www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization An Evangelical Guide on converting the Godless Orthodox and BCs

I thought many here would find this interesting:
Witnessing to People of Eastern Orthodox Background [namb.net]

"The Cathedral of St. Sophia"? Why don't they try "Holy Wisdom". The ineptitude with which this was written glares boldly.

The one thing I really like about this forum is that you learn something new everyday.

Quite true! I wonder if there are any Evangelicals herein who will attempt to defend this article which you have so graciously provided?

I come from a southern baptist background. I can tell you that the southern baptist convention considers any area where there is not a southern baptist church to be mission territory. They do not really recognize other baptist denominations as true christian churches either. They only recognize those who explicitly claim a "born again" experience as understood by southern baptists to be true christians. Most southern baptists would regard most lutherans, presybterians, methodists, etc. as not being true christians. They are also suspicious of pentecostals and generally view them as christians who have been deceived by Satan. This is important to keep in mind. Southern baptists are not ecumenical in any sense of the word. They are not interested in recognizing any christians, for the most part, outside of southern baptist churches. Without explicitly saying so, they believe that the southern baptist churches are the only true churches. That is their right, of course. But it is something that we all should keep in mind.

For a brief period, the SBC had a joint theological commission with the Roman Catholic church. Once the fundamentalists in the SBC had solid control of the convention, they broke off the dialogue, indicating that there was really nothing to talk about. Catholics need to get saved. That was the only thing that needed to be discussed, from the point of view of the SBC president (can't remember which one it was at the time).

Also, some SBC missionaries are not above joining the Orthodox or Catholic Church and subverting it from the inside. This has happened.

Joe

That explains quite a lot.

I'm shocked by this document. Why? Because it is actually pretty educated and well-researched and respectful, if you consider the source. In my experience, most Protestant Christians of a more "fundamentalist" bent (such as Southern Baptists) don't know the first thing about Orthodox Christians, nor do they care. So the fact that this person actually took the time to research Orthodoxy and at least try to understand it is commendable (although it does make it more dangerous in the long run).

One thing I thought was interesting was that many of the author's criticisms of Orthodoxy were for being to the extreme on some issue - such as the importance of corporate worship over individual worship. The irony is that the author's form of Christianity is in most cases most definitely to the extreme as well - in the other direction!

I printed out the article and read it all. It is a candid, lucid and enthusiastic program for converting Orthodox to Evangelical Protestantism.

Sadly, some of the reasoning is inaccurate. The understanding of Orthodox teachings on sin and salvation is very much missing the mark.

Even more sadly, however, there are valid criticisms which can be exploited for seeking conversions in the Orthodox Church and in the Catholic Church. Sometimes, people treat grace, icons, relics, devotion to saints and liturgy more as magic than relationship with God. Most importantly, sometimes people do not have personal conversion experience to the reality of Christ�s presence.

The entire article is over 40 pages long, and it is too long to post here. However, I am going to post three sections which give the tone and the basic points of the entire article.

It is illuminating, to put it mildly. Appendix F compares Holy Orthodoxy to the magical superstition of a child�s lucky rabbit�s foot. Not all Protestants think this way, but the Evangelicals who are trying to convert Orthodox (and Catholics) often do.

-- John

The author of this manual has done his homework and as said by francis above...it is "well-researched and respectful"

However, among other things...I had a time with his take on icons. He makes them out as some kind of "good luck" relics or objects of idolatry; whereas they are "theology" in color. Perhaps he missed that many are actually scenes from the scriptures (which evangelicals so venerate)

His research on Orthodox Church history, though lengthy, speaks for itself. And, moreover, the conclusions he makes in this manual give an informed glimpse into how evangelicals think and interpret scriptures in general.

I would like to think that not only does the author wish to, as he says, "build a bridge to Orthodoxy;" but perhaps just because he has done this study... Orthodoxy has built a bridge to him.

APPENDIX B: SUMMARY CHART [OF] BELIEFS, BARRIERS, BRIDGES

[Comment: This is a summary of the main Orthodox beliefs which act as barriers to accepting Evangelical beliefs. It also includes suggestions --�bridges�-- for overcoming them. This is only a summary; the body of the article gives much fuller treatment to each of these points.]




