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What Is Evangelism
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October 24, 2023Similar to many of my friends my age, I only fulfilled the minimum requirements to receive the sacraments when I was a kid. While most families in the community regularly attended church, mine seldom did. That, however, was not a barrier for Christ to change my life.
When I was 19 years old, I have a vivid memory of two African American women giving testimony to my mother at her dining room table. I had been busy preparing to go out, but when I overheard them mention the name of Jesus, I halted in my tracks and listened intently. There was an undeniable power in His name, and I could feel it.
Two weeks later, on Good Friday in 1979, I knelt in my bedroom and invited Christ to enter my life. Since that moment, I have never been the same. Prior to this experience, I had engaged in numerous evangelistic encounters with individuals who shared their life with Christ, each one, it seemed, was built upon the other. It was on that fateful day in 1979 that I reached a tipping point, and the rest, as they say, is history.
While my transformation was undoubtedly the work of Christ, it occurred through secondary causes, through individuals and circumstances, which is a way that God often reaches us.
What is Evangelism?
Evangelism can be defined as the act of spreading the Gospel through preaching or personal testimony, much like those two women did for my mother in 1979. In essence, it involves sharing the story of Jesus from our own experiences.
The essence of evangelism is telling others what Christ has done for us. It's not about delving into the intricacies of Christian ethics or discussing the latest changes in Catholic liturgy. In evangelism, our aim is to lead people to a personal relationship with Christ, not merely to a specific parish, church, or saint. Christ's mission isn't to make us more ethical or improved versions of ourselves; instead, He seeks to completely transform us, inviting us to partake in the life of the Trinity.
It's important for our loved ones, neighbors, and friends to be familiar with our spiritual path. Sharing insights about our relationship with Jesus will open the door for them to inquire further in due course. Nurturing a rich inner spiritual life is essential for everyone. If we feel a void within, it's crucial to reflect on the reasons behind it.
An encounter with God is transformative; no one can meet Him and remain unchanged. Are you on that transformative journey? Can you tell your story or are you apathetic about it? All of us should be capable of concisely sharing our testimonies about how Jesus has transformed our lives. What does He mean to you? Share that story.
I recently met a friend for dinner who posed direct questions about Jesus. We hadn't previously discussed faith matters, but he discerned where I stood because he knew about my relationship with Christ. I was able to succinctly share my story.
We don't need to preach; rather, we should subtly evangelize. Once those around us know about our faith life we can allow things to rest until God initiates a work in someone's life and when the moment comes we can evangelize. Other times a very direct approach is warranted.
At work one day, I was engrossed in a spiritually enriching book when a young colleague asked me what I was reading. This simple question opened the door for me to share my personal encounter with Christ. We now engage in numerous discussions about how Christ has shaped my life. In essence, we plant seeds through evangelism.
Personal Experience
One crucial aspect of effective evangelism is the requirement of personal experience. We mustn't let the authority of books, leaders, religion, or saints to replace the authority of having a genuine personal relationship with Christ. It's akin to a travel agent distributing brochures for a destination they've never visited.
Each of us must embark on the journey to that destination. What is that destination? It is the place within where Christ resides. The destination is the cultivation of a relationship with Him.
Listen now: The culmination of knowledge is not conceptual; it is experiential. Many speak about matters of faith without having truly experienced it, leading to a lack of passion and authority in their words.
Effective evangelism necessitates that both men and women have embarked on the journey themselves. When they have, it's evident in their conviction and demeanor; they speak with authority because they've been to the destination. Having personally experienced the destination, I can testify confidently, fervently and with passion that Jesus is exactly who he claimed to be. He is the Son of God, born, crucified, and resurrected on the third day. There exists no other name by which we can be saved.
Social Events
Parish social gatherings are wonderful events that bring neighborhoods together in a parish setting. They may inspire individuals to join your church, but to truly make these events evangelistic, Christ needs to be preached in some form. Francis of Assisi's timeless message, "Preach the gospel often and, if necessary, use words," reminds us of the importance of authenticity in our lives. However, it is crucial not to underestimate the importance of verbal testimony. Words carry great weight, as evidenced by the fact that God initiated creation through speech.
Historically all of the great movements of God, occurred as a direct result of the use of speech through preaching the gospel.
Our events may be labeled as evangelistic, but without the proclamation of Christ, they become quasi-evangelistic social gatherings. Albeit not without purpose but not as effective as they can be. There’s truly nothing quite like looking directly into someone’s eyes as they enthusiastically share their faith with passion.
Are you on fire for Christ?
Examples of Evangelism
I love direct evangelization using speech and blogs to share my story. It is something I feel comfortable with but we cannot assume that is the only way to evangelize. There are indirect methods we can use to share Jesus also.
I have been at this long enough to know we should not put God in a box on method and function. I recently learned this lesson again after stepping on the toes of a good friend who was evangelizing in a way that I would not have preferred. I later apologized. The point is we evangelize in a way that allows God to use our gifts and is suitable to our personality.
One Pastor in the city leads bible studies in a bar room. A friend from a different parish recently hosted a drive-thru prayer event at their church.
A friend at my parish evangelizes directly on the streets and in our church parking lot while another organized a movie night for neighborhood kids. Over 100 showed up. He was able to lead the kids into the church where many parents kneeled and prayed. Maybe just maybe one of those kids felt something holy in that church. My journey to Jesus came from my mother reading me bible stories as a little boy. It planted a seed that bloomed over time. You just never know….
Parish led walks in our communities are another way to evangelize as a group. The point is to make your faith known. Share your testimony don’t hide it under a bushel basket! I believe the vast majority of Catholics have left the responsibility of evangelizing to the leadership. Even worse some Pastors abrogate the responsibility by showing no passion, or preparation in their homilies.
The goal in evangelism is not to increase attendance at our parishes but to introduce people to Jesus. The natural result will be parishes that have more people.
We often place the cart before the horse.
Our parishes need to be seen and heard in our communities and Christ needs to be preached. The world culture, brothers and sisters, loves a silent church. Modernity hates a church that shows up.
Be seen and be heard.
Closing
Like many of you, I hold my family close in my prayers. My wife and I have 4 kids, 7 grandchildren and numerous relatives. My heart is concerned for each of them.
There are nights when I lie awake, earnestly asking God to reveal Himself to them just as He has to me. I find myself worrying about their church attendance and their focus on life’s generalities while often ignoring their spiritual life. Although my family is well aware of my spiritual journey with Jesus, I’ve noticed that sometimes our words lose their impact when they come from people who are too familiar to us.
I hold onto the hope that an inspiring evangelist will cross their paths and play a significant role in their lives. However, I also realize that I can be an answer to someone else's prayer by becoming that evangelist for another person. Let us strive to be the answer to those prayers and remain ever-ready to testify to the greatness of God in our own lives.