In this Say Yes to Holiness 1:1 Conversation podcast, Christina speaks with Susan Windley-Daoust is Director of Missionary Discipleship for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota. She received her doctorate in Theology from Vanderbilt University, and taught college theology for 22 years. She is the author of four books, inclusing The Four Ways Forward: Becoming An Apostolic Parish In A Post-Christian World, as well as many articles. She is married to Jerry, and they are parents to five children aged 13-21.
Half of Susan's work focuses on helping parishes re-center on the Great Commission, and the other half focuses on launching and supporting initiatives that do intentional outreach to the wounded in Southern Minnesota where she and her family reside. Through her efforts, Susan discovered that parish leaders are hungry for programs and resources to help address many challenges. Since no single model or program can suit every parish, leaders often become bogged down with options, and many offer no clear goals or methods. In her book, The Four Ways Forward, Susan seeks to provide a road map to make sense of it all.
Susan and I spoke about the models that should be implemented in order to become an apostolic parish, each one built on a distinct, necessary insight and method in the art of conversion. These are:
Radical hospitality and proclamation
The practice of spiritual multiplication
Organizational mission (re)focus
Highlighting divine signs and wonders in our midst
Bottom line every fruitful, joyful, evangelizing parish should embrace the insights and methods of at least three of the four models to help craft a response in our post-Christian world. My hope is that our conversation inspires, encourages and helps you begin to be he difference you wish to see in the world around you as you help those who are too wounded to get to Jesus on their own, so that together we can tell the Master of Death, "Not Today!"
To learn more about Susan and her work, go to: https://www.gracewatch.org/evangelization/
To purchase her book, click here
