THE NEW EVANGELIZATION
In recent years, one gets the impression that many are evangelizing (various associations, movements, lay communities, parish animators) and that everyone knows and understands what this is about and what the process is like.
The new evangelization wants to emphasize that it is not about the new Gospel and the contents of the faith, but the circumstances and approach to modern man have changed. This modern man is looking for arguments, the experience of salvation, ie a new experience of faith.
2019. marks 40 years since Tomislav Ivančić held the first seminar in Marija Bistrica in the presence of the late Cardinal Franjo Kuharić and about 40 priests. That is why we consider Tomislav Ivančić, in a way, the founder of the evangelization movement who started the „Seminars for the Evangelization of the Church“, first practically, and then theoretically.
The content and method of conducting the seminar, ie the catechumenate of adults, is elaborated in detail in his book „Encounter With the Living God“.
In a way, Tomislav Ivančić, the founder of the Prayer and the Word community, handed out the spirit, content and method of how to evangelize. The evangelization of the Church is one of the tasks of the Community, and that is to proclaim the Good News and help the Church to be a witness.
However, how to evangelize successfully?
One Church document states that „people prefer to listen to witnesses rather than teacher, and teachers if they are witnesses.“ It is impossible for the one who is evangelized, who has experienced sincere conversion and a change of heart not to evangelize others. Of course, this is not about some sectarianism and the establishment of pious habits.