Does your parish ...
have an intentional pathway for bringing people into a personal relationship with Jesus and proclaiming the Gospel?
‘Evangelisation’ is often misunderstood, which may mean this is the most difficult, and most rewarding, part of parish vibrancy to work on.
Gaining clarity around evangelisation is crucial because we, as the Body of Christ, exist to evangelise. Evangelisation is part of the ‘deepest identity’ of the Church (Evangelii Nuntiandi §14), and is born from the very commissioning of Jesus:
‘Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe everything I have commanded you. And look, I am with you always till the end of time’ (Matthew 28:19-20).
The situation today may be more complicated by the fact that parishes realise their need to evangelise not only people outside of the Church but also those within. There are many who have not personally encountered Jesus Christ or that engage deeply in a life of faith, even though they have received the sacraments and are members of the Church.
Clarity around what evangelisation is will help us create pathways in our communities for people to encounter Christ, engage more deeply in the life of faith, and embark on mission. Here are a few things to remember as we do.
Evangelisation means proclaiming ‘the good news’ (the euangelion) of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and his eventual return in glory. It is the sharing of our own joy, having experienced for ourselves the love that sets us free from sin and death and despair.
Evangelisation is about building trust through witness and conversation. One of the most powerful ways of sharing the Gospel is by faithfully living the way and teachings of Jesus Christ. Explicit proclamation is crucial too, though oftentimes it can be simple, like a conversation between friends. The humble sharing of our own story, of how God’s grace has nourished and changed us, is also a ‘proclamation’. Because proclamation is not about how loud we are, but how honest we are. Witness and honest conversation builds the kind of trust that opens people to encounter Jesus.
Evangelisation leads to conversion. At the heart of the Gospel is the call to repentance and intentional discipleship—to allowing Jesus to transform us every day more into his own likeness.
Evangelisation is the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who helps us live the way of the Gospel, who gives us the words and the wisdom to speak when the time is right. Evangelisation must always rely, first and foremost, on the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, who leads us into truth.