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The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic: How Engaging 1% of Catholics Could Change the World
What FOUR things did... Mother Theresa, Francis of Assisi, John Paul II, Catherine of Siena and Ignatius of Loyola all have in COMMON?
THEY ALL PRACTICED THE FOUR SIGNS.
Over the course of the past few years, The Dynamic Catholic Institute has conducted research to explore the difference between engaged and disengaged Catholics. The results of this research are staggering. 6.4% of parishioners contribute 80% of the volunteer hours at a parish, 6.8% of parishioners donate 80% of financial contributions at a parish, and there is an 84% overlap between the two groups. These “Dynamic Catholics” are accomplishing more than 80% of what the Catholic Church is doing today – proving that engaging just 1% of Catholics could change the world.
As human beings we are constantly engag- ing and disengaging in everything we do. We engage and disengage at work, in marriage, as parents, in our quest for health and well- being, in personal finances, environmentally, politically, and, of course, we engage or dis- engage spiritually.
If you walk into any Catholic church next Sunday and look around, you will discover that some people are highly engaged, others are massively disengaged, and the major- ity are somewhere in between. Why? What is the difference between highly engaged Catholics and disengaged Catholics?
Answering this question is essential to the future of the Catholic Church. If we truly want to engage Catholics and reinvigorate parish life, we must first discover what drives engagement among Catholics. Matthew Kelly explores this question in his groundbreaking new book, and the simplicity of what he discovers will amaze you.
Four things make the difference between highly engaged Catholics and disengaged Catholics: the four signs of a Dynamic Catholic.
Whether you are ready to let God take your spiritual life to the next level or want to help reinvigorate your parish, The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic promises to take you on a journey that will help you to live out the genius of Catholicism in your everyday life.
The central idea in this book should change the way we live our faith and the way we teach our faith. This book is a game changer.
THEY ALL PRACTICED THE FOUR SIGNS.
Over the course of the past few years, The Dynamic Catholic Institute has conducted research to explore the difference between engaged and disengaged Catholics. The results of this research are staggering. 6.4% of parishioners contribute 80% of the volunteer hours at a parish, 6.8% of parishioners donate 80% of financial contributions at a parish, and there is an 84% overlap between the two groups. These “Dynamic Catholics” are accomplishing more than 80% of what the Catholic Church is doing today – proving that engaging just 1% of Catholics could change the world.
As human beings we are constantly engag- ing and disengaging in everything we do. We engage and disengage at work, in marriage, as parents, in our quest for health and well- being, in personal finances, environmentally, politically, and, of course, we engage or dis- engage spiritually.
If you walk into any Catholic church next Sunday and look around, you will discover that some people are highly engaged, others are massively disengaged, and the major- ity are somewhere in between. Why? What is the difference between highly engaged Catholics and disengaged Catholics?
Answering this question is essential to the future of the Catholic Church. If we truly want to engage Catholics and reinvigorate parish life, we must first discover what drives engagement among Catholics. Matthew Kelly explores this question in his groundbreaking new book, and the simplicity of what he discovers will amaze you.
Four things make the difference between highly engaged Catholics and disengaged Catholics: the four signs of a Dynamic Catholic.
Whether you are ready to let God take your spiritual life to the next level or want to help reinvigorate your parish, The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic promises to take you on a journey that will help you to live out the genius of Catholicism in your everyday life.
The central idea in this book should change the way we live our faith and the way we teach our faith. This book is a game changer.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2012
204 people are currently reading
1568 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Kelly
188 books1,400 followersMatthew Kelly is a best-selling author, speaker, thought leader, entrepreneur, consultant, spiritual leader, and innovator.
He has dedicated his life to helping people and organizations become the-best-version-of-themselves. Born in Sydney, Australia, he began speaking and writing in his late teens while he was attending business school. Since that time, 5 million people have attended his seminars and presentations in more than 50 countries.
Today, Kelly is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and business consultant. His books have been published in more than 30 languages, have appeared on The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists, and have sold more than 50 million copies.
In his early-twenties he developed "the-best-version-of-yourself" concept and has been sharing it in every arena of life for more than twenty-five years. It is quoted by presidents and celebrities, athletes and their coaches, business leaders and innovators, though perhaps it is never more powerfully quoted than when a mother or father asks a child, "Will that help you become the-best-version-of-yourself?"
