Prot. Pastor asked me to his Church, how do I respond?

[beckycmarie]

Joey, I think you are being presented with an opportunity to invite him into the Catholic Church. I haven’t had a chance to read the entire book I recommended since my copy is already on loan to a co-worker who out of the blue asked if I would take her to Church with me.

This man is obviously deluded about what is holy and Christian behavior. Perhaps he could learn those things if you invite him to your Church. He is obviously seeking - and you could point him in the right direction.

 

[kage_ar]

Look for some of the resources here…

ninevehscrossing.com/Catholic-Teaching.html

One way to respond to him in HIS language - “Brother, I am sure you not trying to steal sheep from the Catholic Church, now - right?”

That is one of the catch phrases for taking fellow Christians away…

 

[Joey1976]

Joey, I think you are being presented with an opportunity to invite him into the Catholic Church. I haven’t had a chance to read the entire book I recommended since my copy is already on loan to a co-worker who out of the blue asked if I would take her to Church with me.

This man is obviously deluded about what is holy and Christian behavior. Perhaps he could learn those things if you invite him to your Church. He is obviously seeking - and you could point him in the right direction.

Possibly, but i don’t know if i am going to be able to persuade him because of his know it all attitude and my lack of apologetics training. I think i may have to offer a book, if he does show interest in what the Catholic Church really teaches.
lizaanne,
About finding a new gym, I really prefer not to since i have been going there since 1992 and my dues are only $18 a month. :] I may find a different time to go though if he becomes to persistent and tries to trap me everytime I am there. So far it isn’t too bad.

Another thing I may have on him as a response pertains to one thing he told me which i agree with. He was telling me how there are a lot of people who call themselves Christians but they criticize other Christians about various things without even knowing the person or anything about them. Like a time where he expressed to one guy about the importance about memorizing scripture and the other guy immediately responded by saying, “memorizing is good, but…” Basically trying to bring the Pastor down without knowing anything about him. He said people who do this are not really Christians and that kind of criticizing is from Satan. So, if he ever starts to criticize me for my beliefs or the Catholic Church beliefs, i can bring that up where he said real Christians won’t do that. So, i have that response if that ever come up.

 

[mangy_dog]

I have met this Pastor at my gym and he talks to me about Scripture and he knows I am Catholic. He is very nice to me but has never put down the Catholic Church or pushed anything anti-Catholic on me. He always tells me that he can tell I am a man of God and I am a man of peace and quotes this scripture about a man who has walks with God is peaceful and he relates that to me. I always thought he would ask me to his Church and the time has finally come. BTW, his Church consists of six people, i would make seven if i went and it is at his house. So, really it is a Bible study. He has no formal pastoral training or Bible College degree. He is of the Charismatic type beliefs, he said he heals everyone he prays for , prophesizes, etc. He does mention quite a bit that Catholic don’t believe in that or I would be shocked at the things i would see at his Church. So, he obviously does not know the Catholic Church has the Charismatic renewal and I have attended Charismatic Conference at Steubenville, so I would not be shocked. My question is what do I tell him. Because I do not want to go. He said he is going to give me his card and he said if he gives it to me I have to go. What do I do? It makes me want to switch gyms cause I do not need to deal with this now. I am having struggles of my own now and I do not need to face this. When i say struggle , i do not mean i would question or leave the Catholic Church. I believe in it entirely. However, i am not the best in defending it and this guy certainly knows the Bible better than me. I do not want to debate as I am not good with apologetics. What do i do? How do I tell him I cannot attend because i believe what the Catholic Church teaches and not what he does? He also made the comment that he teaches things that I would not hear anywhere else, it is all form God and he proves his doctrine by the fact if it is in the Bible twice it is true. So that gives you an idea of his beliefs and it seems he thinks he is the end all be all and knows everything by that statement that he teaches things that know one else does. I posted of this guy once before in another thread and it shows some of his other beliefs…forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=201409

Anybody have any advice, like i said i really can’t take this on right now with trying to discuss the Faith with him. He thinks he knows it all and he knows the Bible way more than i do. And i don’t want to discuss this stuff at the gym and turn into an argument. How do i decline the offer to the his church? Thanks

Your concern is genuine and your feelings about the situation are charitable.
I don’t know if you noticed but - you gave yourself the answer in your thread. “ I believe what the Catholic church teaches” You may add the smile and the “God bless you” but…I don’t feel inclined to seek outside of the Catholic church the riches of knowledge, wisdom and sacred Tradition that I enjoy within". “Thank you but I must decline” I will pray for you.

