How to plan for Evangelizing?

[OneAugustKnight]

I’m on fire to evangelize everyone. I’ve studied so much, I know a lot. Where do I start? How do I go about evangelizing? I don’t want to put people off, and I have an enthusiasm that can be exhausting. Other practicing Catholics are astounded at my knowledge, but non-Catholics are difficult, and seem uninterested or offended by Catholicism.

 

[jmcrae]

I’m on fire to evangelize everyone. I’ve studied so much, I know a lot. Where do I start? How do I go about evangelizing? I don’t want to put people off, and I have an enthusiasm that can be exhausting. Other practicing Catholics are astounded at my knowledge, but non-Catholics are difficult, and seem uninterested or offended by Catholicism.

Find and join your nearest Legion of Mary - they need you!!

 

[twopekinguys]

I’m on fire to evangelize everyone. I’ve studied so much, I know a lot. Where do I start? How do I go about evangelizing? I don’t want to put people off, and I have an enthusiasm that can be exhausting. Other practicing Catholics are astounded at my knowledge, but non-Catholics are difficult, and seem uninterested or offended by Catholicism.

Try helping out with RCIA in your parish.

 

[fdesales]

I’m on fire to evangelize everyone. I’ve studied so much, I know a lot. Where do I start? How do I go about evangelizing? I don’t want to put people off, and I have an enthusiasm that can be exhausting. Other practicing Catholics are astounded at my knowledge, but non-Catholics are difficult, and seem uninterested or offended by Catholicism.

Begin evangelizing by praying and praying some more. One must have the proper humble attitude to effectively evangelize, not necessarily logical answers and knowledge… I learned this the hard way…

Regards,

Fdesales

 

[ThomasEugene]

like what fdsales said, pray, pray, pray! God will show you the way.

 

[choy]

I’m on fire to evangelize everyone. I’ve studied so much, I know a lot. Where do I start? How do I go about evangelizing? I don’t want to put people off, and I have an enthusiasm that can be exhausting. Other practicing Catholics are astounded at my knowledge, but non-Catholics are difficult, and seem uninterested or offended by Catholicism.

just be the best Christian you can be and let the light of Christ shine through you and be the beacon to others

forcing others to listen about Church history and scripture and other teachings will only turn them off if they’re not interested. but if they see you are a good person by your actions, you will pull them in, then they will become interested and then you can talk to them about Jesus

 

[OneAugustKnight]

Thanks for the replies. The nearest Legion of Mary is one hour away in another diocese, and I will inquire tomorrow. RCIA is taught by the priest in my parish, I will ask if I can help. I am trying to practice the guidelines for humility given by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. Thank you for reminding to pray. Sometimes I would rather study than pray but I am getting better about praying. My priest told me that was the most important, prayer. The exterior flows from the interior.

Daily Mass helps me a lot in this area also. I am more equipped to do anything the closer I am to the Sacraments.

One of the problems I run into is a group of women who ask me a question about Catholicism. I get excited because of the opportunity to evangelize, then when I start to explain they start telling stories of bad experiences people have had with the Church and complaining. So I just stop talking and stare at them and then they stop and change the subject.

If anyone has examples of situations where their actions attracted people I’d be interested to hear your stories. Right now I tend to ask non-Catholics about their philosophy, religion, and what they are doing, and I listen. I guess I will practice that a little more before I try to go any deeper.

 

[Catholic1954]

Maybe your parish could use help with their youth ministry? Does your diocese have a prision ministry? If they don’t you can start one, there is a huge need for prision ministers, and if anyone needs evangelizing it would be the forgotten prisioners.

 

[choy]

Thanks for the replies. The nearest Legion of Mary is one hour away in another diocese, and I will inquire tomorrow. RCIA is taught by the priest in my parish, I will ask if I can help. I am trying to practice the guidelines for humility given by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. Thank you for reminding to pray. Sometimes I would rather study than pray but I am getting better about praying. My priest told me that was the most important, prayer. The exterior flows from the interior.

Daily Mass helps me a lot in this area also. I am more equipped to do anything the closer I am to the Sacraments.

