Fort Worth, TX
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This report comes from team leader Randy with the SPSE team in Fort Worth, Texas:
Now that I’m retired from practicing law I have a lot more time to devote to my favorite work, Street Evangelization! Lately, I’ve been going to Sundance Square between 11:30 and 1:30 to talk to downtown workers on their lunch break. I found a beautiful shady spot near the Disco Cowboy Hat to set out my wares. After convincing the security staff that I was not selling anything and not using voice amplification (both of which would get me in trouble with the city and the owners of Sundance Square unless I had a permit), I was able to comfortably evangelize without worrying about the authorities. I’m on the other side of the walkway from the JWs but they don’t seem to attract many inquirers. If you have ever tried to talk about God or salvation with a JW you know that’s like beating your head against a wall.
My approach is SPSE’s: Listen, Befriend, Proclaim, Invite. This progression makes sense, and it really works. As I have used this model for 10 years I have shifted my emphasis under the Proclaim aspect. As Catholics we know that outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation. Proclaiming this dogma, however, requires a great depth of knowledge about the nature of the Church and who is and who is not a member of the Mystical Body of Christ. This can quickly get into the weeds, which is counter-productive in the brief time we have to interact with people who are curious about us and who want a Rosary and maybe a prayer. Because of that, I decided to proclaim the dogma of the Church based on the message of intimacy with God (a real personal relationship with God) through the sacraments that Jesus gave to the Apostles, especially the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of the Catholic faith. Keying on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, by which Jesus becomes the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world and by which we are fed in the Eucharist, I can have a good discussion with Protestants and lukewarm Catholics using the undeniable facts of the Bible, the Early Church Fathers, and Eucharistic Miracles to show that the Real Jesus is Really Present to nourish us and unite us to God, the Sweet Guest of our soul. This is an easy message to proclaim, and it can also be useful to contrast Jesus’s Real Presence in Catholic worship with His real absence in Protestant “worship”.
Anyone who is interested in coming to observe how we evangelize or (if you are Catholic) to join our team is welcome to come and see. I will try to keep my calendar current on here for at least a week ahead of time so that you can come to Sundance Square and observe (just go to the Disco Cowboy Hat and look for me). SPSE has excellent training available for anyone who wants to get involved in my team.
Pax vobiscum.