Should I support evangelical friends' ministry? Help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jadesfire20
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jadesfire20

Guest
Hi all!

I have a bit of a dilemma and I’m hoping to get some (name removed by moderator)ut on my situation. First a bit of background: I was pretty much an atheist through high school and most of college until my senior year when I returned to Holy Mother Church 😃 . Although I credit God in his infinite mercy for my conversion, much of the practical aspects of living a christian life that really made my conversion stick I learned through the ministry of the campus chapter of The Navigators. For those of you who aren’t familiar with them, they are an evangelical protestant fellowship similar to Campus Crusade for Christ and InterVarsity. During that year I became very close to the Navs staff leader and his family. After I graduated I gave them my new address and they send me periodic “updates” on their ministry.

However in their most recent update they mentioned that they are in serious financial difficulty. Navs staff live entirely off of donations from individuals and churches. It appears that they have lost some of their regular contributors and are now in a serious deficit. If they don’t make up the debt they will have to leave their ministry in order to fundraise. In their letter they asked if I would be willing to contribute to their ministry.

Here’s my problem: As much as I would love to help them I don’t feel comfortable contributing to an evangelical protestant ministry directed specifically towards evangelization. I only had positive experiences with the people in question…they are not anti-Catholic. During my time with them they knew full well that I was Catholic but they never pressured me in any way to leave the Church…they were more concerned that I develop a relationship with Christ and I am eternally grateful to them for it. But I can’t help but feel uneasy contributing to their ministry.😦 Especially since one of the people I met there (who also led my bible study 😉 ) was an ex-Catholic who “accepted Christ” through the Navs. They don’t seem to target Catholics specifically but they have been known to lead non-practicing Catholics astray.:rolleyes:

Help! Any ideas?:confused:

Jade
 
If you feel uneasy don’t send them money to be used for general purposes. If they are local, you could certainly try to help them by providing food, shelter, clothing if necessary. You could also send grocery store gift certificates if they are far away.

Do they know you have returned to the Catholic Church? Without being preachy, maybe you could write them a note encouraging them to love and live for God while mentioning the great joy you have at returning to the Catholic Church.

Would remembering the story of the Good Samaritan help? The Samaritan didn’t ask why the guy was beaten and lying in the road, he simply helped when he was needed. In what way are you truly needed by these people? Do they really need money? Or do they need education in the faith and encouragement to persevere more?

Or, confound their expectations by both writing them a letter expressing both your thankfulness as being led back to Christianity by their group as well as your joyful completion of that journey back into the Church and giving them a generous donation to help them in their work.

But educate them that Catholics are Christians too and that they should try to encourage non-practicing Catholics to practice their faith in their own church as well as joining their parachurch organization. (If the Navigators are like Campus Crusade then generally they have their own Sunday services that substitute for participation in a regular church worship service.)

If they are uncomfortable with your position and Catholic faith, they might return your donation, but at least you’ll know where they stand after that.

Best of luck,
LeeAnn
 
40.png
dhgray:
Great posting Hidden Life.
Click to expand...
I second that!
 
If he was running a Krispy Kreme’s outlet and said " if I don’t get donations, I’ll have to go into another line of work" would you send a donation or let him go into another line of work ?

If you want to support evangelization, support the Church.

If he’s asking for help for his family, rather than his “ministr7y”, that’s another story. But don’t let him join the two.
 
I don’t know. If a Roman Catholic type solicited a donation from me, I would cough up the change. I am a Protestant, and I don’t see the big deal with throwing a few pennies at a,positive, religious cause.
 
It sounds like this ministry was an important factor in you remaining strong within your own faith. I would say as long as it doesn’t take away from your regular tithing to your church, why not?
 
Tough question. I like hidden Life’s response, especially this part:
"Or, confound their expectations by both writing them a letter expressing both your thankfulness as being led back to Christianity by their group as well as your joyful completion of that journey back into the Church and giving them a generous donation to help them in their work. "
Click to expand...
I daresay that would be the most powerful way for you to help them **AND ** evangelize them to help them complete *their * journey of faith.
 
Thanks for the replies guys!🙂 I’m probably going to help them…as soon as I can cough up some money:whacky: I’m a student remember…😃

Jade
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top