Many believers would like to share their faith with others, but they struggle with how to effectively reach out to those who are not part of a parish community. They are often primarily surrounded by fellow believers and feel unsure about how to bridge the gap between their church community and those outside it.
Here are some actionable ideas for Catholics looking to expand their reach and invite unchurched individuals into their faith community. Yes, Christians can overcome the initial hurdle of not knowing unchurched people and begin to create meaningful connections that may lead to opportunities for sharing their faith and inviting others to experience the church community.
- Leaving our comfort zones. It’s easy for Christians to stay within their existing circles of friends and family, but to reach the unchurched, they must be willing to go to where they are.
- Friendship evangelization, built on genuine and loving relationships, is the most effective way to reach unchurched people. Christians should focus on building authentic connections with unchurched individuals by engaging in activities they enjoy, offering support and assistance, and being genuinely interested in their lives.
- Sharing our own faith stories and testimonies. Personal stories make the Christian faith relatable and demonstrate how Jesus can transform lives.
- Addressing common objections. Many unchurched individuals have misconceptions about Christianity, so it’s important to approach our conversations about faith with empathy and understanding.
- Creating a welcoming environment that makes it easy for newcomers to connect. This includes providing clear information about the church, offering relevant programs and events, and being intentional about follow-up.
- Inviting unchurched people to church events, especially those designed for newcomers. Examples include Alpha courses, seeker-friendly services, sacred music concerts, and community outreach events.
- Small groups are crucial for nurturing new believers and helping them grow in their faith. They provide a safe and supportive environment to ask questions, share struggles, and develop deeper relationships with other Christians.
- Praying for opportunities to share our faith and for the hearts of the people we are trying to reach. Prayer is the foundation of effective evangelization and helps believers rely on God’s power to draw people to himself.
Finally, remember that reaching out to the unchurched is not just about growing church numbers or fulfilling a religious duty. It’s about sharing with love the transformative power of faith and the Good News of Jesus-Chrsit with those who may be searching for meaning, community, and spiritual fulfillment in their lives.
Pierre-Alain Giffard, Director of Pastoral Work
Articles on evangelization and parish revitalization:
- Bible Sharing Guide for Small Groups: A Synodal Approach
- Bringing People to Christ by Inspiring Love and Praise for God
- Proclaiming God’s Word: A Sacred Call
- From Decline to Renewal: The Transformation of New Life Church–Farmington
- The Church’s Social Doctrine and Evangelization
- Kindness: A Christian Perspective
- How to Bring Someone to Christ
- The Ultimate Purpose of Human Life – Glorifying God
- From Near-Death to New Life: A Rural Church’s Revitalization Journey
- Evangelization simply: “Taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Psalm 34:8)
- Revitalization of Rural Churches
- Attracting Converts to the Catholic Faith
- Addressing Low Attendance in Churches
- Fostering a Sacred Atmosphere during the Sunday Mass
- Prayer to be baptized in the Holy Spirit
- Jesus is Thirsty for Souls
- Praying And Sharing The Good News With God’s Redemptive Names
- Embracing the Call to Evangelize
- What is Most Pleasing to God? Bringing Souls to Christ
- The Growth of the Church of the Nativity (Fr. Michael White)
- Deliverance Prayer, by Fr. Stephen J. Rossetti (AUDIO – mp3)
- The Growth of Saint Benedict Parish (Fr. James Mallon)
- Five Pillars of the Christian Life
- Encountering Christ: The Path to Transformation
- What does it mean to have a personal relationship with Jesus?
- Unleashing The Evangelization Potential of Your Parish
- The Ultimate Goal of Evangelization
- God’s Longing for Love and our Mission to Make it Known
- A prayer for those whom we wish to encounter Christ
- Memorable Sundays
- Fr. Bedard’s Three-Step Blueprint for Evangelisation
- Guide for The Missionary Transformation of Parishes
- Divine Encounters: A Practical Guide for Small Evangelization Groups
- The Missionary Transformation of Sant’Eustorgio Parish
- Creating Vibrant Faith Communities: Insights from ‘Excellent Catholic Parishes’
- Sharing The Gospel According to People’s Needs And Receptivity
- A Prayer for Inviting Others to Evangelization Meetings and Services
- Welcoming Church Guests and Visitors: Dos and Don’ts
- Various Dimensions of Evangelization
- The True Measure of Success
- Pope Francis on Evangelization
- Revitalizing the Rural Parish for Mission
- Factors Leading to Christian Conversion
- Evangelizing Through Random Acts of Kindness
- Questions To Start Spiritual Conversations
- Three Feet From Gold
- Spreading the Gospel One Act at a Time
- Gather, Witness and Invite
- Prayer to Receive the Spiritual Gifts of The Holy Spirit
- The Language of Evangelization
- Key Factors for Parish Growth According to Rich Birch
- How to defeat Satan?
- Bringing Love, Hope and Healing Through the Gospel
- Love: Our Fundamental Vocation
- Touched by the Master
- A Man, a Dog, and the Ultimate Love
- The essence of evangelization: Loving God and our neighbours
- Loving Our Enemies and Reconciling with Others
- A Powerful Prayer for Healing: You Are The LORD Who Heals Me
- Living a Life of Love: Mother Teresa’s Legacy
- Living a Life of Love: Lessons from the New Testament
- In The Shadows Of Darkness, A Powerful Force Is At Work
- 19 Pastoral Orientations for Parish Renewal and Growth
- The Missionary Renewal of Catechesis
- Characteristics of missionary parishes
- Powerful healing prayer attributed to St. Padre Pio
- We are called to share our faith with others
- Should we seek to grow the Church?
- Find a Need and Fill It – Revealing God’s Heart in the Community
- 15 Habits to Evangelize on a Daily Basis
- The Church’s Mission
- Three Barriers to Building An Invitational Culture In Your Parish
- The Relational Evangelizer
- Doing Church at Home
- The Blind Girl
- A Group of Frogs
- The Elephant Rope
- A Shared Faith is a Growing Faith
- In The Shoes Of The Unchurched
- Parish Evangelizing Cells
- Six Unique Features of Missional Parishes
- Steps Towards Becoming A Missional Parish
- What Is Evangelization, And How Should It Be Carried Out?
- Discussion And Self-Assessment Questions For Parish Evangelization
- A Missional Church Is A Church That Prays
- The Jesus Prayer: A Method To Pray At All Times
- What can help children raised Catholic continue practicing the faith as adults?
- An Example of a Missionary Parish: Phoenix First Assembly of God
- Satan’s Tactics
- Learning to Be a Missionary
- When we cry out to God, he answers
- Presence and Proclamation
- Saving those who are lost
- Saint-Nazaire Parish: The story of a missionary transformation
- Small Groups and Evangelization
- Evangelizing By Inviting People To Receive Jesus As Lord And Saviour
- You Will Receive Power…
- Have You Heard About the Law of Three Hearings and Seven Touches?
- Three Habits of a Fruitful Christian Life
