Need advice on how to bring my friend back to Church

[JoeJoe58]

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[JAM2b]

I think what you said here is great. Just be gentle and encouraging. If he is open to discussion, then talk with him. If he is closed to it, then be respectful of that, but let him know you are willing to talk if he changes his mind. The best way you can influence people and minister to them is by the way you treat them.

 

[Winken]

Hello-

I have a coworker that was raised Catholic. He got divorced a few years ago and has mentioned a few times that he cannot go to Church until the Catholic Church accepts his divorce.

I want to tell him that we are all sinners and that we are saved by what Jesus did, not whether the Catholic Church will allow him to be a member or not. What do you think is the best way I encourage him to check out another Church if he does not feel comfortable as a Catholic?

On a side note, I was also raised Catholic but have found myself recently aligning with the Lutheran Church.

Thank you.

Jesus paid it all, all to Him we owe ....... sin left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

 

[John Davidson]

I would explain to him that in Lutheranism divorce is considered like other sins, once you repent you can be forgiven. Then I would invite him to Church. I wouldn't make a big spectacle out of it though, I would keep it to a simple offer and invitation. Your friend may be convinced still of his Catholic beliefs so he may not be open to attending a Lutheran church. It's possible that he is interested in having his marriage annulled in the eyes of the church and remaining Catholic.

 

[seashale76]

I would encourage your friend to seek after God and to engage in prayer and reading the scriptures. However, I'm against pushing people to various churches. Taking the step to go to a church is something that each person needs to do on their own without coercion. Sometimes, when you push, the reaction will have the opposite effect than what you intended.

 

[Teslafied]

I would encourage your friend to seek after God and to engage in prayer and reading the scriptures. However, I'm against pushing people to various churches. Taking the step to go to a church is something that each person needs to do on their own without coercion. Sometimes, when you push, the reaction will have the opposite effect than what you intended.

I can personally attest to this.

If he believes in God then give him time, be patient, and pray.

I've learned from personal experience that sometimes when I was pushy and impatient all I needed was patience and I needed to pray because prayer changes everything. Sometimes we want to do it all on our own but God is like it's okay child come to me I want to help you.

Divorce was probably hard enough for him to have to go through and the fact that the Catholic Church has pretty much ostracized him for it isn't right. I have made mistakes too and I just came out of a holier than thou sort of thing... I've begun to realize that we all slip up, I had no right to judge others when I too am only human, thank God for the blood. So my point is we need to pray for the majority of the Catholics because I can see that there is a holier than thou sort of attitude looming over it, and pray for your friend that he can accept Gods free grace / forgiveness, and that hopefully he too can forgive himself and move on in his relationship with Christ.

Jesus loves your friend and when He sees him He don't care about all that baggage, He sees your friend as His child. So just remind your friend that God loves Him and all sins are washed away in the blood.

As for me I've been hurt by many churches so again I can see why others may not want to ever attend another church service. You don't have to ever attend another service to be saved, Jesus gave us the comforter the Holy Spirit so He resides in us now. Yes church can edify but for others it can actually hinder their faith and even cause them to rebel and turn from God. In my case because of the hurts I've endured with many self professing Christians and churches I felt the need to pull away from all that at least for a time because when it came down to it my faith was more important than meeting up with other people who are still humans who have the potential to hurt and cause issues.

Sometimes what we think is the right thing for others may in fact be the wrong thing for them. See you're ready for church he isn't, he still needs time with God alone. I fear that if he opens up and attends another service and gets hurt all over again it could ruin his faith, so maybe solitude is what he needs.

 

[JoeJoe58]

thank you for the input.