Mission Trips

[JustinHesychast]

OK, so several questions in this.

Is it OK for me to go on mission trips that my Baptist youth go on?

I dislike little kids. We are going to a place in Memphis and working the entire time with little kids. I get nervous and frustrated with little kids. Should I go?

And on the subject, Mormons came to the house today. Why is the Orthodox hardly evangelical at all? I had never heard of the Orthodox Church until I had come on CF, and even then I regarded you all as a minority of poor, confused weirdos. :P Why don't you see Orthodox going door to door, even if not to convert so much as inform? Why do Orthodox not go on mission trips for adult and youth?

Thanks!

[Photios]

There are some mission trips, though you're right that it's not a big thing. The Orthodox view is more in line with St Seraphim's statement of "Attain a spirit of peace, and a thousand around you will be saved."

[nestoj]

We don't pull people’s sleeve, that’s sometimes rude, sometimes counterproductive. God does the calling in his way, sometimes trough us, sometimes in other ways. Rest assured - many have been called, who will come – we don’t know.

nestoj
God helps

[Dust and Ashes]

Well, if you go to Memphis, you could always visit St. John (http://www.stjohnmemphis.org/) and talk to Fr. Troy. :D

[zhilan]

I agree with you. I for one, would like to see the Orthodox church getting out there and taking a bigger presence in the world. As the priest said a few weeks ago, "Orthodoxy is often known as the best kept secret in America .... but some of us don't want to be a secret anymore!" I think that a lot of it comes from there being historically so much persecution in the Orthodox countries that we have sort of closed in on ourselves. But that is slowly changing and I think it's wonderful. I would like to see Orthodoxy develop it's missionary work some more, and I hope to be a part of that. And hey, you are asking the question - maybe God is putting something in you heart. Maybe you play a part in developing Orthodox missionary work.

[JustinHesychast]

I agree with the "pulling on the sleeve". I always viewed Orthodox Mission Trips as being more there to inform rather than try to convert, as many others. The Church, as the Catholics enjoy bringing up, should be a beacon for all to see... or something like that. :P Many people I know had never heard of EO until I told them.

I've enjoyed the youth mission trips I've been on... though I may not go to this one. Ick. Kids. :P