The Call of the New Evangelization: Building a Parish Culture of Intentional Discipleship

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10: )

Heavenly Father, Pour forth your Holy Spirit to inspire me with these words from Holy Scripture. Stir in my soul the desire to renew my faith and deepen my relationship with your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ so that I might truly believe in and live the Good News. Open my heart to hear the Gospel and grant me the confidence to proclaim the Good News to others.

Pour out your Spirit, so that I might be strengthened to go forth and witness to the Gospel in my everyday life through my words and actions. In moments of hesitation, remind me: If not me, then who will proclaim the Gospel? If not now, then when will the Gospel be proclaimed? If not the truth of the Gospel, then what shall I proclaim?

God, our Father, I pray that through the Holy Spirit I might hear the call of the New Evangelization to deepen my faith, grow in confidence to proclaim the Gospel, and boldly witness to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. ( worship/prayers/new-evangelization- prayer.cfm) worship/prayers/new-evangelization- prayer.cfm

 …a time of Grace  …a “kairos” time…God’s appointed time  “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, …The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)

 …a Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI  …”may this Year of Faith make our relationship with Christ the Lord increasingly firm” (Porta Fidei)  …”there is a need for a stronger ecclesial commitment to new evangelization in order to rediscover the joy of believing and the enthusiasm for communication the faith.” (Porta Fidei)

Archbishop Listecki’s 3 pastoral priorities…  …Catholic identity…who we are  …Evangelization…what we do  …Stewardship…how we do it

Archbishop Listecki’s priorities in motion…  …Evangelization Office established (what we do)  …Pastoral Letter on the Church (who we are)  …Potential Synod in 2014 (how we do it)

 …the election and impact of Pope Francis  …the Holy Spirit is moving in the Church  …”the time is fulfilled” for the New Evangelization  …now is the appointed time of Grace!

The Call of the New Evangelization: Building a Parish Culture of Intentional Discipleship

 To focus on the Good News of Jesus Christ  In His living Body of the Church  With a response of intentional discipleship  By building a parish culture  Of intentional practice and invitation

Understanding Catholic Evangelization

Evangelizing about evangelization…  All those negative images!  It’s just not normal!  It’s just not Catholic!

Getting comfortable with evangelization…  Definition: “Doing what Jesus does”  Jesus the perfect model  Following Jesus…normal Catholic behavior

Catholic evangelization is…  Doing what Jesus does through…  The “Practice” of Gospel living  The “Invitation” of disciples to follow  “Practice” discipleship and “Invite” disciples

 Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, in the community of the Church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, inviting personal conversion and intentional discipleship, through witness and proclamation, for the transformation of the world.  Fancy definition of “Doing what Jesus does!”

New Evangelization for Today’s Context

 The mission to…  Catholics who have left  Sleepy Catholics without a discipleship faith  The growing “unaffiliated” nones  Those who have never heard of Christ  The culture of death, secularism, relativism, materialism, consumerism, individualism

 It’s time to be…  “New in ardor, methods, and expression” (John Paul II)  New in Doing what Jesus Does  New in our focus on building a parish “culture” of “intentional discipleship”

Building a Culture of Intentional Discipleship

Evangelization is…  Not one of many things we do…  It is the way we do everything! Gospel, Discipleship, and Invitation need to…  Become the “air” we breathe

The goal across the parish is…  Building a “culture” of Gospel-based intentional discipleship…  on the personal and parish levels,  such that practicing discipleship is normative,  And inviting new disciples is normative

Definition: A Parish Culture of Gospel-based Intentional Discipleship  A parish where the language, values, and practices communicate a consistent and integrated commitment to Gospel-based intentional discipleship.  The focus is always on Jesus as Good News and the Invitation to follow him as an intentional disciple.

 How can we build a parish culture of intentional discipleship?  Answer: Infuse every aspect of the parish with the “air” of Gospel, Discipleship, and Invitation  Do what Jesus Does through practice and invitation

Building a Culture of Intentional Discipleship Through Practice and Invitation

 A culture of intentional discipleship is fostered by practices and invitations of Jesus  These practices and invitations must guide and permeate every aspect of parish life  All parts of parish life exist to promote the one mission of the parish/Church…  Become disciples to go and make disciples!

 There are 6 essential practices and invitations of Jesus  Each practice implies the related invitation  We need to create a parish culture where these 6 practices and invitations are normative  We want discipleship not membership!

 The Practice: Becoming Disciples of Christ Practice walking the journey of faith in servant obedience to the Father’s will  The Invitation: Calling Intentional Disciples Invite others to take a faith journey as disciples of Jesus starting where they are

 The Practice: Becoming Disciples of Christ Practice dwelling in deep personal relationship with the Father in personal and communal prayer  The Invitation: Calling Intentional Disciples Invite others to discover a personal relationship with Jesus as disciples

 The Practice: Becoming Disciples of Christ Practice a life centered on the ways of God’s Good News Kingdom (Gospel)  The Invitation: Calling Intentional Disciples Invite others to discover the Good News of Jesus and his message in the Gospel

 The Practice: Becoming Disciples of Christ Practice speaking about God’s Good News in your personal faith journey  The Invitation: Calling Intentional Disciples Invite others to discover how Jesus is Good News for their personal lives

 The Practice: Becoming Disciples of Christ Practice bringing God’s Good News to the lost, least, and outcast  The Invitation: Calling Intentional Disciples Invite others to seek out and serve the lost to encounter the living presence of Christ

 The Practice: Becoming Disciples of Christ Practice equipping a community of intentional disciples to lead the Church  The Invitation: Calling Intentional Disciples Invite others to grow as intentional disciples in the community of the Church

 Formed and equipped disciples now move into the practice of becoming disciples of Christ and the circle repeats…Disciples make new disciples!  This is the biblical model for growing the Church…the succession plan of Jesus!  The mission of the Church: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19)

Applying the Practices and Invitations of Jesus in the Parish Setting

 Remember that evangelization is not a “program,” it is a “culture”…  …practiced through personal relationships and parish-wide values, priorities, and practices.  Remember evangelization comes before catechesis, full commitment, and stewardship

 Use the language of Gospel, Discipleship and Invitation as the parish vocabulary  Talk about personal faith journeys for regular people and all people  Help people learn and tell their own faith story  Tell the Good News Story of Jesus everywhere and help people learn the Great Story

 Help people connect their story to the story of Jesus and find their elevator speech  Practice and teach deep personal and communal prayer as normal for disciples  Practice and teach the universal call to holiness as normal for disciples

 Practice and teach “Kingdom-Living” in everyday life  Practice and teach the priority of seeking the lost, least, and outcast  Make invitation normal and constant for everyone  Practice and teach invitation to discipleship

In all things practice and teach the big three of evangelization:  Gospel…the beautiful  Discipleship…the good  Invitation…the true

Some Questions to Ponder

 How can you infuse your ministry with the vocabulary of Gospel, Discipleship, and Invitation?  How can your ministry become more focused on learning the Gospel?  How can your ministry become focused on sharing faith and journeying to discipleship?  How can your ministry become invitational?