Everyone is looking for the magic program that will fix what is broken in our parishes. They are struggling to find something that will reach hearts for Christ. I believe we are afraid of going to places that we have never been before. With that said, allow me to present you with a couple of key ideas that I believe we (the local Church) are going to have to address if we are going to bear the fruits we desire.
1. We Make Disciples of Jesus Christ!
We are going to have to effectively articulate the purpose for the local parish that concretely illustrates its premier role of making disciples. Many parishes are providing some very good programs that will lead individuals to encounter Christ, which is badly needed. However, this is being done within the current paradigm as an added program to the “rest of the Parish programs.” We need to place before the people, the clear vision that the local Catholic Church is about making disciples of Christ. Without this concise vision, we have no unifying purpose, and therefore structure, to keep us moving forward.
What does our parish accomplish?
2. We make Evangelization the foundation of every Ministry!
Evangelization has to become foundational to every ministry in the Church. Once you make Evangelization another initiative, like Religious Education or Outreach, you’ve begun to fail. Everyone will look to those in “that” ministry to do the evangelization for the parish. A great example of that is the ministry of greeters at Mass. Once you establish that ministry, those in the pew are tempted (Unless the leadership addresses this) to let “the greeter” meet the new people.
How does every ministry evangelize and make disciples?
3. We are led by the Holy Spirit!
One of the critical elements of discipleship training is in teaching new disciples how to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who makes disciples (and Catholics), but we are doing very little to train them to learn to hear the voice and will of the Spirit. I believe that the reason for this is because most local parishes are not led by the Holy Spirit. This is why we like programs. The program tells us what to do instead of God! How can a new disciple learn to wait hear from God when the leadership does not? To learn to listen to the Spirit in prayer is the first critical death that leads to mature discipleship.
Do we really wait upon the Lord to make decisions about Parish Ministry?
Satan has effectively influenced the people in such a way that the people no longer participate in our programs. One thing is absolutely evident; we must transform our parishes into something quite different than what we have today. There is only one person who knows how to do that at your parish. The Holy Spirit!
“Let us pray…”
No comments so far? That must be frustrating!
I would like to be involved in evangelizing our adults. We need to home
visit our fallen away Catholics. It scares even our leadership to thINk about knocking on doors or setting up appointments.
This means that things like the corosaslm model of catechesis for middle school may need to be transformed into a more relational ministry setting. I think we’ve definitely transitioned from a point where the corosaslm model *may* no longer be working to a time when it is *definitely* not working. Middle school teens (maybe now even more so than high schoolers) are in desperate need of of loving adults to pour into their lives. They need those mentoring relationships BEFORE they get to high school and BEFORE they start making bad decisions.
Everything you say is right on, only it’s not really a new trend. It’s been going on at least the last 10 years or so. I’ve been doing volneteur youth ministry for over 20 years and most of the things you discuss have been happening for a while. One thing I’ve noticed that you didn’t mention: teens and young adults come alive in their faith particularly when they get involved in Catholic Charismatic Renewal. I’ve seen lots of evidence of this, esp. in the South. The kids want to be passionate about something and CCR gives them a vehicle for expression, P&W, adoration, service, evangelization, etc. Our best youth groups down here seem to be charismatic.
We have spoken to our middle school and high school youth about the Kerygma, but failed to take them all the way to praying a prayer of surrender to Jesus and openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I think we need some ideas about how to lead them to an encounter with Jesus.
So True Tami, Catholics are notorious for giving people information and assuming they know what to do with it.
Let me know if I can be of service in providing training to finish the job of evangelization.
drp