Evangelization doesn’t need to be a huge community event. It doesn’t need to be filled with an over the top approach. It can be and actually should be simple.
Courtesy of peddhapati/Creative Commons License
Now, simple doesn’t mean easy. It takes work. But, for teens to come to church and discover a relationship with Christ should be intuitive. To create a process that is simple you need to:
Your environments communicate a lot. Everything from cleanliness to hospitality sets an impression. A clean and welcoming environment communicates that you:
If you are going to invite someone to join you, make sure it’s to a place that’s irresistible. It will give them a reason to come back. (More on environments HERE)
When you try to be everything for everyone all you’ll find is frustration. If you want:
You need to invest in men and women to serve alongside of you. This way you do not have to be at every game, or event. Your presence will be extended by the people who are with you in the trenches.
To bring teens to Christ you need momentum. You cannot have momentum without consistency. To create consistency means building a program that is easy to sustain.
While predictability might seem like a negative it can bring comfort. When a teen knows what to expect it’s easier for them to invite a friend. It takes care of the unknown which can be a huge obstacle to a teen’s faith journey.
You could be the coolest adult on the planet but, you are not as effective as teens are at recruiting their peers. Again, evangelization is not a simple word, so make it simple encouraging teens to:
Then remind them it’s going to take time and rejection. Remind them to keep the invitation simple. When they understand the process they’ll be more likely to engage in it.
There really is no secret to evangelization. No need for tricks or hype. It’s simply inviting someone into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
[reminder] What’s your strategy for evangelization in your parish? [/reminder]