BELIEF -- AUTHORITY AND TRADITION
--The Orthodox Church�s Holy Tradition is the source for belief and practice.

BARRIERS
-- Leads people to assume it is the Church�s responsibility (not theirs) to seek the truth.
-- Leaves no room for questioning the Orthodox Church.
-- Overemphasizes the corporate aspect of faith (to the exclusion of the personal aspect).
-- Causes people to think the church building is the only place God�s Spirit works.

BRIDGES
--Refer to Scriptures in conversation re: spiritual matters (Acts 17:11).
-- Encourage Orthodox people to read the Bible themselves (Isa. 55:10-11).
-- Use an Orthodox version of the Bible when possible.
-- Be willing to look at extra-biblical sources (1 Pet. 3:15).
-- Show that the Holy Spirit can work in their lives as individuals even when not in a church building(1 Kings 8:27).




BELIEF -- DOCTRINE OF GOD
-- God is a mystery, unexplainable, and unknowable.

BARRIERS
-- Overemphasizes mystery and transcendence of God.
-- Gives people the sense that God cannot be personally experienced.
-- Causes Orthodox to be reluctant to seek to understand God.

BRIDGES
-- Share a testimony of the personal relationship you have with God (John 15:5; Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27).
-- Share Scriptures which help us understand God�s character�there are some things about who He is that can be known (Ps. 99:9; Ps. 116:5; Lam. 3:23; Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 4:8).
-- Admit �I don�t know� when appropriate.
-- Avoid spiritual formulas.




BELIEF -- FALL OF MAN AND NATURE OF SIN
-- Sin is merely a wrong turn, not a separation from God.

BARRIERS
-- Minimizes sin.
-- Minimizes the atonement.

BRIDGES
-- It is not necessary to convince most people of Orthodox background of their sinfulness.
-- Address the severe consequences of sin in the life of an individual (Isa. 59:2).
-- Emphasize the necessity of God�s punishing sin and the way Christ has taken that punishment on himself (Isa. 53:4-6; 1 John 4:10).
-- Stress with Orthodox people that Jesus� once-for-all death on the cross was final and sufficient atonement for sin (1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 2:2).




BELIEF -- VIEW OF GRACE
-- Grace is divine energy available through the sacraments.
BARRIERS
-- Diminishes need for personal relationship with God.
-- Distorts biblical concept of grace as unmerited and free.
BRIDGES
-- Rather than discrediting sacraments and icons as ways for receiving grace, emphasize that grace is a gift from God (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 9:16).
-- Explain how grace is immediately received through faith and not by works (Titus 3:5).




BELIEF -- CONCEPT OF SALVATION
-- Salvation is a process of becoming acceptable to God.
BARRIERS
-- Deludes one into believing that baptism and chrismation are sufficient for salvation (seems to make personal faith unnecessary).
-- Makes people think there is no way to be sure of one�s salvation.
BRIDGES
-- Show that baptism as is [i.e., without adult understanding and conversion] is insufficient for salvation (Acts 8:34-39, 2:41, 18:8, 19:4-5; Matt. 28:19-20; Luke 23:39-43).
-- Emphasize that acceptance before God is both free and immediate for those who trust in Christ (Rom. 5:9-11).
-- Point out that one does not need to go through a life-long process of theosis in order to gain fellowship with God (Rom. 5:8).
-- Show the necessity of personal faith in Jesus (Rom. 14:12; 1 Peter 4:5).
-- Help them understand that salvation is a life-changing event, not a ritual (Isa. 29:13; 2 Cor. 5:17).
-- Emphasize that the believer can have assurance of salvation now (John 3:18; 1 John 5:13).




BELIEF -- PRAYERS TO SAINTS
-- Saints are viewed as intercessors and as ones who help you become more like Christ.
BARRIERS
-- Deflects to the saints worship and prayer that should go to God himself.
-- Views saints as mediators between people and God.
-- Replaces direct prayer to God.
BRIDGES
-- Don�t directly attack the practice of praying to saints�instead show that acceptance before God (and acceptance of our prayers) does not depend on our becoming like God (Rom. 5:8).
-- Point out that our acceptance before God and his attention to our prayers comes from the fact that He has already become like us (Heb. 4:14-16).