One of the problems I run into is a group of women who ask me a question about Catholicism. I get excited because of the opportunity to evangelize, then when I start to explain they start telling stories of bad experiences people have had with the Church and complaining. So I just stop talking and stare at them and then they stop and change the subject.

If anyone has examples of situations where their actions attracted people I’d be interested to hear your stories. Right now I tend to ask non-Catholics about their philosophy, religion, and what they are doing, and I listen. I guess I will practice that a little more before I try to go any deeper.

doesn’t have to be RCIA
you can teach PREP to kids and make sure they grow up as good Catholics. setting up the fundamentals means they don’t abandon the Church in their teens or early adulthood. its a big responsibility. its what i do today.

i’ve debated so much on the internet with protestants (mostly evangelicals) and athesists and agnostics. i know whats on the internet most of the time is not to be taken seriously, but i use it to practice what i would do in the real world. but i realized, those who are set in their beliefs will be hard to convince if you try and use logic and reason to attack the beliefs what they hold on to.

if i tell an evangelical why the Catholic Church is the true Church, i can bring up all the historical facts and documents, but fact is, they have their own list of “facts” that they will cling on to and reject your own facts. if you want to reel these people in, just go around being yourself and be the best Christian you can be. then when they start asking questions, thats the time you talk to them when they are receptive to what you have

 

[Alan55]

If you feel a strong desire to share your faith with others, you should do exactly that.

The best single book on evangelism is probably “Becoming a Contagious Christian” by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg of Willow Creek Community Church. It is written by evangelical protestants but has great tools that you can use as a Catholic. Very readable and practical.

I agree with those who counselled prayer. If you don’t have an active prayer life, your evangelism will be less effective. Prayer will shape your life and provide you with guidance regarding whom and how you should evangelize. Praying for people before you share your faith with them is very important.

I also recommend that you become better versed in your faith. In particular, read and study the scriptures and the Catechism. Evangelism (sharing the faith with others) is different from apologetics (defending the faith).

You will probably learn that you need to love others in order to earn the right to share your faith with them. Love comes first. A great testimony to the power of loving acts of service in evangelism is one of my other favorite books on evangelism, “Conspiracy of Kindness” by Steve Sjogren (also an evangelical protestant, pastor of a Vineyard church).

You might also want to check out www.evangelicalcatholic.com and similar websites.

In the end, the best way to learn and become effective at evangelism is to do it and learn from your experience. You’ll discover how God uses you to reach others (it’s different for every person) and how to grow.

 

[TimothyH]

I can’t tell you what to do but can tell you what I do…

I try to be as enthusiastic about my faith as others are about theirs. I find that to be the number one way, especially here in the deep south. I correct with firmly but with respect when someone challenges Catholicism and look for opportunities to show my love for Catholicism, Christianity and the Church whenever I can.

Another good technique is to just invite people to Mass. The liturgy is beautiful and they often get caught up in it, asking all kinds of questions about why the priest did somethign or what something represents. Mass can be an amazing experience for an Evangelical who has never been exposed to any kind of Liturgy. I offer to meet people in a nearby coffee shop before Mass and explain what they will see, the different parts of the liturgy and just generally explain things. I get there early, sit in the fourth or fifth row and let the guest sit along the aisle so they can see the priest during the liturgy of the Eucharist. I figure that Jesus can do the rest

Another thing I do is to keep a few one-page documents in my laptop bag as I travel around, stuff that I have written or some of the tracts from this site. On Ash Wednesday I handed out a one page doc which explained the ashes to a few moms whose kids I heard ask, “Mommy, why does that man have a cross on his forehead?” I even handed one out to another Catholic at a business meeting that day.

The hardest part for me is pride… not getting upset if someone should appear to have won an argument or is a better debater or if I should get flustered. Remember that the truth is not determined by who wins an argument and members of other faiths are not an enemy to be defeated. To paraphrase Scott Hahn, mothers hate it when their children fight and our Blessed Mother is no different.

Good luck, and pray before the blessed sacrament about it.

-Tim-

 

[Alan55]

…Another good technique is to just invite people to Mass.

That’s really good advice. When people who become Catholics are asked how they started coming to Catholic services and decided to become Catholics, the most frequent answer is that someone they know – usually a family member or friend – invited them to a service. Very simple, very effective. One person described Christianity as “one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”