How I led Catholics Out of the Church

Catholic Educators ^ | September 2005 | Steve Wood

[NYer]

I was a Protestant for twenty years before I became a Catholic. Working as a youth leader, campus and prison evangelist, and church pastor, I led many people — including friends and relatives — out of the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, it was surprisingly easy. My formula for getting Catholics to leave the Church usually consisted of three steps.

STEP 1: Get Catholics to have a conversion experience in a Protestant setting.

Most Fundamentalist, Evangelical, and charismatic Protestant churches have dynamic youth programs, vibrant Wednesday and Sunday evening services, and friendly small-group bible studies. In addition, they host special crusades, seminars and concerts. At the invitation of a Protestant friend, a Catholic may begin attending one or more of these events while still going to Sunday Mass at his local parish.

Most Protestant services proclaim a simple gospel: repent from sin and follow Christ in faith. They stress the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus and the reward of eternal life. Most of the Catholics who attend these services are not accustomed to hearing such direct challenges to abandon sin and follow Christ. As a result, many Catholics experience a genuine conversion.

Protestants should be commended for their zeal in promoting conversions. Catholic leaders need to multiply the opportunities for their people to have such conversions in Catholic settings. The reason is simple. About five out of ten people adopt the beliefs of the denomination where they have their conversion. This percentage is even higher for those who had profound conversions or charismatic experiences that were provided by Protestants. (Believe me, I know; I was a graduate of an Assembly of God college and a youth minister in two charismatic churches.)

Protestant pastors, evangelists, youth leaders, and lay ministers are acutely aware that conversion experiences in Protestant settings often lead to a Protestant faith and church membership. Why do so many Catholic leaders fail to see this? Why are they so nonchalant about a process that has pulled hundreds of thousands of Catholics out of the Church?

STEP 2: Give their conversion a Protestant interpretation.

A genuine conversion is one of life's most precious experiences, comparable to marriage or the birth of a child. Conversion awakens a deep hunger for God. Effective Protestant ministries train workers to follow up on this spiritual longing.

Before a stadium crusade, I would give follow-up workers a six-week training course. I showed them how to present a Protestant interpretation of the conversion experience with a selective use of bible verses. The scripture of choice was of course John 3:3, the "born-again" verse: "Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.'

I used the "touch and go" scripture technique, similar to that used by pilots training for landings and takeoffs. We would briefly touch down on John 3:3 to show that being born again was necessary for eternal life. Then I would describe conversion in terms of being born again. We would make a hasty takeoff before reading John 3:5 which stresses the necessity of being "born of water and spirit." I never mentioned that for 20 centuries the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, echoing the unanimous teaching of the Church fathers, understood this passage as referring to the Sacrament of Baptism! And I certainly never brought up Titus 3:5 ("He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit") as a parallel reference to John 3:5.

In my experience as a Protestant, all the Catholics who had a conversion in a Protestant setting lacked a firm grasp of their Catholic faith.

In twenty years of Protestant ministry, I never met a Catholic who knew that John 3:3-8 describes the sacrament of Baptism. It wasn't hard to convince them to disregard the sacraments along with the Church that emphasized the sacraments.

Proverbs says: "He who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him" (18:17). Catholics without a scriptural foundation for their Catholic beliefs never hear "the rest of the story." My selective use of scripture made the Protestant perspective seem so absolutely sure. Over time, this one-sided approach to scripture caused Catholics to reject their Catholic faith.

STEP 3: Accuse the Catholic church of denying salvation by grace.

Catholics often consider Protestants who proselytize to be bigoted, narrow-minded, or prejudiced. This is unfair and inaccurate; a profound charity energizes their misguided zeal.

There was only one reason I led Catholics out of the Church: I thought they were on their way to hell. I mistakenly thought the Catholic Church denied that salvation was by grace; I knew that anyone who believed this wasn't going to heaven. Out of love for their immortal souls, I worked tirelessly to convert them.

I used Ephesians 2:8-9 to convince Catholics that it was imperative for them to leave the Church:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.

First I would say, "The Bible says that salvation is by grace and not by works. Right?" Their answer was always yes. Then I would say, "The Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by works. Right?" (I never met a Catholic who did not say yes. Every Catholic I met during my twenty years of ministry confirmed my misconception that Catholicism taught salvation is by works instead of grace.) Finally, I would declare, "The Catholic Church is leading people to hell by denying salvation is by grace. You'd better join a church that teaches the true way to heaven."

