Ten Tips for Practical Evangelization

Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Washington

About 25 years ago, a new word entered our Catholic vocabulary: evangelization. It’s a word frequently used but not often understood. As we prepare for the 2000th anniversary of Jesus’ birth, Pope John Paul II has challenged us to become good evangelizers. So it’s high time we all understood what evangelization is.

The trouble is, evangelization doesn’t lend itself to a quick and easy definition. So I’ve decided to list 10 practical ways you can evangelize, things you can do - at work or at home - to spread the Good News of Jesus.

Tip #1: Be a Show Off
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not asking you to be a show off in the usual sense of that term. I am suggesting that a powerful way to spread the good news is to demonstrate it in daily life. If your faith really affects how you speak and act in private and in public, people will take notice. A faith lived is a powerful, attractive faith!

Tip #2: Help Someone in Need
Why do we admire Mother Teresa? Because she takes Jesus at His word. She sees Jesus in the poorest of the poor. When we put our faith into action by serving those in need, our faith comes alive and has the power to attract others. So if you want to evangelize, reach out to the sick, the homebound, the troubled, the homeless, the hungry, the imprisoned. Evangelizers don’t just write checks. When possible, they engage in hands on service of the poor. When others see this, they will start taking the faith more seriously.

Tip #3: Pray
Prayer is the engine that drives evangelization. Without prayer, we always fail in our attempts to spread the Gospel. Just think about it. Before Jesus preached, or worked a miracle, or died on the Cross, He prayed. So should we. Prayer is something we can all do - any place, any time. It’s something we can do for ourselves and others. Make no mistake. Almost everyone -- even the most hardened unbeliever - appreciates your prayers in time of need!

Tip #4: Respect Other People
Unfortunately, common courtesy isn’t too common today. As followers of Jesus, we need to be more than courteous. We need to have a deep respect for the God-given dignity of each human being. Not everyone is asked to write a treatise about human dignity. But we are all called to show respect and concern for each person - those we like and those we don’t. Needless to say, we’re not effective evangelizers when we imagine we’re better than everyone else or when we disrespect someone because of race, sex or economic status. When we show that we respect others - by how we treat them -- then we stand a much better chance of opening their minds and hearts to the Gospel.

Tip #5: Evangelization Begins at Home
You’ve heard the old saying, Charity beings at home. So does evangelization. Husbands and wives should help each other take their faith seriously and grow in it. Parents are the first to help their children open their minds and hearts to Jesus by teaching them how to pray and giving them their first religion lessons. How important for parents to practice their faith - especially by participating in Mass each Sunday. How important for parents to make sure their children really learn what the Catholic faith is all about. A strong, loving and truly Catholic home also has a good impact on the extended family.

Tip #6: Start With Your Friends
When evangelization moves beyond the family circle, you might start getting uncomfortable. After all, no one wants to be thought of as a religious fanatic. So start with your friends. We all have friends who are unchurched or barely churched. This year, try to convince just one of them to consider or reconsider the faith. Build on that trust and love you already have with that person. Ask the Lord to provide just the right opportunity to speak to your friend about the faith.

Tip #7: Share Your Faith Story
Wait a minute, you might be saying! My faith story? That’s right! The Lord has touched the hearts of every believer with His truth and love. So take a minute and think of the ways God has touched your life. And then write down some of the highlights so that when you’re talking to family or friends about the faith, you’ll be able to speak personally. Don’t underestimate the power of personal testimony. People will think more seriously about the faith when you are willing to tell them what it has meant in your own life.

Tip #8: Include God in Your Everyday Vocabulary
It’s not against the law to speak about God. No one can order you to leave your faith at home when you go to work in the morning. Be conscious of God’s presence in your everyday life -- in decisions great and small. And don’t be afraid to mention casually how God works in your life. Doing so helps us raise people’s awareness that God is very much alive and present in our midst.

Tip #9: Proclaim Jesus!
When a family member, friend or colleague seems ready, speak to that person about Jesus. You don’t have to be a theologian to do this. But you must know and love Jesus. And you have to be able to express, in clear and concise terms, who He is and what He did to save us. Think of yourself as making an introduction. You do it all the time at home, at work and in social situations. In evangelization, you are simply introducing a well-disposed person to the Lord Jesus! You are helping someone else to know the Lord Jesus who has already touched your mind and heart with His love.

Tip #10: Bring a Friend to Church!
Some of our newly baptized people told me that they had taken this step because a friend brought them to church. That’s good, practical evangelization. If you work downtown, ask a friendly co-worker if he or she would like to attend noon Mass with you. Invite your friends to come to Sunday Mass or a parish adult formation class. If the children of Catholic parents in your neighborhood aren’t getting to church on Sunday, offer to take them.

A Bonus Tip: Make It Easy
When someone decides to be baptized or received into the Church, be as helpful as you can. Make sure that person meets the priest. Help the candidate enroll in an R.C.I.A. class. Consider serving as a spiritual mentor -- someone who helps another really open his or her heart to the Lord and to the faith of the Church.