"From Baptist to Bosnia to Byzantium"

A convert's blog with his 30-part conversion story:

"From Baptist to Bosnia to Byzantium"

Blog: St. James' Kids
Conversion Story: 1. From Baptist to Bosnia to Byzantium Read the other chapters in his conversion story by reading the posts subtitled (BBB Part 2), (BBB Part 3), etc., in his Blog Archives.
Here is the latest/last(?) chapter: The End of the Beginning (BBB Part 30), September 10, 2007.

I'll continue reading in a bit. My first impressions are much like many of the North American jurisdictions attempts at "evangelism," as if each story says "see, I converted. You can convert too!"

I only skimmed part of it. It takes a long time to navigate through all 30 posts.

I read the whole thing this afternoon. It took awhile, but it was worth it. I was completely amazed by it, the lengths to which God went to bring them to the Church and then what they went through to answer the call. I only hope I can learn to be so faithful.

I've just finished reading it. Amazing! Thank you, Jacob.

I think that there is something wrong with Orthodox Liturgy -

it keeps converting the Evangelicals...






Seriously, it was said somewhere that Orthodoxy is the faith of the XXI century Americans -

Seems that after 7 years into it - one can actually believe it and not be nutts to do so....

I loved this story! thanks for the link

The Orthodoxy is a good faith, I hope that someday (by peaceful means, of course) the protestantism was gone, because it has separated a lot to all christians. Without protestantism, the catholicism and othodoxy had to dialogue more and before and with the help of God the union would have been possible.
Coming back to the chapter, It´s good news.

I just can't sit down and read something that long - my computer time is broken up into chunks throughout the day. But I'm curious - what's the Bosnia part?

Great Story!!!

My favorite part...

And then the Liturgy began. Sweet-smelling smoke filled the room. Icons covered every square inch of the walls and ceilings, reminding me of the great cloud of witnesses that worship with us in heaven (Hebrews 12:1). A beautiful choir gave me the sense that the room was filled with angels. The pomp and solemnity, together with the non-stop prayers and expressions of worship, reminded me of the scenes of heavenly worship revealed in Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4. In short, I was stunned. Like the Kievian envoys a thousand years before me, I did not know whether I was in heaven or on earth!

The richness of the Divine Liturgy contrasted greatly with the dryness off the Baptist service in Banja Luka, with its few short prayers, its generally superficial songs (when there were songs!), its interminable sermons, and its four bare walls. When I left the Liturgy, I thought “Wow, now THAT is worship!”

Orthosdoxa said:

I just can't sit down and read something that long - my computer time is broken up into chunks throughout the day. But I'm curious - what's the Bosnia part?

Click to expand...

Spark initiation.

Orthosdoxa said:

I just can't sit down and read something that long - my computer time is broken up into chunks throughout the day. But I'm curious - what's the Bosnia part?

Click to expand...

He and his wife went to Bosnia/Serbia as Baptist missionaries - while the war was still going on in some places (they had to evacuate because of the Kosovo bombing at one point). But at least, as he became familiar with Orthodox faithful, he realized he didn't need to evangelize them. And the rest is the usual story - he and his wife were assimilated!!!

Mary

That's awesome, I will have to read it entirely. (I just now got started with this)...

I would have no idea how to put my journey into Orthodoxy down in writing. It makes me think we should all start a journal, though, and it would enable us to reflect back on what we went through, and how God worked with us later on.

Ooooh, another one of those stories of going to Christianize the Orthodox, but the missionaries being Orthodoxized instead!! Love it!!!

Nestoj - um, what?

cygne said:

That's awesome, I will have to read it entirely. (I just now got started with this)...

I would have no idea how to put my journey into Orthodoxy down in writing. It makes me think we should all start a journal, though, and it would enable us to reflect back on what we went through, and how God worked with us later on.

Click to expand...

That's a really good idea. Since I'm not a writer, I've never kept a diary or journal, but it would be worth writing down how I was drawn to Orthodoxy, and the continuing changes in my life.

Mary

Orthosdoxa said:

Ooooh, another one of those stories of going to Christianize the Orthodox, but the missionaries being Orthodoxized instead!! Love it!!!

Nestoj - um, what?

Click to expand...

Exactly!

Mary

Orthosdoxa said:

Ooooh, another one of those stories of going to Christianize the Orthodox, but the missionaries being Orthodoxized instead!! Love it!!!

Nestoj - um, what?

Click to expand...

You know - when you have lot of dry wood and it takes just a small flame to set it afire. Well, he made a trip to Bosnia and they lighted a spark.

nestoj
God helps

Another score for Jordan Bajis and Peter Gillquist - i.e., their books were instrumental in this priest's conversion.

Nestoj - ah, gotcha.