Kelly's personal interests include golf, music, art, literature, investing, spirituality, and spending time with his wife, Meggie, and their children Walter, Isabel, Harry, Ralph, and Simon.
He has dedicated his life to helping people and organizations become the-best-version-of-themselves. Born in Sydney, Australia, he began speaking and writing in his late teens while he was attending business school. Since that time, 5 million people have attended his seminars and presentations in more than 50 countries.
Today, Kelly is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and business consultant. His books have been published in more than 30 languages, have appeared on The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists, and have sold more than 50 million copies.
In his early-twenties he developed "the-best-version-of-yourself" concept and has been sharing it in every arena of life for more than twenty-five years. It is quoted by presidents and celebrities, athletes and their coaches, business leaders and innovators, though perhaps it is never more powerfully quoted than when a mother or father asks a child, "Will that help you become the-best-version-of-yourself?"
Kelly's personal interests include golf, music, art, literature, investing, spirituality, and spending time with his wife, Meggie, and their children Walter, Isabel, Harry, Ralph, and Simon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
January 9, 2019
This book is my favorite Matthew Kelly books... I think I’m gonna to practice the four signs of being catholic...
April 27, 2015
It is no secret that the Catholic Church has been struggling to maintain a strong foothold in American culture and society. Secularism is on the rise, relativism takes precedence as the primary moral philosophy, and a disdain for all things sacred, ancient, and orthodox is common among the people. Times have changed, and a response is necessary. This was the spirit of Vatican II, the message behind Pope John Paul II's call for the New Evangelization, and the reason Matthew Kelly states "It is time for another great and dynamic period in Catholic history."
In this short book, Kelly reveals the secret behind a dynamic Catholic Church: dynamic Catholics! It seems obvious, right? After pointing out the telltale signs of the most engaged Catholics and sharing research results from studies done by his Dynamic Catholic Institute, Kelly provides practical tips and applications that can make personal life-altering changes. The book is practical and easy to read, yet I could not justly give it a higher rating because of its over-simplicity. Any book that begins with the phrase "once upon a time" does not set itself up for high expectations, and Kelly's writing style was very repetitive, wandering, and at times cliché. Nevertheless, his message is what shines through in the end - that God is calling each and everyone of us to be the "best-versions-of-ourselves," and that the church is in dire need of a revival of Catholics who have answered this call. This book is a great read for any Catholic, dynamic or not, who wishes to grow in faith and passion for life, for the mission of the church, and for Jesus Christ Himself.
In this short book, Kelly reveals the secret behind a dynamic Catholic Church: dynamic Catholics! It seems obvious, right? After pointing out the telltale signs of the most engaged Catholics and sharing research results from studies done by his Dynamic Catholic Institute, Kelly provides practical tips and applications that can make personal life-altering changes. The book is practical and easy to read, yet I could not justly give it a higher rating because of its over-simplicity. Any book that begins with the phrase "once upon a time" does not set itself up for high expectations, and Kelly's writing style was very repetitive, wandering, and at times cliché. Nevertheless, his message is what shines through in the end - that God is calling each and everyone of us to be the "best-versions-of-ourselves," and that the church is in dire need of a revival of Catholics who have answered this call. This book is a great read for any Catholic, dynamic or not, who wishes to grow in faith and passion for life, for the mission of the church, and for Jesus Christ Himself.
March 2, 2013
Extraordinary. Reminded me how proud I should be to be Catholic.
Did you know the Catholic Church feeds more people a day than McDonald's?
Did you know that Catholic education saves the U.S. government eighteen billion dollars a year?
Do not have the statistics on Catholic hospitals, but know their impact must be significant!
I'm going to try every day to be the best version of myself and stand up for my church!
(Lynne, I ordered a copy for you)
Did you know the Catholic Church feeds more people a day than McDonald's?
Did you know that Catholic education saves the U.S. government eighteen billion dollars a year?
Do not have the statistics on Catholic hospitals, but know their impact must be significant!
I'm going to try every day to be the best version of myself and stand up for my church!
(Lynne, I ordered a copy for you)
December 8, 2016
To be honest this book has been on to be read list for a few years. But every time I went to read it, I always ended up starting something else. But over the last year I have read 11 books by Matthew Kelly and it was time to work through this one. The interesting thing is once I overcame the resistance to start it I could not put it down. The book is easy to read, but will take a lifetime of effort to apply. The book is about becoming engaged so that we can be used by God as tools to engage and challenge others. Like much of what I have read by Matthew Kelly the key teaching is about becoming 'the best version of yourself.' And through that process being a better witness and servant to God, the church and others.
