Friends, many of you know I wrote a book titled The Four Ways Forward: Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World, published by OSV Press. The next four months, I am going to talk about each of those ways, patterns of Catholic evangelization that WORK, spiritually emerging from the past 40 years: radical hospitality + first proclamation, small group spiritual multiplication, elevating signs and wonders, and organizational mission re-focus. My argument is that adopting three of these ways forward will create a stable evangelizing parish designed to grow and share the gospel. This month, we begin with small group spiritual multiplication.

I recently asked a friend, who happens to be a national speaker on leadership: what is the first thing you’d recommend–after prayer–to move toward an evangelizing parish? He said “get them to talk to each other. Especially, get them to talk to each other about what matters. Engage the communion, the brotherhood and sisterhood, we already are. If we don’t have that, few of those invited will stay.”

Almost every parish knows the power of small groups. People create lasting friendships in Christ in faith-sharing groups of all kinds…Bible studies, prayer circles, Cursillo’s Ultreya small groups, RENEW, book studies, third orders, and more. But it’s more than friendships, as important as those are…it’s also about adult discipleship growth.

We are created for spiritual growth. The body grows, maintains, and slowly declines (it’s true). But we are created with souls designed to grow, grow, and grow! That doesn’t happen automatically. We need the grace of the sacraments, the practice of prayer and good works…and we open ourselves to growth by talking about Jesus. Out loud. With others.

We live in a country that has drawn a distinction between what is called personal and public faith. Personal faith is considered acceptable (somewhat) and the public faith much less so. Yet that is a cultural custom that isn’t necessary: in fact, our country was founded on the premise of religious freedom–you can practice whatever it is you believe! It also is a custom that isn’t true: our personal faith and public faith are one. If we individually believe that Jesus is Lord, we have to be open to living that truth in public, and sharing it when appropriate. God the Father and his Son did not send the Holy Spirit in order for us to become “secret Christians.”

In an increasingly secular culture, we need to connect these dots for people–that the way we live and how we speak is based on what we believe. But in order to do that, we need to grow in an adult confidence of our own faith, and practice talking about it out loud with a safe group. That is where small groups are genius. They accomplish both spiritual growth and sharing, and you gain good friends in the process. There is literally no down side.

Spiritual Multiplication

The new “sauce” to small groups in the past 25 years is the addition of a practice called spiritual multiplication. In short, when small discipleship groups are created in a way that fosters leaders to convene new small groups, the impact of small groups multiplies across your entire parish. Let’s assume a small group leads people to active (or deeper, or more exciting) discipleship. That small group of 4 then ends their small group study together and they all go out and “do it again” with new people–at the end of that cycle, you have 16. They do it again and end with 64 active disciples. This is where it gets amazing: they do it again, and they reach 256. Again? Over 1000 active, deeper, excited disciples. Even assuming that some will drop out of the cycle: after five cycles, can you imagine how that would impact parish life?

This is the model most prominently practiced by FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). On a parish level, it is prominently practiced by Discipleship Quads (Franciscan Outreach). But honestly–it could be practiced by many of the small group possibilities out there (RENEW, various Bible Studies). Begin with the small group deliberately promising each other: let’s plan to do this well, and some of you will help me repeat it with other people next season/year/etc. It is usually possible. But it takes the “spiritual multiplication vision” and commitment.

If you want to warm up your parish to the power of small groups, suggest and offer to help run one of these options during this Parish Year of the Eucharistic Revival. And talk to me about how to spiritually multiply your chosen practice!

1. Jesus and the Eucharist video discussion series: This seven session series was created specifically for the parish year of the Eucharistic Revival and is designed to be easy to implement so people can focus on the content and engaging with each other. It is elegant, thought provoking, beautifully done, available in English and Spanish, and free. See more here: https:// www.eucharisticrevival.org/formation-resources

2. Discipleship Quads: While this is not specifically part of the Eucharistic Revival, it addresses the Christian life in fullness, which includes the Eucharistic life! The spiritual multiplication process is built into this option. Materials are available in English and Spanish, free online or low cost for booklets, and the small group of four meets weekly for one year. https://steubenvilleconferences.com/discipleship-quads/

3. Transformed small group study: This small group study comes from Evangelical Catholic, which focuses on small group formation. Six sessions which focus on how the Eucharist is offered by Christ to transform your life. Can be used in conjunction with the Evangelical Catholic missional method. https://store. evangelicalcatholic.org/products/copy-oftransformed-the-gift-and-challenge-of-theeucharist

4. Eucharist Matters: Designed for parents, guardians, and grandparents of children anticipating receiving the Eucharist for the first time, this seven-session small group series helps parents anchor the Eucharistic Lord as the center of their home. This is a video/booklet series by Catholic HOM (Greg and Lisa Popcak) in collaboration with RENEW Ministries. https://pages.renewintl. org/eucharist-matters

There are many Catholic small groups: the key is to prioritize them and give people encouragement to participate. And pay it forward! I wish you joy in your new friendships in Christ.

Susan Windley-Daoust Director of Missionary Discipleship swindley@dowr.org