"Go and Make Disciples"

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Hopey

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Has anyone been through this program/book put out by the USCCB?
Thoughts about it?
Good?
 
Hopey said:
Has anyone been through this program/book put out by the USCCB?
Thoughts about it?
Good?
Click to expand...
We did this many years ago. It was OK, nothing heterodox, but pretty ineffective in our parish.
 
Hopey said:
Why was it ineffective?
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More often than not the Catholic faith is seen by members as a list of boxes to be checked. Baptism -check. First Communion - check. Confirmation-check. Sunday Mass obligation-check.

While some of the most faithful and prayerful Christians I know are Roman Catholic, the average one I come into contact with sees their faith as above. That doesn’t leave a lot of motivation for something as hard as making Disciples.

Pax
 
ChurchSoldier said:
More often than not the Catholic faith is seen by members as a list of boxes to be checked. Baptism -check. First Communion - check. Confirmation-check. Sunday Mass obligation-check.

While some of the most faithful and prayerful Christians I know are Roman Catholic, the average one I come into contact with sees their faith as above. That doesn’t leave a lot of motivation for something as hard as making Disciples.

Pax
Click to expand...
I see what you are saying.
 
“bare minimums”, those who want to do just what is required, and leave them alone.
Those need to be on a prayer list forever because sometimes I think it takes prayer/fasting to ignite them.
 
“Go and Make Disciples” isn’t really a “program”. It gives guidance to parishes in formulating and executing their own goals and plans. It’s good enough for that purpose.

The document is over 20 years old, though, so parts of it may be dated (though the necessity to evangelize is never out of date).

I would probably suggest going through the more recent Disciples Called to Witness, though.

Evangelization and the New Evangelization is something that every parish needs to prioritize. Of course, this is easier said than done as many Catholics have become accustomed to thinking of evangelization as a “Protestant thing.” It definitely is not! We invented it! 😛

As Paul VI said, the Church exists in order to evangelize. It is our deepest identity. If we are not going out and making disciples, then why are we even here? Getting the average Catholic parish oriented in such a way requires a paradigm shift, though.

Towards that end, the recent books Rebuilt and Forming Intentional Disciples are great books for a parish staff to read through together and reevaluate what the parish is doing.
 
Joe_5859 said:
“Go and Make Disciples” isn’t really a “program”. It gives guidance to parishes in formulating and executing their own goals and plans. It’s good enough for that purpose.

The document is over 20 years old, though, so parts of it may be dated (though the necessity to evangelize is never out of date).

I would probably suggest going through the more recent Disciples Called to Witness, though.

Evangelization and the New Evangelization is something that every parish needs to prioritize. Of course, this is easier said than done as many Catholics have become accustomed to thinking of evangelization as a “Protestant thing.” It definitely is not! We invented it! 😛

As Paul VI said, the Church exists in order to evangelize. It is our deepest identity. If we are not going out and making disciples, then why are we even here? Getting the average Catholic parish oriented in such a way requires a paradigm shift, though.

Towards that end, the recent books Rebuilt and Forming Intentional Disciples are great books for a parish staff to read through together and reevaluate what the parish is doing.
Click to expand...
Thanks Joe.
I noticed when it was published also. If things are good, they can stand the test of time.
Those others look good.
 
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