COORDINATORS' INTRODUCTION TO THE EVANGELIZER'S HANDBOOK BE AN EVANGELIZER? ME?
Structure of Be an Evangelizer? Me? (EH)
The Evangelizer's Handbook (EH) comprises fourteen sessions and four appendices. The first section aims at helping each trainee acquire the knowledge, tools and skills required to be an effective evangelizer. The summary below describes how this main section is structured.
Session One: Opening Session, Part One.
● To provide an understanding of the purpose of the training and to come to
some knowledge of where the trainees are in their walk with the Lord.
Session One: Opening Session, Part Two.
● To introduce the need for evangelization; discuss why people leave the
Church; see what scripture says about the growth of faith.
Session Two: Some Moments in Evangelization.
● Introduces future evangelizers to some moments in evangelization by giving
brief explanations of each moment.
Session Three: God's Plan.
● Helps trainees come to an understanding of God's plan as it unfolded over
the centuries, to give His Holy Spirit to each and every person who believes
in His Son, Jesus Christ.
● To realize, as we see God's plan unfolding, how much God loves us and
wants us to have life and have it abundantly.
Session Four: The Good News Proclamation; A Synthesis.
● An overview of the Four Basic Truths of the Gospel.
Session Five: The Problem: Sin.
● Brings trainees to the realization that all men and women have sinned and
are separated from God and, as a result, cannot know God's love nor share
in God's life with others (Truth Two).
Session Six: Jesus: Savior and Lord.
● Leads the trainee to recognize that Jesus Christ is the Answer to all the
problems men and women face in life.(Truth Three).
Session Seven: Invitation and Commitment.
● Teaches the trainee how to bring a person to Jesus Christ.
● Brings trainees to the conscious realization that God's plan of salvation for
all men and women requires a response (Truth Four).
Session Eight: Personal Testimony.
● Instructs trainee in:
-What it means to witness;
-Guidelines for effective personal testimony;
-Some biblical examples of personal testimony;
-How to write one's own personal testimony in clear and concise terms.
Pastoral Follow-Up.
● Highlights the essentials for effective pastoral follow-up and the importance
of incorporation into the Church.
Session Ten: Establishing Relationships.
● Teaches how to establish relationships.
● Nurtures a growing realization that to relate lovingly with others is a vital
moment in evangelization.
● Helps trainees acquire the ability to identify with the person with whom they
are relating.
Session Eleven: Reaping the Harvest.
● Fosters a deeper understanding of the role of the evangelizer as one who
is to reap the harvest.
● Impresses upon trainees that the season for reaping is always now!
● Looks at how to address some of the various challenges that can confront
evangelizers.
Session Twelve: Jesus Christ, the Evangelizer.
● Shows how to evangelize by looking at Jesus, the Evangelizer.
● Brings trainees to a knowledge and understanding of Jesus' strategy for
evangelization.
Session Thirteen: Wrap-Up.
● Reviews the evangelizer's responsibilities and where they terminate.
● Considers the relationship between total evangelization and Church growth.
Appendix One: Prayer Services to Accompany Each Session of
Be an Evangelizer? Me?
Appendix Two: Outline of Pope Paul VI's Apostolic Exhortation,
Evangelization in
the Modern World (Evangelii Nuntiandi).
● Designed to teach the Magna Charta for evangelization: Evangelization in the Modern World (Evangelii Nuntiandi)
by Pope Paul VI.
● Because this Apostolic Exhortation is so important, an outline of the entire document is provided in this Appendix.
Appendix Three: Prayer Services To Accompany Each Session of
Evangelization in the Modern World.
Appendix Four: Cults.
General Structure of the Training
The evangelization training of the ACTS II Process is a weekly training that takes place over nine months.
Within the training, the trainees undertake supervised outreach. When the training is
completed, the trained evangelizers meet weekly in small groups and continue to do
outreach for their parish: reaching out to the active Catholic, the alienated/inactive
Catholic, and the unchurched.
Those whom the trained evangelizers initially evangelize, that is, lead to commit/recommit
their lives to Jesus Christ, are invited into the small groups for ongoing evangelization.
General Structure of the Training Sessions
Opening Prayer:
● The opening prayer sets the mood and reflects the purpose for the training session. This is done by
focusing on the Lord and His Word. This time allows the Holy Spirit to prepare the trainees by opening their
minds and hearts. The suggested Opening Prayer Services are found in EH, Appendix One.
Instructional Session:
● Training given by the coordinators so that trainees can acquire the knowledge, skills and tools necessary
for evangelization.
Community Breaks:
● Community breaks provide the opportunity for community building. It is also suggested that the trainees
provide simple refreshments during these break periods. Unscheduled breaks may be desired if you see the group
becoming fatigued.
Study Guide:
● The Study Guide is found at the end of each session in the Evangelizer's Handbook.
Closing Prayer:
● The Closing Prayer Services are found in EH, Appendix One. The prayer again focuses the attention of
the trainees on the Lord who alone is worthy of all praise and thanksgiving.
How the Leader's Evangelization Training Guide Is Structured
Session Objectives:
● For all sessions, the first page after each tab provides the coordinator with the objectives and the required
preparations. This information is to be reviewed prior to giving each session.
Session Description:
● At the start of each session, the title, the objectives, and the suggested timing are given, as well as the steps
to be followed in order for the coordinator to be properly prepared to give the session.
Training Instructor Path:
● A step-by-step guide for conducting each session.
How the Trainee's Handbook Be an Evangelizer? Me? Is Structured
The Trainee's Handbook is similar to the
Leader's Evangelization Training Guide (1A) in that each session has its own
objectives, content, and scripture passages. Space is provided for: Study Guides are at the end of each session and there
are six removable Prayer of Commitment Cards.
A Final Word
The EH has been carefully designed, developed, and tested for training parishioners to become effective evangelizers. Every
effort has been made to make it authentic and realistic. The possibility may arise that a trainee (or a coordinator) will
question something in this process. If such a situation arises, please ask him or her to accept the process on the merit of
each one's faith. If at all possible, avoid lengthy theological debates.
MARY, STAR OF EVANGELIZATION
ACTS II: CONVERSION, PROCLAMATION, COMMUNITY is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary under whose patronage
Pope Paul VI placed the entire effort of evangelization in the Church. "On the morning of Pentecost she watched over with her prayer
the beginning of evangelization prompted by the Holy Spirit: may she be the Star of evangelization ever renewed which the Church,
docile to her Lord's command, must promote and accomplish, especially in these times which are difficult but full of hope!
"In the name of Christ we bless you, your communities, your families, all those who are dear to you, in the words which
Paul addressed to the Philippians: 'I give thanks to my God every time I think of you -- which is constantly, in every pray
I utter -- rejoicing, as I plead on your behalf, at the way you have all continually helped to promote the gospel...'"
(Phil. 1:3-5; E.N. 82).
ACTS II EVANGELIZATION LEADERSHIP TRAINING GUIDES AVAILABLE FOR PARISHES HERE