Post by cec1964 on Dec 30, 2009 19:55:54 GMT -5
I thought I would share this letter with all of you. Recently I was talking with a Priest from The Reformed Episcopal Church. The topic of this discussion was True and False Converts within the church today. I just thought you might like to see his letter.
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Thanks for your encouraging letter. I am in agreement with what you stated. However, a lot of us, me included, have been misled into thinking that the church we grew up in was much better. It’s a sad fact that although the numbers of people were larger in church, and the teaching of the church was better, that the church has in fact been in decline spiritually for many more years than the last 50 years.
The Episcopal Church preached a soft Gospel that drew people since the late 1940’s and 1950’s. In the 1960’s and 1970’s we saw the culmination of the soft Gospel when people accepted the Bible and prayer taken out of school, Roe vs. Wade, and the elimination of the Blue Laws. All of this has led to the destruction of the family - God’s divine institution.
Yes, we do need to convert souls from the inside of our churches - every one of us! But, I’ve found that this goes deep into the misunderstanding that most of the people in my church think things have only been wrong for a few years.
It is impossible to convert people without the Word of God. This Sunday, “Bible Sunday,” I plan to hit hard on reading the Bible. The instant conversion of a soul cannot be sustained without daily Bible reading, study, prayer and church. I’ve found this to be the toughest battle in my ministry over the last 4 and half years. I’ve had about 8 people start reading their Bibles and the change is obvious. However, the rest of the church doesn’t have time, a willing attitude, or the desire to be changed because they’ve been led to believe going to a good church a couple or a few times a month is enough. I’m convince more than ever that this is the work of our enemy who loves the society we live in because of it’s constant busyness and ungodly behaviors that we are forced to accept, especially as some states have written laws on this behalf.
Yes, we definitely need to convert the souls of our people. But, this is not an easy thing to do. It’s much harder than it would seem because most people’s devotion to God is from 10:30 to 12 on Sunday - an attitude I’m very familiar with since that’s the way I grew up in the Episcopal Church.
If you are targeting this area of ministry, “Welcome to the Battle my dear brother in Christ.” Make no mistake this is a battle we fight every day of our lives on our knees and in our churches. I think it is a battle that every prophet has undertaken both the Old Testament and the New Testament prophets in our churches today.
I’m afraid, though, that this is a battle that will not be won in our lifetime. We do our best. We preach our best. We pray for our people. And, we have hope that God will change them and touch their lives in the way He has touched our lives. The battle will be won. It will be won in heaven. And, ultimately, that is where our hope is placed - in our Lord and in His promises. We’re just doing our best to get as many people there that the Lord places in our paths.
Have a wonderful Christmas. My prayers are with you.
In Christ,
Fr. ___________
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Thanks for your encouraging letter. I am in agreement with what you stated. However, a lot of us, me included, have been misled into thinking that the church we grew up in was much better. It’s a sad fact that although the numbers of people were larger in church, and the teaching of the church was better, that the church has in fact been in decline spiritually for many more years than the last 50 years.
The Episcopal Church preached a soft Gospel that drew people since the late 1940’s and 1950’s. In the 1960’s and 1970’s we saw the culmination of the soft Gospel when people accepted the Bible and prayer taken out of school, Roe vs. Wade, and the elimination of the Blue Laws. All of this has led to the destruction of the family - God’s divine institution.
Yes, we do need to convert souls from the inside of our churches - every one of us! But, I’ve found that this goes deep into the misunderstanding that most of the people in my church think things have only been wrong for a few years.
It is impossible to convert people without the Word of God. This Sunday, “Bible Sunday,” I plan to hit hard on reading the Bible. The instant conversion of a soul cannot be sustained without daily Bible reading, study, prayer and church. I’ve found this to be the toughest battle in my ministry over the last 4 and half years. I’ve had about 8 people start reading their Bibles and the change is obvious. However, the rest of the church doesn’t have time, a willing attitude, or the desire to be changed because they’ve been led to believe going to a good church a couple or a few times a month is enough. I’m convince more than ever that this is the work of our enemy who loves the society we live in because of it’s constant busyness and ungodly behaviors that we are forced to accept, especially as some states have written laws on this behalf.
Yes, we definitely need to convert the souls of our people. But, this is not an easy thing to do. It’s much harder than it would seem because most people’s devotion to God is from 10:30 to 12 on Sunday - an attitude I’m very familiar with since that’s the way I grew up in the Episcopal Church.
If you are targeting this area of ministry, “Welcome to the Battle my dear brother in Christ.” Make no mistake this is a battle we fight every day of our lives on our knees and in our churches. I think it is a battle that every prophet has undertaken both the Old Testament and the New Testament prophets in our churches today.
I’m afraid, though, that this is a battle that will not be won in our lifetime. We do our best. We preach our best. We pray for our people. And, we have hope that God will change them and touch their lives in the way He has touched our lives. The battle will be won. It will be won in heaven. And, ultimately, that is where our hope is placed - in our Lord and in His promises. We’re just doing our best to get as many people there that the Lord places in our paths.
Have a wonderful Christmas. My prayers are with you.
In Christ,
Fr. ___________
I often wonder just why, those who have left the TEC feel the need to constantly "justfy" their departure to those who have remained. Why is it that they don't really seem all that happy with their new home. ? One would think they would be estatic at having separated themselves from the heretics.