_*Evangelizing* is the first “E” of the Four E’s of Evangelical Catholic Ministry.
Evangelization and Conversion
Evangelizing is inviting someone to conversion in Christ. But what exactly is conversion? Conversion is turning away from self-will to God’s will, that is, making a “fundamental option” for God. Some conversions are moral in nature —- a turning away from sin in repentance back toward God. Others are more intellectual. A person overcomes ideas or beliefs that are stumbling blocks and is able to embrace faith. While still other conversions are more of an awakening -— a realization that God wants to be more than just a little part of their life; that He wants an intimate relationship that imbues and informs every aspect of their life. Some are radical conversions, like in the case of St. Paul or St. Augustine, while others are a deeper surrender to God, whom they have always loved. Conversion can happen to those who have heard Christ’s message of love and forgiveness for the first time, as well to those who have heard it a thousand times. It can happen to the young or the old and in the midst of any circumstance. It can happen to adults who were baptized as infants and to people who are religious.
Conversion happens in increments. Often there is a time to which a person can look in their life, when they made a decision to turn definitively toward God. This “fundamental option” is almost always followed up by other significant moments in a person’s life in which they make anew their commitment to living for God rather than self. It may be in the midst of a newly-emerged temptation or it may be in the context of some revelation about one’s self -— a discovery of something within that has not yet been surrendered to God. And certainly, there is always the daily living out of God’s will, which requires ongoing, or continuous, conversion.
Conversion is initiated by God. He desires to be in an intimate relationship with each of his children. He sent Jesus for many reasons, one of which is to show us how we can have that intimacy with God for which, often unknowingly, our hearts long. It is only through Christ that we have tangible assurance of God’s total gift of self to us, of triumph over death, and of our hope for eternal life with God. Therefore conversion is not just about turning from self, but turning toward Jesus. When faith is stirred in a heart, it is God calling to that person, touching them with his love and presence, beckoning them to come deeper into life in Him. Evangelization is necessary to help people respond to God’s call and come into a personal and fulfilling relationship with Jesus. When we ourselves have experienced conversion, we naturally want to help others experience it as well.
Evangelization by Word, Life, and Community
Whatever notions we might have had, let us be clear that evangelization is not proselytizing, nor is it primarily apologetics. It is never aggressive or defensive in nature. Certainly through the sharing of faith, some might decide to become Catholic. Additionally, “apologetics,” that is, arguments for the reasonability of the Christian, and often, specifically, Catholic Christian faith, will be helpful to someone who has erroneous ideas about the beliefs of Christians, and more often the case, Catholic Christians. When explaining our beliefs with others, however, we must guard against losing sight of what it is we want for them. Are we trying to persuade people to see our version of reality? To prevail on them to subscribe to a set of doctrines? Have we been careful to guard against a triumphalist spirit that will tarnish and undermine our ability to share Christ’s invitation to life? These are pitfalls for which Christians must always be on the lookout. It is important to be able to explain the faith, especially in university settings where it is often dismissed out-of-hand as ridiculous, but apologetics must always remain a servant to evangelization, never become master.
How do we share the transformative power of Christ? It must begin in an authentic and personal sharing of the love that God has for each person through Jesus. We can reflect God’s love concretely through our words, lifestyle, and faith community. Yet, even within these specific arenas, it is easy to see that there are as many ways to evangelize as there are people. St. Paul adapted his methods to his audience. From preaching in synagogues to discussions about the unknown god with philosophers in Athens, he found a way to adapt his presentation of Jesus’ message. We too must adapt the way we communicate the Good News to each individual person. One person will require theological explanations, while simple kindness will communicate the love of Christ effectively to another. Given the unique needs of each person, it would be inappropriate to prescribe only one approach to evangelization. Instead of a single methodology or program, it is helpful to think of evangelization in terms of three dimensions: Word, Life, and Community.
Evangelization by Word
Evangelization by word is often considered the most uncomfortable and unfamiliar method of evangelization, especially among Catholics. We are used to sharing the Gospel through actions, such as working in soup kitchens. Many Catholics tend to feel inadequate, judgmental, or pushy when it comes to articulating the Good News in words. A good first step in overcoming these negative feelings about sharing Christ’s message with words is to reflect on the ways in which the Gospel has affected our own life and the lives of those we know. By doing this, we begin to trust that the Gospel is truly transformative. When we are convinced that Christ is our own source of life, we will recognize that it is worth the discomfort and risk involved in sharing the love of God with people in word as well as in action. Evangelization by word is necessary if people are to understand why we are involved in social justice and direct service like serving in soup kitchens. In a pluralistic culture such as ours, a verbal account is indispensable. Even among many Catholics, a clear articulation of what Christ has done for us, coupled with an invitation to respond to it, is often necessary for people to realize the fullness of the Good News. The Second Vatican Council observes that the faithful too often emphasize the witness of life to the exclusion of verbal proclamation:
This witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers[…]or to the faithful (Apostolicum Actuositatem, 6).
