Why REALLY Did I Become Orthodox? 

i 100% agree with the idea that being "convinced" never really makes converts. its always a connection to the Lord that converts us

I will be Chrismated on April 27. I was DONE with non-denominational churches and prayed to God to show me a holy, true church. All of a sudden the name Hank Hanegraff popped into my head. I used to listen to his Bible Answer Man show in the 1990’s-early 2000’s. So I goggled his name and a RU-vid video of him explaining how he came into the Orthodox Church came up. I watched it and then watched many more videos about the church. I was so excited, I couldn’t wait until Sunday to go see for myself. It was amazing! I felt God’s presence and holiness there! Then I went to the coffee hour afterwards and met many people. By the time I returned home, I was exhausted and overwhelmed by everything I had experienced, I took a long nap! Soon I will be Orthodox and I have invited all my family and friends to come to the Chrismation! Praying that they will follow me into the church too.

Short version is I was an occultist who attended Liturgy to check it out. I had zero intent on becoming Orthodox. But the peace I felt during the Liturgy was beyond description. They couldn't get rid of me after that.

100% agree. As a former protestant it took a lot of research and convincing for me to accept the church’s doctrine, but that’s not what ultimately won me over. Even before I knew what the Orthodox Church was, I suddenly had an overwhelming desire to take communion. It was during the pandemic, and we were all doing church online. I didn’t even want to go to church, I always hated my evangelical church services with the loud music, flashing lights and noise, it was never fulfilling. But I had such a strong desire to take communion seemingly out of nowhere. Shortly after, a friend introduced me to his Orthodox church and I started the journey of discovering the true church and getting baptized myself last year. I thank God every week now when I stand in line and can finally take communion again in the way God intended for us.

I really resonate with this. I deconverted from being a presbyterian and was atheist/agnostic for about 5 years. No argument converted me back. I still even now have yet to hear some sort of argument for God that is “convincing.” I just had an experience which led to me going to a divine liturgy and I felt the presence of God so powerfully and in such an undeniable way that I just never stopped going and ultimately led to me being chrismated a year ago. It was truly finding and having a relationship with Jesus and seeing fruit from my walk with Him in my life that convinced me, not some arg. I think this is true for most people honestly. Thank you for sharing your story, Father.

As I had been a Christian for several decades before becoming Orthodox, I hesitate to say I ‘converted’ to Orthodoxy. Much like the apostle Paul didn’t convert from one religion to another, instead he came to a knowledge of what was there all along, I say that I came home to the full gospel of Christ rather than using conversion language.

Thank you for this. When people asked who catechized me, sometimes I want to say, “Fr. Damick,” because I learned so much from listening to Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy. I went to an Orthodox Church (OCA) before I knew anything about Orthodoxy. I drove by one, it looked interesting, I emailed the priest and he said, “Come and see!” I only met with him twice before the pandemic hit and we stopped meeting and never resumed. I attended at a variety of jurisdictions over four years, read a few books, watched a lot of videos and most importantly kept attending Divine Liturgy and going on trips to monasteries with a Greek parish. When I finally approached a Serbian priest and said I wanted to be chrismated, he said, “Email me any questions you have,” but at that point, I had none. I’d been 10 years a Roman Catholic, 20 years a Baptist, and 30 years an Anglican. But Orthodoxy invited me to live my faith every day in a way that the denominations didn’t. You are right - the encounter with Christ is different in the Orthodox Church.

The end, where you talk about how hard it is for mothers especially, really hit home. I attended with my two kids alone, and it was so tiring and NOT fun, but I was so permeated and in love and wanted it to be my life, and it is now we've been baptized one year now, and it is so worth it. Nothing about Orthodoxy is easy lol. But it's what makes it real and a true commitment. Every week i'm aching and making plans for Sunday to roll around, and it just becomes the pivotal point of reference for me. (FYI it get's easier moms)

I got a chance to visit with a very old friend last week who I haven't seen for a long time. She asked me what convinced me to become Orthodox. It wasn't a "maybe I'll be convinced too" question - it was more of a "why the heck did you do such a weird thing" question. The frame of the question as an intellectual exercise really struck me. I told her that there are reasons why I find Orthodoxy intellectually compelling, and I can tell her about them, but the actual reason I became Orthodox isn't intellectual at all. Less like being convinced, and more like falling in love. I don't think my answer made any sense to her though.

