What does an evangelist do?: Prayer
A final example is prayer. We must include prayer before, during, and after our efforts of verbal evangelization. Ultimately, conversion is an accomplishment of the Holy Spirit and of grace. When we do the work of evangelization we, in a sense, “step into the stream of grace” already at work in the world. The Holy Spirit has been working in the lives of the people we speak to before we ever speak to them. He knows them more intimately than they know themselves, and loves them with an everlasting love. He knows what each person needs to hear, and the kindness (or challenge) which they so need. We will not be effective unless we allow ourselves to become instruments of the Holy Spirit.
Through our extensive experience doing public evangelization, we found this four-step evangelization model to be helpful:
- Listen. Attend to the voice of God in prayer prayer beforehand. Then take that posture of listening to others. Attend to them and get to know them. Discover how Christ is already working in them.
- Befriend. Show others that they are valued and loved for their own sake. Someone cares about them as persons, not just as potential converts.
- Proclaim. Speak the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ, through His Church, boldly, yet in ways that fit the person and situation.
- Pray/Invite. Pray for them on the spot if appropriate. If they are ready, ask them to pray and open their hearts to Jesus Christ. Invite them to some kind of follow-up opportunity.