Disciples Called To Witness: Conclusion
Disciples Called To Witness: The New Evangelization
A statement by the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis.
"You will be my witnesses... to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
Through our Baptism, we become witnesses to the Gospel and disciples of Christ. As disciples and witnesses, we are called to ongoing conversion. To become evangelizers, we must first be evangelized. If we truly believe in the Gospel, then as a Church, we must take seriously Christ’s commandment to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” 55 We bring the Good News to all people and nations, including those who have never heard of Christ, those who are no longer actively practicing their faith, and all those who are fervent in the faith. The New Evangelization challenges us to “re-propose” the Gospel to our missing brothers and sisters—those members of the Body of Christ who have drifted away from the Lord’s Table.
"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
The purpose of this resource is to encourage and assist diocesan and eparchial bishops and their pastoral leaders in their outreach efforts to engage our missing brothers and sisters. As the Church prepares for the 2012 Synod on the New Evangelization, new material will be added to this web-based resource. Each diocese, eparchy, and parish will implement this document in the manner most suited to its needs. Some will create door-to-door programs, use social media, develop printed resources, participate in local or national programs, or engage in a combination of all these activities. As dioceses and parishes begin preparations to create or renew their outreach to our missing brothers and sisters, it is important to remember that the New Evangelization is “primarily a spiritual activity.” 56 We are called to invite our missing brothers and sisters back to life in the Church—a life in which we all experience God’s love and mercy through the community of faith, nurture our spiritual lives through the sacraments and prayer, and are formed into true disciples of Christ.