Great video, the greatest "apologetic" is being a real Christian and actually reflecting Christ in your life. Many people do not care for arguements but they do care about a focus on repentance, prayer and taking Christ seriously which the church offers.

As I finished this video, my two-year-old daughter climbed in my lap and started "reading" "The Lord of Spirits" book to me. On page 14, you apparently wrote, "booty-toot." Thank you for all of the wisdom in all your media (including the toddler versions), because it has helped me come to the same head knowledge, and visiting the liturgy/trying to follow a prayer rule have given me more real experiences of Christ than 30+ years in "non-denominational" (nameless?) comminities.

Amen. This aligns with my experience and it also took me a bit to realize it. My heart was convinced long before my mind. But I felt like my mind needed to be satisfied, so I stayed on the outside looking in for 10 years trying to answer every question and resolve every doubt. Ultimately it came down to "where else can I go?" I often presented way more certain in my conversations (arguments) with family and friends than I was intellectually. My heart knew there was something Real and True in the Church and that I needed it. There was definitely a 'leap of faith' aspect to finally taking the plunge. But I've never regretted it 10 years on now.

Wow, beautiful, thank you. Loving worship so much that you want it to be your life: that resonates.

This is easily the best video I’ve watched today, so far😊 Keep up the great work!

Thank you Father . Your podcasts are respectful and lovingly offered . Please keep them coming . They are a wonderful resource . Glory to God 🙏

Father Andrew, thank you for this explanation of conversion and your path to Orthodoxy. For my wife and I it was definitely participating in the services of the church that drew us into Orthodoxy. I had been studying Orthodoxy, doing online searches like "Orthodoxy and Calvinism", etc., - which led to your podcast work as well as Father Stephen DeYoung's articles and so one. While I had been incorporating elements of Orthodox thought (as I understood it at the time) into my teaching opportunities at church and my personal prayer life prior to visiting an Orthodox church, what drew us in was partly that we felt seasons like Christmas and Easter just flew by in our church without much significance given to them. It seemed very shallow, in spite of the evangelistic focus of our church. So we started attending Advent services at our local mission in late 2021. During that time, my wife experiencing the healing of the Holy Spirit over some personal issues in conjunction with those early services, as if participating in them - even though we had not converted or become catechumens yet - was a conduit for spiritual healing. We credit that to the grace of God working through His Church. By the grace of God we were chrismated on Theophany 2023.

Your video post has really resonated with my recent experience. Having up until just recently been a faithful agnostic it’s been a wild ride. I discovered that I personally have always desired and want in Jesus.

All of it well said, father. IC XC bless you! I found Holy Orthodoxy at around 19-have never turned back. Glory to Christ for ALL things.

It was an intellectual journey for me as well, at first, but I fully agree. I am becoming Orthodox because I meet Christ there. He came to me in the dark and led me to Him.

It was also an invitation that got me to cross the threshold - literally. I was converted, for lack of a better term, at an Orthodox funeral.

This is excellent. The “one true church” lines never resonated with me as an evangelical. The point about believing in God being present and the One doing the real work is very good and something to practice.

Beautiful way to help us re-member Christ this lent season Fr. Andrew. There's so much on yt and social media that distracts me from this focus and attention. God bless you. Thank you for this message and reminder to also fast from these distractions ☦

One's heart needs to be touched by the Lord and that is what makes a convert - "for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15, 5)

Three weeks, it’s taken me longer than that to read some of your books.

I had my genuine encounter with Jesus. But 40+ years later I’m tired of missing “something”. I now know what was missing. I hope to make the decision to become Orthodox soon.

