Confessions of a Catholic Street Evangelist

Citing Scripture, papal documents, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Marks explains why every Catholic must be an evangelist.  Next, he provides the tools needed to fulfill this obligation regardless of one's level of training or knowledge.  He gives specifics on how parents, pastors, and bishops can lead souls to God.  A fair portion of the book is devoted to Marks' experiences as a coordinator for St. Paul Street Evangelization and a speaker for the Catholic Evidence Guild.  There are sections that offer advice on how to deal with different groups such as atheists, lapsed Catholics, Evangelicals, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Mormons, and Jews.  The appendices contain: (a) lists of proof texts arranged by subject that facilitate evangelical give-and-take; (b) the Messianic prophecies side by side with evidence for their fulfillment in the New Testament (chapter and verse); (c) a list of over a hundred classic films that are both decent and entertaining; (d) a compelling account of the greatest miracle of our time; and (e) recommended reading.  Central to the book is Marks' demolition of myths that stand in the way of evangelization -- i.e. relativism (situation ethics); the idea that religion is a private matter; the notion that one mustn't argue; that one mustn't "impose" one's values on others, and so forth.  Finally, he points up the fact that the mainline media does all it can to hide the connection between closeness to God and creativity on the part of the world's greatest achievers in fields such as painting, literature, and musical composition.  A good alternate title for Marks' Confessions would be "Apologetics Made Easy."