The first paragraph of this book is: "Transforming people one at a time is at the heart of God's plan for the world. It is also essential to developing dynamic marriages, loving families, vibrant parish communities, thriving economies, and extraordinary nations. If you get the man right (or the woman, of course), you get the world right. Every time you become a-better-version-of-yourself, the consequences of your transformation echo through your marriage, family, parish, nation, and beyond to people and places in the future. It is God who does the transforming, but only to the extent that we cooperate. God's grace is constant, never lacking. So our cooperation with God's desire to transform us is essential; it is the variable. Are you willing to let God transform you?" In many ways this book is like an 80/20 analysis of the church. But Matthew focuses on a 7%; for that is the number that keeps coming up in his research. Matthew Kelly walks us through what vibrant engaged Catholics look like and what makes them different from the rest of the Catholics in the pews on Sunday's or who only attend occasionally.
The 4 Signs of a Dynamic Catholic from Matthews's extensive research are:
1 Prayer
2 Study
3 Generosity
4 Evangelization
Or in a longer format:
1 Dynamic Catholics have a daily commitment to prayer.
2 Dynamic Catholics are continuous learners.
3 Dynamic Catholics are generous.
4 Dynamic Catholics invite others to grow spiritually by sharing the love of God with them.
From Matthews research 7% of Catholics are doing 80% of the work in parishes and ministries. But his challenge and I believe one of the primary focuses of The Dynamic Catholic Institute is to grow that 7%, even if just by 1% a year. Matthew states: "If just 7 percent of Catholics are accomplishing more than 80 percent of what we are doing today, imagine what 14 percent could do. Not to mention what 21 percent or 35 percent could accomplish. Our potential is incredible. The Catholic Church is a sleeping giant. We literally have the power to change the world." One of my favourite Matthew Kelly quotes is "Most people overestimate what they can do in a day, and underestimate what they can do in a month. We overestimate what we can do in a year, and underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade." by Matthew Kelly from the book The Long View, This book and most of Matthews work for the church focuses on that long view. Engaging 1% more each year, until after a decade we have a force capable of transforming the world.
I want to provide you with one quote from each of the four signs:
1. Dynamic Catholics have a daily commitment to prayer.
"The 7% have a daily commitment to prayer, a routine. Prayer is a priority for them. They also tend to have a structured way of praying. Many of them pray at the same time every day. For some it means going to Mass in the morning and for others it means sitting down in a big, comfortable chair in a corner of their home or taking a walk, but they tend to abide by a structure."
2. Dynamic Catholics are continuous learners.
"Jesus doesn't just want followers. He wants disciples. To be a Christian disciple begins by sitting at the feet of Christ to learn."
3. Dynamic Catholics are generous.
"The 7% are universally described as being generous, not just with money and time, but with their love, appreciation, praise, virtue, and encouragement. They see generosity as the heart of Christianity and the proof that the teachings of Christ have taken root in their lives."
4. Dynamic Catholics invite others to grow spiritually by sharing the love of God with them.
"Though they don't consider themselves to be actively evangelizing, they are constantly trying to help people develop vibrant spiritual lives by discovering the genius and beauty of Catholicism."
Each chapter of this book is structured the same. There is a main teaching section. This is followed by a chapter summary and then key concepts. The teaching of the chapters is condensed into a page or 2 and then a few key points. This triple repetition of the main teachings really hammers home and helps to reinforce the main teaching.
I believe this book is more than worth the price and the time just for the chapter on prayer. At the beginning of this chapter Kelly states "When I am spiritually healthy, nothing bothers me." And from the many personal examples he gives it proves true. I know from my own experience, if I pray the Rosary while walking to work the day always goes better than if I miss it and end up praying it later in the day. This chapter emphasises a routine in prayer, but it is not a 6 step plan. It highlights many key practices and structures and lets you figure out the best for you.
Having been intentional and reading over 70 Catholic books this year. I have a love of study. But what I appreciate most about the chapters on study if that it is not just about finding truth. It is more about facing the truth and working hard to follow it.
