Evangelism

[Reader Benjamin]

I have found that the most effective evangelism has been what is classified as friendship evangelism. However let me explain. There is a friendship evangelism that you make a friend with the intent of converting him at all costs, this is head hunter style, not what I am referring to. What I am referring to is that evangelism that as we are doing what ever and the conversation arises then give them the Gospel as it meets their needs. This I found out after I became Orthodox is the way the Orthodox has always done evangelism. Cramming it down peoples throats is what has left us with a people in the US that will not turn to God and will not look to God as their authority.

Orthodox evangelism is not interested in the “numbers” or “heads”, but interested on people that are really interested in God. There are many people that will on judgment day say Lord didn’t we do all these great and marvelous things in Your name. But Jesus will say, “I never knew you”.

I have been very disappointed in Protestant evangelism. People are promised good fortune and a life of ease, which is not promised in the Bible, if they pray the sinner’s prayer. And like magic all things is suppose to be rosy. Then they blame God for not keeping His promises and don’t believe in God any more and will not hear the true Gospel that promises eternal life if we forgive others, if we endure to the end, if we love God, if we obey God, and we are promised persecution now and other difficult times to endure to the end. No one in this country wants to hear this message, except a very few.

No, Orthodox evangelism is working, but there are going to be very few numbers. Wide is the way to hell and narrow is the gate to heaven.

[Fr. Dcn. Eugene Durkee]

Christ is Risen!

When we stand for the Holy Liturgy, we're taught to stand expectantly, with a feeling of reverence and joy, and not to analyze things too much, but to expect to receive something beautiful and life-giving.

I think that's an icon of how we should stand before every individual before us -- friend, spouse, co-worker, our children, the person in the convenience store, whoever: expectantly, with a feeling of reverence and joy, not analyzing them too much, but expecting to receive something beautiful and life-giving.

I think if we could train ourselves to stand this way in front of each human being we encountered (they are, anyway, icons of Christ), we'd have no problem "winning souls for Christ." But I am far from having this practice or ability, as I expect most of us are. I think because of the fear of diminishment, and our urge to expand our ourselves in the face of it (often through argument or discussion), most of us miss the boat: a whole lot. At least, I can see this in myself.

The reason I don't evangelize much in the sense of preaching, is that I'm afraid the people I try to evangelize will take me for a good example of a Christian, which I'm not, and get discouraged and confused.

Fr. Deacon Eugene

[rightbyyou]

Christ is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

When we stand for the Holy Liturgy, we're taught to stand expectantly, with a feeling of reverence and joy, and not to analyze things too much, but to expect to receive something beautiful and life-giving.

I think that's an icon of how we should stand before every individual before us -- friend, spouse, co-worker, our children, the person in the convenience store, whoever: expectantly, with a feeling of reverence and joy, not analyzing them too much, but expecting to receive something beautiful and life-giving.

What a profound and beautiful way of putting it, Fr. Deacon. Thank you.

[Chrysostomos]

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, speaking of Baptism and it's effects:

By going down into the water, and being in a manner buried in the waters, as He was in the rock, art raised again walking in newness of life. Moreover, when thou hast been deemed worthy of grace, He then giveth thee strength to wrestle against the adverse powers.

Okay, so far, we have a newness of life (new life), old life is dead. We are given strength via grace to wrestle against the adverse powers.

Yet after thou has received the grace and art henceforth confident in the armour of righteousness, must then do battle, and preach the gospel, if thou wilt.

So after receiving the grace, are we to work on becoming confident in the armour of righteousness, or should we be confident, not in ourselves but in the armor of righteousness given? Whichever case, we must do battle. As to preaching the gospel, it appears that all have the ability, (for this is a lecture to catechumens), we must will it.

Maybe that confidence has to do with the recognition of who we are in Christ Jesus as St. Cyril further states:

If thou too hast unfeigned piety, the Holy Ghost cometh down on thee also, and a Father's voice sounds over thee from on high - not "This is My Son," but, "This has now been made My son;" for the "is" belongs to Him alone, because In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. To Him belongs the "is", since He is always the Son of God: but to thee "has now been made:" since thou hast not the sonship by nature, but receivest it by adoption. He eternally "is;" but thou receivest the grace by advancement.

So, by grace we have been made sons and daughters of God.

St. Cyril further states as one prepares for baptism:

Make ready then the vessel of thy soul, that thou mayest become a son of God, and an heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ.

So is our lack of desire in proclaiming the gospel a lack of knowledge of who we are in Christ, or due to a lack of confidence on our part of the armour of righteousness given at baptism?

Or worst yet, do we have feigned piety?

But there is perhaps among you some hypocrite, a man-pleaser, and one who makes pretence of piety, but believes not from the heart; having the hypocrisy of Simon Magnus.

But beware lest thou has the title of "faithful". But the will of the faithless.

There is alot of pretty heavy stuff in these lectures, but they make me personally think, that is my lack in proclaiming the gospel even in my every action due to my lack of confidence in the armour of righteousness given, or in who I truly am in Christ Jesus. A son of God, heir of God, joint-heir with Jesus. That due to this lack of recognition of who we are, and what we have, we squander and live not according to that reality?

Until we know who we are in Christ, perhaps we can't proclaim it to others. Unless we realize the full extent of the change that God has wrought in us and enabled us to live a life as a living Icon, perhaps we can do no other. Once we seize that reality, and act upon it, how much impact could we have on the lives of those around us? Our families, friends, and community!

Your fellow struggler in Christ,

Rd. Chrysostomos

[TomS]

The reason I don't evangelize much in the sense of preaching, is that I'm afraid the people I try to evangelize will take me for a good example of a Christian, which I'm not, and get discouraged and confused.

Excuse. It's because you do not love your fellow brothers and sisters enough.

[Fr. Dcn. Eugene Durkee]

So is our lack of desire in proclaiming the gospel a lack of knowledge of who we are in Christ, or due to a lack of confidence on our part of the armour of righteousness given at baptism?

Thanks, Rd. Chrysostomos, for the quotes from St. Cyril. Very good and thought-provoking... as are your questions above.

My failures I think could be attributed to both of the "lacks" listed above: lack of knowledge of who I am in Christ, and lack of confidence in the armour of righteousness given at baptism. In fact, I was recently struck by a verse in the Gospel of John (chapt. 5), which said that "he who hears my word, and believes in Him Who sent me... has passed from death to life." Upon reading that, I thought two things: first, that I didn't FEEL like I had passed from death to life yet; and second, that since Christ told me if I truly believe, that I HAVE passed from death to life... well, have I or haven't I? And how much do I really believe? Do I believe a number of "tenets", or do I believe in the real life?

Anyway, it gave me pause for thought. So thanks for the St. Cyril readings.

[rightbyyou]

Excuse. It's because you do not love your fellow brothers and sisters enough.

Is it necessary to pass judgement on others, Tom? Be well.