Throughout this Ave Explores series, we have been focusing on the what and why of evangelization. But often what drives us to commit to something in life is the why. Kevin Cotter, executive director of The Amazing Parish, reflects on the why of evangelization in his book Called: Becoming an Everyday Disciple in a Post-Christian World. Here’s an excerpt:
Why Evangelize?
We see many examples of disciple-making from Jesus and St. Paul in the New Testament. When they were faced with the question, “How can I best reach the entire world with the news of the Gospel?” making disciples was a key part of the answer. If we share their desire to evangelize, then how can we not seek to follow their example?
And yet, this last step can be difficult. In a post-Christian world, simply living out our faith is hard enough. Sharing our faith takes even more courage. And being an example for others of how to live and share the faith seems almost impossible at times. Is it really necessary?
When we decide to do difficult things, we may be tempted to give up in the face of obstacles. In those moments of doubt or frustration, we need motivation to keep going. We need to know why what we are doing is essential. Here are three reasons why making disciples is so important.
REASON #1—DISCIPLE-MAKING ENSURES PEOPLE KEEP THE FAITH
While we’ve been talking about discipleship in the context of evangelization, disciple-makers are important for the entire WIN-BUILD-SEND process from start to finish. This type of mentoring is essential as people come to faith and learn to live it out, especially in our post-Christian world.
If you’ve been involved with ministry for any period of time, you’ve probably witnessed what happens without disciple-making. Maybe you’ve seen large numbers of people come to faith through conferences, retreats, Catholic education, sacramental prep, or youth ministry. Even though these events serve a great purpose, when we look back five years later, many times we wonder, “Where did all those people go?” As in the parable of the Sower, people hear the Word, “but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mk 4:19). One of the best ways to ensure that the Word isn’t choked is to place someone of faith in this person’s life. Someone who can walk with them through good times and bad. Someone who can answer questions and give them practical answers. Someone who can call them to something greater when they are beginning to give in to the world. Someone like a disciple-maker.
While we might see great numbers and moving responses with large group events conducted by a charismatic leader, we have to seriously consider the long-term effects of using this method by itself. The power of mentorship is crucial for keeping the faith, and disciple-makers have the training to effectively help others over time.
REASON #2—EVANGELIZATION IS TAUGHT AND MODELED
At the end of the parable of the sower, Jesus notes what happens to those who are planted in good soil: “[They] hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold” (Mk 4:20). This parable sums up the life of the Christian— we are all called to evangelize. As Pope John Paul II made clear, “No believer in Christ, no institution of the Church can avoid this supreme duty: to proclaim Christ to all peoples” (Redemptoris Missio, 3).
Many Catholics don’t evangelize because they don’t know how or are too afraid. Sharing the faith must be learned by watching someone else do it. By seeing someone model evangelization, we realize that it is possible in a very practical way. Disciple-makers model evangelization for others so that they can share the faith with others (and also show others how it’s done). This seems like the only reasonable way that we can bear fruit thirty-, sixty-, or a hundredfold.
REASON #3—DISCIPLE-MAKERS CAN FULFILL GOD’S PROMISES
As we seek to fulfill God’s desire to preach the Gospel to everyone on earth, we should recall that there are almost eight billion people alive today, and this number continues to grow. How can we reach them all?
One of the coolest things about disciple-making is that it allows the faith to grow exponentially. This exponential aspect creates a reasonable way to reach everyone on earth, as God desires. Let’s look at the math.
Let’s say that someone made three disciples in a year, and then the next year those three disciples made three disciples each. After two years, there would be twelve new disciples, which isn’t all that impressive compared to eight billion people. But let’s fast-forward to see how this method works over time. Keep in mind that each disciple makes only three other disciples. In other words, an individual doesn’t keep making disciples year after year; they just make disciples once.
After five years, there would be 243 disciples. After ten years, more than 59,000. Then, after fifteen years, 14 million. After twenty years, more than 3 billion. And, after thirty years, more than 10 billion people.
This kind of exponential growth is powerful. I realize that humans aren’t perfect and that conversion and discipleship don’t always happen quickly. But if we are going to reach the entire world with the Gospel, exponential growth is essential. (Note that exponential growth doesn’t have to happen just with individuals. It can also happen through communities and groups who work together to see people come to faith and raise them up to reach others.)
Imagine if someone made more than a million disciples in one year. That would be an amazing movement of the Holy Spirit! But, even after thirty years, the result would be only 100 million Christians. The world adds 130 million souls to our planet each year. Even if someone made 100 million disciples each year, they wouldn’t be able to keep up.
While God can reach the world however he likes (he once converted 9 million Mexicans through Our Lady of Guadalupe), one practical way that we can reach everyone in the world is if all Catholics respond to their call to evangelize and to take up the task of making disciples. Remember, this isn’t just some human method made up in the twenty-first century to efficiently reach the world; it was Jesus’ own method from the beginning! God had a master plan for evangelizing the world that he modeled for us on earth. We are called to follow his example. Making disciples is not easy. There will be trials. There will be setbacks. There will be failure. But it’s worth it!
This excerpt from Called: Becoming an Everyday Disciple in a Post-Christian World by Kevin Cotter is printed with permission of Ave Maria Press, the publisher.
