Koinonic E Koinonic E vange lism: vange lism: T T he - PDF document

6/14/2016 Koinonic E Koinonic E vange lism: vange lism: T T he Community as the E he Community as the E vange list vange list “Can a Churc h who se “Can a Churc h who se life is c e nte re d almo st life is c e nte re d almo st e xc lusive ly o n the e xc lusive ly o n the liturg y and the liturg y and the sac rame nts, who se sac rame nts, who se spirituality is primarily spirituality is primarily mystic al and asc e tic al, mystic al and asc e tic al, b e truly missio nary? ” b e truly missio nary? ” Pro to pre sb yte r Ale xande r S Pro to pre sb yte r Ale xande r S c hme mann c hme mann 1

6/14/2016 Koinonia Koinonia  E  E va ng e lism a nd Missio n b e g in with the c e ntra l e le me nt in the Ortho do x Churc h, the va ng e lism a nd Missio n b e g in with the c e ntra l e le me nt in the Ortho do x Churc h, the L L iturg y, a nd b y e xte nsio n the n to the E iturg y, a nd b y e xte nsio n the n to the E uc ha ristic c o mmunity. uc ha ristic c o mmunity.  T  T he c o mmo n unde rsta nding o f e va ng e lism a s wo rking with individua ls to le a d the m into he c o mmo n unde rsta nding o f e va ng e lism a s wo rking with individua ls to le a d the m into the F the F a ith a nd pre se nting the te a c hing s o f the F a ith a nd pre se nting the te a c hing s o f the F a ith in a syste ma tic a nd c o he re nt ma nne r a ith in a syste ma tic a nd c o he re nt ma nne r is the c o mmo n pa ra dig m (the c o mmo nly use d phra se "te a c hing a nd pre a c hing " is is the c o mmo n pa ra dig m (the c o mmo nly use d phra se "te a c hing a nd pre a c hing " is b ro ug ht to mind), is o nly pa rt o f the e q ua tio n. b ro ug ht to mind), is o nly pa rt o f the e q ua tio n.  I  I t is no t e no ug h to me re ly le a d a n individua l into a n unde rsta nding o f Go d, F t is no t e no ug h to me re ly le a d a n individua l into a n unde rsta nding o f Go d, F a ith a nd the a ith a nd the Churc h witho ut inte g ra ting tha t pe rso n into the E Churc h witho ut inte g ra ting tha t pe rso n into the E uc ha ristic (wo rshipping ) c o mmunity. uc ha ristic (wo rshipping ) c o mmunity. Ac ts 2:42-47 Ac ts 2:42-47 “T “T he y de vo te d the mse lve s to he y de vo te d the mse lve s to the apo stle s’ te ac hing and to the apo stle s’ te ac hing and to the c o mmunio n (ko ino nia), to the c o mmunio n (ko ino nia), to the b re aking o f b re ad and to the b re aking o f b re ad and to praye r...All the b e lie ve rs we re praye r...All the b e lie ve rs we re to g e the r and had e ve rything in to g e the r and had e ve rything in c o mmo n. S c o mmo n. S e lling the ir e lling the ir po sse ssio ns and g o o ds, the y po sse ssio ns and g o o ds, the y g ave to anyo ne as he had g ave to anyo ne as he had ne e d…T ne e d…T he y b ro ke b re ad in he y b ro ke b re ad in the ir ho me s and ate to g e the r the ir ho me s and ate to g e the r with g lad and sinc e re he arts, with g lad and sinc e re he arts, praising Go d and e njo ying the praising Go d and e njo ying the favo r o f all the pe o ple .” favo r o f all the pe o ple .” 2

6/14/2016 1 Co rinthia ns 3:6 1 Co rinthia ns 3:6 “I “I have plante d, Apo llo s have plante d, Apo llo s wate re d; but Go d g ave the wate re d; but Go d g ave the inc re ase .” inc re ase .” Ma tthe w 13:1-23 Ma tthe w 13:1-23 Ma rk 4:1-20 Ma rk 4:1-20 L L uke 8:4-15 uke 8:4-15 “Our pe rso nal “Our pe rso nal Christian e xpe rie nc e Christian e xpe rie nc e is made ste adfast is made ste adfast and stre ng the ne d and stre ng the ne d thro ug h o ur thro ug h o ur inc o rpo ratio n in the inc o rpo ratio n in the mystic al Bo dy o f mystic al Bo dy o f Christ.” Christ.” Arc hb isho p Ana sta sio s (Ya nno ula to s) Arc hb isho p Ana sta sio s (Ya nno ula to s) 3