Because I would also do a "touch and go" in Ephesians, I rarely quoted verse 10 which says, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Listen carefully to stadium evangelists, televangelists, and radio preachers. Nine times out of ten they will quote Ephesians 2:8-9 with great emphasis and never mention verse 10.

We are not slaves futilely trying to earn salvation by doing "works of the law" (Eph. 2:8-9). Yet as sons of God we are inspired and energized by the Holy Spirit to do "good works" as we cooperate with our heavenly father in extending the Kingdom of God (Eph. 2:10). Catholicism believes and teaches the full message of Ephesians 2:8-10, without equivocating or abbreviating the truth.

For twenty centuries the Catholic Church has faithfully taught that salvation is by grace. Peter the first pope said, "We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved" (Acts 15:11). The Catechism of the Catholic Church, fully endorsed by Pope John Paul II, says, "Our justification comes from the grace of God" (section 1996).

Protestantism started when Martin Luther declared that we are justified (made righteous) by faith alone. At the time I was leading Catholics out of the Church, I wasn't aware that Martin Luther had added the word alone to his translation of Romans 3:28 in order to prove his doctrine. (The word alone is not found in any contemporary Protestant English translation of Romans 3:28.) I didn't realize that the only place the bible mentions "faith alone" in the context of salvation is in James 2:24, where the idea of faith alone is explicitly refuted: "You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone." This verse was troubling, but I either ignored it, or twisted it to mean something other that what the verse and its context clearly taught.

Should Catholics participate in Protestant events?

I have no objection to Catholics participating in Protestant-oriented events and worthwhile ecumenical activities provided that:

• they have a firm grasp of their Catholic faith.
  
• they know their faith well enough to articulate it to a non-Catholic, using scripture and the Church fathers.
  
• they have the maturity to realize that the most profound presence of Christ isn't necessarily found in the midst of loud noise and high emotion, but in quiet moments like Eucharistic adoration (see 1 Kings 19:11-12).

Unfortunately, the majority of Catholic men born after WWII don't meet the above conditions. For them, attending Protestant functions may be opening a door that will lead them right out of the Catholic Church.

There are now thousands of Catholic men on the brink of leaving the one Church Christ died to establish. I recently heard of a group of Catholic men who decided not to consult the Catechism of the Catholic Church in their small-group bible study. They believed that all they needed was scripture alone. Three of these men claimed that they no longer believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I can tell you from experience where this group is headed: straight out of the Catholic Church.

Over the past three decades, thousands of Catholics have left the Church for Protestant pastures. The largest church in America is the Catholic Church; the second largest group of Christians in America is former-Catholics. The Catholic men's movement has a solemn obligation to help men discover the biblical and historical roots of their Catholic faith. Then, rather than leaving, they will become instruments to help others discover the treasures of Catholicism.

Remember that a man who leaves the Church will often take his family with him — for generations. It took my family four hundred years — 10 generations — to come back to the Church after a generation of my ancestors in Norway, England, Germany and Scotland decided to leave the Catholic Church.

As one whose family has made the round-trip back to Catholicism, let me extend a personal plea to Catholic men, especially the leaders of various Catholic men's groups: don't put untrained Catholics in a Protestant setting. They might gain a short-term religious experience, but they take the long-term risk of losing their faith. It would be highly irresponsible to expose them to Protestantism before they are fully exposed to Catholicism.

At my dad's funeral twenty-nine years ago, I tearfully sang his favorite hymn, Faith of Our Fathers. Little did my dad, a minister's son, or I realize that the true faith of our forefathers was Roman Catholicism. Every day I thank God for bringing me back to the ancient Church of my ancestors. Every year God gives me breath on this earth I will keep proclaiming to both my Protestant brethren and to cradle Catholics the glorious faith of our fathers.

[OpusatFR]

"The confession of a repentant protestant."

Praise God! It will be wonderful when we are all one again.

Ut Unum Sint!

[redgolum]

So this is where everybody went! I was wondering why the other threads died off.

[visually_augmented]

lastchance: "I pray for all Protestants who are holding fast to the faith as given in Scripture and affirmed in the creeds. But more and more it seems they are being put aside in the name of appeasing the secular culture."

Here, here!! I concur wholeheartedly! Our culture has taken a strong foothold in the American churches today and it is certainly a tragedy.

I would strongly suggest that this is not a reflection of the Protestant churches alone. The Roman Catholics have seen a steady decay apart from the Chruch in Rome as well. Even though there is a guise of solidarity in the RC church, there are probably as many factions as there are mainline Protestant churches (in my opinion).

I would also agree that there are many "non-denominational" Protestant churches who are off in the weeds. Without some fundamental creeds or pastoral qualifications, theology runs rampant in many of these churches.

