The History and Theological Premise of Flirty Fishing (1977-1987)
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-20)
In the latter part of the ‘70s and early ‘80s, Father David, responding in part to the sexual liberality of that time period, presented the possibility of initiating a more personal and intimate form of witnessing which became known as “Flirty Fishing” or “FFing.” Flirty Fishing later developed into a ministry throughout the Family until it was discontinued in 1987.
In his Letters at that time, he offered the challenging proposal that since “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and His Son, Jesus, is the physical manifestation and embodiment of God’s love for humanity, then we as Christian recipients of that love are in turn responsible to be living samples to others of God’s great all-encompassing love. Taking the apostle Paul’s writings literally, that saved Christians are “dead to the law [of Moses]” (Romans 7:4), through faith in Jesus, Father David arrived at the rather shocking conclusion that Christians were therefore free through God’s grace to go to great lengths to show the love of God to others, even as far as meeting their sexual needs.
Although sex and love are not necessarily directly linked, sex was nevertheless seen as an undeniable human need, and one which much of humanity equates with love. Therefore, Father David proposed that the boundaries of expressing God’s love to others could at times go beyond just showing kindness and doing good deeds. He suggested that for those who were in dire need of physical love and affection, even sex could serve as evidence to them that we loved them with the Lord’s love, and were willing to sacrificially meet their sexual needs in order to show them that love.
History
Having traveled a lot in his former years to promote Gospel shows for radio and television, David knew firsthand the deep agony of loneliness that so many men and women endure when their jobs separate them from the arms and beds of loved ones. Then, too, so many people who do engage in sexual encounters may not receive the deep and reassuring love they seek.
One typically chilly London evening, David and Maria encountered a lonely businessman named Arthur at a ballroom studio. David suggested that Maria dance with Arthur and encourage him.
As David watched Maria warmly interacting with and witnessing to the tall man with the lonely eyes, he wondered just how far a Christian can go to show God’s Love to those in need. Here was a man in obvious need of love, reassurance and sex. Can a Christian even have sexual relations with someone in order to show God’s love for that person?
The Bible says that if we see a brother or sister without food, and only say nice words to them and send them on their way without food, we have done nothing (James 2:15-17). Of course, it is one thing to give a hungry person food, but could that same principle be applied to needs for love and and affection, and even sex?
And even if one did have the faith to share one’s own wife or husband to satisfy another person’s sexual needs, could they endure the inner hurt and fear of losing the one dearest to them? Would God be pleased with such sacrifices? After much thought and prayer, David decided that the answer had to be yes.
What better way to show them the Love of God than to do your best to supply their desperately hungry needs for love, fellowship, companionship, mental and spiritual communication and physical needs such as food, clothing, shelter, warmth, affection, a tender loving kiss, a soft warm embrace, the healing touch of your loving hands, the comforting feeling of your body next to theirs--and yes, even sex if need be!” (ML #501:50, April 1976, World Services)
So began the ministry of “Flirty Fishing” (FFing), as David dubbed it, and it didn’t take long for this unorthodox approach to evangelism to hit the news worldwide. Flirty Fishing was effectively used as an outreach ministry by the Family for close to ten years. Over 100,000 people were led to faith in Christ because of the sacrificial love of Family men and women who were willing to go to such lengths to share the Lord’s love.
The personal cost was very great. Although some mistakes were made along the way, those souls won to God’s Kingdom are truly eternal and well worth the sacrifices made for their sakes. The motivation for Flirty Fishing was not money or power, unlike what happens in society at large today where the beauty of women is used by advertisers to sell all manner of goods, and to seduce the masses for material gain. The motivation, guiding principle, and theological backdrop to this ministry was that going to such lengths to demonstrate God’s love could help the recipient to better accept and even understand God’s great love for them. Through this physical parallel of receiving love from a caring and believing Christian, they could better grasp the concept of receiving love from God Himself.
People who had never experienced God’s love could more easily believe that God loved them when their own personal need for love was met, when they received an expression of God’s love through tangible love of another human being who was sacrificially meeting their need for Jesus’ sake. The goal was that they could come to believe in and receive God’s Own loving gift of Salvation for them through His Own Son, Jesus, Who gave His life for them.
Discontinued in 1987
In 1987, Flirty Fishing was officially discontinued. The Family terminated the practice in order to emphasize other outreach ministries, and as a response to the threat of AIDS. Although the practice was discontinued, we believe the theological principles behind Flirty Fishing remain sound.
A Misunderstood Ministry
As an outreach ministry, Flirty Fishing was an extremely sac¬rificial method to employ in order to try to show a lonely and needy soul that God loved him or her. Father David stressed many times that it was the ultimate sacrifice in reaching out to oth¬ers, next to actual martyrdom, to be willing to go to such ex¬tremes in order to show someone a tangible sample (not just a sermon) of God’s love and concern. Two scriptures which express the motivation behind Flirty Fishing were frequently quoted by Father David: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13 and “Hereby perceive we the Love of God, because He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” 1 John 3:16.
Although this degree of sexual liberality expressed in the letters of Father David sent shock waves through the media and many religious institutions around the world, many people, most of whom would never even go near a church, were reached and won to Christ through this very humble, honest, open and intimately human approach to witnessing.