I was raised a Catholic, but something pulls me towards Evangelicalism,why?

Answer 1

This is a very interesting question. I am an Evangelical Christian, but I have good friends who identify as Catholic. I certainly believe that the main tenets of the faiths are true, including: Jesus is Lord, He is our soon and coming King, and the Word is God's love letter to us. However, it is the style of worship that is different; it sounds like this is what you are referring to.

In my experience, the Catholic Church encourages its congregants to worship God in a very formal, liturgical way that has survived thousands of years and has a very rich history. In talking to my Catholic friends, the format of mass is the same in every church--even if you go from church to church, your main focus can be on worshipping God, rather than learning new songs of worship or wondering what comes next in the service, and that can be very comforting. This way of worshipping God is beautiful, and I believe that the Protestant spiritual community has much to learn from the Catholic traditions!

Protestant churches are different in that their style of worship and their services vary from denomination to denomination, even from church to church or service to service. While the Catholic Church focuses a lot on the incredible HOLINESS of Jesus, most Protestant churches, in my experience, focus more on the relational aspect of Jesus (that is, there is much more dialogue about God working intimately in our lives rather than being the all-powerful, distant God that many people believe He is). As such, Protestant churches tend to be a bit less formal, and some are even "contemporary." (For example, rather than worshipping God through age-old hymns, organs, and beautifully grand choirs, some Protestant Churches will use a "band," complete with drums, bass, and acoustic guitars, and lead the congregation in upbeat, hand-clapping, dancing tunes.) Of course, there are definitely differences among denominations, and some denominations are much more formal than others!

Perhaps one of the things that is "pulling" you towards Evangelical Churches is this informality and the emphasis on the relational, emotional, and friendship of Jesus. (No matter what denomination you are, I firmly believe that Jesus actively chooses to be involved in our lives, and yearns to be an intimate friend to us!) I know that for me, in addition to that, I was also attracted to the tight-knit spiritual community that I experienced in the Evangelical Church. Certainly, close community and relationships can happen in any church (and believe me, they don't always happen in Protestant communities either. I have my share of stories about that!), but I personally found Evangelical Churches a bit more welcoming and hospitable than Catholic Churches.

Your decision to attend a particular church or be involved with a specific spiritual community is a personal one. It can feel like a really scary time right now as you venture out to explore different worship styles and churches, especially since your spiritual growth thus far has been in the Catholic Church (that is what I am inferring from your question). It may seem foreign to you, and you may even experience confusion and condemnation from yourself, family, and friends who don't understand your curiousity with Evangelical Churches. However, I believe that you will know what feels right to you and God will direct you to a place where you will be able to worship Him and continue to grow in your relationship to Him to the fullest. After all, that is what He desires the most. I don't think He really cares about what specific denomination you subscribe to, if any. He just wants you in a committed relationship to Him, and to be connected to a spiritual community in which you will continue to pursue a deeper relationship with Him! Know that He deeply respects you for seeking another way to get to know Him more fully.

And remember, my friend, that our time here is fleeting--just a blink of an eye in relation to eternity. When we get to Heaven and have the opportunity to celebrate God with the other angels, seraphims, cherubims, and people, there will be no such thing as a denomination. We will all just be children of God, celebrating, worshipping, and loving.

May the grace and peace of Jesus pour into your heart as you continue on your faith journey. God bless you.

Answer 2

Because the emotional expression is very seductive. I am a recovering evangelical.

Addendum: You might want to consider who the leading evangelicals are, or have been: Pat Robertson, Oral Roberts, Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Sun Myung Moon, and the list goes on and on.

Answer 3

In Western cultural usage, the word Evangelical has usually referred to Protestantism, in intended contrast to Roman Catholicism.

Are you feeling that something is pulling you towards Protestantism?

Surely you are well aware that Catholics too evangelize in their own way.

I have questions for you before you go towards Protestantism (Evangelicalism). Why do you want to go towards Protestantism?

What is the point of evangelizing in the name of Jesus when you don't know your core? Do you know the aim and reason for evangelizing? As a matter of fact, do you really know the reason to belong to a religion such as Catholic in the first place?

We are all here for one reason. To love. Whoever loves will be in union with God and God will be present in them.
But the best way to love is to love like Jesus Christ.

We are all commanded by Christ , "follow me". Christ is God but yet He did not count equality with God and humbled himself and be obedient to death. Therefore, Catholicism is all about obedience. At least I believe they hold highly to the concept of obedience and self denial primarily. Humility.

Go find out more about the Society of Jesus within the Catholic Church. You will realized that they are everything about evangelical work.


Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and all my will, all I have and possess; you have given it me; to you, Lord, I return it; all is yours, dispose of it entirely according to your will. Give me your love and grace, and I will ask no more. - translated by Father Rickaby, S. J

Answer 4

Why not be a Catholic who evangelizes people into the Catholic Church?

Answer 5

You seek something absolute, which is what evangelicalism (sic) offers. It claims the Bible as absolute authority, whereas the Catholic church claims itself as the authority and seems to go back and forth. ...well, maybe it's ok to have an English Bible, well, maybe purgatory isn't really a place so much as a transitional state, well maybe that whole limbo thing was stupid, guff?, er um, let's change the subject...

That's what pulled me into it too before I became an atheist.

Answer 6

You need to be more specific.

I was a raised a protestant and found the Catholic Church. I found home. Trust me, you're in the right place.

Whatever questions you have, pray to God. Start to learn your faith. Go to church, read educational books, study with family and friends. I wish I was raised a Catholic. Since I found the faith, my life hasn't been the same since. I used to never go to church and now I go every Sunday. I'm even thinking about going more than once a week.

If you have questions, I'd be glad to help. Just take it from me, you're in the right place.

Keep strong and God bless.

Answer 7

I am Evangelical, not catholic, so I would have a biased answer. If you feel drawn to a different "sect", then explore their doctrine and compare it to your traditional one. Every different branch has good and bad points to it. They all developed out of a need to break away from bad teaching, and through correction, many of them also left the good teaching that was combined with the bad. Best of luck to you. Keep searching and God will lead you.

Answer 8

Perhaps your draw...isn't so much the denomination but your spirit is seeking a relationship with Jesus.

Religion is man's way of trying to reach God.

Relationship is God's way of reaching man, through Jesus Christ.

I'm not saying anything against being Catholic...

It really doesn't matter what denomination you are...only born again Christians are getting into heaven, anyway.

What really matters is a personal relationship with Jesus.

Grace to you and God Bless!

Answer 9

The way I figure it, if you were brought up in a religion, it is only natural to be curious about or even drawn towards another way of thinking. Learning never hurts and is never wasted. Find what makes sense to you and makes you comfortable. Who knows, you might find that looking at Catholicism from a different point of view shows you new things about it.

Answer 10

They share a fundamentalist quality: the RC on side of tradition, form, and ritual, the Evangelical on the side of scripture. In the spectrum of Christianity they share the conservative ground for different reasons.

Answer 11

Its not something its God he doesn't care what religion you are as long as you know he is the king of all kings and lord of all lords and give him worship and praise.If you are seriously being pulled to evangelism you should do it or hes just going to keep pulling. That is probably what you were meant to be.Its your calling.