Probably the primary cause in the churches erosion this past century is due to poor education (both secular and biblical). We have subjugated our children to government education this past century and look where we have gotten. Our public schools have now displaced the church in many ways. Regrettably, I see this even in my own thinking as I am a product of public schools. Though it is hard to break, all things are possible in Christ Jesus.

The social elites of this great nation knew exactly what they were doing when they hi-jacked the education of our children!

[visually_augmented]

jo kus: "That is one of the many questions where I had to answer - either I would be Catholic, or not Christian at all."

Is this a personal statement, or do you believe that only those in the Roman Catholic church are saved?

Interestingly, your hint of exclusivity reminds me of the Jews in the early church...

The Jewish people also thought that they had a corner on the market of salvation. "We are God's chosen people!". But as Paul so aptly preached, the gospel is for the Jew and the Gentile alike. Do you not think God can communicate the Gospel through many means? And many churches? You seem to have placed a very limited definition to God's Church. You have defined God's Church to be the RC Church. I am convinced that the Church of God, of which Christ is the head, is the entire body of true believers - regardless of which doors they pass through on Sunday morning (or perhaps Saturday evening, in your case).

Through the fist thousand years of the church, it does seem that the Roman Catholic Church was akin to the Jews of the Old Testament. God preserved his word and teachings through the RC church. But the reformation (in my humble opinion) was very much like a second Pentacost. It was a renewing of the Holy Spirit and His role in the lives of believers. Many of the RC Church forget the promises made whole at Pentacost that Christ will head the church and God's Spirit will guide it.

[visually_augmented]

SampleMan: "You must indeed be special to have such a special window on God. Are there any others at the window or is it just you?"

I will not presume to judge Mr. Wood's soul, merely his theology...

And by the way, I actually do have a special window on God - it is called the Holy Bible. Though I suppose it's not so special in the sense that it is widely proliferated.

[netmilsmom]

>>This isn't a "Catholic" thread<<

You're right. I never said it was.
However, we get it so often on threads that are, we get on edge.
The same old tired cliches.

Now many of us just laugh. Take a look at some of the posts here.

[TomSmedley]

That is probably quite true. However, it still relies on the self and one's own rationale. Protestantism has taken the mystery out of the faith - everything must be rationalized and reasoned - otherwise, it isn't so. At least that is the feeling I get when discussing with Protestants.

That was my first impression of Calvinism, too. A smug attitude of "see how right I am, see how wrong you are." Let's face it, we're still struggling with the excretia of the "englightenment."

One hopeful sign is the proliferation of churches that combine traditional calvinism (i.e. -- rooted in historic Christianity) with charismatic gifts (relevent to people today). My church, King's Park International Church, belongs to one of these hybrid denominations, Every Nation International.

Although there are barriers to my ever going "back to Rome," I cherish my fellow Christians in that communion, and rejoice in the work of scholars like Luke TImothy Johnson, Leon Podles, and E. Michael Jones.

[Pyro7480]

About as much as I like what IRA terrorists did in the name of the Roman Catholic Church.

The IRA are Marxists, and their ideology and methods are opposed to that of the Church.

[jo kus]

jo kus: "That is one of the many questions where I had to answer - either I would be Catholic, or not Christian at all."

Is this a personal statement, or do you believe that only those in the Roman Catholic church are saved?

I believe that this is where logic, if unimpeded by bias, eventually must lead someone. The Bible didn't fall out of heaven - it came to us from men who claimed it came from God. Do you trust that or not? It says nothing about whether a person will be saved or not, because the Catholic Church itself does not demand that a person be a registered Catholic to go to heaven. The Church claims that it alone has the FULLNESS of revelation - the accurate interpretation of Scriptures and the life-giving sacraments where we meet Christ. This does not mean that other Christian faiths do not have partial truths - most Protestants that I know believe in the Trinity and the saving works of Jesus Christ and the importance of Baptism.

The Church teaches that Baptism is the first step towards salvation. However, the Church ALSO says that one can be invincibly ignorant - and not be baptized - but still be saved. Baptism is the ORDINARY way of entering into the Body of Christ. However, God is not bound by the sacraments. The Spirit blows where it will. And since God has written His law on the hearts of even Gentiles (Romans 1 and 2), they CAN make an effort to please Him, based on what they know. God does not expect a person to come to Jesus as a Christian if that person had never heard of Christianity during his life!