Did you get all that? Essentially, you can say just about anything with a smile and a blessing.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.

 

[BennyBoy89]

Perhaps I’m being a bit uncharitable but here goes…

I’ve been there, done that. Evangelical pastors can be snakes. My stomach turned when I read how the man called you a “man of peace” and someone that really loves God. I don’t know the man, but my first instinct is that he’s trying to butter you up. I’m serious. Don’t go to his church unless he FIRST goes to Mass with you.

Trust me. I was raised in the evangelical world. I know how their “pastors” are. I’m sure he has the best intentions, but deep down, he just sees your “conversion” as another “victory” in the battle to “win souls for Jesus.”

 

[ThyKingdomCome]

I will respond as follows: “Thanks, but I cannot promise anything. I am very happy at my Church and I will pray about it but I strongly believe in the Catholic Faith.”

I suggest you make your response a little more firm than this. You say, “I cannot promise anything…I will pray about it.” He hears, “I’m not convinced yet, but you still might convince me if you keep trying.”

Perhaps instead: “Thanks for the inviation but I can’t go. I am very happy with my Catholic Faith and would prefer not to participate in anything else. We probably will not agree on this, but we can certainly pray for each other.”

 

[Erich]

He thinks he knows it all and he knows the Bible way more than i do.

So then, he already knows that no man can take the responsibility or title of “pastor” to himself. Rather, he must be sent by God, either indirectly (via succession), or directly (via extraordinary calling). If he claims the latter, his mission must be accompanied by miracles, signs and wonders as proof of his Divine vocation.

Check out this link.

 

[Joey1976]

Perhaps I’m being a bit uncharitable but here goes…

I’ve been there, done that. Evangelical pastors can be snakes. My stomach turned when I read how the man called you a “man of peace” and someone that really loves God. I don’t know the man, but my first instinct is that he’s trying to butter you up. I’m serious. Don’t go to his church unless he FIRST goes to Mass with you.

Trust me. I was raised in the evangelical world. I know how their “pastors” are. I’m sure he has the best intentions, but deep down, he just sees your “conversion” as another “victory” in the battle to “win souls for Jesus.”

I agree completely. I have thought about the things he has said to me and that is exactly what he is doing, buttering me up. He is a salesman. He is selling his church and himself as the pastor. So, of course he is going to compliment me over and over. And his jabs at the Catholic Church are very subtle. He said, “I know Catholic don’t believe this and you won’t see this in the Catholic Church”
I have been totally on to him from the get go. I will not go to his Church, period. I was just looking for how to express it charitably without making Catholic or the Catholic Church look bad. I know many Catholic who are very rude when a Jehovah;s witness or someone comes to their door. And that person is probably confirming all the negative things they already think about Catholics. I don’t want to do that. I want to be able to respond to his invitation in a nice way but also make the point that i am not ever going to leave the Catholic Church. I have gotten some good responses and I think i will be fine. Thanks to everyone. Any more comments will be appreciated and i will let you know what happens.

 

[joeybaggz]

Joey

You’ve gotten good advice, and from your last post, you know what you have to do. Now just - Do it!. Jesus never equivocated in his belief in himself and his mission, don’t you.

Don’t drink the kool-aid, and stay off the Hale-Bopp comet.

Shalom

 

[Zooey]

“The Lord has laid it very strongly on my heart, that I have to be 100% faithful to** my own** Church”.

This is pretty much what you have been telling him; I have just translated it into “Evangelicalese” for you.
Now, he may not (no, let’s be honest, he will not) like it…but he can’t really argue with you, because he has absolutely no way to know what the Lord has and has not “laid on your heart”.
You have just told him, in effect, that he is asking you to disobey God, in order to please him.And that you are not willing to do that.

(Nothing like a little ex-Holiness girl, to know the right words…).
HTH!!

 

[inthecloud]

I’ve been there, done that. Evangelical pastors can be snakes. My stomach turned when I read how the man called you a “man of peace” and someone that really loves God. I don’t know the man, but my first instinct is that he’s trying to butter you up. I’m serious. Don’t go to his church unless he FIRST goes to Mass with you.

Trust me. I was raised in the evangelical world. I know how their “pastors” are. I’m sure he has the best intentions, but deep down, he just sees your “conversion” as another “victory” in the battle to “win souls for Jesus.”

Hey they have to earn their tithe!

 

[Joey1976]

“The Lord has laid it very strongly on my heart, that I have to be 100% faithful to** my own** Church”.
!

Thanks! This is definitely what I am going to say! I haven’t run into him yet but i think that this is a great way to express myself. I am going to use this word for word. Thanks!