(There are going to be some of you who are surprised by this article–because you presume most parishes have this person in place. In my part of the country, it is actually fairly rare to have staff person tasked entirely with evangelization. If your parish has an evangelization director, read on and see if you are shaping and supporting that position for its best support!)
Many parish leaders invested in renewal eventually encounter the question: Should we hire someone whose primary responsibility is parish-based evangelization?
Some parishes already have such a role. If yours does, that is a gift. It often signals that the parish recognizes evangelization not as a temporary initiative but as part of its core identity. But in many communities, this position does not yet exist. When leaders begin to take evangelization seriously, the question naturally arises: Would creating such a role help our parish grow in mission?
There is no universal answer. Every parish has different resources, culture, and needs. Still, it is a question worth exploring thoughtfully.
Why a Dedicated Evangelization Role Can Be Powerful
If funding is available—even if it requires re-prioritizing other initiatives—there is a strong case for creating a dedicated evangelization role. Few positions in a parish have the potential for such a wide return on investment (and we don’t mean financially–but that’s possible too). A person whose primary focus is helping the parish become more outward-facing, relational, and mission-driven can influence nearly every dimension of parish life.
One of the greatest benefits is focus. Evangelization requires attention, experimentation, and persistence. A staff member who spends time studying what helps people encounter Christ, inviting others into that work, and coordinating efforts across ministries can be a tremendous asset.
There are also many practical tasks involved in cultivating an evangelizing culture. Someone needs to coordinate outreach efforts, support volunteers, analyze what is working and what is not, and help the parish learn from experience. Without a dedicated leader, these responsibilities often remain scattered or simply go undone.
This kind of role can also influence the rest of the staff. Evangelization should never exist in isolation from other ministries. A dedicated leader can collaborate with youth ministry, sacramental preparation, adult formation, communications, and funeral ministry. Each of these touchpoints offers opportunities for welcome, accompaniment, and invitation.
Another important dimension is vision signaling. When a parish invests in evangelization as a staff role, it communicates something powerful to the community: this is not a passing trend. It is part of who we are becoming.
Such a staff member can also bring intentional focus to processes like OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults). In many parishes, this ministry relies heavily on volunteers. While volunteers are invaluable, the process often benefits from someone who can give sustained attention to building a strong and welcoming pathway into the life of the Church at all levels of parish life.
Important Realities to Keep in Mind
At the same time, hiring an evangelization staff person is not a quick fix. There are real challenges that parish leaders should consider.
One common temptation is to assume that evangelization becomes “someone else’s job.” But evangelization is fundamentally the vocation of the baptized. A staff member can catalyze and guide the work, but the mission ultimately belongs to the entire community.
Another misconception is that hiring the right person will immediately change parish culture. Culture rarely shifts quickly. It grows through relationships, trust, and repeated practices over time.
The success of this role will depend heavily on the support of the pastor, the collaboration of other staff members, and the openness of parish leaders. Evangelization often involves creativity and risk. A staff member in this role needs encouragement and backing when experiments succeed—and also when they do not.
Four Ways to Wreck a Perfectly Good Evangelization Role
There are several practical pitfalls that parish leaders should be aware of.
- One is trying to combine evangelization with an already full position, particularly catechesis. Catechetical ministries have deep roots in current parish culture and many established expectations. In practice, a “50/50” split often becomes something closer to 75% catechesis and 25% evangelization. If roles must be combined, other responsibilities should be reduced significantly and delegated out to others.
2. Another pitfall is expecting one person to carry the entire mission alone. Jesus saves the parish, you can’t expect staff member A to fill that role! Evangelization grows through teams, relationships, and shared ownership. Staff members, volunteers, and parish leaders all need to participate.
3. You can wreck best intentions by not putting due emphasis on the priority of prayer. The spiritual lives of your first evangelists are foundational to parish buy-in. Evangelization is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit. Anyone hired for this role should have a genuine spiritual life and a deep trust in the Spirit’s guidance.
4. Finally, you can mess this up by just focusing on attendance records. Wise leaders remember that success cannot be measured only by numbers. Growth in discipleship and depth of faith matter just as much as attendance or participation. Both dimensions deserve attention.
Discernment Questions for Parish Leaders
If your parish council or staff is considering creating an evangelization role, these questions may help guide discussion:
- What would we hope an evangelization leader would help our parish become in five years?
- Are we prepared as a staff and leadership team to support experimentation, learning, and gradual cultural change?
- What current ministries could collaborate more intentionally around evangelization?
- Are we expecting one person to “solve” evangelization, or to help mobilize the whole parish?
- If we combined this role with another position, what responsibilities would need to be removed?
- How would we measure both growth in discipleship and growth in participation in our parish?
- What structures of support, mentorship, and spiritual formation could we provide for this staff member?
A Final Thought
For many parishes, the deeper question is not simply whether to hire an evangelization leader, but how ready the community is to support such a role. And if they aren’t ready–realize you are hiring a prophet. How are you as parish and staff going to support the prophet?
Thoughtful discernment, prayer, and honest conversation can help clarify the path forward. Wherever your parish is on that journey, the desire to become more intentional about evangelization is already a hopeful sign.
May the Holy Spirit guide your parish as you continue seeking how best to share the Gospel in your community!
This material is adapted from our soon to be published Mission Ignite Toolkit: A Practical Framework for Building an Evangelizing Parish. Check the link to learn more or purchase! The resource will be released in the Easter season of 2026.
