Pope Francis and the Built For God (BFG) Handbook share an essential and interconnected vision for the New Evangelization, each playing a critical role in equipping the Church to address the spiritual and moral challenges of our time. While Pope Francis provides the pastoral vision of a Church that is vibrant, welcoming, and missionary in its essence, the BFG Handbook offers the tools and structure needed to turn that vision into actionable steps. Together, they are not separate efforts but harmonious components of the same mission—to bring the transformative power of the Gospel to all people and restore the truth of the faith in a complex and divided world.

Pope Francis’s Vision: A Church on Mission

At the heart of Pope Francis’s call to evangelization is the conviction that the Gospel is a message of joy, hope, and renewal meant for every person. Evangelization, he asserts, is not an exclusive task for clergy or theologians but a shared responsibility of every Christian. He challenges believers to move beyond the confines of mere ritual participation and embrace a proactive role in sharing their faith. His emphasis is clear: evangelization must touch lives, break down barriers, and invite people into an encounter with the living Christ.

Evangelization as Joyful Witness
Pope Francis teaches that the Gospel should be proclaimed through joyful living. Christians, by their lives, should reflect the transformative peace, hope, and love found in Christ. This joyful witness, he insists, is what attracts others to the faith—not through coercion or fear, but by the beauty of lives genuinely changed by God’s grace.

Reaching the Peripheries
A hallmark of Pope Francis’s vision is his focus on the marginalized, both geographically and existentially. He often speaks of a Church that must go to the “peripheries,” reaching those who feel alienated, abandoned, or spiritually lost. For him, the Church must function as a “field hospital,” tending to humanity’s wounds with mercy, healing, and hope.

Building Community
Pope Francis emphasizes that evangelization is a communal endeavor. He envisions the Church as a family united by its mission to share God’s love. By fostering collaboration and mutual support among believers, he believes the Church can better equip its members to live out the Gospel and share it with others.

Adaptation to the Times
Recognizing the changing nature of the world, Pope Francis urges the Church to find new ways of presenting the Gospel. This includes using modern tools, such as digital platforms, and engaging with the arts, music, and storytelling to connect with contemporary audiences. His call for cultural adaptation ensures that the unchanging truth of the Gospel remains accessible to every generation.

Mercy at the Core
Mercy, for Pope Francis, is not only the central message of the Gospel but also its most effective method. He urges the Church to embody God’s mercy in tangible ways—through acts of service, forgiveness, and compassion—showing the world the depth of God’s love and the transformative power of the Christian message.

The Role of the BFG Handbook in the New Evangelization

The BFG Handbook for a New Evangelization takes Pope Francis’s vision and translates it into a practical, accessible guide for restoring the truth of the faith and making disciples of all nations. It does not propose a new Gospel but rather presents the same timeless message with renewed ardor, fresh methods, and a universal language that resonates across cultures and faiths

A Universal Language of Truth
At its core, the BFG Handbook provides a unifying framework for dialogue by articulating shared principles and moral truths that transcend cultural and religious boundaries. This mirrors Pope Francis’s call for a Church that engages with the world, not by imposing its views but by finding common ground rooted in the Gospel’s universal values.

Presenting the Gospel in a New Expression
By reinterpreting the Christian message through the lens of the Tao Te Ching, the Handbook introduces a fresh expression of the Gospel that appeals to modern sensibilities while remaining faithful to its essence. This creative approach reflects Pope Francis’s encouragement to use innovative methods for evangelization, ensuring the message of Christ remains relevant and impactful.

Bridging Divides
The Handbook addresses the divisions that often hinder evangelization—political, cultural, and religious. By focusing on universal truths, it builds bridges between churches, faith traditions, and even secular audiences. This aligns with Pope Francis’s vision of fostering unity and dialogue over confrontation and division.

Equipping Missionary Disciples
Just as Pope Francis calls on every Christian to take ownership of evangelization, the BFG Handbook empowers believers with a clear, actionable roadmap for living out and sharing their faith. It inspires individuals and communities to become bold, authentic witnesses to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Renewing the Spirit of the Church
The Handbook serves as a tool for spiritual renewal, encouraging believers to explore the beauty, goodness, and truth of their faith. It helps to rekindle enthusiasm for the mission of the Church, aligning perfectly with Pope Francis’s insistence that the New Evangelization must be characterized by passion and joy.

Working Together for the Mission

When viewed together, Pope Francis’s teachings and the BFG Handbook represent two dimensions of the same mission: one provides the vision and the other offers the tools to fulfill it. This alignment strengthens the Church’s ability to respond effectively to the challenges of the modern world.

Restoring Truth and Justice: Both emphasize that the solution to humanity’s deepest challenges begins with truth. As Pope Francis calls for a Church grounded in justice and mercy, the Handbook provides a concrete guide to articulating and living out these principles.

Reaching the Margins: By equipping believers to engage with the peripheries—those alienated, disillusioned, or spiritually lost—the Handbook fulfills Pope Francis’s call for a Church that walks alongside the suffering and marginalized.

Uniting the Body of Christ: Both emphasize the importance of community in evangelization. The Handbook fosters collaboration among believers, ensuring that the Church operates as a unified, supportive family.

Adapting to Modern Times: By presenting the Gospel in a form that resonates with contemporary audiences, the Handbook ensures the Church’s message remains relevant without compromising its timeless truths.

A Unified Mission for the Church

Together, Pope Francis and the BFG Handbook challenge the Church to embrace its mission with clarity, urgency, and joy. The Handbook ensures that Pope Francis’s vision is not just an ideal but a practical reality, offering a structured, accessible way to evangelize in a manner that is both timeless and contemporary. By integrating the vision and the guide, the Church is better equipped to fulfill its calling to make disciples of all nations, restore the truth of the faith, and proclaim the Gospel with renewed power and authenticity.

The Pope’s vision and the BFG Handbook is not just a coincidence but a providential alignment that strengthens the Church’s mission. Together, they inspire believers to live out their faith boldly, bringing hope, healing, and renewal to a world in need of the light of Christ.