Beth and Fr. Steve discuss the Church’s main mission of evangelization and how ministers can effectively make disciples, be discipled, and keep our work focused on the main thing.
Show notes:
(0:22) Beth and Fr. Steve share a bit about what their prayer lives have been like recently. Beth mentions that she’s been praying for unity on both a small and large scale, and Fr. Steve shares his prayers for trusting in God more and relying on his providence.
(2:33) Fr. Steve and Beth talk about their Lenten resolutions, with Fr. Steve resolving to not go out to eat and to simplify his life, and Beth’s family resolving to eat what they have at home, not buying extra food or groceries when there’s already food in the house.
(5:39) Beth introduces this episode’s topic and how she drew the inspiration for it from Stephen Covey’s quote, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” She and Fr. Steve consider what that “main thing” is for us and why the Church exists. They talk about the importance of pastoral care, but that the Church’s identity and key mission is evangelization.
(9:11) Fr. Steve and Beth reflect on the moniker of the “New Evangelization,” and what that means when evangelism has been part of the Church’s mission even from Jesus’ ascension. Fr. Steve discusses the need to evangelize with our lives, and how in order to have this witness with our lives, we must be authentically converted to Christ first.
(15:09) Beth reflects on what it means to be a disciple, and how we use the word often but we rarely define it. They establish a disciple as a person who has encountered Christ and chosen to surrender and follow him. The two discuss the joy that comes from following Jesus, and that this joy is perfect because we are created for it, but that it’s also different from comfort.
(20:08) Fr. Steve and Beth consider personal discipleship, how we can actually go about keeping the main thing the main thing, and that the key for this is letting our hearts continue to be evangelized. They discuss bringing this into ministry by sharing the work God is doing in our lives. They discuss the power of testimony in increasing the faith of others.
(30:14) Beth and Fr. Steve share some of the ways they’ve tried to keep this main thing the main thing that have fallen flat or been unsuccessful in the past, with Beth sharing an event she’d organized that went awry, and Fr. Steve sharing a personal evangelization attempt that didn’t go as he’d expected.
(36:29) Fr. Steve and Beth discuss practical application of “keeping the main thing the main thing.” Beth suggests that the most effective way is, of course, through prayer, and that taking time to sit with Jesus is the best way to live out the Good News in our hearts. Fr. Steve encourages intentional goal-setting and evaluating the question, “Is there someone in my life I am helping to know Jesus?” Beth also shares the importance of prioritizing relationships with people outside of the Church.
(44:46) The two take questions from the field. One listener asks what our hosts’ go-to prayers are, and Beth shares that hers are the Litany of Trust and the Litany of Humility, and Fr. Steve shares that his favorite is the Memorare. Another listener asks how we can evangelize those who are indifferent or hostile toward the faith, and Beth and Fr. Steve provide insight on what our role in evangelization truly is, and how to set ourselves up for success.
