Sharing the Gospel one-on-one

I am passionate about the Church’s call for direct, relational evangelization to the spiritually poor.

How could I not be?

That’s why, as a member of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association’s committee on standards, I’ve been advocating that direct, relationship-based evangelization should become an integral part of every Catholic campus ministry around the country.

There is nothing more effective than sharing the Gospel one-on-one in a personal way. Each conversation is unique to the person and their background.

Here are just a few examples of how I’ve seen lives changed over the years.

Time for change

A few months ago, while flying home to Minnesota from Arizona, I began a cordial conversation with a woman sitting next to me. When I said I was a Catholic chaplain she started crying and shared that on previous plane and bus rides she had sat next to priests. She blurted out, “God is after me.” When I asked why, she said that she had just spent the weekend with a man with whom she was having an affair.

I prayed with her and she left the plane determined to change this relationship.

Receiving a Sign

Some women student leaders were participating in our training course, “Into the Streets,” which teaches students how to share their faith. They met another student walking along and asked if they could pray with her.

The student was amazed and shared she was struggling with her desire to become a member of the Catholic Church. She had just asked the Lord for a sign and they must be it!

I unknowingly met this young woman at our Easter Vigil. When I asked why she was becoming Catholic, she said that a random meeting with some other women students helped her get over her doubts.

I was amazed because I had heard about her from our students, but I had no idea that she was that person!

God spreads the Good News through personal encounters, not just Church documents.  What relationships have helped you to know Christ Jesus more? With whom is God asking you to engage in direct, relational evangelization?

Please pray for us as we reach out to college students in this personal way and train others to do the same.