www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West How Do Some Protestants Draw So Many to Jesus Christ?

One of the things I would like to do in the email is compare and contrast the music between the two Churches. I want to emphasize the fact that our music hasn't changed in ages. I believe the oldest hymn we sing is the cherubic hymn. Does anyone know the date it was composed. I remember reading something in the old books of an age 290 A.D. Is this correct? How would you word this paragraph in my email?

Um, no. Thank me for my charity.

The success of some of these groups is often based upon the fact that they really love Christ.

They may lack many things, but a real love for Christ is not one of the things missing.

Dear Todd,

Absolutely. They spontaneously praise God, read the Scriptures, witness etc.

They are grounded in the love of God.

Alex

Ray,

I would strongly recommend staying away from any "compare and contrast," which is a not-so-subtle way of criticizing their churches. Please remember charity.


Peace,
Deacon Richard

I think the attraction to modern Protestantism could be related to the way they view salvation, which is very simplified and speaks to contemporary man. In their view, Christ replaced us on the cross and won salvation for us, and there’s not much more to elaborate on than that. There’s nothing more we have to do other than accept that salvation and give Him thanks and praise. No need to write volumes on theology or to have a hierarchy of leaders or to refer to ecumenical councils. No need to strive for perfection or do penance or live by a strict moral code because they don’t really believe that’s what Christ is asking of us. All we have to do is just be thankful that He saved us and that He loves us as we are. It’s very attractive, but it’s only half the truth.

I think what I wanted to say was something like if you do come visit our Church you will experience the following... (need to fill in the blanks here)

In such questions, all blanks are filled in with "Christ".

If you are dealing with a committed Christian of another tradition the only way to interest him in your Church is for him to see Christ shining forth from you in a manner that causes him to seek.

Amen, brother Todd. Amen, brother Alex.

I do think that Catholics and Orthodox are sometimes a little too embarrassed to seem overly evangelical. By all means we should talk about the whole of the Christian faith that we've received, BUT we should never be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we should never make distinctively catholic teachings and practices an excuse to avoid referring everything to Christ. It can become easy to forget that all that other stuff is about Jesus too.

(I think I am saying Amen brother admin too?)

Moreover, the liturgy really is fundamentally about praising and worshiping God. Even if some evangelical protestants might find it very foreign and ritualistic, I'd like to think they would be able to grasp that basic priority from experiencing the celebration.

1 Cor 3:2.

To evangelize correctly, first feed yourself in Liturgy and with personal prayer, and by living a Christian life.

Then, pray for the people you come across in your life, that you might be a witness of the Lord to them and that the Lord open their hearts to hear.

Next, evangelize.

To some it will be just a kind word. That kindness plants a seed. You or someone else might be able to water it some day should it find good soil.

Offer to each what is appropriate. There are a whole myriad of possibilities. For some it might be an invitation to Vespers or Divine Liturgy or an advanced discussion about Scripture or theology. To others it might be an invite to the parish picnic, or to help on Saturday with the coat collection for those in need. And to others it might be an invite to the Christmas party you and your family has every year where they will simply discuss football in the company of people from your parish who will pause before eating to pray and sing a few Carols. All these plant seeds.

Ray, if you look at your pastor's Liturgikon, you will see on pages 161-165 that there are 214 scriptural references in the DL of St John Chrysostom. That will impress the Evangelicals because their faith is Bible-based.

I was told by a former Baptist that when he heard his first Divine Liturgy he was simply amazed that it was so scriptural.