"we don't really evangelize here. . ."

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New Evangelization?

Just an excuse around here for just talkin’

No one really wants to actually get out and try to bring people in. My parish priest would be glad to have a little STUDY group meet for six months or a year to discuss it amongst ourselves.

That’s about it.

Is anyone really DOING it? Going into the public and gently but persuasively finding ways to draw people to Christianity?

Too much talk, IMHO, and too little action.
 
Here is a link to a group which is doing evangelization:
streetevangelization.com/what-we-do/

I have not participated in this group as there is no chapter close to where I live.

I might add that this is not the only form of evangelization. Talking with friends, neighbors, co-workers (when that won’t get you fired or reprimanded), relatives, about your faith is another. That’s even more difficult than talking to strangers on the street, but it can also be more rewarding. Works of mercy will aid evangelization as well.

I think the question for all Catholics is not whether God is calling us to evangelize, but whom we are to evangelize and in what manner.

Thank you for your post, but I am now aware of one more way in which I fall short.
 
Captain_America said:
New Evangelization?

Just an excuse around here for just talkin’

No one really wants to actually get out and try to bring people in. My parish priest would be glad to have a little STUDY group meet for six months or a year to discuss it amongst ourselves.

That’s about it.

Is anyone really DOING it? Going into the public and gently but persuasively finding ways to draw people to Christianity?

Too much talk, IMHO, and too little action.
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What type of evangelization efforts would you like to see?
Mary.
 
GCTSgrad said:
I might add that this is not the only form of evangelization. Talking with friends, neighbors, co-workers (when that won’t get you fired or reprimanded), relatives, about your faith is another. That’s even more difficult than talking to strangers on the street, but it can also be more rewarding. Works of mercy will aid evangelization as well.

I think the question for all Catholics is not whether God is calling us to evangelize, but whom we are to evangelize and in what manner.
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I agree with this, also that living one’s life as a Catholic should attract people to the Church. Years ago, as a Protestant, we used to go out and collar people on the street: “Do you know Jesus?” or “Have you been saved?” I don’t recall getting any converts that way.

On the other hand, we know a family that has slowly come into the Church. The husband first, then a couple of the older kids, then his wife and the younger kids. The husband was (is) living a very faithful, peaceful, attractive Catholic faith. I wouldn’t be surprised if this family ends up being responsible for more conversions.

On the other hand (third hand?) there is street theater. If done well it can attract people in a non-threatening way, make them think, and perhaps lead them into the Church. But I live in the boonies. Is street theater still done in the cities?
 
The street evangelization thing was featured on a recent Catholic Answers Live broadcast. There is probably an archive of it somewhere on this site.

A lot, well, maybe some at least, Evangelize by example, and that is more effective than you might think. It’s subtle, but over time plants that “mind virus” that bears fruit.

In my particular case, due to a lot of circumstances, I have been able to have many (perhaps 20 or 30 that I can count) nudged back into the fold after they felt abandoned due to a lot of combined prejudice, misinformation, and full out attacks.

But that is a mission I’m convinced I was called to do.

Perhaps, in our own way, we are all called similarly, each according to their talent and circumstances. That gets to the heart of the OP question… use your talents, your unique circumstance, all the gifts you were given to best honor Him.

Blessings,
Stephie
 
Bonnie said:
I agree with this, also that living one’s life as a Catholic should attract people to the Church. Years ago, as a Protestant, we used to go out and collar people on the street: “Do you know Jesus?” or “Have you been saved?” I don’t recall getting any converts that way.

On the other hand, we know a family that has slowly come into the Church. The husband first, then a couple of the older kids, then his wife and the younger kids. The husband was (is) living a very faithful, peaceful, attractive Catholic faith. I wouldn’t be surprised if this family ends up being responsible for more conversions.

On the other hand (third hand?) there is street theater. If done well it can attract people in a non-threatening way, make them think, and perhaps lead them into the Church. But I live in the boonies. Is street theater still done in the cities?
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Even as a Christian being “collared” by people on the streets totally turned me off!! I think that the Catholic Church is doing a great job of evangelizing…There are 3 (I think) television stations, radio stations, and many books!

On the radio stations you have shows such as Catholic Answers, Open Line, Women of Grace, Teresa Tomeo in the morning…so many valuable and knowledgeable teachers. At some point it’s up to the laity to take their example and go out in the best way that you can and share the Word.

