Meeting with Protestant Pastor

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Whats the point of getting married to a woman if you dont court her for a while, and overcome your doubts… its the same way joining the Church. the Church is the bride of Christ, each of us ‘marry’ the Chruch when we join. take your time, it would be better to spend 5 years making sure, than jump in and find out youre not where you thought you were… be patient and pray.
 
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RonRule:
I haven’t talked to other converts about this, but I’m certainly going through a weird time where I don’t feel comfortable as a protestant, yet I can’t actually get myself to move beyond the doubting stage, and in a way, I’m not ready to get beyond that stage yet. It’s really hard to explain. I end up telling my sponsor that I just “need time” or something similar. Like I’m courting the church or something. (probably the other way around, right?)
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It’s called discernment. 😉
 
Ron,

No problem. I am an RCIA sponsor, and we see this all the time.
There is no timeline, and it is ok to be “somewhere in the middle”.
Remember that our faith is a journey. Sometimes we suggest concentrating on the spirituality instead of the catechesis.
Doctrine explains, faith proclaims as they say. RCIA isn’t just to learn the catechism. It is a process of adult formation. Look more at the spirituality; prayer for instance.
Ask yourself about the Mass and about the Sacraments. Are those types of corporate prayer something that helps you to elevate yourself to glorify God. Do the physical expressions of Catholicism add to your prayer life. As Catholics, we pray mentally and physically.
Consider the Sacraments as the way to experience God versus just the hearing of the word.
The difference between Catholics and Evangelicals is that Evangelicals faith comes by hearing the word primarily.
For Catholics, we hear the word but also experience faith through physical ways, holy water, statues, incense; in the Sacraments the sanctified gifts, the anointing with oil, the imposition of hands.
Catholics experience God in physical ways.
In prayer, we have the rosary, the chaplet of divine mercy, liturgy of the hours.
Catholics have family relational beliefs in regard to the Saints, a relationship with our Mother.

Does that kind of spirituality draw you closer to God?
If so, then concentrate on those aspects. Once you begin to make those your own, the doctrinal things fall in place.

It is important to remember that Catholicism is not a set of propositions. It is a relationship with Christ by recognizing that we are a community in which God gives Jesus to us and gives us to each other.
 
Make sure you get him ro relize the bible he is holding in his hand, it’s because of the Catholic church he even has that bible. Make sure you let us know how it went after you meet with him.
 
When realized it was time to tell my husband that I wanted to go to RCIA, and that I believed from what I knew I would end up beign Catholic, he asked (sometime after he blew up) me to meet with the pastor and an elder of our Baptist Church. The Baptist was an ex-Catholic.

I was so nervous as I prepared for the meeting as I don’t like confrontation and hostile argument, and I knew the purpose was to convince me of error, and I expected to be strongly reminded of my obligation to allow my husband to be my spiritual head. But i had already thought all these matter through quite thoroughly and my convictions were strong about what was right. But my head was full of so much new informatio - I had had so very many questions answered. But how could I access all that new information? The idea of reviewing it all for the meeting seemed overwhleming. I didn’t know how to even begin preparing.

So I didn’t. Insteac I did two things which were so successful. I prayed to the Holy Spirit to give me the words to say when I needed him (and let it go and trusted He would) and I listened more than I talked. And the latter was a good thing, because they had a lot they wanted to say!

The meeting was everything I could have dreaded it would be, and more. It was very long, and they grilled me on one thing after another. They were prepared, and very motivated to convince me. But I had such peace, and I did listen, and only talked when they paused for me to talk. Then the right words came. Not long words, but the right ones. Rather than confirm in any way, they would go immediately to a new topic, or “proof”. One after the other, like a barrage! The pastor who I’d also known to be a mild-mannered person stood over me, red in the face, pounding his finger on the Bible in front of me, telling me, “Read this!!!”

Normally this would have intimidated me, but I was calm, and said, “Of course i will read the Word! I love reading God’s Word.” Then, as I read it, I discovered a new insight I had never seen before on why the verse was Catholic, and I shared my amazing discovery. They changed the subject. At one point he threw his old Catholic Bible across the room! I was shocked. I picked it up, and I still have it.

