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"Fishers of Men" by Tyler Philip Ratcliffe: Dropping Your Nets and Following Without Looking Back


Jesus doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called. 

“Fishers of Men” by Tyler Philip Ratcliffe was written back in July of 2024. It was the first Christian folk-style song that Tyler had ever written, and he had no idea at the time that God was going to pull him in that direction. It’s a favorite among his friends and family, and God recently laid it on his heart to share it with the rest of the world. 

Tyler Philip Ratcliffe - Fishers of MenThe song draws from the ordinary moments when Jesus walked up to fishermen and tax collectors and said two words that changed everything: “Follow Me.” 

What strikes you in the lyrics is the honesty. “My friends thought I was crazy, and my folks just shook their heads.” Following Jesus has always looked strange from the outside. Peter left a fishing business. Matthew walked away from a lucrative government post. Neither of these men had it all figured out, but they simply responded to a call they couldn’t ignore. 

Maybe you also know that feeling. The moment you stepped out of the lukewarm and into something real, not everyone understood it. 

Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” That wasn’t a suggestion, but an invitation into purpose — your purpose in His plan. Jesus doesn’t ask for perfection before He calls you. He asks for your availability, and your willingness to follow. The cross you bear in obedience to Him isn’t a burden, it’s proof that your story matters in the greatest story ever told. 

Stop waiting until you feel ready. Drop the nets, or whatever you’re working on. Get up and follow, even when you don’t understand where it leads. Listen to “Fishers of Men” by Tyler Philip Ratcliffe and let it encourage you to listen to His call. “And if that story leads me to a cross, it’s one I’ll gladly bear.”

(Related scripture: Matthew 4:19; Luke 9:23; Philippians 3:7-8)

Background:

“I actually wrote this one back in July of 2024. It was the first christian folk-style song I’d ever written and I had no idea God was going to pull me in that direction. Fishers Of Men has been a favorite among friends and family since then, and God recently laid it on my heart to share it with the rest of the world.

The messaging is simple: I want to follow Christ, even if it leads me to take up my own cross, I will bear it gladly for Him. I think a lot of us have stepped out of the lukewarm group, into the sold out, on fire followers and can relate to this song.”

Release date: June 5, 2026

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