To help overcome the general reluctance toward proclamation, pastors and Church workers can regularly take time both from the pulpit and in educational settings to teach parishioners the two-fold nature of the Gospel: 1) God’s saving action in the world through Jesus Christ and 2) His call to respond to that action with repentance and love. They should also help parishioners understand that they are the primary way most people will hear of the Good News, and that they have both the right and the duty to lovingly share it. Parishioners often need the permission and the charge to render a more effective verbal witness to Jesus Christ.
The Urgency of Preaching Interior Conversion
By regularly calling parishioners to conversion, pastors, staff, and lay leaders present opportunities for people to respond, model evangelization, and reinforce the fundamental importance of turning away from self to God. Too often pastors and Church workers assume that their listeners are not in need of conversion. This assumption has two consequences. First, those who might be open to conversion are not given the opportunity to hear the basic message of the Gospel and respond. Second, the congregation may not comprehend that the love of God requires the response of conversion or, worse, gains the impression that God’s love does not, in fact, require initial and ongoing conversion. These parishioners will also miss any sense of responsibility for their lives before the Lord. Pastors, staff and lay leaders can help to create an environment in which this essential invitation permeates the consciousness of the entire parish, where calls to initial and ongoing conversion are regular, provocative and inspiring. In such an environment, the parish embraces and fosters a culture of conversion.
Arenas of Evangelization by Word
Evangelization by word can take place in many ways: a private one-on-one discussion with a friend or co-worker, in the Sunday homily, in Small Group Bible study, and even in more public venues, such as lectures and symposia.
Evangelization by Life
To evangelize by life is to live in a manner worthy of the Gospel. We are called to be the love, mercy, strength and hope of Christ to all people in a broken, hurting and sinful world. This takes place in the home, in the workplace, in the public square, and in acts of service. When someone asks us the reason for our hope, we should be able and ready to articulate an answer (1 Pet 3:15). As stated before, living out the Gospel in our daily lives, especially through service, is one of our strengths as Catholics, and it is a powerful witness to all of the transformative power of Christ. Conversely, if we do not live our lives as disciples of Jesus, our words will not only fail miserably, but will be a scandal and a stumbling block to those who are turned off by our hypocrisy. This does not mean, however, that one has to be perfect before one can share the Gospel! If that were the case, no one would ever be able to give witness to Jesus. It is a simple matter of being aware, honest, and humble about our weaknesses and failings. Conversion is not static. It is ongoing. Any witness you give through your life and words needs to demonstrate that reality. It begins often with an identifiable moment, but that is just the beginning of a journey filled with self-discovery and transformation. Even your biggest mistakes, followed up with repentance and a renewed commitment to overcoming that particular sin, is a powerful witness of life.
Evangelization by Community
To evangelize by community is to be, first and foremost, a community, whose members consciously strive to love, serve and encourage one another in the Christian life, and who have meaningful relationships with one another. Such a community is held together by a bond of love that is Jesus himself, present in a unique way, as he promised he would be when any two or three gathered together in his name. Such a community is not closed in on itself, but is always welcoming in others. We have witnessed countless lives changed through small Christian communities and the deep Christian friendship, or, fellowship, they experience through them. The love members have for one another, expressed through service, spiritual encouragement, and care and attention in times of need, is a profound witness. Evangelization often occurs when a member of the group invites a friend who has little or no experience of Christ to a small Christian community meeting. Very often, guests come to know Christ through the group and want to share in the fellowship that the Holy Spirit has generated within the community.
As relational beings we need others in order to grow, flourish and reach our God-given potential. A person is not an island! The life of discipleship, indeed, our very humanity, is essentially about our relationship with God and His people. Christianity loses its essence if it becomes merely a philosophy or set of ideas; it is a communal reality lived out in the fullness of the body of Christ. If we merely introduce people to the idea of Jesus, or even bring them into a personal relationship with Him, without also bringing them into the lived reality of Christ’s Body in our local parish, we will not be providing them with a balanced and wholesome engagement with their faith. This is why a small Christian community infrastructure is vital to healthy parish life.
Remember, Love Is What Matters!
As in all of our efforts to live the Gospel, love is what matters most. Without love we are annoying gongs and clashing cymbals (1 Cor 13). We succeed because it is only the love of Christ at work in us that makes our efforts successful. Love makes commitment possible. Without commitment, we might be able to witness to someone with our words, but we won’t be there for them when they are struggling to be faithful, when they are discouraged, and when they need our help. The love of Christ developed in prayer strengthens the interior life. Without that we cannot draw on the strength of God’s Holy Spirit, which makes any such work possible!
Evangelization Is Just the First Step
When we help people to see that God has been on their doorstep waiting, and they finally respond by opening the door, it is a beautiful thing! But we must remember that evangelization is just the first step in helping someone along their faith journey. Failing to follow through and help that person become a disciple of Christ is like planting a seed but not watering it. We follow up with those we have evangelized to help them grow and become firmly rooted in their faith.