As far as submission, I explained my understanding about conscience. Finally, they abrubtly told me they were done; I could leave now, so they could talk. They conferred and called my husband to advise him (he’d asked their advice) . Their verdict? To my great surprise, they told him to allow me to be Catholic if that was what my conscience was telling me. It was truly a grace of God. I could never have pulled that off myself.

So my advice is - don’t prepare. Just pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words, and when you gret there, listen more than you talk.
 
Woa! Great stuff Eliza! Thank you!

It would be like preparing for the SAT’s. You can’t cram, and I’m not planning on it.

We’re meeting for breakfast at a Wafflehouse at 7 am. Hopefully that will keep the bible-chucking to a minimum. 🙂 And we also have a cut-off point, cause I’m getting my wisdom teeth removed at 9:45. What a fun day it’s gonna be! I better start believing that suffering is redemptive right now!!! 😉
 
What great story of grace, Eliza! How God sustained you in your time of trial and even gave you such a wonderful outcome! 👍

I entirely agree with Eliza. She did just what Jesus told us to do under such circumstances–to just trust in God the Holy Spirit who gives us the right words to say.

I had a similar experience (except I wasn’t grilled the way Eliza was) with two people in my life. One gal was from the Episcopal church and another was from the Assemblies of God. In both cases I just let them say their say and then I said mine without losing my composure or my newfound faith. God always makes a way. 😉
 
mmmm…wafflehouse

Sorry, about that.

Best advice is from Eliza, pray and keep calm, the right words will come.

God Bless
Scylla
 
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Dan-Man916:
Ron,

I’m not telling you what to do. However, ask yourself, if you believe in the Catholic answers to all of those questions you posed.
If you still have doubts or are discerning, that’s fine.
If you believe as the Church does regarding the subjects in those questions, then what purpose does entering into a debate with pastor Joe (his last name doesn’t begin with an M does it?) if you have already decided to convert?

If you want to debate him, that’s fine.
I would just say that you need to be honest with yourself as to the reasons you have for asking him these questions.
If you are telling him of your conversion as a courtesy then you can tell him that your faith journey has taken you to the point where you have found that your beliefs cannot be reconciled with Evangelical Christian beliefs.

As I said, I’m not trying to tell you what to do. Just that pastors sometimes read these things as the person looking for spiritual guidance because you are unsure so they answer that call and try to bring you back to Evangelical beliefs.
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LOL, Dan, that “Joe M” lives in Malta, the famous Joe Mizzi I assume you are referring to. :whacky:
 
I would sure enjoy hearing how this all turns out!

And, WELCOME HOME!

You have been drawn by Our Lord to the sacramental life and to receive Him in Holy Communion and this is an awesome grace!

I love my faith. And none of us will ever plumb the depths. There is always more to learn and discover. The Church is a mystery that we can never really understand and conprehend. She is the mystical body of Christ. It is such a wonder to be a part of thsi great faith. How I love Jesus in the holy Eucharist and I love Our Lady and the whole communion of saints. Catholic theology in every area is fascinating for the truth is fascinating.

I am happy for you. The road can be bumpy, I know. And there will be opposition, no doubt. But Our Lord will bring you the rest of the way.

Ave Maria!
 
hey there superstar,

that’s right, malta.
When you think of pastors names, for some reason Joe seems uncommon to me.
Yea, i remember Joe. Ever talk to him anymore?
 
Bible-chucking, LOL! Good luck, Ron!
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Della:
What great story of grace, Eliza! How God sustained you in your time of trial and even gave you such a wonderful outcome! 👍

Thanks! It truly was grace, and it was such a wonderful outcome. With one exception or two, I was, to one degree or another, scorned for my conversion by my old Baptist community. But this special grace was the healing balm in all that. It took the sting away, because although my husband didn’t like it, at least I hadn’t disobeyed him (and was saved from the dilema if he had forbidden the conversion).
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Dan-Man916:
hey there superstar,

that’s right, malta.
When you think of pastors names, for some reason Joe seems uncommon to me.
Yea, i remember Joe. Ever talk to him anymore?
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nope, tried to dialogue, but everytime I pointed out his misrepresentations, he backed out, and finally didn’t have 'time" to talk with me anymore.
 
[RonRule]Hey all,

I will probably be converting soon, but I told my wife that I would meet and discuss what I’ve been studying with her former pastor, who performed our wedding ceremony.

