Relational Ministry

Relational Ministry is a way of evangelization that is rooted in genuine Christian relationships, and not simply arguments, theology, or catechesis.  It’s an effective method of evangelization that leaders in the Church recommend and has a proven track record, especially in youth ministry and adult faith formation programs that have relational components (like Welcome, for example).

At the heart of relational ministry is encounter.  The leader doesn’t simply teach or exhort the group, but meets them and gets to know them as individuals, as people created in the image and likeness of God and destined by Him to be His children.  The participants as well don’t simply listen to the leader or consider what they have to say, but get to know the leader as a person and as a Christian who is simultaneously striving for and struggling to reach Christian perfection in the love of Christ.  These relationships that are built between participants, as well as between participants and leaders, besides being genuine friendships in Christ (appropriate to the age and state of life of all involved), provide support and encouragement in living the Christian life despite all the challenges facing the Church today.

There’s a third encounter, for which the previous mentioned relationships prepare both participant and leader:  an encounter with Jesus Christ.  Relational ministry affirms to those involved the reality of their human dignity, and the time taken for the leader to care to get to know the participant shows they really are worth everything that human dignity implies and that Christ’s Cross proves.  The heart opens to the possibility of a real relationship with the Lord, who they will meet repeatedly through genuine experiences of prayer.

Relational ministry is a journey where the leader accompanies the participant along the path to Heaven.  The relationships built provide practical support for living as a Christian, as well as an extraordinary witness to the love and value God places on every single person.  The methods of relational ministry are as varied as the circumstances in which it is utilized:  games and discussions in youth ministry, bourbon and conversations in adult social groups, witness talks and vulnerability in retreats, answering questions and getting to know each other in OCIA and catechesis.  But no matter the method, the goal is the same:  to build up the Body of Christ, and most especially, to provide opportunities for people to connect with Jesus in real, personal, and meaningful ways.