After speaking at conferences or parishes we love the interaction at our resource table. To hear peoples’ stories, testimonies, heartbreak over loved ones leaving the Church and their own passion to evangelize, provides us with such inspiration and urgency to continue this mission of Casting Nets Ministries.

One of the questions that comes up over and over is, ‘what book would you suggest for me (or my book club, or parish) to read about evangelization?’

I then glance at the table and do my best Vanna White hand gesture towards all the books and CDs.

However, obviously after our two books “Casting Nets: Grow Your Faith by Sharing Your Faith” and “Casting Nets with the Saint: Learn from the Best How to Share the Faith,” here are the Top 5 Books I always suggest:

1. Divine Renovation by Fr. James Mallon – One of the things I love about Fr. Mallon is that he has now implemented his approach to the New Evangelization at several parishes that he has been the pastor. Fr. Mallon is also asking the right difficult questions that every parish needs to be asking. Maybe his answers will work for your parish…but that is not the point…the challenge is finding the answers in your unique situation.
   
   
2. Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) by Pope Francis – Obviously, I do not suggest papal documents for reading often, because no one reads them except nerds like me. However, this is the best papal document on evangelization written. It is easy to read, clear and inspirational.
   
   
3. John Paul II and the New Evangelization by Ralph Martin – Ralph Martin has been doing the evangelization thing before evangelization was cool or discipleship was a buzz word at the parish. This work is actually a collection of essays, so you get a variety of viewpoints and topics. The first two essays are absolutely outstanding and worth purchasing the book. For something just from Ralph check out: “The Urgency of the new Evangelization.”
   
   
4. The Missionary of Wall Street by Stephen Auth – I meet Steve while speaking at a conference in NYC. While sharing dinner with Steve and his wife they shared story after story of their evangelization efforts on the streets of New York. I said please tell me you are writing these down because this needs to be a book…here it is. Once you pick this up you will not put it down because the stories are so engaging and inspirational.
   
   
5. Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell – Over the last ten years Sherry and the Catherine of Siena Institute has shaped the conversation of what it means to create missionary disciples.

Why are these books and others like them so important? To share from Sherry’s book, “No matter how many institutions we sustain or how much activity goes on in our parish or diocese, if new intentional disciples are not regularly emerging in our midst, our ministry is not bearing its most essential fruit.”

Let these resources help you become a better disciple who makes more disciples.