Two Parishes, Two Paths

I recently had the opportunity to work with two different parishes, both filled with faithful, dedicated people who love their Church. But their approaches to ministry—and more importantly, to evangelization—couldn’t have been more different.

One parish’s leadership made a bold decision: they committed to freeing up their staff and clergy’s time so they could focus more explicitly and intentionally on evangelization priorities that lead to true parish renewal. Rather than being consumed by administration, their goal was to build a culture where evangelization wasn’t just another task—it was the heart of their mission.

They asked tough questions about how their parish could shift from maintenance to mission. They restructured meetings, re-evaluated programs, and asked, “Does this serve our mission to make disciples?” before committing to anything new. They weren’t just trying to keep things running; they were actively creating a culture where every baptized person understood their role in evangelization.

The other parish, however, was stuck in the weeds. Their leadership was exhausted from trying to manage internal complaints, keep existing programs running, and maintain a fragile sense of peace among those already in the pews. Instead of focusing outward—on reaching the lost and forming missionary disciples—they were caught up in being a Church focused on Pope Francis calls “self-referential navel-gazing.” Their energy was spent keeping those who already belonged happy (or at least minimizing complaints), rather than equipping and sending people to share the Gospel.

Both parishes were filled with good, faithful people. But only one had truly the mission of evangelization.  

So I have to ask: which kind of parish are we building?

Evangelization Priorities:  The Cornerstone of Parish Renewal

"Evangelization is the cornerstone of all pastoral action, the demands of which are primary, preeminent, and preferential.”*

My experiences have left me feeling particularly convicted by that quote from St. John Paul II recently.  Let's break it down:

Primary

Evangelization must be our first priority. It’s the foundation of everything else we do in the Church. Every program, event, and initiative should begin with the goal of proclaiming the Gospel and bringing people into a deeper relationship with Christ. Without evangelization, even good efforts lose their true purpose.

Preeminent

Evangelization is the most important goal of all pastoral work. It’s not just one task among many—it’s the driving force behind everything else. Teaching the faith, preparing for sacraments, serving the poor, and managing church operations should all serve the greater purpose of spreading the Good News.

Preferential

Evangelization requires extra attention and focus. It should be intentionally prioritized in how we plan, use resources, and train others. This doesn’t mean we ignore other important ministries, but we must ensure evangelization always gets the special care it deserves because it’s the core mission of the Church.

Are we Treating Evangelization as an Afterthought? Questions for Parish Leadership

Evangelization is not an option or a secondary task—it’s the heart of our mission and the guide for all our work in the Church. If we work in or lead within a parish, we must ask ourselves:

• Are we intentionally encouraging and equipping the baptized to share their faith in a systematic and purposeful way?
• Are we giving people the tools, training, and confidence to share Jesus in their families, workplaces, and communities?
• Or are we unintentionally treating evangelization as an afterthought—something secondary to programs and activities that may be good but don’t lead people to a personal encounter with Jesus?
• Have we made the mistake of outsourcing the mission of evangelization to a “director of evangelization” or a team, as if proclaiming the Good News isn’t the work of every baptized person?
• Do we believe and teach that evangelization is everyone’s calling?
• Have we prioritized evangelization in a way that shapes our parish culture so clearly that, as Pope Paul VI wrote, our way of living and loving stirs “irresistible questions” in the hearts of others?
• Are our lives as disciples so compelling that people around us are driven to ask: Why are they like this? What inspires them? Why do they live this way?
• Is every aspect of our pastoral work intentionally focused on forming disciples who are ready and eager to share the Gospel with the world?

The Church reminds us that the parish is more than a place where we gather—it is the very context in which the evangelizing mission of the Church unfolds.

‘Over and above places and reasons for membership, the Parish community is the human context wherein the evangelising work of the Church is carried out, where Sacraments are celebrated and where charity is exercised, all with missionary zeal, which, apart from being an intrinsic part of pastoral action, is a litmus test of its authenticity.’

Evangelization is not an isolated activity or a program; it is the standard by which all of our pastoral work is measured. Are our sacraments, ministries, and outreach truly infused with a missionary zeal that brings people into an encounter with Jesus? Or have we fallen into a model of merely maintaining structures and serving those already inside, forgetting that the Gospel is meant to go forth beyond our church walls?

What Parish Renewal Can Look Like

Imagine a parish where every ministry—faith formation, service, sacraments—flows from the mission to share Jesus. Where staff and clergy aren’t burdened by endless programs that don’t serve the mission, but are instead empowered to equip the laity for evangelization. Where the people in the pews don’t just show up, but go out—bringing the Gospel to their families, workplaces, and communities.

This is the Church we are called to be.  This is the vision the Church has for our parishes.

If we truly believe the mission of evangelization should drive all pastoral work, then our parish leadership must reflect that. We need to rethink how we allocate resources, train parishioners, and build a culture of evangelization for lasting parish renewal. We need to re-evaluate how we spend our time, where we invest our resources, and how we train and equip our people.

So let’s ask ourselves again: Is every member of our parish leadership and every aspect of our pastoral work intentionally focused on forming disciples who are ready and eager to go out of our church walls share the Gospel with the world?

If not—what are we waiting for?

Make Evangelization Your Top Priority

If evangelization is truly the litmus test of our pastoral work, how would your parish measure up?

Take a moment to reflect:

• Are our ministries truly forming missionary disciples?
• Are we equipping people to share the Gospel beyond our parish walls?
• Have we structured our leadership, meetings, and programs to keep evangelization at the center?

If the answer is no or not yet, it’s time for a change. Let’s make evangelization not just a priority, but the foundation of everything we do.

This week, try identifying one concrete way your parish can prioritize evangelization. Whether it’s shifting how a ministry is structured, refocusing a meeting agenda, or equipping parishioners to share their faith—start somewhere.

Need help getting started? Burning Hearts Disciples is here to walk with you. Let’s start the conversation today.

Quotes are from Instruction: The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church (July 20, 2020).