BELIEF --USE OF ICONS AND RELICS
-- Icon veneration provides access to divine energy and power from above.
BARRIER
-- Gives the impression that icons and relics have spiritual power in and of themselves.
-- Distorts the concept of grace�sees it as a power that can be acquired through an icon or relic rather than as saving grace from God.
-- Tends to replace Jesus as the mediator between man and God in the minds of the people.
BRIDGES
-- Acknowledge that Eastern theology does differentiate between idolatry and the veneration of icons.
-- Affirm the value of learning from the examples of the saints depicted in the icons.
-- Rather than rejecting icons outright, emphasize the full sense of the word �grace� in the New Testament and the nature of salvation as a free gift (Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8).
-- Show that Jesus is the only mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:4-5).
-- Explain that God desires a believer�s devotion (Exod. 20:3-5; Exod. 34:14).




BELIEF -- RELIGIOUS NATIONALISM
-- [E.G.,] �to be Russian is to be Orthodox�
BARRIERS
-- Causes people to believe that they stand in a special relationship to God because of their country.
-- Hampers people from considering non-Orthodox witness.
-- Hinders Eastern Orthodox people from the realization that each individual is personally responsible before God.
BRIDGES
-- Emphasize that no country is so favored that all its people are automatically acceptable to Him simply because of their nationality.
-- Stress that God loves people of all nations (Rom. 10:13).
-- Point out that every individual, regardless of nationality, is personally accountable for his or her response to Jesus Christ (Rom. 9:6-8; Rom. 14:12, 1 Pet. 4:5).

APPENDIX E -- STAGES IN THE PROCESS OF AN ORTHODOX PERSON COMING TO CHRIST

An Orthodox person usually goes through several stages in the process of coming to personal faith in Christ. An understanding of these stages gives the evangelical witness a better grasp of the theology surrounding the salvation experience and enables him or her to be more effective in reaching Orthodox people. The stages are:*

*Adapted from The Thailand Report: Reaching Nominal Orthodox, 30. The Orthodox person in each stage is referred to simply as �he� or �him� for clarity�s sake (rather than �he or she� and �him or her�), but apply equally to an Orthodox female.

(1) The stage of ignorance: An Orthodox person usually has not been taught the concept of salvation by faith. Either he is unaware of how to be saved, or he thinks he will be saved by works and by participating in the sacraments. Even if he reads the Scriptures, he feels unable to have certainty of salvation.

(2) The stage of confusion: At this stage, the Orthodox person is hearing preaching and reading of the Word of God, but still confuses salvation by works with salvation by faith. He seems to be thinking: �Certainly salvation is by faith! But we must do good works in order to go to Paradise.�

(3) The stage of clarification: After much exposure to the teaching of the Word of God, the Orthodox person eventually comes to the understanding that salvation is indeed by faith.

(4) The stage of trusting Christ: Usually this stage comes close on the heels of stage 3, or it may never come at all. Generally, much time is needed to make the gospel clear to an Orthodox person.

(5) The crisis of identity: Many times people of Eastern Orthodox background come to Christ through the witness of a non-Orthodox, or through Bible Study or evangelistic preaching. For a time, the new believer struggles with being loyal to Orthodoxy, while at the same time being frustrated at not being fed spiritually through his church.

(6) Estrangement from Orthodoxy: As the person matures in his faith, there is often a disillusionment with the Orthodox Church and resentment of the institution which for so many years claimed to be the only source of spiritual truth yet failed to make the truth clear to him. A new believer who becomes hostile to the Orthodox Church has a difficult time relating to the priests and appreciating the tradition of the Church, which now seems meaningless to him. It is often during this stage that ties are cut with many Orthodox friends and acquaintances, thus limiting the future possibility of evangelizing them.

