It can be tempting to think that a big event at the parish is what will bring people to hear the Gospel. It’s the law of averages, right? Get lots of people in one place at one time, give them a good experience, and deliver the kerygma, then a certain percentage of them are likely to respond. These kinds of events are worthwhile and even necessary in an overall evangelization strategy, but they do forget the most important piece of the strategy: you and me.
Evangelization is not the job of professional church people and event planners. It can happen at a large group event, as is evident in the Gospels when Jesus preaches to large crowds, and sometimes the crowds are there to witness Jesus’ encounters with a sick person or a Pharisee with a question. But there are also many times where Jesus prefers to work away from the crowds, person-to-person: think of Nicodemus and the woman at the well among others.
In The Joy of Gospel, Pope Francis called this person-to-person evangelization “a kind of preaching which falls to each of us as a daily responsibility” (sec. 127). This type of missionary encounter is not often planned because it happens right in the middle of a conversation. Pope Francis warns us not to think of this conversation as following fixed formulas learned by heart (sec. 129). Rather, he presents a basic blueprint that can be dropped into the middle of a conversation whenever the opportunity arises.
It all begins with personal dialogue. When someone opens their heart to us in a personal conversation to share their joys, hopes, and struggles, the evangelization opportunity has arrived. Jesus Christ is the answer to the longing of every human heart, and so when someone opens their heart to us, they are crying out for Jesus even if they don’t realize it. Pope Francis urges us to proceed with respect and gentleness and to bring up God’s word. It could be a scripture story related to what was shared, something that Jesus said, or an inspiring verse that brings you encouragement. He also reminds us not to forget the fundamental message: “the personal love of God who became man, who gave himself up for us, who is living, and who offers us his salvation and his friendship” (sec. 128).
Again, Pope Francis stresses that this is not a script to be memorized and mechanically inserted into a moment of real vulnerability. Sometimes it can be directly and bluntly, and other times it must be simpler. Our goal is always to bring the other person’s vulnerability into contact with Jesus. We do not need to try to express or explain everything. It is enough to guide the person gently to Jesus and then step out of the way.
Pope Francis also suggests that if it seems prudent, we should wrap up the missionary encounter with a brief prayer related to the concerns the other person has expressed. If you’ve already brought up God, then a natural next step is to suggest a brief prayer to him. This allows the person to realize that you have heard what they said and to see that you have placed it before the Lord.
Many of us struggle with when and how to talk to others about Jesus. We don’t want to be pushy or make someone uncomfortable, but we also don’t want to shy away from our duty as baptized disciples of Jesus. Pope Francis has given us a simple and useful blueprint for doing just this. It is important to remember that every single person we encounter was made to know Jesus, that their hearts long for him, and so when they bring up their joys, hopes, and sufferings, they have already opened the door for us to talk about Jesus. It isn’t pushy. It’s simply giving them what they implicitly have asked us for.