Evangelizing the Who-zee-mo-whats

Evangelizing the Who-zee-mo-whats March 22, 2007

Wow. Just read ALL the comments to your post about evangelism. No easy topic. I fall into the “unchurched” category and I hadn’t ever thought about anyone being worried about me like that. I’ve never been able to shake my selfishness, but you all really highlight it.

Thoughts I can’t organize well, and are only one “unchurched” person’s opinion: I don’t go to a Divine Liturgy because I’m terrified. I’ve listened to them on AFR and we’ve got a Greek Orthodox church in town with new clergy who finally set up a good website with information about “all welcome, 10:00 services” kinds of things and contact information… but it’s wildly intimidating.

Anyone who knows me would laugh if someone called me “shy,” but even just driving by that church gets me. When you’re this ignorant, it’s hard to imagine anyone in that church taking you seriously. I can float around the internet and stumble across some very good information (12 ThingsFrederica is such an evangelist in that way) but there is also the hyperbole and propaganda you’ve got to avoid. (Some of it, pretty dangerous.) I can read Kyriacos Markides and Killistos Ware, look into the Orthodox Bible and follow up with more research… I can devour the official websites for churches and learn about your calendar, fasting, discipline and traditions…

But still I look at the beatitudes and wonder with a horrible shame what on earth someone would /think/ if they had to listen to my first confession. Not that I’m a criminal or anything, no, just regular even if I’ve never been baptized. Flip side, I’ve never been angry about God or rebelled either. Benign atheist is hardly benign — I can only console myself with the idea I’ve been basically decent in such a secular life. I don’t even have a tattoo. But that’s not the point anyway.

I wager that if I’m in this little bubble, there have got to be others like me. It’s not doing anyone any good, it can’t be your fault for saying “all welcome” and putting your email address up (the churches, too, are that open) so where’s the disconnect? For the unchurched, it has to be the intimidation (we don’t even know what it feels like to be in a congregation at all) along with a kind of solipsism or, certainly, a fear of commitment. If we get involved with something like “a church,” what if it doesn’t work out? Will I just crawl back to my study and keep knowing what I “know” despite having messed up being a catechumen too? Should there be some less formal first step like a personal tour of the parish? How much time would that cost, you know? You can’t treat all of us with kid gloves. You also can’t pay so much time and effort to the curious few when you’ve already got your entire congregation to work with… and houses to bless.

Anyway, there it is. I really hope I haven’t offended anyone but I do know I’m a toddler ’round these parts. You’re very kind to read this.

— Anonymous, via email

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