Go and Make Disciples: The U.S. Bishops' Plan for Catholic Evangelization
Quick answer
Go and Make Disciples is the national plan and strategy for Catholic evangelization approved by the U.S. bishops in 1992 and reissued in 2002. Taking its title from Matthew 28:19, it sets three goals, to renew Catholics in their faith so they share it freely, to invite all people to hear the Gospel, and to foster Gospel values in society, with practical objectives for each. It remains one of the clearest guides to what evangelization means for American parishes.
Key takeaways
- It was approved in November 1992 and reissued for its tenth anniversary in 2002.
- Its three goals move from renewal inside the Church, to invitation, to transforming society.
- It insists that evangelization is the work of every Catholic, not only priests and religious.
- It inspired diocesan plans and parish programs such as Disciples in Mission.
Before He ascended, Jesus gave His followers one last command: go and make disciples of all nations. In 1992 the bishops of the United States asked what that command means for Catholics in America, and answered with a plan.
Why the Bishops Wrote It
Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States was approved in November 1992, the five-hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the Gospel in the Americas. It built on St. Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi (1975) and St. John Paul II’s call for a “new evangelization.” The bishops reissued it in 2002.
Its starting point is simple: the Church exists to evangelize. Every Catholic, by baptism, shares in that mission.
Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 28:19, Douay-Rheims)
What Evangelization Means
The plan describes evangelization as bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the power of that message. It includes personal conversion, the witness of a Christian life, explicit proclamation of Jesus Christ, and the invitation to join the community of the Church.
The Three Goals
Goal I: Renewal. To bring about in all Catholics such an enthusiasm for their faith that, living their faith in Jesus, they freely share it with others. This begins at home: in Sunday Mass, prayer, Scripture, small communities and families.
Goal II: Invitation. To invite all people in the United States, whatever their social or cultural background, to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ, so they may come to join us in the fullness of the Catholic faith. This includes inactive Catholics, people with no church, and those searching.
Goal III: Transformation. To foster Gospel values in society, promoting the dignity of the human person, the importance of the family and the common good, so that the nation may be transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ.
Each goal has concrete objectives and strategies, from better preaching and more welcoming parishes to training Catholics to share their faith and to apply the Church’s social teaching.
How Parishes Responded
Many dioceses wrote their own evangelization plans. Programs such as Disciples in Mission, from the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association, were designed specifically to help parishes carry out the three goals.
Living the Plan Today
The plan is now over thirty years old, but its goals fit closely with Pope Francis’s vision of a Church “in a permanent state of mission” (Evangelii Gaudium 25). Here are a few simple ways to live it:
- Renew your own faith. Pray daily, read the Sunday Gospel before Mass, and go to confession.
- Invite one person. Ask a friend, neighbor or family member to Mass, a parish event or a conversation about faith.
- Welcome visitors. Greet people you do not recognize at church.
- Serve the common good. Volunteer, care for the poor and stand for human dignity.
A Prayer for Evangelization (Original Prayer)
Lord Jesus, You told us to go and make disciples. Renew my faith, give me courage to invite others, and help me bring Your Gospel into my family, my work and my town. Amen.
Continue Reading
Learn about Disciples in Mission, read our prayers for evangelization, or see 10 steps for outreach to inactive Catholics.
Frequently asked questions
What are the three goals of Go and Make Disciples?
First, to bring all Catholics to such enthusiasm for their faith that they freely share it with others. Second, to invite all people in the United States to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Third, to foster Gospel values in society, promoting human dignity, the family and the common good.
Where does the title come from?
From Jesus' words to the apostles after the Resurrection, "Going therefore, teach ye all nations" (Matthew 28:19), often translated "Go and make disciples of all nations."
Is evangelization the same as proselytizing?
No. The Church proposes the faith with respect and never imposes it. Evangelization means sharing the Good News by word and example and inviting others freely to respond.
Sources
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Go and Make Disciples (1992; tenth anniversary edition 2002)
- Pope St. Paul VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi (1975)
- Pope St. John Paul II, Redemptoris Missio (1990)
- Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (2013), no. 14
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