Orthodox Evangelism

[Orthodoxy]

Hi Everyone,

I thought I would start a thread on Orthodox Evangelism. Being a polluted convert that continues to struggling with the left over of my protestant beast I am finding evangelism difficult in the orthodox faith. Honestly, I believe God has revealed a great and priceless gem to me. I do not want to squander and set this pearl before those that will just trash the faith. I want to find those that are truly hungry for God. I want to give this gem away but I fear my attempts have been “casting them before swine” trying to convince my poor duped reformist “brothers” that they are living the “great delusion” this day rejecting orthodoxy because they hate the Roman Church and it’s continued kaleidoscope of change. I would like some feed back on how we evangelise as Orthodox Christians.

Thanks for your replies.

In Christ,

Orthodoxy

[Nacho]

I don't think the Orthodox are really into evangelism. There may be a few books out there on the subject but as far as getting into the whole apologetics mode and programs aimed at proving we are right, I have never seen anything like this. The best thing you can do is just tell people what Orthodoxy is and let them decide.

[Ian Lazarus]

First of all, welcome Orthodoxy!

As a convy who also continues to learn and lean on God for the answers, and also has trouble letting go sometimes of his past affiliations, I can tell you only waht my priest said to me when I asked him these same questions. Live the life. Pray as often as you can. Ask for guidence of God and of your priest as well as your brothers and sisters. Attend Liturgy. Do good works, and show love and kindness to those all around you. And should one ask your view, dont be afraid. Answer as best you can. If you dont know, admit it. If they want to listen they will. If all they want is an arguement and to suck you into it, then simply leave it at you dont want to fight, and would be happy to discuss, but not yell and scream. Dont get taken, because as Orthodox, we may be able to argue our point, but the question is does it fall on good soil or deaf ears? In my experience with this, when people are yelling and debating, they arent listening. Some people are ready to hear the message, some are not. But the most important thing you can do in Orthodox evangelism is to be, as our Lord says "wise as serpents and harmelss as doves". Live the life. Love. you dont have to wear a big ol' sign on your neck tht says "I BE ORTHODOX!! DEAL!!" or a big Orthodox crucifix on your neck to advertise.  "Love God with all your heart and love your neighbour as you love yourself" as Christ commanded. Let God transform you. And pray that his will be done. And the message will get across in time.  

God Bless you, friend!


Ian Lazarus :grommit:  

[Nacho]

Ian, great post! I totally agree with everything you said. I used to really get in some heated debates with protestant or secular friends and I will no longer discuss religion with these people because I have found words are worthless and never works. If the person is open to Orthodoxy then the best thing to do is to take them to liturgy and take it step by step from there. The main thing for a person to find this truth is to "experience" it and that can only be done at the Liturgy. Reading books and talking to people is good but there is nothing on this earth such as the Liturgy because it's a taste of heaven and that's where we commune with Christ and the rest of the church. I used to be in my head so much that in order to experience something in my opinion I had to read, think and question everything lol. This stopped when the priest said to put down all your books and all I want you to do is come here and experience this for yourself. That's some of the best advice anyone has given me and it worked great. You can talk until you are blue in the face but some people will never get it. I have a friend who thinks he's a budhist now (of course a sheep that's just emulating his secular anti-christian professors at his college that also think they are budhist) and I have talked and argued with him for many years to no avail. I tried to get him come to liturgy and he's not even open to that idea. The truth of the matter is  don't waste your time with people like this because it's stressful and futile and the truth of the matter is if someone is truely open you shouldn't have to argue with them because Chirst is already preparing thier hearts for the truth and all you have to do is simply lead them like a horse to water ..     

[Ian Lazarus]

The truth of the matter is  don't waste your time with people like this because it's stressful and futile and the truth of the matter is if someone is truely open you shouldn't have to argue with them because Chirst is already preparing thier hearts for the truth and all you have to do is simply lead them like a horse to water ..     

And Bingo was his name-o!  Nice Job, Nacho!


Ian Lazarus :grommit:

[ania]

What about missionaries such as St. Herman & St. Tihon.  The Orthodox tend to evangelize in a non-direct way, living by example, and waiting for the people around them to ask, rather than to show up at random places saying "I'll teach you how to make rugs, but you gotta listen to me preach about a foreign god while we do it." 

