Not every Spiritist Center leader has an exact idea of what evangelization is and what is the importance of evangelization, much less about the process of educating the immortal spirit that we all are. Hence, we find schools of child evangelization distanced from the true teaching-learning process, and without taking into account the pedagogical implications of Spiritist philosophy and the principles that form Spiritism.                            

In many cases, the old and outdated school model - formatted in the 19^th century - is repeated, and put into operation by the Brazilian education system and copied by Spiritist Centers. This system is anachronistic, mistaken and has poor results, and for this recognition it is enough to verify the mass of functional illiterates who leave school every year, in addition to young people who do not know how to think, who only memorized content for use in tests. Why do we insist on teaching and following a closed curriculum, when that does not work?

To continue this reflection, let us give the floor to Allan Kardec, in a text that we extract from item 350 of The Book of Mediums: “If Spiritism must, as announced, carry out the transformation of Humanity, it can only do so by improving the masses, which will only happen gradually, little by little, through the betterment of individuals.” The Encoder word is crystal clear. Only the improvement and the transformation, of individuals, will be able to change, improve, and perfect society. How are we going to achieve this without the increasingly conscious participation of the student in the process of his education? How can we do this without the work of Spiritist evangelization really being linked to the moral teachings of Jesus and to the reality of the immortal spirit presently reincarnated, but with future life?

Education is a process that implies the participation of the evangelizer, the student and the parents, integrating the Spiritist Center and the family. It is not an outside-in process with decisions taken from the top down. It is not a process in which one tries to teach through a curriculum set up by those who responsible for the evangelization. Children and young people, who know how to think and feel, who have skills and feelings, need to participate in this process, which cannot happen divorced from the family, set up by Superior Spirits as the first school of the reincarnated spirit, showing that parents also have to participate.

What is the purpose of evangelism? It is to reconnect spirits to the Gospel, to the moral teachings of Jesus, understanding them and putting them into practice by themselves, consciously embracing solidarity, fraternity and charity. Not because he learned this from the evangelizer, but because he studied, debated, thought and experienced in pedagogical actions, when he then unites theory with experience, and, subsequently, incorporates learning into his psychic heritage. He does it because he understands the benefits for himself and others. He wants the good because he understands that the good is good for everyone.

We need to put an end to the classroom and the undemocratic teaching of the evangelizer, who is not a mere transmitter of content, who is not a simple instructor of information, but rather, he is a guide and facilitator of the learning process, and must, above all , set good examples from your conduct in living with others. What's the use of being a director of a Spiritist Center, being a spiritist evangelist, being a coordinator of the study of the Spiritist Doctrine, being a medium, and so on, if that doesn't mean being less proud, less selfish, less vain, less hypocritical?

It is urgent that Spiritists turn to education, but not intellectual, cognitive, repetitive education, which leads children and young people to memorize information. Allan Kardec, in The Book of Spirits, in question 685A, very well clarifies what true education is: “There is an element that has not been pondered enough, and without which economic science is nothing more than theory: education. Not an  intellectual education, but a moral education, and not even moral education through books, but that which consists of the art of forming characters which creates habits, because education is a set of acquired habits.” In addition, in question 917 he adds: “Selfishness is the source of all vices, as charity is the source of all virtues. To destroy the one and to develop the other must be the aim of all man's efforts, if he wishes to secure his happiness in this world as well as in the hereafter.”

Are we working in Spiritist Centers to ensure our own happiness and the happiness of others? Are the efforts to perform spiritual treatment for organic diseases the purpose of Spiritism? Is receiving psychographic messages from newly disembodied spirits for their families the purpose of Spiritism? Is teaching children what the perispirit is and memorizing sentences about Jesus the purpose of Spiritist evangelization? We are not against any activity that supports consoles and enlightens others; we are drawing attention to the priorities of Spiritism and, by extension, of Spiritist Centers.

So far, we have talked about evangelization aimed at children and young people, but it is time to extend, to broaden this understanding. Today, the mass media, through a powerful technological apparatus, influence people in all aspects of life. When many values are in crisis due to the clash between materialism and spiritualism, we have to think about Spiritist Evangelization while spiritist evangelization of the family. Therefore, this, with the pedagogical support of Spiritism, can be the radiating center of human moral transformation. If not, we will continue to witness heavy waves of individuals entering society without having limits, carried away by the current of passions, by the most diverse vices that degrade the soul, without more ennobled ideals, letting themselves be entangled by sensualism, in a word, individuals selfish and proud, precisely what moral education should combat and transform.

Spiritism appeared on the human horizon to help all of us in the moral transformation that we must carry out, first with ourselves, then with others and, finally, with the human collective, with humanity. It is in the reality of the immortal spirit that we vibrate, and moral education is the only path that can accelerate our upward march towards perfection. Until when are we going to live the sleep of the stubborn people who do not want to recognize reality, and who make every effort to adapt Spiritism to their own conveniences, thus avoiding facing the need for intimate, inner transformation, to realize self-knowledge and self-education?

Spiritist evangelization must be a priority at the Spiritist Center. When will we be learning and practicing Spiritism as it was given to us by the Superior Spirits and organized and studied in its consequences by Allan Kardec.

Marcus De Mario is an educator, writer, and speaker. He coordinates Seara de Luz, an online Spiritist study group. He is the editor of the Spiritist Guidance channel on YouTube. He has more than 35 published books.

8 On the path to light, chap. 2.