P
PeterJohn
Guest
The call to evangelize.*
“…You shall be witnesses unto me…” *Acts 1:8
E-van-ge-lize (Verb)
To:
Convert or seek to convert (someone) to Christianity
Or,
Preach the Christian gospel through words or actions.*
Sharing Christ with others is a simple yet important call to all Christians. By following a few key points, anyone can answer the call to evangelize.*
Don’t be afraid! Being the person who brings up scripture as a conversational piece, or the one who argues a Christian position on a political issue can make you fee
A bit out of place in a secularized world. But that is what we are called to do in the name of evangelization.*
Friendship. Friendship is the context of the simplest type of evangelization. Our relationship with God influences our everyday life. So is true with any relationship. We must allow our friendships with the people in our lives influence them for the better.*The best way to do this is to concentrate on being Christ-like in all our relationships. Show others by your life that being catholic is a morally rich and rewarding path.
Who and when? It is our duty as God’s children to evangelize our fellow men and women. Although our priests and bishops have received a special call from God to serve him in many ways, it is the layperson’s job to hold Christ in their hearts and love our neighbors. It is you who are called to evangelize and now has always been the time for it. We can see the need in the world around us everyday and we should start in our own town, in our own parish and in our own families.*
Be Prepared. Prepare yourself for evangelism by praying and studying the Bible and or catechism, everyday if possible. Begin by asking God to touch your very own life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray individualy for each and every person you are trying to reach. Even if you don’t see your friends come to Christ right away, keep praying! Remember, we simply present Christ to our friends, pray, and the Holy Spirit does the work!
Be Enthusiastic. Are you enthusiastic about your catholic faith? Christ died for our sins and gave us the wonderful gift of Holy Communion so that we, as Catholics could partake of a union with God unlike any other, that alone is reason to be filled with joy! If someone was asked if they would like to tryout your church based solely on the joy they see in your life due to being catholic, would they be interested in coming to your church? Finding renewed excitement about Christ and the church is key to staying joyful. Join or start a prayer group, bible study, religious book club or other activity. Perhaps make reading the bible part of an everyday devotion to our Lord. Connect with other parish members to strengthen the family bond instituted by Christ. Beginning with enriching and exciting your own life is a great start to doing the work of evangelizing.
Be Authentic. People don’t only see the truths of the gospel, they see our lives. It’s nearly impossible to ignore someone who authentically lives out his or her convictions. But it’s easy to discount someone who says one thing and does another.
Be on the lookout for Opportunities. In the past month, how many of you have eaten a meal with a lapsed Christian or non believer? How many of you have spent recreational time recently with those in need of Christ?The chance to evangelize presents itself everyday in most people’s lives. Simply living in this secularized world gives us ample opportunities to show how God can make a difference in anyone’s life.
Last and most important, Pray. Prayer is the very center of evangelization. We simply bring the message by means of our lives and words, and the Holy Spirit does the rest.
“…You shall be witnesses unto me…” *Acts 1:8
E-van-ge-lize (Verb)
To:
Convert or seek to convert (someone) to Christianity
Or,
Preach the Christian gospel through words or actions.*
Sharing Christ with others is a simple yet important call to all Christians. By following a few key points, anyone can answer the call to evangelize.*
Don’t be afraid! Being the person who brings up scripture as a conversational piece, or the one who argues a Christian position on a political issue can make you fee
A bit out of place in a secularized world. But that is what we are called to do in the name of evangelization.*
Friendship. Friendship is the context of the simplest type of evangelization. Our relationship with God influences our everyday life. So is true with any relationship. We must allow our friendships with the people in our lives influence them for the better.*The best way to do this is to concentrate on being Christ-like in all our relationships. Show others by your life that being catholic is a morally rich and rewarding path.
Who and when? It is our duty as God’s children to evangelize our fellow men and women. Although our priests and bishops have received a special call from God to serve him in many ways, it is the layperson’s job to hold Christ in their hearts and love our neighbors. It is you who are called to evangelize and now has always been the time for it. We can see the need in the world around us everyday and we should start in our own town, in our own parish and in our own families.*
Be Prepared. Prepare yourself for evangelism by praying and studying the Bible and or catechism, everyday if possible. Begin by asking God to touch your very own life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray individualy for each and every person you are trying to reach. Even if you don’t see your friends come to Christ right away, keep praying! Remember, we simply present Christ to our friends, pray, and the Holy Spirit does the work!
Be Enthusiastic. Are you enthusiastic about your catholic faith? Christ died for our sins and gave us the wonderful gift of Holy Communion so that we, as Catholics could partake of a union with God unlike any other, that alone is reason to be filled with joy! If someone was asked if they would like to tryout your church based solely on the joy they see in your life due to being catholic, would they be interested in coming to your church? Finding renewed excitement about Christ and the church is key to staying joyful. Join or start a prayer group, bible study, religious book club or other activity. Perhaps make reading the bible part of an everyday devotion to our Lord. Connect with other parish members to strengthen the family bond instituted by Christ. Beginning with enriching and exciting your own life is a great start to doing the work of evangelizing.
Be Authentic. People don’t only see the truths of the gospel, they see our lives. It’s nearly impossible to ignore someone who authentically lives out his or her convictions. But it’s easy to discount someone who says one thing and does another.
Be on the lookout for Opportunities. In the past month, how many of you have eaten a meal with a lapsed Christian or non believer? How many of you have spent recreational time recently with those in need of Christ?The chance to evangelize presents itself everyday in most people’s lives. Simply living in this secularized world gives us ample opportunities to show how God can make a difference in anyone’s life.
Last and most important, Pray. Prayer is the very center of evangelization. We simply bring the message by means of our lives and words, and the Holy Spirit does the rest.
