We present in this text an intentional approach to sharing the Christian faith and inviting people to know Jesus and join the Church community. It consists of five key steps, each playing an essential role in the process of evangelization.
1. Begin with Motivated Parishioners
The first step involves gathering a group of committed and motivated parishioners who are willing to dedicate themselves to the mission of evangelization. These individuals serve as pioneers, offering their energy to reach those seeking spirituality and fellowship. As Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
2. Pray for Evangelization
Prayer is a fundamental component of any mission of evangelization. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 9:38: “Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Through prayer, parishioners seek divine guidance and blessings to touch the hearts and minds of those who do not know Christ or do not follow Him. Prayer strengthens the unity and commitment of the community in this noble cause.
3. Serve the Community
To reach those distant from the Church and the sacraments, it is essential to be present and actively serve within the local community. Parishioners can organize and participate in acts of service such as food distributions, visiting the sick, or supporting those in need. As Pope Francis emphasizes in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel): “The Church must step outside herself to go to the existential peripheries.” These acts of compassion and solidarity open doors, creating opportunities for dialogue and the sharing of faith.
4. Gather Together
Those impacted by these acts of service can then be invited to participate in community activities such as shared meals, social events, or discussion groups. These gatherings foster connection and build relationships of trust. As written in Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.”
5. Proclaim
Finally, those who have engaged with the community can be invited to activities where the Gospel is presented, such as small group meetings with an invitation to follow Christ. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15).
Continuing the Circle
Once evangelized, these new members are encouraged to fully integrate into the parish community and continue the circle of evangelization by becoming active participants in the mission. They, too, can pray for evangelization, serve their neighbors, gather others, and extend invitations, perpetuating the virtuous cycle of faith and love.
Pierre-Alain Giffard, Director of Pastoral Work
Email: pierre.alain.giffard@gmail.com
Book on parish revitalization and gowth:
- BOOK – Revive and Thrive: Transforming Parishes into Mission Driven Communities provides a blueprint to breathe new life into parish communities and engage in the core principles of evangelization and disciple-making.
Articles on evangelization and parish revitalization:
- The concept of the “Good News”
- Love as the Heart of Church Life and Mission
- The Spirit of Spiritual Conversation: A Path to Transformation
- Prayer for When We Feel Lost
- How to Share Your Faith with Others
- Love and Time
- Evangelization: Sharing the Joy, Peace, and Hope of Christ
- Priestly Leadership in Evangelization
- Café evangelization at the University of Mary Washington
- Evangelization: A Living Testament of God’s Love
- Living in The Joy of The Gospel
- In The Beginning Was the Word: The Primary Role of Scriptures in Evangelization
- One-Phrase Evangelization
- Asking Each Day for the Grace to Help Someone
- The Parish as an Expression of God’s Love for the World
- If no one speaks, no one will know
- Evangelizing Through Healing: Manifesting God’s Loving Presence
- The Parable of the Wise Landowner
- Extraordinary Signs in Extraordinary Times
- The Evangelizing Message of Medjugorje
- The distinction between proselytism and authentic evangelization
- What God Needs from Us Is Love, Reconciliation, and a Spirit of Forgiveness
- Evangelization: A Collaborative Mission of Love
- Prayer and Service that Finds Favor With God
- The Transformative Power of Love
- The Evangelization Power of Prayer and Love for God
- Everyday Evangelization
- Every Act of Love is Evangelization
- Loving Jesus and Making Him Loved
- Embracing a Lifestyle of Worship and Praise
- A Prayer for Divine Healing and Restoration
- Factors That Have Proven to Attract People to Christ
- Evangelization: Finding Life and Giving Life
- The Eucharist: Source And Summit of All Evangelization
- Practical Steps for Reaching the Unchurched
- 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