APPENDIX F -- RABBIT�S FOOT RELIGION
by Dale Ledbetter (former IMB missionary to Ukraine)
January 2000 (reprinted with author�s permission)


WORLDVIEW AND EVANGELISTIC ISSUES CONCERNING PEOPLES INFLUENCED BY RUSSIAN ORTHODOXY INTRODUCTION

God has opened a wonderful window of opportunity to reap the harvest in the former Soviet Union. Over the past few years, thousands of short-term volunteers have been willing to take part in this great movement of God. The reported results have been outstanding. In fact, if one were to add up all of those who, according to their statistics, made a commitment to Christ then it would total over half the population. Unfortunately, on any given Sunday, less than one percent of the population can be found in any church of any kind. With such conflicting information, the natural tendency is to ask why. Certainly, better methods of follow-up at the local level need to be instituted. On the other hand, we need to realize that although the people of the former Soviet Union are similar to us in many respects, their decision making process concerning spiritual issues is very different from our western culture.

With this in mind, the following has been prepared, not as an authoritative guide by an expert in this field, but as a help to those who would like to participate in evangelism efforts of those people who live under the influence of Russian Orthodoxy.

It should be noted that official Orthodox theologians might disagree with many of the statements made in this article. Although their writings are often complicated, confusing, and ambiguous, there are some similarities with Protestant beliefs. However, this article is not only intended to summarize official Orthodox theology, but popular Orthodox beliefs as well. The issue of concern is not what the official doctrines of Orthodox Church are but what does the average person under its influence believe when confronted with spiritual matters. This is the target group of our evangelism efforts, and we should endeavor to learn all we can.

With this in mind, the purpose of this article is to summarize the basic popular theological beliefs and spiritual worldview of the people living under the scope and influence of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is hoped that this will serve as a helping guide to those of the Evangelical Protestant faith in reaching these people for Christ.


GENERAL BACKGROUND

For westerners, it is difficult to comprehend a religious heritage that is over 1000 years old. Prince Vladimer embraced Orthodox Christianity in 988 and since then, very little has changed. Even more difficult to understand is the fact that this part of the world never experienced the Renaissance or the Reformation. In many ways, it is like stepping back in time.

Russian Orthodoxy can by summarized by three �M�s. It is mysterious, mystical, and magical. The sacraments are referred to as mysteries and much of the popular understanding of a person�s relationship to God through rituals is akin to mysticism and magic. Just as a child might believe his rabbit�s foot brings good luck, so is the popular understanding of faith in Orthodoxy.


SOURCE OF AUTHORITY

It is incomprehensible to the Orthodox believer the idea that there is only one source of authority, the Bible. With a heritage in some parts of the former Soviet Union dating back to the 4th century (Georgia, Armenia), tradition is seen as the one and only true source of authority. The Bible is held in high regard but only as a product or result of tradition. The Bible is often treated like an icon by the general populace. The Orthodox Church�s ability to proclaim truth is not limited to the Bible. In fact, it believes even if there were no Bible, the Church�s traditions would still be true. A corporate understanding that encompasses the Scriptures, the writings of the Church Fathers, and many other sources are all considered equally valid because they all originate out of the Church�s traditions.


THEOLOGICAL ISSUES

Below is a summary of the major beliefs found in Russian Orthodox thinking that differ from traditional Protestant beliefs.

Fall of Man
� Adam and Eve were not created perfect. They were given the opportunity to gain fellowship with God which was set before them as the goal in their lives. They did not fall into grave sin. They simply took a wrong turn which forfeited their ability to reach this goal. This gave victory to Satan.

Salvation
� In the Protestant Evangelical faith, salvation is seen as a process of Justification (being saved), Sanctification (daily being made godly), and Glorification (ultimately being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ). In Orthodoxy, there is very little emphasis on the issue of justification. Salvation is thought of in terms of theosis (deification or becoming god). The broken relationship that man has with God is not considered important. The goal is to reclaim the path of theosis (deification) forfeited at the fall. Participation in the sacraments of the Church, prayer, fasting, and other works are necessary means for achievement of this purpose.

Note: In official doctrines, theosis (deification) is found to be similar to the Protestant belief of being conformed to God�s likeness in the sanctification process. However, the mysterious, mystical, and magical extremes are widely circulated in popular belief. Atonement � Christ�s sacrifice was a victory over the powers of Satan. This breaks man free allowing him to continue on the path of theosis (deification). The necessity of Christ�s sacrifice as payment for man�s sin is considered a minor issue.

