Need advice about bible study

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My sister and brother-in-law have been members of an Assemblies of God church for about a year now. Recently the B.I.L asked me to go to a small group bible study with him. I ended up going and did have a good time and learned some things. I’ve gone a couple times since then, but am starting to debate whether to keep going or not. The fact that it’s my B.I.L is what makes it hard. I hang out with him all the time and he’s helped me grow in my faith, but I know how different his/their beliefs are and am worried about what might happen when the word comes out that I’m catholic. Based on what I’ve seen from this group I can’t see anything bad happening in terms of attacking, bashing, etc. They’re a group that’s on fire for God, but I don’t know them all that well yet.

So I’m trying to decide whether I should keep going while I also get more knowledgeable & grounded in my faith, or if I should stop going since it would be 7 protestants and 1 catholic. Logic says to stop going, but it’s also an opportunity for me to do some serious learning(which I’ve been kinda lazy about) and teach them some truths about our faith so I’m just not 100% sure on this yet. Any advice would be helpful.
 
They want you there so that you can be saved, since they don’t believe Catholics are Christians. It you are up for the battle and discussions, go ahead. However, to learn more about your faith try going to a Catholic bible study. I am speaking from experience. Bible study is great, but not so great when the whole purpose is to let you know about the fact that you aren’t saved.
 
Fitz said:
They want you there so that you can be saved, since they don’t believe Catholics are Christians. It you are up for the battle and discussions, go ahead. However, to learn more about your faith try going to a Catholic bible study. I am speaking from experience. Bible study is great, but not so great when the whole purpose is to let you know about the fact that you aren’t saved.
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I couldn’t agree more. 👍
This is exactly how 9 of my siblings were sucked out of the Church
 
TJ_2582 said:
My sister and brother-in-law have been members of an Assemblies of God church for about a year now. Recently the B.I.L asked me to go to a small group bible study with him. I ended up going and did have a good time and learned some things. I’ve gone a couple times since then, but am starting to debate whether to keep going or not. The fact that it’s my B.I.L is what makes it hard. I hang out with him all the time and he’s helped me grow in my faith, but I know how different his/their beliefs are and am worried about what might happen when the word comes out that I’m catholic. Based on what I’ve seen from this group I can’t see anything bad happening in terms of attacking, bashing, etc. They’re a group that’s on fire for God, but I don’t know them all that well yet.

So I’m trying to decide whether I should keep going while I also get more knowledgeable & grounded in my faith, or if I should stop going since it would be 7 protestants and 1 catholic. Logic says to stop going, but it’s also an opportunity for me to do some serious learning(which I’ve been kinda lazy about) and teach them some truths about our faith so I’m just not 100% sure on this yet. Any advice would be helpful.
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I totally agree with the advice you’ve already received, TJ. Also, while you may be able to speak to obvious differences in understanding of the passages being studied, unless you know Scripture well and have a really good Catholic understanding of the passages, you won’t be able to speak to the more subtle differences from the Catholic perspective.
 
Set some ground rules, like:
  1. The purpose of the Bible study is to study the Bible, not to evangelize or defend one’s own faith.
  2. Reasonable questions concerning what each faith teaches are permissible unless it conflicts with #1.
  3. Responses to reasonable questions regarding teachings of a given community are not an invitation to debate.
I find that people who invite others to functions ostensibly for one purpose but in reality for another are generally dishonest and to be avoided.

Where they cannot be avoided altogether, firm ground rules are essential. If you wind up spending too much time enforcing agreed-upon ground rules, it’s time to leave.

Whatever you do, however, keep in mind the following:

The Church has been around for two millennia for a reason. Should any “smoking guns” be presented by your “on fire” fellows which they claim refute her, take time to look into it before allowing your faith to be shaken. Anyone can claim anything, and most do.
 
The other problem with a non-catholic bible study is the fact that they are all teaching some false interpretations.

While they may be on fire and genuinely excited, they will present you with many teachings that conflict with the fullness of truth that can only be found in the Catholic Church.

If you are strongly grounded in the faith, these bible studies can be very useful to challenge false teachings and foster discussion.

If you want to learn, the best way is to immerse yourself in a doctrinally sound Catholic Bible study. There are many available even on line. Another critical resource is the Cathecism of the Catholic Church.

Rest assured that after 2000+ years of attacks by well meaning yet incorrect christians and athiests alike, there is no question or heresy that has not been clearly answered with scriptural, Traditional and the Church’s Teaching Magesterium to back it up.

What is amazing is to read the answers to these questions and false interpretations from the earliest Church Fathers through those of today, all of which are consistently correct on all areas of faith and morals.

You are in my prayers.

Mark
 
Mark raises another excellent point.

Before attending, it would be worth your time to seek out a listing of heresies condemned by the Church over her 2,000 year history. Every false teaching maps to one or more of these heresies. A familiarity with them will let you know where the boundaries of Catholic orthodoxy lie.
 
I’d recommend instead going to a Jeff Cavins bible study instead, or even first, to get the real story. They are everywhere these days.
 
Hello! I live in a large city: Los Angeles, California. The closest 2 or 3 Catholic churches do not have bible studies but the neighboring cities do. So, living in a large city with a pervasive Catholic presence there is no need for me to go to a Protestant study group. However, I realize that this is not the case in rural areas of the country where the Catholic presence is small. If that is the case I see no problem with attending a Protestant study group as long as there isn’t any indirect or outright Catholic bashing.

John
 
I’ve requested, and receive, a daily email sermon from a local Lutheran Pastor which quotes Bible verses, then his lecture & take on it. In the 6 months I’ve been reading this daily, he has never even implied anything anti-Catholic (or even pro-Lutheran), just good sound biblical teaching, values, and ethics. His sermons are inspirational, & he’s on fire.

On the other hand, since my city doesn’t have a full time Catholic radio station 😦 , I listen to the evangelical ‘Christian’ talk station during commute. I’ve heard countless Catholic bashing, and preaching 180 from Catholicism doctrine & beliefs. Gets my blood pumping …

I find both of these educational, useful, & enjoyable. Both of these avenues have strengthened my Catholic education & beliefs, as I frequently research what Catholicism beliefs are on any given topic.

Likewise, this Bible group may be a great opportunity to strengthen your Catholic knowledge!
 
If they haven’t figured out yet that you are a Catholic either they are deaf or you are mute. I am just guessing, but would say that they are aware. I have been in a number of Bible studies, some Catholic and some not. Some are heavy on interpretation while others are heavy on what it all means for ones faith life. The latter are not so bad. In the former you had better be able to defend your Faith. Some are defintely out to save you.🙂
 
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