Thanks for sharing Father.

Well said Father, especially the ending

Fr. Damick as a Catholic I thank you for your well balanced assessment here. I can affirm everything you said was true for me coming into the Catholic Church as well. God bless you.🕊️

Very much needed alignment. Thank you Fr.☦️❤️

Beautiful! Thank you Father.

I needed this talk. I’ve been going through this walk in the last year.

very thoughtful, Father, thank you!

Sometimes, in the course of those apologetic or philosophical discussions, we enter a mode of doing a thing we wouldn't even do to a regular person: We talk *about* God like He isn't right there. We would never speak *about*, postulate about, and argue over a person that is in the room with us. And yet, we act as if God isn't actually around.

thank you Father 🙏

Glory to God! Fr. Andrew, my heartfelt gratitude for one of the most amazing and deeply sincere expressions of love of God and love of thy neighbor

This is excellent, Fr Andrew. I've been thinking recently of Evangelism as just offering people the opportunity to have that encounter with God that leads to a relationship. I'm looking forward to your piece on Evangelism!

I converted in ‘97 too!

May the Lord God remember your priesthood in his kingdom, always now and ever, Fr. Andrew!

Father, I would love to do a short interview with you sometime. What would be a great way to connect with you. Thanks 🙏

So good! It boils down to this, “I need Jesus”

"Where has this been all my life"... I've had this same thought....

Father you didn’t choose the Orthodox Church, god chose it for you❤️☦️. May he bless you and continue blessing your work. ❤

Amen. One is holy, one is Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father

07:52 Glory to God

In the second row of your book shelf from the top, on the left hand side for the viewer, I see five identical books with black and coloured backs. I think they are Jaroslav Pelikan's series on Christian history. Can you recommend the books? I've read the first volume.

12:55-15:30

Fr. Andrew, I appreciate this video and there is a lot of insight in it. As a long time inquirer (due to circumstances, not desire), Ive seen there is a hard lean by the Orthodox into mystery - while apologetics, knowing answers, etc is heavily criticized. I think this is a mistake. Its sad to say that my journey to Orthodoxy has been in spite of the Orthodox themselves, who never seemed to have the answers to my questions, could never explain why they believed a certain thing, and would often even criticize the asking as being "western minded." - And this was in numerous "ASKanOrthodox" internet groups with thousands of members! I needed to be convinced, and I have been, but it was by the grace of God, my own research, and unfortunately, not by the Church itself. I think the rationality and the mystery need their own hypostatic union, rather than siding one way or the other. The more I hear these messages disparaging the actual rational historical reasoning for the Church and her doctrine, I just shake my head. It really hurts the effort. The early fathers devoted a great deal of time in the convincing with apologia. I definitely see you trying to acknowledge the intellectual role, but the Church should be proud of its intellectual foundations, not sweep it under the rug to the point where people who volunteer to answer questions cannot. At this point, perhaps an emphasis on intellectualism would be helpful simply to recover from the atrophy that seems to have occurred.

I could use some prayer. I am coming out of protestantism into orthodoxy and I am struggling with a lot.

Thanks for sharing your story! However, do you know anyone who had been an atheist before converting to Orthodox Christianity? If so, could you please tell what exactly convinced them to make this crucial decision? This would be very helpful! Regards, Anna

☦️☦️☦️

Can I adopt instead of convert?

"Back in 1997..." ah, yes, the year of my birth.

Fr. Damick - I have been worrying a lot about things like the Fallout games and DnD that I enjoy. I am able to avoid sexual imagery since they are optional and can be removed from these games. My priest says they are not inherently sinful despite violence and evil characters/events and approved of me playing them in moderation, not letting them control me. However, my conscience struggles a lot and I don't know if this is scrupulosity or God speaking and telling me fictional violence is sinful. What do you think? Thank you.

