When a Protestant Young Life staffer finds himself right smack in the middle of Catholic country, lots of interesting things can happen. I'm pleased to introduce Brad Sytsma, a seasoned area director ministering in and around one of our nation's greatest Catholic universities. I pray your heart will be encouraged as you read his reflections. . .
When is the last time you talked theology with a
devout Catholic? Have you ever had
a conversation with someone who left their Protestant church for the Catholic
Church? What are the “real”
differences between Catholics and Protestants? Do Catholics really believe all the things we have heard they believe? Have you ever asked why Catholics
believe what they do from a biblical standpoint?
About a year ago, my wife and three children moved
to South Bend, Indiana where I am currently the Area Director for Young
Life. With the University of Notre
Dame in our back yard, there are many devout Catholics in our community. In Young Life here, we have at
least six Catholic leaders. One of
my team leaders is a dynamic and faithful Catholic who is working on a Masters
of Divinity degree here at Notre Dame.
Since I have been here, I have been engaged in some
amazing conversations with a couple of people who have converted to Catholicism
from a Protestant past. I’ve also
spoken with devout Catholics who love Jesus and have a thriving relationship
with him. On the other hand, I’ve had
plenty of conversations with Catholics and Protestants alike who are not
engaged in the “faith” conversation.
In my work in Young Life and in my daily life as a
Christian I’ve discovered several things:
1) We have a lot to learn about each other (Protestants and
Catholics) and we need each other
2) There is a rich theology in Catholicism
that we are missing as Protestants
3) Protestants need to stop protesting
and start uniting with our Catholic brothers and sisters for the sake of the
Gospel (take a look at 1 Corinthians 1:10-2:5)
Obviously, I’m just scratching the surface here and
trying to wet the Protestant whistle.
There is so much to discuss.
The question remains: Are you willing to enter the conversation?
“I appeal
to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree
with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may
be perfectly united in mind and thought.”
1 Corinthians 1:10
Brad suggests reading:
How to go
from being a Good Evangelical to a Committed Catholic in 95 Difficult Steps by Christian Smith
If
Protestantism is True by Devin
Rose
Brad and his wife Amy tailgating at a ND football game
Wow - That guy is a all-star!
ReplyDeleteBrad,
ReplyDeleteGood post! I like the part about COMMUNICATION. It is amazing how much we find out about each other if we actually talk, in humility.
Keep it up.
In His love,
Chris Patterson
And with a name like Sytsma good dutchman I might add. haha
ReplyDeleteBrad amazing post, I cannot wait to read your suggested reading!
ReplyDeleteI also have read Devin Rose's book and it was a very interesting read. It showed me some amazing pro's and cons to the Reformation that my eyes were not open to before reading.
Thank you for your heart, and the conversation is so important between all of us as Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Brad,
ReplyDeleteHow have all those Catholic leaders affected YL ministry in your area? In ministry to Catholic kids in club? In camp and post camp? Campaigners? In YL's relationship with the local priests?
I'd love to hear some of your experiences!
Chrispy
Chrispy,
DeleteI've only been here a year so far, so I"m at the beginning of all this. I'll keep you posted as the time progresses, but I'm very impressed and challenged by the love for Christ our leaders have. Many of them are just as new as me, so time will tell. Would love your prayers!
Brad
As a teen, I was not only Catholic, in a public high school, but involved in an organization such as YL. It was a great turning point for my relationship with Christ, and I have a strong desire to ensure all teens come to know Christ. As a Catholic, I am challenged to spread the gospel in word and deed. The emphasis for me is not only telling people about the Gospel, but acting according to Christ's love.
ReplyDeleteWonderful to hear about the positive relationship between your Catholic faith and your experience in Young Life (or an organization like YL). This is true for so many people I talk to. When we experience God so personally in Young Life, through committed relationships and incarnational presence, our Catholic faith is only strengthened. Young Life's gift to many young people raised in the Catholic tradition is to bring the story of Christ alive, to awaken a new consciousness of God in our midst, and to inspire a new walk of life with Jesus at the center. What a great coupling!
Delete