GO FISH GLOBAL

MEETS CHALLENGES WITH SOLUTIONS!
(NOTE: Always pray before proceding!)
 

INDEX

I. BISHOP & PASTOR APPROVAL AND MANAGEMENT

II. OUTREACH & EVANGELIZATION TRAINING

III. DIOCESAN, PARISH AND GROUP STRUCTURES (THE PORT & DOCKS)

IV. WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDE TO VISIT THE CHURCH?

V. GO FISH GLOBAL IS NOT A GROUP YOU CAN JOIN.  IT’S A RESOURCE!

 

 

 

I. BISHOP & PASTOR APPROVAL AND MANAGEMENT

 

Q: Must Go FISH Global be approved by our bishop, pastor or group leader?

Yes, this is required! 

 

Q: Will the Bishop, Pastors and Group Leaders be able to manage the Go FISH Global “Net” across their diocese, parish or group respectively?

Yes! The structure is designed with features to help Church leadership manage the outreach & evangelization effort, as they deem necessary.

Q: How does one control the content on the website or the way things are done by groups globally?

The content found on the Go FISH Global.org website is controlled by the Go FISH Global Webmaster. However, bishops, pastors and group leaders can make adjustments to the materials on our website. GFG can even help them create their own websites and post their versions of materials there. They can even remove the name "Go FISH Global" from our materials.

As a favor, and so that others can see that you find our resources useful, we ask that you allow us list you on our "Global Users" page. If you prefer not to be listed, that is ok, too.

 

As for how things are done around the world, control rests with the bishops, pastors and group leaders in those areas. Go FISH Global's role is to help them with resources. 

 

 

II. OUTREACH & EVANGELIZATION TRAINING

 

Q: What if I am not ready to evangelize?

There are many other roles within the Go FISH Global concept that do not involve direct evangelization.  Those positions are, nevertheless, very important to the success of the outreach and evangelization effort.

 

Q: How do we bring people back to the Catholic Church in light of the seemingly overwhelming anti-Catholic propaganda? Many have left Catholicism to join non-Catholic Christian churches. Others have left Christianity, and many have been convinced that there is no God.

The most successful form of evangelization involves our joyfully loving God and His people. If they see Christ and/or His love in you, if you offer good answers with love, if they feel welcome, they have a higher probablity of looking into the Church. GFG is about Christ, His love, joy in Him, welcoming others, and going after the lost sheep....including those who always feel left out. Follow up, which is a part of the GFG concept, also lets them know we care. Some might need more in-depth answers than others. We need to answer their questions with answers that satidfy their needs. Go FISH encourages all Catholics to get those answers or to lovingly take the Fish to those who have them.

 

Q: The average Catholic doesn’t even know how to peroform outreach and evangelization. How can they learn quickly?

The Go FISH Global Outreach & Evangelization presentations on the PRESENTATIONS page will train people. The Full version takes approximately 3 hours and 50 minutes, which is relatively quick. One of our goals is to get your group trained as quickly as possible so that you can start reaching out to the unchurched.  If you have questions about the material, feel free to contact us.

However, we also recommend your group acquire a more extensive form of spiritual and intellectual training, and point you to groups listed on the "Outreach & Evangelization Groups" page.

 

Q: What if those who see the Go FISH training presentations are not interested in using the methods presented?

As mentioned above, the "Outreach & Evangelization Groups" page lists groups you can contact for more extensive training.  The "Outreach & Evangelization Methods" page lists methods that have been sent to us from around the world. The name and contact information of those who posted those methods can be found on those methods. Feel free to contact the groups or those who put together the methods listed on the website with your questions.

 

Q: What if those who look into Go FISH Global would like to communicate with other O&E Evangelists to compare notes, give each other encouragement, and even to team up for any reason?

The "Outreach & Evangelization Groups" page lists teams from around the world by denomination and country.  More and more groups will be listed there as time passes.  Please feel free to contact them.  If they do not respond immediately, do not be disheartened.  You could always contact one of the other groups in the meantime. 

 

Q: What if some people or teams of people prefer to use their own methods of evangelization?

Go FISH Global encourages all Christians to use the methods they feel called by God to use, as long as they are in line with the teachings of the Church and approved by your local bishop, pastor, and group leader. Some Church leaders do not require official approval, as long as what you do is in line with their vision for their jurisdiction.

 

III. DIOCESAN, PARISH AND GROUP STRUCTURES (THE PORT & DOCKS)

Q: How do we inspire new people to join the effort?

                       Some will need only one invitation. Others will say “Yes” with time. The system is designed to
                       keep the volunteers inviting people, in as attractive a way as possible, to join (or start) a crew.
 

Q: What if simple invitations do not generate much interest?

Always pray first. Usually, some will immediately be ready to help. Dioceses can invite people through their newsletters, newspapers, the radio or other media form. Parishes can make pulpit anonouncements at every mass and announce it on their weekly bulletins. Groups can talk about it at their meetings. All three can make up flyers to invite people to a training presentation. If those methods do not generate results, invite individuals more formally. A very small team, even one with just two or three people, can, then, grow the "Net" within your parish.  It is important to begin with a team of people who would be respected for their faith, manner, and intelligence.

Once you acquire your initial set of volunteers, you can begin to train them using the files on the PRESENTATIONS page. These will help them and others realize that they can do something to bring people into the Catholic Church! That confidence will help them recruit other church-going people to join the effort.  We "reach into the pews, so they can reach out to the unchurched!"

