5 Ways a Regular Joe can Evangelize

Can anyone evangelize? Even a Regular Joe like me?

This was the topic I was given when asked to give a talk to a breakfast group for men out in Hespeler, Ontario. (A very fine group of guys, by the way. We really need more men's groups in the Chruch, dont we?) 

My talk is available here. After giving a very careful definition of evangelization and a look at who the popes are calling into this mission, I gave 5 ways an average, regular dude can evangelize. For those keeping score at home, they are:

1) Memorize the kerygma, and get comfortable sharing it in your own words

What is the kerygma? Oh, well you best listen to my talk for an explanation of that. But in a nutshell, here are the points you want to commit to memory: 

1. God created us in love and desires relationship with us
2. Through sin, our relationship with God was ruptured, and we had no means to atone for the rupture ourselves
3. God in his mercy sent his Son into the world to save it, to atone for our sins, reconcile us with the Father and open up for us eternal life
4. He accomplished this by his passion and death on the Cross
5. We have the freedom to accept or reject the atonement he won for us. Do you want to receive this gift?

(A nice resource to help share this if you don't have it memorised is the Ultimate Relationship by CCO. But I still think you can and should commit it to memory.)

2) Share your personal testimony

The kerygma is THE story of Christianity, and your personal testimony is YOUR story. I share mine in the talk as an example. I explain it in these 3 points:

1. my background experience of religion, including anything that was missing  
2. a point of crisis/turning point  
3. the effects of my conversion to Christ

Your testimony is important, and if you get comfortable sharing it you will help people in more ways than you would think. (A previous post on this topic is here.)

3) Organize a communal evangelization activity

i.e. Run Alpha.

4) Adopt a culture of invitation

You know an invitation to a religious event actually turned my whole life around? But we get scared to invite, don't we? We need to get over that. (Because "welcome" is not enough).  

5) Deliberately let your faith float to the surface of your life

In other words, find ways to put it out there that you are a believing, practicing, Catholic Christian. This will give people the freedom to ask you things which may lead to them experiencing 1-4.

I really enjoyed giving this talk, despite the fact that it was at 7am and an hour from my home. I hope you enjoy listening to it! 

By the way, do you find these helpful? Are there any you would add to the list?