Evangelization is the mission of the Church

Evangelization is the mission of the Church. How is this expressed in your current parish/church community?
Evangelizing is the primary goal of the church: “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,” (Matthew 28:19). “God’s salvific will is universal,” but it is also expressed through the Church (Galvin). The Church is the necessary human vehicle that transports and transmits the Word of God.
My current community is diverse but faithful. While there are differing opinions on the shape of evangelism, most believers would firmly agree that evangelism is one of the core functions of the Church. After all, we are entrusted with the duty of inspiring others to find Jesus, to retain their faith during times of spiritual crisis or doubt, and to deliver wayward souls to the peace they may find in Christ. If a person does not first hear of the word of God or perceive God’s work in the community, they are unlikely to locate their faith independently. The church provides the message and also the medium to broadcast that message.
I know church leaders who are more evangelical than others, those who work tirelessly to achieve the goal of spreading the good news. For these leaders, evangelism is both a logical extension of their work with the Church and also an ethical imperative. If “salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved,” then it makes sense that in order to help others, one must preach (Acts 4:12). Preachers and parishioners alike can be found or heard actively evangelizing.
It has been widely recognized that there are different types or styles of evangelizing. Galvin explicates how evangelizing has changed throughout the century, from early church history until now. Even now, multiple types or forms of evangelism are evident in my community.
There are those who, like Karl Rahner, take a more passive approach to evangelizing than most might. Even without having heard of Rahner’s views on the “anonymous Christian,” there are those in my community who believe that those who do not yet believe in Christ may find salvation in God’s own time, through God’s grace (Galvin). It is important to respect those whose faith may be different from our own, while at the same time offering testimony about our own experience with Christ in order to awaken and inspire.
Many in our midst pray for nonbelievers, believing wholeheartedly that our prayers can catalyze God’s grace and lead a person to Jesus. “Grace is absolutely indispensable for salvation,” (Galvin). Similarly, service in the community can be viewed as a type of evangelism. The act of service is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of Christ. Simply witnessing the ways our church helps others has brought new members to our congregation: people who were not religious before and even those who were not yet Christian who came to believe because they saw service in action.
Sometimes service merges with direct evangelism, such as when we hold food drives. The food drives and other charitable services are done in the name of God, and we make no attempt to hide that fact. When we do work in the community, it is known that the Church and its congregation invites others in.
We are a welcoming community that truly believes that God’s love is universal and available to all. However, we also believe that only through Christ can one find salvation. Without creating strife in the community or antagonistically evangelizing, it is still possible to bring others the good news by becoming an example of Christ’s love.






References

Bible: NIV
Galvin, J.P. “Salvation Outside the Church.”