God bless!

Rita
 
I think the best way to evangelize is one on one.

Let people know that you are Catholic – don’t hide it from co-workers or neighbors. Be open to their questions and possibly objections. Be the person they know they can come to if they want to know more.

I don’t think there’s a need for a special program. There’s a need to live out our faith whole-heartedly and joyfully. Don’t be the proverbial church lady who sneers at everything. Let God’s love shine in you and through you.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I think the best way to evangelize is one on one.

Let people know that you are Catholic – don’t hide it from co-workers or neighbors. Be open to their questions and possibly objections. Be the person they know they can come to if they want to know more.

I don’t think there’s a need for a special program. There’s a need to live out our faith whole-heartedly and joyfully. Don’t be the proverbial church lady who sneers at everything. Let God’s love shine in you and through you.
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Excellent post. Thanks!
 
Ditto to the prior 2 posts. “Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence.”
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I think the best way to evangelize is one on one.

Let people know that you are Catholic – don’t hide it from co-workers or neighbors. Be open to their questions and possibly objections. Be the person they know they can come to if they want to know more.

I don’t think there’s a need for a special program. There’s a need to live out our faith whole-heartedly and joyfully. Don’t be the proverbial church lady who sneers at everything. Let God’s love shine in you and through you.
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. . . right, right, but I have questions for you on this tack.

The pace of modern life is such that many of us simply don’t have deep interactions with more than a tiny fraction of the persons with whom we come into contact.

Most of the people we meet may not even remember our name! The “old society” of face-to-face relationships, in a stable community, in which the tireless, ongoing, long-term cultivation of personal appreciation? . . . it’s long gone.

The whole “live as you see me living” thing is a dead tree. It just doesn’t reach out beyond your immediate family.

What’s needed is for Christians to reach non-christians. And to do it effectively, it DOES take some practical thinking and practical effort.

Me, I’m not keen on arguing in the streets. OF COURSE, one on one is best. . . but this is such a rare occasion that it’s a bit like saying it’s best if we meet our One True Love sitting in the pew behind us at church. NOT very practical or probable.

IF a person wants to do more than influence a long-term close friend to come to church, great. But that person probably won’t be doing more than invite 2-3 persons in his lifetime.

I BELIEVE that the saying attributed to St. Francis about evangelizing “by example, and use words if necessary” is just too cutesy, so cutesy that it stops critical rational thought about the whole subject.

WHAT IF people just think you’re a nice guy? WHAT IF 99.5% of the people you deal with NEVER see you in any long-term fashion, NEVER know that you are Christian?

In 2015, the whole “evangelize by example” idea is DOA.
 
“In 2015, the whole “evangelize by example” idea is DOA.” Yes. Most of my evangelizing is through work/social encounters when I’ll have a few minutes to answer questions about Catholicism. Otherwise it’s via the net.
 
Wow. Either you all don’t get out much, or you don’t realize who you are evangelizing to by example.
Your byline says you catechize 6th graders.
Your presence, your words, an your life is an evangelization. For someone to not evangelize with their lives, one would have to literally be a hermit.
Any kindness to a stranger is an exercise in Christian action. Evangelizing doesn’t only mean reading Scripture to a person. The world learns what it means to be a Christian by observing Christian actions: at the soup kitchen, in the workplace, on the ball field.
Mother Theresa was a great evangelizer. But I bet she didn’t read Scripture to suffering people much as she was demonstrating God’s love to them. Every time we serve, we evangelize. Every action in the name of Christ, is a teaching moment.
IMHO
 
Captain_America said:
The pace of modern life is such that many of us simply don’t have deep interactions with more than a tiny fraction of the persons with whom we come into contact.
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I’m not sure how deep you think a relationship has to be in order to have influence.

People remember things you say. If someone asks what you’re doing tonight and your answer is that you have something going on at church, they may ask what church. And then they remember.

Or maybe someone talks about a serious illness and you respond with something like “I’ll keep you in my prayers.” They remember.

Or someone asks about the medal you wear everyday and you explain that it’s a St. Benedict medal and that you’re wearing it because you’re an Oblate…then go on to explain what that means. They remember.

Or when you return from a week off and a co-worker remarks on how relaxed you look and asks if you were at a spa. And your answer is no, I was on a religious retreat last week. They remember.

