Orthodox evangelism

[Theron Mathis]

Orthodoxy in America has done a much better job in the last decades by reaching out to non-Orthodox to bring them into to the fold. However, it seems we have done a much better job reaching out to Evangelicals than the truly un-churched or nominal religious person.


Orthodoxy offers a depth of communion with God that no other religion in America offers. America seems to be getting hungrier for true spirituality, and this latest string of current events is only ehancing that hunger. We should take advantage of the hunger of Americans and shine the light of Orthodoxy!

What do you do daily or have seen done on a practical basis to share your faith with non-Orthodox? What has your parish done? How have you discussed or witnessed to Orthodoxy in the workplace? If anyone converted from total unbelief what brought you to ORthodoxy?

[M.C. Steenberg]

Note: This message IS from M. Steenberg, in response to the above posting.

Dear in the Lord,

I think that it is precisely in the area of 'evangelism' (a term for which I do not particularly care, given its weighty amount of baggage in the modern American religious environment) that the holy Fathers and Mothers of the Church have bequeathed to us especially important examples and resources.

In searching for 'the words to say' to someone who is inquiring after the Faith, or struggling with his/her spirituality, or questioning the reality of the Truth, there are rarely words better chosen or more inspired than those of the Fathers; and it is extremely difficult to locate a situation which, in some related form, was not faced by one of the Fathers. A strong, intimate familiarity with their writings gives one an 'inexhaustable' storehouse of reflections, responses, and reactions to every situation in which one is called to witness, defend and proclaim the Faith.

With respect to your particular situation with the various people you mentioned: perhaps you could share (without revealing any personal information of the others) what sort of situation is exactly being faced. I am sure that members of this community will be able to reference passages from the Fathers that relate.

INXC,
Matthew

[moses]

Leonard,
After the members of our small missions community were chrismated, and received into Holy Orthodoxy, I asked our liason with the Missions and Evangelism Dept. of the Antiochian Arch-
diocese, "Now that we're Orthodox, what now? His reply was, "It gets harder, it gets harder!"
My earthly employment is as a corrections officer (prison guard); someone said, "boy you're sure in the right place." LIGHT SHINES THE BEST IN DARKNESS!
Yes, it is difficult for me a lot of the time, but look what we've got on our side; the saints (particularly our name saint) praying for us, the Theotokos/Mother of God praying for us, Jesus our Lord, interceeding in heaven for us, we've got the sacrements of repentence and forgiveness, the Body and Blood of the Lord, the services of our communities, (not the least of which is the Divine Liturgy). And least I forget Him, there's the Holy Spirit of God, before whom if we humble our-
selves we can say along with the Apostle Paul,
"when I am weak, then I am strong, for His strength is made perfect in weakness.
Begin, continue and end your day with prayer; Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. The Apostle Paul said, "we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." Again, how is that done? by staying in the sacremental life of the Church (as my priest tells me), going to confession, etc;

HIS Servant,
Moses

[M.C. Steenberg]

Note: The following message was posted anonymously; the moderator's name has been added as a default, though it should be noted that this post is not by M. Steenberg.

Anonymous message:

I wouldn't say that I was an unbeliever, but I was not practicing any religion prior to coming to Orthodoxy. I was asked by my (Greek & Orthodox)Mom-in-law to join the church. I had attended several Liturgies and special (Easter) services over the years, and found them to be quite beautiful and moving. My husband considered himself an unbeliever, to the ignorance of his parents, but attended an intro course with me at the Cathedral. Over the weeks during this course, we slowly became aware of the Truth of the Scriptures, and by the time I was Chrismated, we were true believers. Glory to God, that He should bring us together into His Kingdom!

I come from a Protestant background, and am interested in this topic, as I want so badly for my brothers and sisters to come to the Faith. As of yet, I have done little to discuss or witness to them, for fear of saying the wrong thing and repelling them.(I still have so much to learn myself, after all) I pray each day that thier hearts may be opened to the truth, and that I will have the words when (if) the time comes. What do you suggest?

My boss (there is just the two of us in our dept) is also a non-practicing "Christian". Since my repentance, I notice that he speaks in a more "religious" fashion around me, for example, he'll say "Oh Lord, please help me find this paperwork". Or something like this. He has never talked liked this before! It really turns me off, since I know he is doing it for my benefit, not his own. These are just empty words. But it may also be some sign that he desires a communion with God, so I say nothing.(I suggested he say a prayer of thanks once when he made it thru a trial w/o any harm, and it didn't go over well.) I wish to "work" on him as well.

I truely believe that if people were more famiiar with the Othodox Faith, there would be more of us. I feel very blessed to have had the fortune to have married into an Orthodox family. Some people that I know actually think we are Jewish, as in Orthodox Jews!

[suzanne kallil mcphee]

the universal church is called the 'body of Christ'... so what are the implications of that description for the life and character of the church?Do we take that to mean the sacrament of the Eucharist as both an individual receipt of the body and the church being the whole body of Christ? Thank you.

[Kosta]

the universal church is called the 'body of Christ'... so what are the implications of that description for the life and character of the church?Do we take that to mean the sacrament of the Eucharist as both an individual receipt of the body and the church being the whole body of Christ? Thank you.

I'll answer that with a quote from scripture:
"The cup pf blessingwhich we bless, is it not the communion of the Blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body, for we all partake of that one bread". (1 COR 10.16-17)