Grace
� �Unmerited favor� is not found in the Orthodox concept of grace. Grace is not something good that God gives to man which he does not deserve. Grace is the energies (activities and operations) of God, through the Orthodox Church, which lead to deification of believers. A person receives it by partaking of the sacraments and by human effort. The process begins at one�s baptism, is maintained with penance, and achieved temporarily through participation in the Eucharist (Lord�s Supper) when the participant literally becomes one with Christ. Interestingly, personal faith is not necessary. Simple participation (voluntarily or involuntarily) in the sacraments gives grace to the individual.

Church
- The Church is not simply a body of called out believers. It is not simply a building. The Church is literally God Incarnate through the person of the Holy Spirit. It is heaven on earth. Salvation can not take place outside of the Orthodox Church.


SAINTS, ICONS, AND RELICS

In official doctrines, saints are only seen as intercessors. However, in popular belief, these saints are thought of as mediators and protectors. They are believed to pray for the Orthodox believer just like Protestant believers pray for each other today. Mary is revered above all others because she, as the Mother of God, is the only one who most completely achieved the goal of theosis (deification).

These saints are accessed through their icons and relics. All Orthodox churches have icons. Many also have relics of a departed saint. Orthodoxy is a very ritualistic religion filled with sights, smells, and sounds. Icons play a major role in these rituals and are thought of as not only representing the person of their image, but actually being the essence of that person. In other words, when a person lights a candle, kisses, or says a prayer in front of an icon, they are invoking the help of that person. They are asking for their help in solving personal problems and in achieving theosis (deification). Although the person represented by the icon has passed on to the next world, the grace obtained by that saint continues to dwell in their icons and relics and can be accessed by the participant through any number of rituals.


PRACTICAL ISSUES

Certainly, this only scratches the surface of this most important subject. The main issue that can be gleaned from this brief summary, however, is that the people of the former Soviet Union who are under the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church think differently about spiritual issues when compared to western thought. Religion and spiritual issues are thought of as rituals that must be accomplished in order to mystically and magically receive mysterious grace from God.

With this in mind, standard western methods of witnessing such as EE, CWT, The Four
Spiritual Laws, The Roman Road, etc. all fall short of communicating the true meaning
of the gospel. The people hear the message but interpret it through their cultural and
religious experiences. They perceive the idea of praying a sinner�s prayer as nothing
more than a Protestant ritual that might help them. In fact, they will often readily and
willingly pray a sinner�s prayer even without hearing the gospel message. Certainly,
some understand and genuine salvation does take place. In most cases, however, their
lives do not change and they do not embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. In other
words, the only thing that they perceive they are doing is to add what they believe to be a
Protestant ritual to their Orthodox ones.


SUMMARY

It is very tempting to compare Russian Orthodoxy to Roman Catholicism but in reality, there are more differences between them than exist between Protestantism and Catholicism. Many of its rituals are classic examples of syncretism. Praying to icons, for example, to invoke the help of departed saints, is not too far removed from ancestor worship in pagan, animistic cultures. Grace is received through a variety of magical, ritualistic methods. The Church�s concept of God is extremely mystical and mysterious. It should be noted again, however, that many of the Church�s official doctrines are similar to that of the Protestant faith. Some of these could be disputed but that is beyond the scope of this article. Three major differences surface, however, that must be addressed.

1. Man�s sinful condition - Orthodoxy believes he only took a wrong turn off the path of deification.

2. Grace � Orthodoxy believes grace is simply God�s activities and work through the Church�s rituals.

3. Salvation � Orthodoxy believes it to be the goal of obtaining deification without concern for justification.


STRATEGY AND RESPONSE

The people who live under the influence of the Russian Orthodox Church do not have to be convinced of the basics tenants of Christianity. Even the average person on the street knows something about the fact that God created the world, man is sinful, Jesus was born of a virgin and lived a perfect life, died on a cross, and rose again. Unlike most people from the west, he does not have to be convinced he is a sinner and headed to hell. If traditional western methods falls short, how can we communicate the true gospel to them? What is a proper strategy and method of spreading the message of salvation among these people? With this in mind, the following steps are highly recommended

1. Visitors to this part of the world must come with a servant�s attitude. Self-serving agendas and quick fixes are not the answer. You must spend time with the people. They are very inquisitive by nature and would like to speak with you at length. Mass evangelistic methods should only be used as a tool to gather interested people into more intimate follow-up discussions. Successes should be measured not only by the number of people who indicate decisions for Christ but by the quality of the seed planted as well.