As to the Jews, Paul says that the Old Covenant was irrevocable. God has a plan for the Jews. Unfortunately, the polemics that you refer to in the early Church clouded this view. Certainly, the Gospel is better than the Law! So we should still continue to evangelize the Jews. And their refusal to convert during Paul's time must have been frustrating, as the Church saw itself as the continuation - no - the fulfillment - of Judaism.

You have defined God's Church to be the RC Church. I am convinced that the Church of God, of which Christ is the head, is the entire body of true believers - regardless of which doors they pass through on Sunday morning (or perhaps Saturday evening, in your case).

No I haven't. Of all Catholics on this forum, I would likely be the last person to say that! The Church subsists entirely within the Roman Catholic Church - but that does NOT exclude other Christian communities of being part of the Body of Christ. Another way of putting it - to the degree that you are Catholic, you are in the Body. Catholic in belief, practice, and Baptism. Being Baptized is a Catholic ritual! Believing in the Trinity is a Catholic belief. Reading the Scripture (including the NT) is reading a Catholic book. Following Jesus Christ is a Catholic way of life. This is historical fact. It has admittedly been watered down by some Protestant denominations, but Protestants are more Catholic than they realize!

But the reformation (in my humble opinion) was very much like a second Pentacost

The Church is CONSTANTLY being reformed. The Protestant reformation began as just another of the Spirit's efforts to reform the human portion of the Body. Luther was correct and his efforts initially were very much in need, such as his effort to redirect some members of the Church away from over-emphasis of Apostolic Tradition above the Scriptures, or undo emphasis on doing good deeds as opposed to faith and its value. Where the Protestant Reformation went wrong was going too far with "Sola Scriptura" and "Sola Fide", which were NEVER taught by the Church - they were innovations, man-made means that circumvented Christ's authoritative Church. Thus, I agree that Luther had good intentions, but NO ONE justify leaving God's Church and begin anew. That was his mistake - and unfortunately, Christianity has fractured since.

Brother in Christ

[jo kus]

One hopeful sign is the proliferation of churches that combine traditional calvinism (i.e. -- rooted in historic Christianity) with charismatic gifts (relevent to people today).

I suppose that is a step forward. Often times, it seems to be one or the other. Either people will rely on faith at the total ignoring of logic and reason, or go the opposite direction, over-relying on logic and forgeting about the Spirit's gifts and mystery.

Brother in Christ

[Quester]

And do you posit that God forces us into heaven? Reconsider the Prodigal Son in Luke 15. Did the Father kick the son out, or did the son leave ?

" ... nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39.

ONLY WE can keep ourselves out of heaven. ONLY WE can lose our inheritance - just like a child can disinherit himself from his parents.

Of course God does not force us into heaven ... but it is a rather major step to disinherit oneself from God.

Something more than say, ... missing a weekend's Mass.

If one of your children missed the annual family reunion, ... would you consider them disinherited ?

[NYer]

I am convinced that the Church of God, of which Christ is the head, is the entire body of true believers - regardless of which doors they pass through on Sunday morning (or perhaps Saturday evening, in your case).

Where is that in the Bible? According to the one I read ......

Scripture reveals the Catholic Church to be the one Jesus Christ built upon the rock of Saint Peter (Matt. 16:18). By giving Peter the keys of authority (Matt. 16:19), Jesus appointed Peter as the chief steward over His earthly kingdom (cf. Isaiah. 22:19-22). Jesus also charged Peter to be the source of strength for the rest of the apostles (Luke 22:32) and the earthly shepherd of Jesus' flock (John 21:15-17). Jesus further gave Peter, and the apostles and elders in union with him, the power to bind and loose in heaven what they bound and loosed on earth. (Matt. 16:19; 18:18). This teaching authority did not die with Peter and the apostles, but was transferred to future bishops through the laying on of hands (e.g., Acts 1:20; 6:6; 13:3; 8:18; 9:17; 1 Tim. 4:14; 5:22; 2 Tim. 1:6).

[jo kus]

Of course God does not force us into heaven ... but it is a rather major step to disinherit oneself from God.

Something more than say, ... missing a weekend's Mass.

Unfortunately, some people don't know what the Church teaches - to include priests.

To separate one from God's union is to commit a mortal sin. Missing Mass is NOT necessarily a mortal sin. A mortal sin must be a serious offense, the person must KNOW it is a serious offense, and he must do it with full intentions anyways.

There are too many variables for one person to judge whether another missing a Mass is considered a mortal sin. I have cringed when I hear some Catholics (including priests) say this.

If one of your children missed the annual family reunion, ... would you consider them disinherited ?

