Three Keys to Evangelization

Evangelization is a word that can make people uncomfortable – especially Catholics. This discomfort comes from having seen it done wrong far too many times. There are two extremes on the evangelization spectrum, neither of which are good. On the one end you have Catholics who are bad at evangelization because, well, we don’t ever do it. The opposite extreme is embodied by Jehovah’s Witnesses who evangelize constantly but go about it all wrong. Effective evangelization lies somewhere in the middle.

Before we go any further, however, we should first ask ourselves a question: as a Catholic, why does

it matter whether I evangelize or not? The answer: because Jesus commands it. Towards the end of Matthew’s gospel, we find a passage known as ‘The Great Commission.’ In this passage (Matthew 28:19) Jesus demands of His followers that they “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” So, we are required to evangelize by the express command of none other than Jesus Himself. Unfortunately, that doesn’t magically make it easy.

When we picture evangelization, many call to mind that one relative who is always bitter and crotchety. The type of person who judges the virtue of others based solely upon their mass attendance and who has a long list of things other people need to change about their lives. This relative is constantly giving advice they weren’t asked for – the literal embodiment of a ‘Bible Thumper.’

In American pop culture these Bible Thumpers have unfortunately become the caricature of Christians in the 21^st century. If we evangelize for no other reason, let it be an attempt at changing this stereotype. If bitter, judgmental Christians are the only people willing to speak out about the faith, then how can we expect the collective perception to be any different than it is?

The following are my Three Keys to Effective Evangelization.  I don’t pretend to be an expert on the subject, but I have seen plenty of examples of how not to evangelize. Hopefully this list can help you to avoid some common mistakes without having to first endure the trial and error.

1. Be happy. If you aren’t happy it shows. If the way you live your life doesn’t make you happy, why would anyone want to emulate you? People in commercials are always smiling because joy sells. If your faith doesn’t bring you joy, then you are not ready to evangelize. You should take some time to flesh out your own spiritual life before you attempt to share it with others. Finding a reliable spiritual adviser is a great place to start. You absolutely cannot successfully evangelize until your faith becomes a source of joy. If your faith isn’t joyful you run the risk of becoming that crotchety old Christian stereotype.

2. Don’t evangelize without a relationship. This brings us back to the Jehovah Witness dilemma. The reason that the door to door cold sell doesn’t work for evangelization is because you must first have a relationship. It’s not like selling a vacuum cleaner. A person’s faith is one of the most intimate aspects of their life. For most of us, we don’t discuss religion with casual acquaintances. For some of us, it’s hard to talk about our faith with even our closest friends and family. If you want to evangelize you need to be a people person and that takes time and effort. It doesn’t happen on accident and it doesn’t happen casually.  First build a relationship, then evangelize.

3. Don’t give advice you weren’t asked for. After completing the first two steps, it’s difficult to wait for that moment of evangelization. Once you have developed a rapport it can be tempting to dive right in - to force the conversation - but that can be a death blow to the relationship. When someone is open to what you have to say, they will let you know by asking those big questions. Until they ask, don’t answer. Nobody is receptive to advice they didn’t ask for, especially when it comes to religion.  

There is so much more to be said about evangelization. These three, super condensed principles are more of an introduction than anything – a starting point. It’s important to remember that evangelization takes time. It is over the course of many years that most people experience a conversion of heart. Our job is to be a source of joy in a world of suffering because joy is attractive. Once we develop a relationship, the source of our joy will eventually compel them to ask those deep questions. That is where evangelization takes place.

“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” - 1 Peter 3:15