2. Realize that most of the people you will witness to do not attend any church. They will not be rooted in their faith. With this in mind, the subject of Orthodox beliefs will probably not even surface. Should the subject come up, it is best never to argue. There are only two possible results to arguing. First, you could lose the argument and lose all credibility. Second, even if you win the argument, you destroy their self esteem. Simply emphasize the positive aspects of the gospel message.

3. Please realize that none of us are experts on the complicated subject of Russian Orthodoxy. This summary is only the tip of the iceberg. The purpose of sharing this is to acquaint you with the mind-set and worldview of your target audience. It is not meant as ammunition for a frontal attack on Orthodoxy.

4. The western method of presenting the gospel must be modified. Spend less time telling the basic tenants of the faith and spend more time encouraging them to have a personal relationship with the Lord. Most western methods emphasize the free gift of salvation and saying a sinner�s prayer. Certainly, these issues are genuine, but much more emphasis must be placed on repentance and Lordship. Some suggested passages are: Ezekiel 14:6; 18:30b; Mt. 3:2, 4:17; Mark 1:15, 6:12; Luke 13:3,5; Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:22, 17:30, 26:20, Rev. 3:3 and 3:19. Emphasize the fact that God forgives us completely and places us in a position of acceptance immediately upon our repentance. Emphasize that grace is a gift from God (Eph. 2:8,9) that can not be earned or deserved. Explain how Christ�s sacrifice restores us into an immediate fellowship with God. Explain how grace is immediately received through faith and not by works. Make them understand the decision of salvation is a life changing one; not simply a ritual.

5. In a positive way, emphasize that we can know God personally. We have access to Him through the work that Jesus did on the cross and the Holy Spirit�s work today. If the issue arises, do not negate their belief in prayers to icons, etc. Simply teach them there is a better way. Explain that we have God�s Spirit interceding for us (Romans 8:26). Stress that since we have direct access to God through Christ�s work, there is no need for to have an earthly intercessor to do the same.

6. Please make contact with a local Baptist (Protestant) church in the area in advance and make specific plans to invite interested individuals to this church. It would be a good idea to have the address and contact information of the church readily available.

7. Depend on the Holy Spirit for wisdom in each situation. I trust this article has helped you understand the mind-set and worldview of the people influenced by the Russian Orthodox Church. We are all privileged to be a part of what God is doing. May God richly bless your endeavors for His kingdom. Sources of information available upon request.

The True Gospel? So the Orthodox are afloat in a sea of apostasy and the North American Mission Board is the lighthouse that will bring them home?

Here's another one of their guides for witnessing to the Orthodox. It has the subheading of "cults and sects" by it.

http://www.namb.net/atf/cf/%7BCDA250E8-8866-4236-9A0C-C646DE153446%7D/BB_Eastern_Orthodox.pdf

And just so the Roman's aren't left, out, they've got you covered, too:

http://www.namb.net/atf/cf/%7BCDA250E8-8866-4236-9A0C-C646DE153446%7D/BB_Roman_Catholicism.pdf

What annoys me the most about this kind of manual for sheep stealing is that it gives evangelism a bad name. The great gift of evangelicals (regardless of denomination) is their ability to lead people to a conversion experience of Jesus Christ. That's true whether it is the first time in someone's life or if it a revival. Evangelizing is about leading people to Jesus. Jesus will take care of the rest, including guiding people to the place in His Church that He wants them to be.

I believe that Billy Graham is a model of how to do this. He encourages people, including Catholics, to attend their home churches after being revived in the Spirit for repentance. Billy Graham isn't interested in sheep stealing, from one church to another. Billy Graham is interested in leading people to Christ. Then, if people are already members of a church, he would send them back home to their churches: revived and revitalized in Christ. That, in my opinion, is how evangelism should be done.

-- John

I think the East already prays the sinner's prayer par excelence in The Jesus Prayer.

As it is Lent, I have no other comment for the rest of the article.