We Must Pray for Protestants

[ChristMySavior]

In my honest opinion, I think it is quite shameful for most Protestants aka “Bible-believing Christians” or whatever you would like to refer to yourself as, to have a “let’s convert as many Catholics as possible because they know NOTHING of the truth” agenda. I have been around many Protestants who have their sole purpose to evangelize Catholics. The same Catholics who are part of a 2000 year old Church, created by Christ, carried on by His apostles with the historical and factual proof to back it up! Now while I don’t want to be judgmental in any way, and I am definitely not accusing ALL Protestants of being guilty of this charge, I must say that it is sheer ignorance. I don’t think I will ever understand the stubbornness and ignorance, but I will continue to pray each day for Christian unity and for the conversion of Protestants.

Church Militant, I commend you for rebuking the claim that 40% of the congregation of a “mega-church” are Catholics. That is evidence of complete and utter ignorance.

Let us not forget that it is Christ’s Church that the “gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”

Let us also not forget that it is the Catholic Church that thousands of Protestants and their leaders are slowly coming into communion with as of late.

On a final note: I believe that it is through the Church Fathers that people will come to the realization of Christ’s “one Holy and Apostolic Church.” I recall a Protestant radio host saying, “don’t read the early Church Fathers’ writings. Don’t waste your time. You can do without them.” Clearly, they don’t want people to read the writings of the Fathers because they will cause a revelation within the 500 year old Protestant community!

Faithfully in Christ,
A Bible-believing, Holy Spirit filled CATHOLIC

 

[countryroad]

An unverifiable assertion and in no way substantive of your previous post where you said “While talking to some of the members there **I learned that over forty percent of the people that regularly attend that church are professing Catholics **.” “Some” does not support an alleged “40%” by any stretch of the imagination. :shrug:That’s assuming that we don’t already do that.

Lord knows we have so many sheep stealing a-Cs and n-Cs running around feeding Catholics with their errors that we certainly do have to pray much for our own Catholic friends and family.

But try to tell us that 40% of some mega n-D flock is Catholics because that’s just straight up ludicrous and especially so without any real documentation which neither your friend nor you yourself can provide.

Yeah…I’d say that you are best served by dropping it.

Since a good freind of mine is a deacon at this particular church I challenge him about his statement about the 40 percent. He said that he could prove it because they had a mailing list for mostly all the people that attend there (which they update every quarter)and on that list they have everyones home demonation.
I saw for myself that 37% of the people that put their name on that list put down Catholic as their demonation.

 

[ChristMySavior]

Since a good freind of mine is a deacon at this particular church I challenge him about his statement about the 40 percent. He said that he could prove it because they had a mailing list for mostly all the people that attend there (which they update every quarter)and on that list they have everyones home demonation.
I saw for myself that 37% of the people that put their name on that list put down Catholic as their demonation.

Call me crazy, but I’m still a skeptic. Of course a “deacon” in your mega-church will tell you that 37% of his congregation is Catholic. It all goes back to the Protestant claim that the Catholic Church is losing its numbers. While Protestants may hope and pray for that, it won’t happen - nor will I ever believe that a Catholic in good standing who is faithful and knows the teachings of the Church will join a non-denominational church…sorry.

As for mega-churches and yours having 20,000+ members. I’m not impressed. How about 1,200,000,000+ members in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church?

Pax Domini

 

[TinaG]

Hi!

Just let me jump in here and make a few comments.

One is that while schism is problematic - and our present divisions bear witness to that - strife is another. It is one thing to walk towards unity in our divisions, another to bicker about how we are wrong. Someone is wrong, and I always appreciate it when corrected when the someone doing the correcting doesn’t grind the disagreement into my face before I realize I was wrong. It is SO MUCH easier to admit error when I am not put on the defensive. Here, we put each other on the defensive waaay toooo much of the time. Mom says, kids, stop fighting.

The second is that at my church the pastor once asked for a show of hands as to how many in the congregation was ex-Catholic. About 75-80% of the congregation raised their hands. We don’t particularly go after Catholics - they tend to come to us. I have heard testimonies about Catholics who came once, then spent years going to Mass and then to our service, and finally stopped going to Mass. I can think of two people like this right off the top of my head, and I think there are probably more. This is first hand data. I know two people who left us to become Catholic, one because she married a Catholic, and the other I don’t remember why.

I agree that we must pray for Protestants. Then again, we all are in need of prayer.:hug1:

-Tina “More in Need of Prayer than Anyone” G

 

[clmowry]

I saw for myself that 37% of the people that put their name on that list put down Catholic as their demonation.

Anything is possible. Maybe the Church has a particularly aggressive Catholic conversion outreach or has a high Hispanic population, etc.

In the United States, Catholics only represent ~25% of the total population.

If 37% of this particular protestant denomination was ex-Catholic, it would lead you to wonder why?

