Protestant churches sending missionaries to Catholic areas..

[Tomyris]

Didn’t Augustine say something about there are those who make it to heaven who are outside the church, and there are those who will not make it who are inside? Being Catholic is not the deciding factor.

You may have heard of the Evangelism Explosion program some years ago. What I heard about it, among other things, was that the greatest return on the program was not when people actually went out door to door. It was people coming to Christ and committing their lives to Him in the course - that is, among those who signed up to do evangelism.

I know the first field of missions is my own church. There are those who are not walking with Christ there, who have not committed their lives to Him. But even before that I am my own missions field as I apply the Gospel and seek to obey Christ and more fully realize His grace.

I don’t see this as a Protestant versus Catholic issue. I see this as an issue of those who are committed to Christ reaching out to those who need Him.

 

[adf417]

Let me ask you: is it better for someone to go to heaven as a Protestant or to hell as a Catholic? There are many non-practicing Catholics who reject Church teaching. You would rather they stay nominally Catholic, even if they never set foot inside any church? There is more opportunity for evangelism among them than either the Catholics or the Protestants have resources to meet.

edit: and no, I am NOT saying a Catholic cannot go to heaven.

Hi Tomyris, I like your thinking.

But until Protestants, and for that matter all Christians, unite in this thinking the frustration of the OP will continue and therefor contention.

But more importantly to your post – you are implying that all Protestant missionaries are evangelizing only to fallen away Catholics and I think this is a sad fallacy.

Even one of Jesus’ closest followers was allowed to let the Satan enter his heart. I am not saying any Protestant or any non-Catholic to be Satan. I am simply saying that the average Christian, Catholic or non-Catholic, cannot defend their faith against a well-trained evangelist that does not share true Christian thought as you have expressed.

Peace sister!!!

 

[Tomyris]

I suppose if one feels more comfortable laboring, in terms of salvation for souls, outside the catholic church, then there is nothing wrong with that. Hypothetical: what if the CC is right about the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass, and the associating graces stemming from the source of the Mass, namely, Jesus the Christ i.e. if one is on the outside denying and diminishing the divine value of the Mass e.g. my sister, then does he/she labor in a less-than desirable way?

My point, and question as a former non-Catholic: should doctrinal truth play a primary role for those laboring for the salvation of souls?

I don’t understand your question. The picture that arises in my mind is someone going door to door with the Catholic Catechism in hand: “Let me read this to you, cover to cover.” I am not sure what you mean by “doctrinal truth” or “primary role” here.

 

[JillianRose]

What do you think of this?

…I personally find it a little insulting…but I guess I’m sensitive maybe…I dunno.

The other day I was in the store, and these guys were talking about a missionary in Rome…one of them even said “Yeah no question if they’re Catholic over there.” and how Catholicism isn’t Christian at all if you really just look at at.

I say BRING IT ON!! I hope they don’t come across one of our “scott hahns”…LOL

 

[Lochias]

Didn’t Augustine say something about there are those who make it to heaven who are outside the church, and there are those who will not make it who are inside? Being Catholic is not the deciding factor.

According to Catholic teaching, everyone who makes it to Heaven is Catholic, because the rules of Heaven haven’t changed, only what men have chosen to do or not do. There are many Christians now who have never known the Catholic Church that their own religion sprung from, and so they can’t be faulted for not knowing something they never had a chance to know.

Having come here, you now know at least a little better. The question is: Are you going to ignore it, or search further?

You may have heard of the Evangelism Explosion program some years ago. What I heard about it, among other things, was that the greatest return on the program was not when people actually went out door to door. It was people coming to Christ and committing their lives to Him in the course - that is, among those who signed up to do evangelism.

Evangelism happens in many ways.

I know the first field of missions is my own church. There are those who are not walking with Christ there, who have not committed their lives to Him. But even before that I am my own missions field as I apply the Gospel and seek to obey Christ and more fully realize His grace.

I don’t see this as a Protestant versus Catholic issue. I see this as an issue of those who are committed to Christ reaching out to those who need Him.

And yet, we who have been raised or instructed with the Objective Truth of the Catholic Church can’t simply sit back and ignore the differences; we don’t have that authority.

 

[Chloe13]

I honestly think, because we are all Christians who believe in the SAME God, even though some teachings & beliefs are different, they should stop cricitizing/judging us based on their mere knowledge about real Catholicism. Respect is definitely required for every religion.

 

[nickybr38]

Why not, instead of trying to convert someone into your faith, help them be the best at THEIR faith?

There’s a rare concept.

They can be Catholic and SAVED! No need to change denominations for that. I suppose I wouldn’t mind these missionaries if it didn’t seem a bid to up their membership more then a genuine desire to help a soul. Because if they really wanted to help someone’s soul they would attempt to teach them more then just; Jesus loves you.

 

[Nicea325]

What do you think of this?

…I personally find it a little insulting…but I guess I’m sensitive maybe…I dunno.

The other day I was in the store, and these guys were talking about a missionary in Rome…one of them even said “Yeah no question if they’re Catholic over there.” and how Catholicism isn’t Christian at all if you really just look at at.

It is all based on IGNORANCE! PERIOD!

 

[joe370]

I don’t understand your question. The picture that arises in my mind is someone going door to door with the Catholic Catechism in hand: “Let me read this to you, cover to cover.” I am not sure what you mean by “doctrinal truth” or “primary role” here.

If one feels that the CC is not for them, so be it. I never said anything about reading the CCC cover to cover.

If doctrinal truth is unimportant then why would church affiliation even matter? On the other hand, if doctrinal truth is important then where can one go to find it? The holy Bible clearly says different things to different people e.g. the Eucharist is symbolic vs the Catholic interpretation. How can a simple man like myself know the truth regarding the Eucharist, in your opinion? After all, my interpretation differs from my sisters interpretation.

 

[Slaney]

What do you think of this?

…I personally find it a little insulting…but I guess I’m sensitive maybe…I dunno.

The other day I was in the store, and these guys were talking about a missionary in Rome…one of them even said “Yeah no question if they’re Catholic over there.” and how Catholicism isn’t Christian at all if you really just look at at.

Well they came the whole way from Utah to convert me God bless them, I had to remind them I already heard about Jesus, probably before they were born.
I brought them into my home, think they were having doubts about their faith before they left.
I can see someone not too well grounded in the teachings of the CC being easy fodder for non-catholic preachers, but some of us in Ireland were put through the mill regarding our faith… ( The lesson in the Parable of the sower comes to mind)

A Christian is a follower of Christ, Catholics follow Christ, therefore I assume they’re Christian…

 

[ferny]

We should counter-attack and take over Kansas

lol thats hilarious