ARTICLE – Presence and Proclamation

September 9, 2021 by Pierre-Alain Giffard Recommended Texts

Views on evangelization have often clustered around two poles: “presence” and “proclamation.” The term “Christian presence” was minted in French Catholicism. Blessed Charles de Foucauld described his vocation as being present amongst people, a presence willed and intended as a witness of the love of Christ.

The term “Christian presence” means an evangelistic re-entry to renew contact with the world. It describes the way of life of those who have accepted Jesus and are following Him. It means being with others and knowing them. It is about “being-there”, in communion with them, through listening and service on behalf of Christ.

But evangelization should generally be more than just a presence. It also needs to be a verbal communication of the Good News; not in a mechanical and impersonal way, but in a personal and inspired way and in response to the needs encountered. St. Paul teaches that “faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ” (Romains 10:17). Our Lord has called us to be heralds of his grace and love to communicate the good news of salvation. Leighton Ford writes that “The word we preach is not a “mere” human word. It is the message of God Himself, in which He is present revealing Himself to man, and actually, a powerful word by which God creates faith and life in those who hear (Romans 10:8, 14, 15; 1 Peter 1:23-25)”.

This means that we must not dissociate “presence” and “proclamation”. Our mission includes both. There is an appropriate time for everything. Our Christian witness is to communicate love and peace and be an example of reconciliation with others. Our work of evangelization should be carried out with our whole life. When our existences will reveal and proclaim Love, holiness, peace and compassion, then we will be recognized as authentic witnesses of Jesus and his Kingdom.

This text is partly inspired by an article entitled Presence Vs. Proclamation, written by Leighton Ford.

Pierre-Alain Giffard, Director of Pastoral Work

Other articles:

Prayers and Prayer Groups to Support the Evangelization Project

Learn more

DONATE for the Evangelization Project

Learn more

ARTICLE – Practical Steps for Reaching the Unchurched

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
ARTICLE – Bible Sharing Guide for Small Groups: A Synodal Approach

In this text, you will find a step-by-step approach to leading a small group one-hour spiritual conversation using texts from the Bible. The approach is inspired by the method of spiritual conversations used during the Synod on Synodality. This structured format emphasizes listening, discernment, and community, fostering a deeper connection
ARTICLE – Bringing People to Christ by Inspiring Love and Praise for God

Evangelization lies at the heart of the Church’s mission, as commanded by Christ himself: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). However, evangelization is not merely about conveying information or imposing rules. At its core, evangelization is about inspiring people to love and praise God, for when

Ticket	Seats Available	Amount CAD	Select	Ticket Amount CAD	Total Amount CAD
				0	0
				0
				0