Peaceful Evangelization

[mmmcloug]

Hello all!

When my mother and her sisters were in college, her sisters fell away from the Catholic Church and became Evangelical Christians. This has caused a lot of strife in my family. I grew up with my mother telling me how this was terrible and how she prays for them to return to the Church.

Recently, I have been having a lot of discussions about the faith with one of my Evangelical Christian friends. Because of my previously mentioned family history and because of his intensity in our discussions, I have recently gotten overly combative in my evangelization. I feel like I must defend the Church and her teachings and prove that my friend is wrong.

In our most recent discussion, I worded my arguments very strongly and perhaps a bit hurtfully. I think that I was too intense and that he is now further from listening to me than he was before. I struggle very much with being truly peaceful, patient, and loving in our discussions because I feel so obliged to prove him wrong. How can I evangelize in true peace and love and rid myself of this competitive and combative nature?

Thank you so much for your help. God bless.

 

[Carlan]

Hello all!

When my mother and her sisters were in college, her sisters fell away from the Catholic Church and became Evangelical Christians. This has caused a lot of strife in my family. I grew up with my mother telling me how this was terrible and how she prays for them to return to the Church.

Recently, I have been having a lot of discussions about the faith with one of my Evangelical Christian friends. Because of my previously mentioned family history and because of his intensity in our discussions, I have recently gotten overly combative in my evangelization. I feel like I must defend the Church and her teachings and prove that my friend is wrong.

In our most recent discussion, I worded my arguments very strongly and perhaps a bit hurtfully. I think that I was too intense and that he is now further from listening to me than he was before. I struggle very much with being truly peaceful, patient, and loving in our discussions because I feel so obliged to prove him wrong. How can I evangelize in true peace and love and rid myself of this competitive and combative nature?

Thank you so much for your help. God bless.

HI MMM, I am not much of a debater , but I try to defend the faith as best I can.

Someone once said, "The most effective Apologetics comes from someone on their knees. and God Bless you, Peace, Carlan

 

[1sicht]

Why do you feel you need to get him to be an RC? Doesn’t your own church teach that Protestants are Christians (notwithstanding Trent not having been rescinded)? Is he discontent with being an Evangelical?

 

[mmmcloug]

Why do you feel you need to get him to be an RC? Doesn’t your own church teach that Protestants are Christians (notwithstanding Trent not having been rescinded)? Is he discontent with being an Evangelical?

I’m not set out on a conversion excursion. We’re simply having religious discussions and I get too intense over them and I feel like I’m not being loving/peaceful about it.

 

[poetryforjesus]

I’ve had similar experiences. What I’ve learned the hard way is to focus on what works. If I’m being combative and driving them away, obviously I’m not doing good. So I must change. Period.

Our motive for evangelization must be pure. It must be done for love of God and love of that neighbor. It cannot be done in order to prove others wrong.

If we really want to evangelize, we must be willing to do everything possible for that person’s conversion, which would include listening to them, trying to understand where they come from, praying for them, waiting for them, not giving them up no matter what.

If we get angry or defensive, our motive is probably less than pure.

 

[Carlan]

I’ve had similar experiences. What I’ve learned the hard way is to focus on what works. If I’m being combative and driving them away, obviously I’m not doing good. So I must change. Period.

Our motive for evangelization must be pure. It must be done for love of God and love of that neighbor. It cannot be done in order to prove others wrong.

If we really want to evangelize, we must be willing to do everything possible for that person’s conversion, which would include listening to them, trying to understand where they come from, praying for them, waiting for them, not giving them up no matter what.

If we get angry or defensive, our motive is probably less than pure.

Thank you , very good advice for all of us,Peace,Carlan

 

[mmmcloug]

I’ve had similar experiences. What I’ve learned the hard way is to focus on what works. If I’m being combative and driving them away, obviously I’m not doing good. So I must change. Period.

Our motive for evangelization must be pure. It must be done for love of God and love of that neighbor. It cannot be done in order to prove others wrong.

If we really want to evangelize, we must be willing to do everything possible for that person’s conversion, which would include listening to them, trying to understand where they come from, praying for them, waiting for them, not giving them up no matter what.

If we get angry or defensive, our motive is probably less than pure.

Thank you for your advise! I think my friend is quite upset with me for what I said in my last statements; do you have any suggestions as to how to fix that problem? Maybe just change my evangelization approach and let my actions speak?

 

[poetryforjesus]

Thank you for your advise! I think my friend is quite upset with me for what I said in my last statements; do you have any suggestions as to how to fix that problem? Maybe just change my evangelization approach and let my actions speak?

If there is anything to apologize for, do have the courage to apologize. Let your friend know that you do not mean to hurt her. Let her know that if you showed any lack of charity, you are working on improvement.