6/14/2016 "T "T he Churc h thus is no t a he Churc h thus is no t a 'se lf-c e nte re d' c o mmunity 'se lf-c e nte re d' c o mmunity b ut pre c ise ly a missio nary b ut pre c ise ly a missio nary c o mmunity, who se c o mmunity, who se purpo se is salvatio n no t purpo se is salvatio n no t fro m, b ut o f, the wo rld. I fro m, b ut o f, the wo rld. I n n the Ortho do x e xpe rie nc e the Ortho do x e xpe rie nc e and faith it is the Churc h- and faith it is the Churc h- sac rame nt that make s sac rame nt that make s po ssib le the Churc h- po ssib le the Churc h- missio n.“ missio n.“ Pro to pre sb yte r Ale xa nde r Sc hme ma nn Pro to pre sb yte r Ale xa nde r Sc hme ma nn E E vange lism is…. vange lism is….   E E va ng e lism ma y invo lve individua l a c tio ns, b ut it is a va ng e lism ma y invo lve individua l a c tio ns, b ut it is a c o mmuna l ( ko ino nic ) a c tivity. c o mmuna l ( ko ino nic ) a c tivity.   E E va ng e lism must inte g ra te the liturg ic a l with the va ng e lism must inte g ra te the liturg ic a l with the pra c tic a l a nd c a n o nly b e suc c e ssful if the Churc h is pra c tic a l a nd c a n o nly b e suc c e ssful if the Churc h is a t the c e nte r o f pa rish life a t the c e nte r o f pa rish life   Only a pro pe rly func tio ning a nd wo rshipping liturg ic a l Only a pro pe rly func tio ning a nd wo rshipping liturg ic a l c o mmunity – the ko ino nia —c a n a c tua te the ma ny c o mmunity – the ko ino nia —c a n a c tua te the ma ny dime nsio ns a nd ministrie s o f e va ng e lism. dime nsio ns a nd ministrie s o f e va ng e lism.   He a lthy, lo c a l, wo rshipping pa rishe s live e va ng e lism He a lthy, lo c a l, wo rshipping pa rishe s live e va ng e lism b e c a use it is simply wha t the y do a s a Christia n b e c a use it is simply wha t the y do a s a Christia n c o mmunity. c o mmunity.   Pe o ple a re a ttra c te d to tha t lo c a l pa rish e xpe rie nc e Pe o ple a re a ttra c te d to tha t lo c a l pa rish e xpe rie nc e pre c ise ly b e c a use it is the pla c e tha t the y disc o ve r pre c ise ly b e c a use it is the pla c e tha t the y disc o ve r a nd wo rship Christ, while the pa rishio ne rs must b e a nd wo rship Christ, while the pa rishio ne rs must b e o pe n to re c e ive a nd inte g ra te the m into the Bo dy o f o pe n to re c e ive a nd inte g ra te the m into the Bo dy o f Christ. Christ.   "E "E va ng e lism is o nly po ssib le whe n the c o mmunity tha t va ng e lism is o nly po ssib le whe n the c o mmunity tha t e va ng e lize s - the c hurc h - is a ra dia nt ma nife sta tio n o f e va ng e lize s - the c hurc h - is a ra dia nt ma nife sta tio n o f the Christia n fa ith a nd e xhib its a n a ttra c tive life style .“ the Christia n fa ith a nd e xhib its a n a ttra c tive life style .“ David Bo sc h David Bo sc h 4

6/14/2016 Wor Wor king De finition of E king De finition of E vange lism vange lism  T  T he witne ss in living out of the pr he witne ss in living out of the pr oc lamation of the Good Ne ws of oc lamation of the Good Ne ws of the R the R ise n Chr ise n Chr ist with an invitation to be c ome a par ist with an invitation to be c ome a par t of the loc al t of the loc al Or Or thodox Body of Chr thodox Body of Chr ist thr ist thr ough par ough par tic ipation in the Sac r tic ipation in the Sac r ame ntal ame ntal and L and L itur itur gic al life . gic al life .  T  T he g o a l o f e va ng e lism is no t pe rso na l c o nve rsio n to a n individua l he g o a l o f e va ng e lism is no t pe rso na l c o nve rsio n to a n individua l a nd priva tize d fa ith b ut ra the r to b e a me mb e r o f a wo rshipping a nd priva tize d fa ith b ut ra the r to b e a me mb e r o f a wo rshipping c o mmunity. c o mmunity.  T  T he te rm " ko ino nic " b e c a use it is tha t c o mmuna l e xpe rie nc e whic h he te rm " ko ino nic " b e c a use it is tha t c o mmuna l e xpe rie nc e whic h is the g o a l in e va ng e lism. F is the g o a l in e va ng e lism. F e llo wship, pa rtic ula rly a s ko ino nia a s e llo wship, pa rtic ula rly a s ko ino nia a s pro pe rly unde rsto o d, is e sse ntia l. pro pe rly unde rsto o d, is e sse ntia l. “An Orthodox parish, that is, a local community of Orthodox Christians with one or more priests, has only one God- given reason for being. It exists to be the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church of Christ. Whatever the original reasons and conditions for its founding, whatever other services and activities it may provide, whatever other desires and needs it may fulfill for its members, the parish must be Christ’s one holy Church. If it is not, then it is neither Christian nor Orthodox whatever else it may be or do.” Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko 5