or are you able somehow to keep it fresh until you come back home?
– This is in area where you are not allowed to keep the fish, so it is mostly about “catch and let go,” my friend told me. And I was reminded that for a lot of people fishing is a sport, not a way to find food for the day.

Fishers of people
Jesus has called his disciples to “fish for people” (Matthew 4:19). Consequently, this is a concern in all Christian congregations and parishes. Very few people go to any church in Eurasia. There is an ongoing conversation about, how to attract people to church. Sometimes special concerts and other events are arranged. Sometimes special efforts are made to invite people to the regular worship services and other ministry.
It is encouraging to do these things, because very often people do come – people we have never seen in church before, or people who long ago used to come to church. But people who come tend to be visitors, they seldom stay in the Christian fellowship. 
Churches fish for people; they catch some – but what about the keeping. Is it mostly about “catch and let go?”

Keeping people
Some years ago, the authorities in Denmark made a questionnaire among youth about what they do in their free time. The evident result was that teenagers go where something interesting happens, but they stay where people care. 
This should not be a surprise. This is not true only about teenagers in a faraway country. This is true about all people around us. Events catch people interest. A friendly invitation, curiosity, searching for purpose of life, or a personal crisis may urge people to come to church. But they will only stay in the church if there is a caring fellowship. Not even a good liturgy and relevant sermons will keep them. Only the personal interest, genuine care and love from another Christian will convince them that it is worth staying in this church.

Who is the fisher?
This is not a letter to church boards. This is not even just for you who are official members of a church. This is a reminder that Jesus have called all believers to “fish for people”. At the judgment day, the question will be, whether we have cared for anybody or not. Jesus will say, “Truly I tell you, just as you [cared] for one of the least of these…, you did it to me.” (Matthew 24:40).
My friend brought his son, and taught him how to fish. Although he was young, he learned how to catch and let go. Even the weakest believer and freshest Christian can learn how to catch and keep.