As a genuinely inquiring Protestant, can i ask how you reconciled the doctrine of imputed vs. infused grace? This is one of my biggest hang-ups with Orthodoxy, and I'm wondering how a former Protestant reconciled that. To my understanding, this is what makes the difference between being saved or not being saved. With the doctrine of imputed grace, Jesus sacrifice completely saves and cleanses us. With the doctrine of infused grace, it makes Jesus' sacrifice insufficient for keeping us saved.

does the orthodox church teach God is three?

The hard time I have is when people don’t want Jesus.

RE: “Where has this been all my life”? I’d like to know what EXACTLY constitutes the “this” as expressed in the quote from the video.

There several kinds of Orthodox churches … the Greek, the Russian, the Eastern, the Armenian …. are they all “the one true church?”

I can completely support and understand anyone leaving the Protestant American Evangelical church, for whatever reason, and as soon as possible. And I think that orthodoxy is a beautiful tradition. However, there are two reasons why I am neither orthodox nor Roman: one is their refusal to ordain women and treat them with full inclusion in the mass. This is a non starter. Mary Magdalene was the first to encounter our risen Lord; she and His Mother were the only ones brave enough to stay with Him through His passion, while all of the men scattered like cowards in the wind. If there is any reason apart from women simply also being made in the image and likeness of God, the same as men, that simple fact, in a sane religion, would be enough for inclusion. And, frankly, ditto with gays. Enough with worrying about the speck in our fellow's eye. The second reason is this "one true church" nonsense. Nowhere in the gospels did Our Lord mention anything about any "one true church". The biggest horror in Christendom (apart from not simply living out Christ's simple edict of loving each other) is the closed communion table in both orthodoxy and the Roman church. In essence, what that says is "We don't belong to Jesus; Jesus belongs to US, and the only way to Him is through us. It is not Christ's table, it is OUR table", which makes Jesus simply another guest at the feast (although, admittedly, the guest of honor). What a bunch of baloney. A group of human men appropriating Christ as THEIRS is precisely why Christendom has failed so utterly in this world. If the meal isn't for all, it's for no one. The Via Media of the Episcopal church (with it's wonderful mixture of ancient tradition coupled with a progressive, living Way) is one of the few denominations that makes any sense (inside the wider Anglican Communion world wide). The United Church of Christ, the Disciples of Christ and a couple of others also get it right.

The problem with orthodoxy is that it inherited some of the same cultural flaws from the Roman Empire that the Roman Church did. Too much emphasis on Mary and such and the belief you are God’s only church. That is arrogance. As a Protestant, I’ve known Roman Church members and Orthodox ones. And just like Protestant churches, some I expect to see in heaven and most I don’t. I’ve seen the cultural lies of various times and peoples corrupt them all. All denominations, including Orthodoxy, must repent as an organization and remove bad influences that will creep in from time to time. To pretend otherwise is to deny truth.

You mad weak argument

Because you wanted to be Catholic but wanted a beard 😅

I love your insights about the intillectual aspect of conversion. But here is a different perspective on it that may help. I was a Jehovahs Witness before going to orthodoxy. We were strongly discouraged from even leaving that JW space. So when we do. It has to have a facade of intellectualism to justify looking. Because you "shouldn't" feel anything about it or your current faith will die. Perhaps, father, the reason most people take the intellectual path, is because either from the secular antichristian culture, or through religeous and familial settings, we have to be intellectually convinced in order to "allow" ourselves to open up our hearts to christ. As a jw this was acute. We need to give ourselves permission to even take the risk of looking outside since there is so much to loose if we became convinced and left. In our overly intellectual time, people first need to be convinced intellectually before their hearts can be open. The culture encourages everyone to have a fortified stony heart. Which I would wager is why the bible talks about how christs teaching can remove deeply entrenched things. The second we open our heart to the true teachings of christ, our entire previous life comes crashing down. So intellectually, we need a strong justification to risk such a profound collapse. I tooks months to mourn my previous life and beliefs because it was such a foundation rocking change. Hope this helps you. Keep making your videos. They're great. Lord have mercy on us.