Top Evangelisation Tips.

This page is designed to give Catholic individuals and communities ideas about small ways in which they can evangelise where they live and work. Very much a tune to the spirituality of a well-known French saint called St.Therese of Lisieux, evangelisation often takes place through gestures and small acts of kindness. St.Therese of Lisieux, who was a French Carmelite nun who died in 1897, called this way of loving and serving others "The Little Way".

If you're wondering where to start regards evangelisation, please read what follows.

Prayer. Prayer is the driving force behind evangelisation. We can do it, any time and in any place. Nearly everyone, of faith and of no faith appreciates the offer of prayer during times of difficulty and testing. Offer to pray for workmates for example, when they share their troubles with you.
Help someone in need. Jesus is present in the poor. When we serve those in need our faith comes alive in a very concrete way. Through these acts of kindness we can attract others to the faith. Responding to the needs of the poor is not just about writing a cheque, but visiting the sick and elderly, feeding the hungry and listening to the lonely. Our faith has to be "hands on". Who in your immediate community could benefit from an hour of your time on a weekly or fortnightly basis?
Be proud of your faith. We're told pride is the root of all evil, but the pride we're talking of here has more positive connotations. The Church says that the times we are living in demand a culture change and that we need to be more pro-active in witnessing to our faith. That doesn't mean that we start cramming our faith down people's throat, but in small ways we become more confident in making public our beliefs. (For example, through publicly wearing a crucifix or by silently saying grace in the work's canteen).
Respect other people. Jesus invites us to be courteous. We are to respect the dignity of each person whether we like them or not. Colour, creed, sex, race or financial standing should make no difference to the way we treat them. This is a way through which we can begin to love those around us and often as a result people begin to be more open to hearing the Gospel message.
Charity begins at home. Within the heart of the family is where evangelisation begins. If we do not strive to love those closest to us, there is no way we will be successful in our attempts to reach out to others. Parents in particular have a crucial role in educating their children in the ways of Jesus. Attending Mass together is of central importance.
Start with your friends. Many of us have friends who are not Catholic and who know very little about Jesus. Speaking to them about Jesus, and sharing of our life of faith, as and when the Holy Spirit opens doors, can be a powerful way of evangelising someone.
Share your testimony. People love stories. The papers, the television, the radio, are full of them. We are naturally very nosey and interested in others. Think of how God has been active in your life. Again, as the Holy Spirit opens a door, be ready to speak about how God has helped you in your life. Perhaps it was during a time of bereavement or after the birth of a child?
Speech. Practice using God in your everyday vocabularly. This helps to raise awareness of God's constant presence with you, and it makes others aware of it too. Publicly say thank-you for example, when something goes right . For example, "I thank God for that......" We all have a tendency to ask him for things all the time.
Bring a friend to Church . Many converts come into the Church because someone invited them to come along. How many people do you know who have simply never been invited to meet Jesus. Say a prayer and take the plunge!
Be Joyful. Jesus is the greatest source of joy in our life. He brings us life, peace and happiness. We have to reflect that. No one will take you seriously as a Catholic if you profess one thing and yet live completely the opposite. Of course, none of us live in perfect joy all the time, but we certainly experience it at least some of the time. Let's share that "joie de vivre" for life!

Would like more ideas?

You are welcome to download a great little leaflet called "Everyday Evangelising" which has been produced by the At Your Word Lord team in Westminster Diocese. Click here to view and print it out.

(The leaflet is a pdf document. You may need to view our downloads page to access the software needed to open it. If so, please click here).