And down the line if they see you as an approachable person a conversation may start out with “you’re Catholic, aren’t you? I was wondering about…” And it goes from there. And who knows where it may end up.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I’m not sure how deep you think a relationship has to be in order to have influence.

People remember things you say. If someone asks what you’re doing tonight and your answer is that you have something going on at church, they may ask what church. And then they remember.

Or maybe someone talks about a serious illness and you respond with something like “I’ll keep you in my prayers.” They remember.

Or someone asks about the medal you wear everyday and you explain that it’s a St. Benedict medal and that you’re wearing it because you’re an Oblate…then go on to explain what that means. They remember.

Or when you return from a week off and a co-worker remarks on how relaxed you look and asks if you were at a spa. And your answer is no, I was on a religious retreat last week. They remember.

And down the line if they see you as an approachable person a conversation may start out with “you’re Catholic, aren’t you? I was wondering about…” And it goes from there. And who knows where it may end up.
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👍
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I’m not sure how deep you think a relationship has to be in order to have influence.

People remember things you say. If someone asks what you’re doing tonight and your answer is that you have something going on at church, they may ask what church. And then they remember.

Or maybe someone talks about a serious illness and you respond with something like “I’ll keep you in my prayers.” They remember.

Or someone asks about the medal you wear everyday and you explain that it’s a St. Benedict medal and that you’re wearing it because you’re an Oblate…then go on to explain what that means. They remember.

Or when you return from a week off and a co-worker remarks on how relaxed you look and asks if you were at a spa. And your answer is no, I was on a religious retreat last week. They remember.

And down the line if they see you as an approachable person a conversation may start out with “you’re Catholic, aren’t you? I was wondering about…” And it goes from there. And who knows where it may end up.
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I’d have to second that. Several times, I have gotten those questions at work. Anything from “where can I buy a rosary?” To “you are catholic, right? What do you do about…”, to “can you recommend a good gift for a friend of mind who is catholic” to “hey, I hear you have a Bible study going. Can you include me on your distribution list”.

Word gets out. Your example is vitally influential, either for the good or not so good.

Blessings,
Stephie
 
. . . . the Unspoken Problem raised by the By Example Crowd is this:

how on earth does a person to whom you have done a kindness, actually recognizes this kindness as based upon your Christian belief?

They don’t know you. They don’t hear you mention the word Jesus. You do a nicety—TONS of Americans believe in the idea that “mean people suck” and have been raised to simply be nice.

It is very possible to be nice and be an atheist. It’s possible to be nice and be a Buddhist.

How can the “By Example Crowd” really—honestly----get the Christian message across, when we live in a sea of basic niceness and kindness?

Why be Christian at all?
 
I think it’s vastly telling that atheists in America have been pointedly saying that it IS possible to be an atheist and be a nice person.

The quiet example business is simply not recognized as motivated by much of anything, when you are being an example to MOST people you meet.

Surely those you spend a great deal of time around should recognize that you are a Christian----but again, the By Example Crowd seem to think that these people will draw a logical connection between your action and your religious belief!

I’m not so convinced people do this all that often. . . simply because “you’re SUPPOSED to be nice” at work.
 
Words and actions go together.

Sure, if you just see someone doing something helpful for a co-worker, you don’t know what the motivation is. But as you get to know people you do find out about their motivations.

And people can see whether words and actions are consistent or not. If you loudly proclaim your Christianity while lying to the boss or stealing office supplies, people will notice. But they notice the other side as well.

I remember one day at work several people were standing around and criticizing someone who wasn’t there. I started in as well, then after a few words stopped myself and said “whoa, that isn’t nice, is it.” And an atheist co-worker – an atheist! – said “Wow…you really are a Christian, aren’t you?”

I suppose the ideal would be for her to say “I want to be just like you” and head off to be baptized. That didn’t happen. But we have had a number of conversations since then. A lot of them start out with “hey, I heard your pope say [something]. Do Catholics really believe [whatever it was he talked about]?” And we chat a bit about it. And I hope that seeds are planted.

I’m not an in-your-face kind of person. I’m not going to collar a stranger and try to convince them that Christ is the answer. If I do a favor for someone I don’t tell them that it’s because my faith tells me to love my neighbor. But I do hope that I live a life that is authentic in the sense of being consistent between words and deeds. And I hope that I live a life that reflects God’s love in my life and the joy that comes from that.
 
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