The generosity challenge really hit me in this book. Most people especially living pay check to pay check cannot immediately jump to giving 10% or a tithe. Their budget just cannot support it. But Matthew Kelly has a 1% challenge, he states: "So, this is my challenge to you. I call it the Generosity Challenge. Take some time over the next week or two and calculate what you gave to your church, charities, and people in need last year as a percentage of your annual income. Once you have that number, I challenge you to give one percent more of your income this year than you did last year. Furthermore, I challenge you to increase this giving percentage by one percent of your income each year until you reach a tithe of 10 percent (or until it simply is not possible or prudent for you to give any more). Goals bring out the best in us. We have goals for everything else; isn't it time we had some generosity goals?".
And the Fourth sign is evangelism. Kelly says" Throughout the Win and Build stages, one of the things that happens to people is that they start to feel good about being Catholic. We don't talk anywhere near enough about this. In the context of a theological discussion or Church governance this might seem a little soft, but it is absolutely essential to the life and growth of the Church. Highly engaged Catholics feel good about being Catholic. They are inspired Catholics."
As I mentioned at the beginning, I encountered great resistance every time I went to read this book. In fact in sat on my to be read shelf for a few years. But once I picked it up I could not put it down. This book is an incredible read and I highly recommend it!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Matthew Kelly.
(Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: A Year of Reading Intention - Catholic Reading!)
The first paragraph of this book is: "Transforming people one at a time is at the heart of God's plan for the world. It is also essential to developing dynamic marriages, loving families, vibrant parish communities, thriving economies, and extraordinary nations. If you get the man right (or the woman, of course), you get the world right. Every time you become a-better-version-of-yourself, the consequences of your transformation echo through your marriage, family, parish, nation, and beyond to people and places in the future. It is God who does the transforming, but only to the extent that we cooperate. God's grace is constant, never lacking. So our cooperation with God's desire to transform us is essential; it is the variable. Are you willing to let God transform you?" In many ways this book is like an 80/20 analysis of the church. But Matthew focuses on a 7%; for that is the number that keeps coming up in his research. Matthew Kelly walks us through what vibrant engaged Catholics look like and what makes them different from the rest of the Catholics in the pews on Sunday's or who only attend occasionally.
The 4 Signs of a Dynamic Catholic from Matthews's extensive research are:
1 Prayer
2 Study
3 Generosity
4 Evangelization
Or in a longer format:
1 Dynamic Catholics have a daily commitment to prayer.
2 Dynamic Catholics are continuous learners.
3 Dynamic Catholics are generous.
4 Dynamic Catholics invite others to grow spiritually by sharing the love of God with them.
From Matthews research 7% of Catholics are doing 80% of the work in parishes and ministries. But his challenge and I believe one of the primary focuses of The Dynamic Catholic Institute is to grow that 7%, even if just by 1% a year. Matthew states: "If just 7 percent of Catholics are accomplishing more than 80 percent of what we are doing today, imagine what 14 percent could do. Not to mention what 21 percent or 35 percent could accomplish. Our potential is incredible. The Catholic Church is a sleeping giant. We literally have the power to change the world." One of my favourite Matthew Kelly quotes is "Most people overestimate what they can do in a day, and underestimate what they can do in a month. We overestimate what we can do in a year, and underestimate what we can accomplish in a decade." by Matthew Kelly from the book The Long View, This book and most of Matthews work for the church focuses on that long view. Engaging 1% more each year, until after a decade we have a force capable of transforming the world.
I want to provide you with one quote from each of the four signs:
1. Dynamic Catholics have a daily commitment to prayer.
"The 7% have a daily commitment to prayer, a routine. Prayer is a priority for them. They also tend to have a structured way of praying. Many of them pray at the same time every day. For some it means going to Mass in the morning and for others it means sitting down in a big, comfortable chair in a corner of their home or taking a walk, but they tend to abide by a structure."
2. Dynamic Catholics are continuous learners.
"Jesus doesn't just want followers. He wants disciples. To be a Christian disciple begins by sitting at the feet of Christ to learn."
3. Dynamic Catholics are generous.
"The 7% are universally described as being generous, not just with money and time, but with their love, appreciation, praise, virtue, and encouragement. They see generosity as the heart of Christianity and the proof that the teachings of Christ have taken root in their lives."
4. Dynamic Catholics invite others to grow spiritually by sharing the love of God with them.
"Though they don't consider themselves to be actively evangelizing, they are constantly trying to help people develop vibrant spiritual lives by discovering the genius and beauty of Catholicism."
