Protestants evangelizing Catholics

[Monica4316]

Hi,

There’s something that’s been on my mind for a while and to be honest it’s bothering me.

I used to be non denominational Protestant and now I am becoming Catholic. I only need to enter the Church officially. All my beliefs are Catholic and I feel so at home here.

Well I have lots of Protestant friends and acquaintances… many of them are Baptist and evangelical and non denom.
And my really close friends respect my “new” beliefs but sometimes from others I get strange looks etc when I mention going to church, etc. I even feel like a couple of them are avoiding me now.

Many of my friends are really involved in evangelization. They’re part of Campus Crusade for Christ, which I was also really involved with in the past but now not so much (cause it’s just very Protestant…)

and sometimes they share with Catholics. We have lots of ex-Catholics in Campus Crusade. In my Bible study group last year, some of my friends were saying that Catholics don’t know God and that we need to “reach them” and that people like JRR Tolkien (who was Catholic) and even Mother Teresa might have gone to hell. In a few speeches at the c4c meetings the speakers criticized parts of my faith… like St Francis’ quote “preach always when necessary use words”… and many of our beliefs but implicitly.

Some of my friends go on mission trips to Catholic countries and evangelize to Catholics, converting them to “Bible believing churches”. And they also go around my university and talk to Catholics about faith as well. They have this booklet that says if you say the sinners prayer you’re saved and can be sure of your salvation.

See I’m glad that through their efforts some non Christians and atheists come to know God. I also believe that sometimes God allows “cultural” Catholics to leave the Church for a while just to discover Him in a different context (Protestant), but ultimately He wants to lead them back to the Church and make them better Catholics than before.

But…here’s my question.
If you have evangelical Protestant friends…
how do you react when they come up to you and say things like:
“guess what!! I’m going to [catholic country] on a mission trip!!”
or “do you want to come sharing with me today?”
or “guess what, 5 people accepted Christ today!!”

like…what do you say? Do you just smile and say “well that’s great!” I don’t want to be rude or anything.

But inside it just makes me feel very sad that some people are being lead away from the Church… .and that many are being told about OSAS and how it’s true and the rest of it…

the first day I joined c4c back when I was a Protestant myself (so since I was one, I can definitely relate to their views!!) I was told by someone to stay away from the Catholics cause they worship Mary statues and the Pope.

and how do you react when they try to share with you, or if you converted to the Church and some of your Protestant friends are avoiding you now? It kinda hurts… it’s different when it’s strangers, but when it’s your friends, I never really know what to say.

 

[stelline]

I have friends like this and it can be awkward when they talk about missionary trips to predominantly Catholic countries. We usually just gloss over the topic and try to move on to something else. If they know you are pretty much Catholic it is a bit insensitive to bring that up in such a celebratory way.

When I am told by a protestant friend that a person they know has “accepted Christ” I don’t really have much of a problem if it involved a atheist or non-practicing Protestant.

C4C surely struck me as not being “friendly” to Catholics when I was in college. I’m assuming you have friends involved in it. At least they seem to believe what they are preaching and are taking action. But they should be respectful even as they may try to “convert” you back.

If they are withdrawing from you, it is probably because the friendship was faith-based from the beginning, and now those common elements are not shared. It’s just something that happens. I guess if I was in your particular situation, I would make it well known where I stand, yet tell them I don’t mind their KIND and RESPECTFUL efforts to win me back. Real friends who believe that they have the truth would try to share it with you.

 

[Angels_Unaware]

Tell them the truth. Let the ones who cannot tolerate it walk away, just like Jesus did.

 

[Trishie]

Monica I’ll keep you in my prayers. It must be painful.
God bless you for your courage.
:harp:

 

[Monica4316]

I have friends like this and it can be awkward when they talk about missionary trips to predominantly Catholic countries. We usually just gloss over the topic and try to move on to something else. If they know you are pretty much Catholic it is a bit insensitive to bring that up in such a celebratory way.

I think my friends expect that I see “denominations” much like they do, that ‘denominations’ don’t really matter and only knowing God does. But I think there are only denominations in Protestantism, the Catholic Church is ‘the Church’ and is important. I once told my view about this to a Protestant friend cause she’s really respectful and we were having a good friendly conversation… and she didn’t argue, but I could tell she really disagreed.

When I am told by a protestant friend that a person they know has “accepted Christ” I don’t really have much of a problem if it involved a atheist or non-practicing Protestant.

same here.

C4C surely struck me as not being “friendly” to Catholics when I was in college. I’m assuming you have friends involved in it. At least they seem to believe what they are preaching and are taking action. But they should be respectful even as they may try to “convert” you back.

yes c4c isn’t too Catholic friendly lol… I mean, I know they genuinely love God and want to further His Kingdom. Many of them just don’t know very much about Catholicism, except for what they’ve been told by pastors, parents, etc… and it’s rarely something good.

If they are withdrawing from you, it is probably because the friendship was faith-based from the beginning, and now those common elements are not shared.

I see what you mean… that’s probably true.

It’s just something that happens. I guess if I was in your particular situation, I would make it well known where I stand, yet tell them I don’t mind their KIND and RESPECTFUL efforts to win me back. Real friends who believe that they have the truth would try to share it with you.

thanks!

God bless!

 

[Monica4316]

thank you for the advice and the prayers everyone.
God bless.

 

[danonwaveland]

God bless you, Monica, on your journey. May the Mother of Jesus help guide you to her son.

Dan