There’s nothing as fulfilling as knowing that you have helped another person discover God’s salvation. Out of the abundance of love that God has poured forth to us, we also want to share that love with as many people as we possibly could!
Along the way, however, our initial zeal may be dampened by various disappointments. The person we’re talking to may misinterpret what we’re saying. Others simply walk away without being convinced. Still, others find our talk judgmental and condescending.
Even if we know deep in our hearts that we sincerely decide the good of our neighbors, we may be discouraged by many failures we encounter in our attempt to spread the Good News.
What are these common mistakes we can avoid while evangelizing other people about our faith?
1. Not praying first
This is probably the most important thing we need to do. Because no matter how intelligent we think we may be, and no matter how good-intentioned we believe we are, we must never neglect the value of prayer.
By praying, we draw closer to God and acknowledge Him as the source of all truth, power, wisdom and love. When we pray, we humble ourselves and depend upon God instead of relying solely on our own strengths.
2. Not listening to people
We may set out with the goal of conveying all the arguments we think could convince people about our beliefs. However, if we fail to listen to the other person, we hinder proper communication and break the bridge where others can also cross towards where we are.
Evangelizing people is not only about talking but about listening to them as well. Without this, we fail to establish the right foundation for our conversation. We fail to convince others because we do not hear where they are coming from.
3. Taking a defensive stance
Religious conversations can easily escalate into heated arguments and we could find ourselves quickly taking the defensive position.
When this happens, instead of trying to understand the other, we become so busy thinking about the ways we can defend ourselves.
4. Acting and speaking harshly
We should always be mindful of our voice and gestures while talking about the Gospel to other people. This is because we can easily be judged as being self-righteous and harsh.
While we should never compromise the truth, we should always speak the truth gently with love.
5. Using guilt or fear
Truth and love should always be the foundation of our evangelization. While we cannot control the reaction of other people, we should avoid methods that try to invoke fear, shame and guilt, making other people feel more isolated and looked down upon.
It’s not easy realizing the weight of our sins without a balanced view of the mercy of God. Without mercy and love, people may turn to despair and hopelessness.
Further, religion should not be forced out of fear to anyone. It should be a voluntary conversion of the mind, heart and soul.
6. Failing to be a witness of what we preach
Our lives serve as a strong testimony of our faith. If we fail to live holy lives, our words will be worthless to those who hear our preaching.
While we may all be imperfect, let us strive not to cause anyone to sin either by our words or actions. Let us do our best to be good examples of our beliefs.
7. Using Catholic lingo
The goal of communication is to have a mutual exchange of thoughts and ideas. This should take into consideration language, education, culture and other important contexts that could affect the clarity of our communication.
One common mistake is using words that only Catholics are familiar with. Instead of presuming that they already know our jargon, we should ensure that we are using language that both parties can understand.
8. Thinking that you have to convey everything in one sitting
You don’t have to let other people know about your entire belief in one sitting. In fact, you don’t have to answer every question.
You can simply prepare the ground for further discussions or with the hope that other Catholics can also contribute to the other person’s search for the truth.
Our Mission to Spread the Gospel
In our secular world, it is very important for every Catholic to value our mission of letting other people know about our faith. Prompted by love, we should always endeavor to speak about God’s salvation. We must be courageous witnesses of the truth even if it’s not comfortable for others to hear.
However, we should never neglect prayer and the importance of our personal holiness and conversion. Truth should always stand side by side with love, and with love comes gentleness, compassion and patience.
Let us do all that we can and trust that by God’s power and wisdom, the seeds we have planted will one day bear the fruit of conversion, salvation and spiritual growth.
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” –Matthew 28:19-20
Jocelyn Soriano is the author of the book Defending My Catholic Faith.
“Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” – 1 Peter 3:15 (NABRE)
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