Each chapter of this book is structured the same. There is a main teaching section. This is followed by a chapter summary and then key concepts. The teaching of the chapters is condensed into a page or 2 and then a few key points. This triple repetition of the main teachings really hammers home and helps to reinforce the main teaching.
I believe this book is more than worth the price and the time just for the chapter on prayer. At the beginning of this chapter Kelly states "When I am spiritually healthy, nothing bothers me." And from the many personal examples he gives it proves true. I know from my own experience, if I pray the Rosary while walking to work the day always goes better than if I miss it and end up praying it later in the day. This chapter emphasises a routine in prayer, but it is not a 6 step plan. It highlights many key practices and structures and lets you figure out the best for you.
Having been intentional and reading over 70 Catholic books this year. I have a love of study. But what I appreciate most about the chapters on study if that it is not just about finding truth. It is more about facing the truth and working hard to follow it.
The generosity challenge really hit me in this book. Most people especially living pay check to pay check cannot immediately jump to giving 10% or a tithe. Their budget just cannot support it. But Matthew Kelly has a 1% challenge, he states: "So, this is my challenge to you. I call it the Generosity Challenge. Take some time over the next week or two and calculate what you gave to your church, charities, and people in need last year as a percentage of your annual income. Once you have that number, I challenge you to give one percent more of your income this year than you did last year. Furthermore, I challenge you to increase this giving percentage by one percent of your income each year until you reach a tithe of 10 percent (or until it simply is not possible or prudent for you to give any more). Goals bring out the best in us. We have goals for everything else; isn't it time we had some generosity goals?".
And the Fourth sign is evangelism. Kelly says" Throughout the Win and Build stages, one of the things that happens to people is that they start to feel good about being Catholic. We don't talk anywhere near enough about this. In the context of a theological discussion or Church governance this might seem a little soft, but it is absolutely essential to the life and growth of the Church. Highly engaged Catholics feel good about being Catholic. They are inspired Catholics."
As I mentioned at the beginning, I encountered great resistance every time I went to read this book. In fact in sat on my to be read shelf for a few years. But once I picked it up I could not put it down. This book is an incredible read and I highly recommend it!
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Matthew Kelly.
(Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: A Year of Reading Intention - Catholic Reading!)
February 18, 2013
We received this book as a Christmas gift from our parish priest after Christmas mass. We were one of the thousands of parishioners to get a free copy from our priest. I've read several Matthew Kelly books, so I was excited to read it. The first chapter summed it up beautifully: "This book is not about overwhelming you. Wherever you are in your spiritual journey, this book is about taking the next small step toward becoming a Dynamic Catholic. At the end of each chapter I hope you can say to yourself, "I can do that!" All areas of the book were equally rewarding. I feel personal improvement is needed in each area, and it was the right amount of motivation that I needed to guide me through the "game changers" waiting to happen this Lent, this year.
January 8, 2014
While I liked some of the practical tips in this book and certainly admire Kelly's work in addressing the major and apparent deficits in the Catholic Church, I felt the book had a couple problems. The writing is meant to be clear and simple to reach a wide audience, though at times it came off as condescending in its simplicity. I also felt that Kelly's 7% of dynamic Catholics statistic failed to really look enough at some essential Catholics-- those perhaps separated from parishes doing mission work quietly in areas of desperate need, far away from surveys and reports. Those are the Catholics we need to talk about.
My church handed out this book after mass a few weeks ago, which was a wonderful and generous idea. Certainly many good points about prayer, study, and generosity. Just not the most sophisticated or dynamic read.
My church handed out this book after mass a few weeks ago, which was a wonderful and generous idea. Certainly many good points about prayer, study, and generosity. Just not the most sophisticated or dynamic read.
January 15, 2015
I got this book from my church, and I thought there were some wonderful and practical points made in "The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic" BUT it could have been condensed to a quarter of the pages. I felt like the writing was repetitive, and Kelly spent a lot of time focusing on his own work and accomplishments with his organization. It made me feel like the book was more about the author than teaching me how to become a better Catholic.
What Catholicism needs is good, quality works of literature, and I feel like this book fell very short of the mark. I love the idea of Kelly's book, just not the finished product.
What Catholicism needs is good, quality works of literature, and I feel like this book fell very short of the mark. I love the idea of Kelly's book, just not the finished product.
