www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization New life in evangelism

Here is an article from today's Cleveland Plain Dealer:

New life in evangelism
Mainstream churches serve God, stop declines by reaching out

http://www.cleveland.com/religion/p...living-0/1179563879139180.xml&coll=2


Interesting lines from the article:

"Instead of propping up older, struggling churches with large subsidies, many religious communities at the regional and national level are shifting resources to developing churches and starting outreach efforts at older churches."


and this one:

"The East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church is investing $500,000 a year in developing new churches."

Of course the Byzantine Catholic Church of America decided to spend a great deal of its time and money on revising rather than evangelizing.

Monomakh

By suggesting that we ought to spend money in developing new congregations in growing areas you will make some of us happy but the majority, apparently, angry with you.

CDL

Count me among those who supports the spending of money in the development of new parishes in growing areas!

Ryan

So don't suggest, do.

We're trying to shore up our parish finances so that we can afford to pay for a missionary priest. Once we have created "a slot", we will work with our bishop to find a priest we can support to the point where the subsidy is no longer needed because the local parishioners can support him and are on their way to creating the finances needed to support a missionary priest themselves. Then we do it all over again.

Those who wish to live a life in Christ in another fashion can simply go on doing what they wish to. Those who wish to support evangelism do that. Why must there be controversy? I don't get it.

Ryan previously said that his priest is also pastoring a mission church.

That's great to hear. Mission parishes are a challenge and we need to fully support any priest willing to truly take on that job. I wasn't addressing Ryan though, so I perceive your response as something of a non-sequitur. Perhaps you can elaborate on what you were trying to say.

What do you think should be done in the face of anti-evangelization criticism? Do you believe that one should engage the critics and attempt to bring them on board, struggle with them for control and finances, or create parallel efforts that bypass their negativity and allow them to have their vision while you engage in creating a more evangelization oriented structure? Frankly, I can't think of any other productive alternatives. Which do you think is best?

I can't remember as some time has passed, but I have a vague recollection of your post not originally containing the quote. Whether that was overlooked on my end or later inserted on yours, I was responding to your "So don't suggest, do." statement, thinking it was directed to Ryan.

I don't believe struggling for control or finances is a viable option. If the priest is behind the evangelization efforts, there is no control or finance problems. If the priest is against it, you've got bigger problems that need to be taken care of before you can bring new people in.

That leaves trying to convince people to be on board or ignoring them and doing your own thing. I think it takes a balance of both. If the priest is behind the efforts, he will likely convert a number to acceptance at the very least, the strongly anti-evangelization people will slowly drift away to places they feel more in tune with, and the remaining few complainers are the type to complain about the sky being blue so it doesn't matter that this week's complaint is evangelization. They should still be heard and any concerns they raise which can be dealt with should be addressed, but the baseless complaints should be ignored. We have a directive to preach the Gospel and a few complainers do not negate our responsibility.

I think the Orthodox practice (and of some married Greek Catholic priests) of a priest having some secular employment to off-set expenses will need serious consideration in mission work. New missions don't have the financial resources, and older parishes are struggling to sometimes keep the physical plant going.