It is not important of what I think, but how that person feels about missing the reunion. I would love the person whether they showed up or not. But if they separated themselves from the family without any good excuse - that they willingly knew that they were wanted there but refused to go, then THEY are disinheriting THEMSELVES, I am not disinheriting them. Again, apply this analogy to what God does. WE disinherited ourselves when we sin mortally (as 1 John says).

Brother in Christ

[Quester]

Protestantism has taken the mystery out of the faith - everything must be rationalized and reasoned - otherwise, it isn't so.

The mystery for the the Protestant is that God desires authentic relationship (and daily fellowship) with him/her.

In this we mirror David the king ...

Psalms 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Rather like in the garden, ... when God came and visited with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening.

[NYer]

There is nothing more beautiful to me than to pray before the Eucharist in a quiet and empty church.

Prayer of St. Faustina before the Eucharist

I adore You, Lord and Creator, hidden in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I adore You for all the works of Your hands, that reveal to me so much wisdom, goodness and mercy, O Lord. You have spread so much beauty over the earth and it tells me about Your beauty, even though these beautiful things are but a faint reflection of You, incomprehensible Beauty. And although You have hidden Yourself and concealed Your beauty, my eye, enlightened by faith, reaches You and my soul recognizes its Creator, its Highest Good, and my heart is completely immersed in prayer of adoration. My Lord and Creator, Your goodness encourages me to converse with You. Your mercy abolishes the chasm which separates the Creator from the creature. To converse with You, O Lord, is the delight of my heart. In You I find everything that my heart could desire. Here You light illumines my mind, enabling it to know You more and more deeply. Here streams of graces flow down upon my heart. Here my soul draws eternal life. O my Lord and Creator, You alone, beyond all these gifts, give Your own self to me and unite Yourself intimately with Your miserable creature. O Christ, let my greatest delight be to see You loved and Your praise and glory proclaimed, especially the honor of Your mercy. O Christ, let me glorify Your goodness and mercy to the last moment of my life, with every drop of my blood and every beat of my heart. Would that I be transformed into a hymn of adoration of You. When I find myself on my deathbed, may the last beat of my heart be a loving hymn glorifying Your unfathomable mercy. Amen.

[al_c]

Steve Wood is the founder of St. Joseph's Covenant Keepers (SJCK), a dynamic apostolate for Catholic men. For more information on SJCK, or to find out about men's conferences in your area, please call 1-800-705-6131 or (941) 764-7725.

Or go to dads.org

[Quester]

If one of your children missed the annual family reunion, ... would you consider them disinherited ?

It is not important of what I think, but how that person feels about missing the reunion. I would love the person whether they showed up or not. But if they separated themselves from the family without any good excuse - that they willingly knew that they were wanted there but refused to go, then THEY are disinheriting THEMSELVES, I am not disinheriting them. Again, apply this analogy to what God does. WE disinherited ourselves when we sin mortally (as 1 John says).

What I believe I hear you saying ... (and, please do correct me if I am mistaken ...) ... is that it is not so much the act (i.e. of missing Mass) ... as it is the attitude of the heart.

So ... it would seem that it will not so much be our catalogue of works which will be judged by God in our time of passing from this world, ... but rather,

... the attitude of our hearts (i.e. whether inclined toward God or not) ... which will be the deciding factor per our livng eternally with Him (or not).

With such I would agree.

Certainly it was the heart attitudes which distinguished the two thieves at the crucifixion ... rather than their catalogue of works (which one would assume were rather criminal).

[jo kus]

The mystery for the the Protestant is that God desires authentic relationship (and daily fellowship) with him/her.

That is not "mystery". What is mysterious is realizing that God is a Trinity of Persons, and realizing that we cannot understand it - but accept it as God's Revelation of Himself and that He is a communion of love that He wants us to share in. How do we share with God???

Or how God comes to us during the Mass, presenting Himself in the form of bread and wine as a visible sign of His love for us. We can't explain it, but we accept and believe it. How and why does He come as bread and wine? How does heaven push into our earthly time? Oh the mystery of your great love, oh Lord!

That is what I mean by mystery.

Brother in Christ

[Rutles4Ever]

LOL! boogada-boogada-boogada! Scary Catholic Church!
oooooo!

You left the Catholic church for a lightweight carny' barker like Rick Jones?

If Luther were around to read fortune cookies, would he add "alone" or "in bed" to the end of every prediction? Oh wait - the Bible only outlaws adding words to Scripture! Well it's a good thing Luther didn't add words to scripture like "alone" or start throwing out books at whim. He'd be in a lot of trouble according to St. John the Apostle.