August 30, 2013
I read this with my prayer group. We are all at very different points in our faith journey. Sometimes it seems like we are traveling in opposite directions. However, each member of our group liked this book a lot. We all walked away with concrete steps that will help us grow into "the best versions of our selves." It is rare to find a book that speaks so clearly to both spiritual newbees and spiritual giants.
January 16, 2015
Very motivating and encouraging in todays times.. This book provided me with the exact encouragment I've been looking for. It also gives me hope in the future of the church.
May 12, 2013
I think Matthew Kelly is one of the best everyday evangelists of our day. If you ever heard him speak, you know he combines charming wit with theological truth. This book is everything you would want from Kelly. He provides practical ways to grow as a Catholic, as well as outside-the-box thinking to help you think of your faith in new and innovative ways. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to deepen their faith life with God.
January 2, 2014
Some things to think about to be a better Christian. The two biggest things I took away from this book was that I need to be better about praying daily and be more generous with others. Love the prayer process that was mentioned in the book and am going to introduce this to my CCD students - gratitude, awareness, significant moments, peace, freedom, others, and praying the Our Father. This is such a great way to work through prayer and covers so many important points!
January 22, 2014
Matthew Kelly does a great job of making information related to the faith both accessible and engaging.
There are four things which are common to people who are most engaged in their faith. Matthew walks us through each of these four things and gives concrete examples of how to work on these in our own lives in manageable steps (or continuous improvement, as he calls it).
It encourages us to look at these things from an individual perspective, as well as parish and Church-wide views.
There are four things which are common to people who are most engaged in their faith. Matthew walks us through each of these four things and gives concrete examples of how to work on these in our own lives in manageable steps (or continuous improvement, as he calls it).
It encourages us to look at these things from an individual perspective, as well as parish and Church-wide views.
March 29, 2017
Food for thought.
January 13, 2020
Matthew Kelly says in Chapter 1
"I always wondered if the 80-20 rule applied to the church. No, not even close. According to Kelly's findings, 6.4% contribute 80% of the volunteer hours and 6.8% contribute 80% of financial contributions."
Kelly wanted to know what these roughly 7% had in common. He found out it was the Four Signs.
Prayer
Study
Generosity
Evangelization
Kelly's words and format are easy to follow. Not only does he engage in appealing commentary but the end of each chapter contains a summary and a list of key points.
The last chapter took a very serious look at the present state of the church. Kelly proposes that the church is declining and is in defensive mode. He feels that people are leaving the church because the church is not doing enough to attract and keep them there. He describes the mega churches as Evangelizers. That is what the Catholic church needs to do: know their audience and strongly go out to attract more members.
So probably the most important chapter to Kelly is 5 Changing the World. In it he describes the way we can share the faith and encourage new members and encourage members who have left to return.
I was left with lots to think about. I especially intend to make two changes: have a more purposeful prayer life and strive to identify and implement ways to bring more to the church.
5 stars
"I always wondered if the 80-20 rule applied to the church. No, not even close. According to Kelly's findings, 6.4% contribute 80% of the volunteer hours and 6.8% contribute 80% of financial contributions."
Kelly wanted to know what these roughly 7% had in common. He found out it was the Four Signs.
Prayer
Study
Generosity
Evangelization
Kelly's words and format are easy to follow. Not only does he engage in appealing commentary but the end of each chapter contains a summary and a list of key points.
The last chapter took a very serious look at the present state of the church. Kelly proposes that the church is declining and is in defensive mode. He feels that people are leaving the church because the church is not doing enough to attract and keep them there. He describes the mega churches as Evangelizers. That is what the Catholic church needs to do: know their audience and strongly go out to attract more members.
So probably the most important chapter to Kelly is 5 Changing the World. In it he describes the way we can share the faith and encourage new members and encourage members who have left to return.
I was left with lots to think about. I especially intend to make two changes: have a more purposeful prayer life and strive to identify and implement ways to bring more to the church.
5 stars
May 7, 2018
Amazing book. It has certainly offered many ways of enriching my Faith that I will do.
June 18, 2014
In both of Kelly's books that I have read I think he does a good job of breaking things into clear, simple steps. Although the first three signs, (prayer, study, and generosity)focus on the deepening of an individual's faith, the fourth sign and larger goal is evangelization. I saw a lot of myself in his critique of modern Catholics, including a lack of interest in evangelization. It's no small task to be open to that kind of self-examination, and while I will take some things away from this book, it hasn't moved me toward a mission of evangelization. It seems like that has just not been a part of the Catholic culture I grew up in and it's not part of my identity at this point. There are times when the focus on evangelization leaves me feeling like the goal is to take over the world with our religion and that just seems . . . weird to me.
