Awesome Evangelization!

My primary evangelization partner from last semester came back to into town this past weekend, so we of course went out to share our faith. With three days of questions I have plenty of content and I've promised followup on a couple of these, so look forward to new blog posts!

Pray he has a safe trip back home and that in this new location he'll continue to share his faith!

Evangelizing Family

Many of us want to share our faith with those closest to us, but often those people are the hardest to talk to. Eric Simmons gives a few suggestions on how to evangelize those we love. This is an older post, but I believe still applicable over the Christmas season.

This week most of us will be closely interacting with cafeteria Catholics, fallen-away Catholics and non-Catholics. In other words, we will be visiting family for Thanksgiving. Those of us who are trying to live an authentically Catholic life are pained when we see those we love rejecting the Church and her loving guidelines for a fulfilling life. So what do we do? How do we evangelize those people who are closest to us? I have a few suggestions from my own personal experience.

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Our first expeditions into UVA

I'm going to send a shout-out to James, who's enthusiasm for this project has enabled us to go out TWICE! And my worrisome and perfectionist nature has neglected informing the world of these two events.

The first time was in September and we wandered through the university and ended up at a local strip of restaurants nearby. While wandering through campus we were asked our first question, "How do you get to O-Hill?" and we knew the answer! Ok, so not quite what we were looking for, but we were both estactic about it. Once at our destination we sat for a while and waited and prayed. We had a nice Episcopal couple stop by and encourage us in sharing the faith (but they had no questions). Then we had a young man stop by and ask us about the health care bill and why the bishops were against abortion being included...but he only wanted to pick a fight and after cursing at us walked away before we could give an answer.

After coming back and praying for those who stopped we (meaning I) analyzed what we could do better. It appears that wearing the same color t-shirt helps the group get noticed. Also, being stationary seemed to encourage people to stop by.

The second time we was this past Monday when we went to the dining hall. There we claimed a table and one of us would stand while the other sat. The hardest part about this venture is when no one asks you a question! You have this urge to share the truth and no one is stopping, but it was to teach me a lesson...

So I'm analyzing things and wondering what else we could do/not do and James, as he told me later, started to pray that a young lady walking by would stop. And therein was the missing piece, for I was not praying and trusting God to lead to us those who he wanted. She actually stopped and we had a long and wonderful conversation with her. She didn't really have a question initially, except that she was pointing out that she didn't feel welcome in the church as a liberal.

Pray for her, and pray for us as we continue to venture out onto the grounds to share the Truth.

A common tactic dissolved

I think one of the most common "arguments" we're going to get here is dismissal by relativism. For example:

• "You can't impose your morals on others"
• "That is what you believe, but other beliefs are just as valid"
• "You shouldn't legislate your morality"
• "We have to be tolerant of other's beliefs"
  

Patrick Madrid recently gave a talk on this subject and offers some great advice on how to break this apart and help those who hold this self-contradictory view see the truth.

Evangelization Training for Catholics

Via Historical Catholic

The Authentic Gospel Message

In the Fullness of the Catholic Tradition

Developed and Taught by Aimee M. Cooper, M.A.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel. . . . For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Gal 1:6,12)

An Eight-Week Course Offered Locally and By Distance

Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Denver's

John Paul II Center for the New Evanglization

FALL REGISTRATION IS UNDERWAY!

Distance Course begins the week of Sept. 21, 2009

Web Access with high speed internet connection required

Download a flyer, give it to friends or post in your parish!

Download DE Flyer Fall 09

Local Courses begin:

Mon. Sept. 14 - Nov. 2, 7-9 p.m.
Sacred Heart of Mary Parish
Boulder, Colorado

Weds. Sept. 16 - Nov. 4, 7-9 p.m.
Archdiocese of Denver's
John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization

Registration Fee: $40
To register please contact tess.stone@archden.org

Please indicate which course you're interested in, distance or local
For more information contact Aimee at aimee@historicalchristian.com

About the Course

All Catholics are called to evangelize, share our Faith – but how? What is the gospel message, and how do we explain it to anyone? What are we supposed to say?

The word "gospel" means "good news." What is the good news of the gospel according to the Catholic Church? Did you know that it is not the same as the Protestant gospel message, that there are key – and profound – differences? That the Protestant message is incomplete – and the Catholic message is the real message, based on the fullness of 2000 years of reflection on the meaning of what Christ has actually done, and continues to do, for us? If someone were to ask you, could you explain it to them? Could you explain the differences?

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Evangelization 101

This is an overview of the presentation given at the first meeting.

"God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called." Evangelization is not about us showing off how smart and knowledgeable we are, but about allowing God to work through our actions and our words to bring Truth to the world.

While researching evangelization I found that the suggestions There are three things too remember when witnessing to the Truth...

1. What your responsibility is...and is NOT.
2. What the most important and useful answer is.

What is Your Responsibility?

Lord, grant me the grace to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.

This prayer is receited often, but those who have been through the 12 steps know an interesting truth; there is only one thing you can change. It's not the way your wife sips her soup or husband leaves the seat up, your friends, or those obnoxious neighbors. It's not even yourself, as anyone who's struggled with an addiction can attest to.

You can only change your choice to accept God's grace at this moment or reject it.

How does this relate to evangelizing? Well, it's not about converting your spouse, your friends, or those heretics down the street. You cannot convert them, only God can touch their hearts. And it's not about you having all the right answers and being perfectly articulate and full of charism, because I can assure you, you won't be.

It's about allowing God's grace to work in your life, allowing Him to make you into the best version of yourself you can be. And by allowing this you'll allow His Grace to flow through you and to the whole world.

It's about knowing that you've found Love and wanting to let others know of this Love. Your job isn't to force them to acknowledge the truth, to accept this Love, but only to bear witness to it. It's hard when attacked, but remember when they reject you, that they rejected Him first.

The Most Important and Useful Answer in Evangelization

You've just been asked an impossible question that a seasoned theologian would start at, and Google is no where to be found. What do you do?

The best answer is "I don't know, but I can find out for you..." and then ask for their email address to pass on the answer when you do find it. Why is this not only OK, but an excellent answer?

• It's honest - you don't actually know (and the truth will set you free...)
• It teaches you humility (which brings you closer to God)
• It opens up the opportunity for further communication!

All of these points (and I'm sure many others) make this a great answer. A similar reply is also good if you do know the answer, but don't feel you could reply without disembowling them because they've asked in such a nasty mean-spirited way. If you don't have the patience or meekness to answer, then saying "I'm sorry, but I don't have the ability/resources to answer that question at this time..." would work well.

More on anger management to come...