Lay Ministers Practice Sharing Jesus Christ

On April 7, Deacon Ralph Poyo, evangelist and founder of New Evangelization Ministries, wowed a group of over 150 lay ecclesial ministers.

As Deacon Poyo presented the workshop, How to Make Jesus Real to a Culture that Doesn't Want Him, lay minsters were on their feet, working in pairs, practicing real-world evangelization strategies. Leaving the stage to move among the audience, the deacon's presentation fully engaged the participants' hearts, minds, hands, mouths, and feet.

Deacon Poyo, who travels the country helping parishes and other organizations to become centers of radical re-evangelization, focused on giving participants a clear understanding of the process of evangelization, practical methods for making Jesus real in conversations with others, and a greater awareness of the demonic tactics that try to prevent us from succeeding in our evangelization efforts. Participants walked away from the conference re-energized and with greater confidence in being able to articulate a clear message about Jesus. As one Director of Religious Education from a large parish commented, I can't wait to implement some of these strategies in the parish.

The presentation was the second installment in the series, In the Heart of the Church, a speaker series which Sacred Heart Major Seminary offers, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Detroit, for lay ecclesial ministers' professional and spiritual enrichment. The series is a source of ongoing formation for men and women serving in the archdiocese and neighboring dioceses. The program features presentations from renowned Catholic leaders who are experts in their fields, and it all takes place within an environment that fosters learning and fellowship among ministry peers. In the Heart of the Church is free of charge and includes a meal.