[Orthodoxy]

Thanks everyone,

I must admit on line I am a bull dog for the orthodox faith when speaking with the heterodox. I believe when I preach the Holy Orthodox Church I am preaching Jesus Christ in His fulness. I have found my reformist upbringing a great advantage becuase I know the bible quite well from a knowledge stand point. From a Church interpretation stand point I have large amounts to learn and very rarely give my own opinion of doctrinal issues and beliefs without an arsenal of fatherly back up both anicent and modern. I run alot of my understanding of Church "beliefs" past my priest before I ever attempt to discribe the a church teaching to someone else.

This is my problem.

"But if I say, I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name, His word is in my heart like burning fire, shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed I cannot" (Jeremiah 20:9)

I simply cannot hold my passion for the orthodox Church to myself. I will spiritually explode.

I am learning. I know I have made alot of mistakes in my zealous attempt to convert the entire reformation. I will take all your advice to heart. I will love the "heterodox christian" people knowing I was living the "great delusion" once also. I will be merciful and patient, kind and longsuffering knowing my sins are more scarlet than the worst of any heterodox christian. The key is to focus on those that truely have a hunger for God and be like Ian Lazarus has said " wise as serpents and harmless as doves" seeking not to devour but to inform.

Thanks again for your response. Could I get some feed back on personal experiances some may have in showing people the Orthodox Church who are sick to death of the "dog and pony show" found in the heterodox faith?

Orthodoxy

[cizinec]

Well, there are other models of Orthodox evangelism.

Don't forget Sts. Cyrill and Methodius and then those after St. Methodius (St. Gorazd, etc.)  who were kicked out of Moravia and went to the Balkans.  Don't forget the St. Gorazd of the last century in Prague.  He did a little more than just "live a holy life" regarding evangelism. 

I think some in the Orthodox world need to accept the fact that active conversions and evangelism isn't contrary or unfamiliar to Orthodoxy.  It may make some feel uncomfortable and it's not for everyone, but I think the insinuation that active evangelism isn't Orthodox is just plain wrong.

If you feel the need and desire to evangelize, as ALL churches should be doing, then do so in love and with consideration.  If someone doesn't want to listen then pray for them and move on.  But keep evangelizing.

[cizinec]

This better illistrates my point.

[Doubting Thomas]

This better illistrates my point.

Excellent.  Thanks for the link.

[Orthodoxy]

cizinec,

Thank you for your words. Yes I get the impression sometimes that evangelism in Orthodoxy is some how wrong if we confront the error around us in the heterodox world. I think we are missing a great opportunity because America is just beginning to be evangelized in the orthodox faith. We truely are in furtile feilds of wheat in America and many know the faith at a basic level. I think we can do a better job in leading them from the shallow puddles to the depths of the ocean. There is a non demoninational church that has over 5000 parishoners. If 5000 people attended our orthodox Church in my city we would need to build 10 Churches!

Why are not our churches packed in America? This is not a slight on the Church but the reformation packs them in. I understand we do not entertain people which I would not change but surely people want to pray and what better place than in an orthodox Church. I like the small closeness of our community but they were baptising thousands in Jerusalem back in Peters and Pauls day, what changed? Here in America our doors should be brimming with people that just want to pray and worship God without the entertainment value. I truely think there are many "home aloners" that are going to burn out on "self directed worship" and seek a deeper relationship with God and when they do the Orthodox better be ready with welcoming joyous arms or they will simply let go of any faith they have. They will cast their silver in the streets to enter the ark. I want to be prepared for that day as an orthodox christian.

Thanks for the link. Very Good. Just as moses had a veil over his face because he shone with the light of God so to does the Orthodox face have a veil covering it's glory in the roman church. So how does one evangelise those that "have the gospel" in the "heterodox" world when they see the "roman church" in the face of orthodoxy?

In Christ,

Orthodoxy

[mathetes]

I'm curious if Orthodox publishers ever produce Gospel tracts like those found in Christian bookstores.  The evangelical tracts I've seen aim to persuade people to make a decision for Christ.  I've never seen a tract designed not only to get a decision for Christ, but also to persuade people to be baptized and catechized and to participate in the sacraments.

The Orthodox tracts I've seen were geared toward Christians outside of Orthodoxy.

In Christ,
Mathetes

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