The only other criticism I have is that during his analysis of our relativistic culture, he makes the Hitler jump. During that section of the book I also felt like we were slipping back into the rigid thinking and insensitivity to the complexities of a world with such varied human experience. I kind of doubt that Jesus likes that.
The only other criticism I have is that during his analysis of our relativistic culture, he makes the Hitler jump. During that section of the book I also felt like we were slipping back into the rigid thinking and insensitivity to the complexities of a world with such varied human experience. I kind of doubt that Jesus likes that.
July 20, 2014
This has the feel of a self-help book written in the voice of a motivational speaker. Since I generally do not enjoy self-help books and motivational speakers, I did not really enjoy this book. Kelly’s premise is that commitment to daily personal prayer and on-going learning about the Catholic faith, generous sharing of one’s resources and joyful sharing of one’s faith will lead to a happier, healthier, more prosperous and meaningful life. Although I do not disagree that these can be valuable spiritual tools for a committed Catholic, I found this book to be extremely elementary and annoyingly repetitive.
April 21, 2016
I admit it. I was a non-practicing Catholic despite attending Catholic schools for all but 3 years, including college. Dynamic Catholic changed this....changed me. I now attend Church regularly with my wife; I've adopted a whole new outlook on life and the meaning of life; I work hard to make a difference in other people's lives everyday. I have a long, long way to go but Matthew Kelly's Dynamic Catholic certainly set me on a path to become a better human being and a better Catholic. Thanks to my sister Ann for giving me this gift! I recommend the book highly. You will not be disappointed....it is filled with goodness and holiness.
November 2, 2013
Practical advice for engaging non-active Catholics. Four seemingly basic signs of a dynamic Catholic (Prayer, Study, Generosity, Evangelization), but Kelly does a good job of highlighting aspects we don't normally think about. This book is really aimed at those who are not "Dynamic Catholics" but there are still a lot of good takeaways for those who are, and there are some good ideas for how parishes can better engage their parishioners.
August 15, 2013
Took me awhile to get through it, but I am really glad that I got the chance to read this book! It is very enlightening and inspiring since it breaks down how to be a better Catholic through for signs that will make you become a Dynamic Catholic. I like how it reminds us that we are continuously learning and should strive to become the-best-version-of-yourself. Definitely a good book to use to help evangelize what being Catholic is really all about.
May 29, 2016
I started reading it during Lent and wasn't compelled to read it quickly. While I liked some of the ideas presented, and am more sympathetic to the plight of the Catholic Church after reading it, I felt it was repetitive. Perhaps The author promised so many pages and was trying to get to that mark. I will pass the book on and practice the four signs more consciously now as I do believe the Catholic Church is in trouble and we need more Dynamic Catholics.
May 4, 2013
So far I have enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
Once you find out what the four signs are it makes sense and seems to easy but how many of us actually do what he says...not many is the answer.
The signs are simple and so is the book but his idea, the most important part, is strong. This book isn't heavy on theology or scripture but is a good easy read.
Once you find out what the four signs are it makes sense and seems to easy but how many of us actually do what he says...not many is the answer.
The signs are simple and so is the book but his idea, the most important part, is strong. This book isn't heavy on theology or scripture but is a good easy read.
May 7, 2013
Truly inspirational. The author takes a realistic view of the catholic church and introduces practical ways to make it better. It starts with each person putting in a little more effort. He is persuasive and logical and he inspired me to review my spiritual health and apply his ideas to improve it.
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April 19, 2014I like Matthew Kelly. read Rediscover Catholocism and loved it. I have to admit that i didnt make it through this one. It was a good book but I noticed the same overall message as Rediscover Catholicism.
November 5, 2013
Awesome book a must read for every Catholic!
April 11, 2014
I found the book to be boring for anyone who is already involved in their faith.
April 3, 2014
Excellent book!!!
February 28, 2025
Didn't finish this book either (didn't finish the first one I read). Too preachy and no emphasis on women and their roles being improved in the Catholic Faith.
May 3, 2014
Very good book. Read quickly. Lots of good ideas and information.
May 31, 2014
"Let us sit with God for a few minutes each day and dream with him,and with the vision he places in our hearts, go out into the world with a contagious love that cannot be ignored."
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