 

The initial crew must always pray, remain focused, and keep well-organized. They must aspire to make a "production" out of recruiting within the Church.  This will offer greater results than a weak and uninspired effort. Use professional-looking flyers and bulletin announcements. Get the best radio voices you can find to make radio announcements. Have those that most would be considered leaders give the pupit announcements. The higher the overall quality, the better your results.

 

Q: How can we get the highest number of Catholics within a diocese, parish or group to perform outreach and evangelization? Our diocese doesn't seem to have a well-organized plan.

The Go FISH Global "Structure" training presentation offers a plan on how to get the highest number of people involved with the O&E effort. It helps keep you organized, and is designed to motivate those NOT yet involved through those who DO get involved. When people see that things are well organized and that progress is being made, it gives them the confidence they need to join you. Also, do not be afraid to have the few who are willing help you set up the Go FISH Global Structure - look at how much Jesus did with just twelve!

 

Q: How do we keep evangelization consistent throughout the year?

The Docks (parish support crews) help motivate the outreach & evangelization crews, in their respective parishes, carry out the crew-specific schedule that each crew feels is achievable. Some Dock members are also in charge of recruiting new evangelists year-round.

 

Q: Won’t some people burn out, get too busy, or lose interest?

The Go FISH Global structure presentation explains that each participant must know how much they are capable of doing. We caution against burnout. Some can perform O&E once a year, others once every 6 months, 3 months, month or seasonally.

For Port Hands and Dock Hands who do burn out, there is  a "Burnount Mechanism" worked into the concept to help them ease out of their duties. The Port hands serve the diocese. They stay in touch with the Docks (who serve at the parish level) to remind them to stay healthily paced. The Dock Hands are the ones who stay in touch with the crews within their respective parishes. It is their job to help keep all crew members healthily paced, so that they will be able to do what they can do. But, if crew members get burned out, the Burnout Mechanism can also be applied to them.

 

Q: Who will train the people who are going to be doing the outreach and evangelization?

At first, Go FISH Global will help set up training sessions for those who are appointed by the bishop, pastor or group leader to get the process started. Afterwards, a crew called “The Port” will be recruited and trained to do various things for a diocese – including outreach and evangelization training. Similarly, crews called “Docks” will be recruited and trained to train parishioners and to support the outreach and evangelization effort at the parish and group level.

 

Q: What about formation? How do our people learn about our faith?

The "FORMATION" page on our website is dedicated solely to training people on their faith. Major formation-focused sites are listed there. The bishop, however, has the final say on the content that is to be used for his diocese. If the GoFISHGlobal.org website is insufficient, many other resources exist!

 

Q: Our parish is poor. How can we afford GoFISHGlobal’s training?

Go FISH Global is FREE! Everyone will have access to our training presentations, the contact information of Outreach & Evangelization Groups, a list of Outreach & Evangelization Methods from around the world, pamphlets, flyers, announcements, tracts, etc. on our website.

 

 

 

IV. WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDE TO VISIT THE CHURCH?

 

Q: Many people who do not go to church need help. But they don’t know where to look for it within the Church. How do you keep aware of everything that is going on around a diocese so that you can give them the help they need?

One person could never keep abreast of everything that is happening around a diocese. Go FISH Global suggests that you immediately create a Ministry Finder Website on which one can do searches using a zip code, parish, ministry type, primary language, etc. This tool is extremely important to the Go FISH Global model, as it is used for all newcomers.  It can also be used by active members of the Church to meet their needs.

 

Q: Assume we start bringing people to Church or to a group. It doesn’t mean they will stay. I know of people who have been invited to mass. When they arrived, no one welcomed or guided them. How can we help them feel welcome and aid them in their search for a "home" within a parish or diocese?

Go FISH Global does not send those who are evangelized blindly to a church. Instead, they are invited to periodic welcoming events at the diocesan, parish or group level. These events have been designed to make all attending feel loved and accepted immediately. At those welcoming events, the Ministry Finder Website (or a simple Ministry Data Base) can be used to find the Fish a home within the Church. If neither is ready, the “Shippers”, which are the people assigned to finding newcomers a home, can do the necessary research to help find a solution.

 

Q: Who is going to keep up with these new guests?

                     The Go FISH Global concept has roles to handle the entire process. Follow up is often 
                     necessary. After a "Fisher" (those who perform outreach & evangelization) "catches a Fish" 
                     (where the Fish have provided their contact information necessary for follow up), it is the 
                     "Shippers" role to "release" the Fish into a home within the Church that best seems to suit the 
                     Fish. 
 

Q: Church people are not always very nice.  Sometimes, they are downright mean. How do we prepare the newcomers for that?  Won't that surely cause them to leave, never to return?

                     Christ came for the broken, and we are all broken in some way. During difficult times, broken
                     people can lash out at others and hurt them.  This could turn newcomers off completely.  That is
                     why Go FISH Global uses welcoming events to receive the people who are evangelized, instead of 
                     sending them to a mass where parishioners might not even realize they need to be welcomed.                            But, this issue of injurious people within the Church is so serious and common, that GFG suggests
                     having all visitors that come to the welcoming events be shown a short video that quickly
                     explains the good *and* the bad that one might find within the Church.  By letting them know,
                     immeditely, about the bad, you can help prepare them for it before it happens. In the video, it is
                     important to explain *why* they might run into these people within a Church that claims to be    
                     teaching love, patience, forgiveness, etc.  The newcomers first impression is so important, that
                     even this detail was taken into account.