He’s a independant reformed baptist (think Piper, Spurgeon, etc) and I know one of his main arguments against Catholicism is that it is “another gospel” and is therefore condemned by Paul.

Now I have a feeling he is including a specific reformational sola fide formula for justification as part-and-parcel of the true gospel. So I will challenge him on that.

But I wondered if anyone had some articles they could link for me that addressed this argument specifically.

I will be bringing him Scott Hahn’s testimony on CD and I might pick up a copy of Jurgen’s ECF’s for him as well. I will also use this thread to update y’all on what happens. . .
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If you want to read an easy book to refute the Calvinist view of synergism try Jimmy Akins “The Salvation Controversy.” Or perhaps read his web site www.jimmyakin.com or for a in-depth refutation of the Protestant view of justification try Robert Sungenis’ “Not by faith alone.” We will say a prayer for you.
 
So how did things go w/ the Pastor? I converted in 2000, and my husband was the one who wanted me to talk w/ the elders - he hoped they could show me the “error” of my ways. I met w/ them many times, and each time their arguements were full of holes. The final outcome for me was them barring me from any type of ministry in the church, even w/ my own children. I could not change a diaper in the nursery, serve a cup of Kool-aid at Sunday school or even assist w/ a vacation Bible school craft. Wow! I had done all those things before, as well as working w/ the high school ministry and singing in the worship choir. I only stayed because my husband and four children still wanted to attend there. I’m praying for you that all goes well. It’s not easy when only one spouse converts, but joining the Catholic Church has brought me closer to God than I ever would have imagined.
 
I am meeting with him Thursday morning.

Thanks for the recommendations and prayers. I really want to get Salvation Controversy by Jimmy. And I need to get “When Only One Converts” for myself.
 
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RonRule:
I haven’t talked to other converts about this, but I’m certainly going through a weird time where I don’t feel comfortable as a protestant, yet I can’t actually get myself to move beyond the doubting stage, and in a way, I’m not ready to get beyond that stage yet. It’s really hard to explain. I end up telling my sponsor that I just “need time” or something similar. Like I’m courting the church or something. (probably the other way around, right?)
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I know exactly where you are right now. I went through a “no man’s land” stage for several months. I knew from studying the Early Church Fathers that Prostestantism had no basis in history, yet I wasn’t ready to join the Church. So, for months I kept this hidden from my wife and I kept going to a church that I knew was teaching error, it was horrible. But, by the grace of God I finally got over my final objections to the Church, told my wife, left our church, and joined RCIA. Don’t feel the need to rush, the Lord will draw you in according to His timeline.
 
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RonRule:
I am meeting with him Thursday morning.

Thanks for the recommendations and prayers. I really want to get Salvation Controversy by Jimmy. And I need to get “When Only One Converts” for myself.
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I will be praying for you so that you have a comfortable time during this meeting. I am sure they have the best of intentions. I think you have been given some wonderful advice. Now let us all pray for a great outcome and for the Holy Spirit to guide you. I went to Bible Study last night and we listened to a tape by Rosalind Ross (a Jewish-Evangelical convert to Catholicism) It was about this very topic and she discussed with another Evangelical convert to Catholicism all that they went through to convert. You might want to read some of Rosalind’s works too.
 
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Redbandito:
I would pick up a copy of Catholic for a Reason by Hahn and Not By Scripture Alone. Challenge him on sola scriptura. Even the issue of sola fide will eventually have to boil down to authority. My favorite two questions to ask are: 1) Where did we get the Bible? 2) Where does the BIBLE teach sola scriptura? Many Protestants, including R.C. Sproul in his book on sola scriptura argue that the church is birthed by the Scriptures. That, however, is completely backward and wrong. Paul is writing to churches already in existence, thus it is ludicrous to make such a claim. Turn sola scriptura on it’s head, and everything else will follow.
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They do not want you to turn to a book for your answers. They want YOU to know them. When you simply read to them from a book, you aren’t thinking for yourself. One thing I have learned in my dialogues with evangelicals is that they don’t like you to give them somebody else’s words (unless it’s scripture, of course).
 
LOL Hey RonRule! Recognize me?? Quo Vadis Youth hint hint. Funny seeing you here! I get on Catholic.com quite a lot. Anyway, just like Eliza and many others have said, just pray beforehand. I will pray for you too! I hope that your meeting goes well. God love you.

-Alison
 
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