What do ex-Catholics like about this particular Church that keeps its fair share of non-Catholic converts away I wonder?

Chuck

 

[countryroad]

Anything is possible. Maybe the Church has a particularly aggressive Catholic conversion outreach or has a high Hispanic population, etc.

In the United States, Catholics only represent ~25% of the total population.

If 37% of this particular protestant denomination was ex-Catholic, it would lead you to wonder why?

What do ex-Catholics like about this particular Church that keeps its fair share of non-Catholic converts away I wonder?

Chuck

The Catholic Chruches in the area are not the only churches this mega church is drawing from. Protestant Churches are feeling the affects also.
The reasons why, they have two gymnasiums, one that they let other churches use,a youth center, everything they need to draw people that most churches do not have.

 

[JJHIII]

So Protesetant “churches” need gymnasiums to draw people in?

In the newspaper back home there is a page advertising places of worship. The two big baptist churches in town advertise, in big bold letters, basketball tournies, 4 xbox 360’s, a gymnasium, movie nights…oh and worship at 10 am sunday morning.

The newest and fastest growing church in town is a Protestant “church” that has an hour of “christian rock” played by a live band before the actual worship service…this is also advertised.

The Catholic Church advertises its three masses, confession times, and the Eucharistic Addoration times.

Id rather put faith in the Eucahrist instead of xbox 360’s…no matter how many a church may have

 

[clmowry]

So Protesetant “churches” need gymnasiums to draw people in?

Where my daughter used to go for daycare they expanded into a great big new building.

It had an auditorium that could hold a couple of thousand people with a huge stage, drop down video screens and great sound system. It had a big gymnasium. Oh and yeah, a Starbucks in the lobby.

They’ve got a great band and based on the size of their parking lot must draw one heck of a crowd.

It looked like a pretty good place to get entertained to me.

Chuck

 

[Church_Militant]

Call me crazy, but I’m still a skeptic. Of course a “deacon” in your mega-church will tell you that 37% of his congregation is Catholic. It all goes back to the Protestant claim that the Catholic Church is losing its numbers. While Protestants may hope and pray for that, it won’t happen - nor will I ever believe that a Catholic in good standing who is faithful and knows the teachings of the Church will join a non-denominational church…sorry.

As for mega-churches and yours having 20,000+ members. I’m not impressed. How about 1,200,000,000+ members in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church?

Pax Domini

Couldn’t have said it better and even so it’s an unverifiable assertion.

Show documentation or forget it…It’s just more propaganda.

 

[Church_Militant]

The Catholic Chruches in the area are not the only churches this mega church is drawing from. Protestant Churches are feeling the affects also.
The reasons why, they have two gymnasiums, one that they let other churches use,a youth center, everything they need to draw people that most churches do not have.

two gymnasiums, one that they let other churches use,a youth center, everything they need to draw people that most churches do not -]have/-] (Need).

It sounds like a religious 7-11. “Convenience store” concept. 2 gyms? And these a-C talk about our churches… Money & property,… I don’t care if they had all Laz-e-boys instead of pews. On its best day it still lacks the fullness of truth.

Like going to a high priced fancy restaurant and paying for an empty plate without the Eucharist. http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/corona_stellarum/Smilies/emo-epicfail.png I wouldn’t darken their door.

Where my daughter used to go for daycare they expanded into a great big new building.

It looked like a pretty good place to get entertained to me.

Chuck

If only we went to church to be so entertained, right?

 

[countryroad]

It sounds like a religious 7-11. “Convenience store” concept. 2 gyms? And these a-C talk about our churches… Money & property,… I don’t care if they had all Laz-e-boys instead of pews. On its best day it still lacks the fullness of truth.

Like going to a high priced fancy restaurant and paying for an empty plate without the Eucharist. http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/corona_stellarum/Smilies/emo-epicfail.png I wouldn’t darken their door.
If only we went to church to be so entertained, right?

Jealousy will get you nowhere !

 

[fbl9]

Jealousy will get you nowhere !

Why would Church Militant be jealous of an empty plate?

 

[countryroad]

Why would Church Militant be jealous of an empty plate?

Because he HAS no plate

 

[Reservoir_Dog]

…
I have a big burden now for my protestant brothers in Christ. Because they are Blind… they are falling into a ditch. They will never understand… they will never be as useful as they could be. … many of them do not know of there fate… “lukewarm” believers…

Thanks for the offer of prayers, but, how do I put this in a Christ-like spirit?

No thanks.

 

[CatholicGirl28]

I kinda have the same issues with a few of my atheist, protestant, out-of pratice catholics.
But I’m not quite sure if we should pray for them. Yes they are apart of the wrong church but, they still believe in God and Jesus Christ. They may have to do sometime in purgatory. I would concern myself with atheist. Don’t get me wrong I agree with you its just kinda a touchy issue.