Monday, 01 October 2012 21:20

Evangelical Convert: Mindy Goorchenko

Evangelical Convert

Mindy Goorchenko

Mindy Goorchenko is a Catholic convert, mother of five, and nurse in Alaska.

My journey toward Catholicism began when I attended a small, intimate prayer session led by a group of college students in our evangelistic Protestant congregation. The talented young leader guided us in prayer amidst electrifying contemporary worship music. A wave was rippling through our church~~one which may have been present since ever there were youth in a church congregation. These beloved kids invited us old folk to be a part of something deeper, more authentic~~to have a true encounter with the Holy Spirit.

My children were welcome and I brought them along, dubious not so much about my own fate in the area of deep and authentic worship (I knew that it was unlikely I’d give myself wholly to the Spirit while peeking out from one eye at them the entire time) but whether anyone else would be able to with my several young children present. Indeed, as I lifted my own arms in praise of God, my opportunistic six year old immediately reached up and tickled my armpits. This consequently distracted me, and I decided to take my dancing, whooping youngsters out of the room. We played for an hour in the gymnasium at the church~~to simply engage in our vocations called motherhood and childhood.

Published in Evangelical
Sunday, 12 August 2012 00:25

Evangelical Convert: Renée Lin

Evangelical Convert

Renée Lin

Renée Lin joined the Catholic Church in 2003 after a lifetime in Evangelical Protestant. Renée currently works in research at a medical practice in central Virginia.

“The Bible says it…. I believe it…. that settles it!”

If Thomas Road Baptist Church had an unofficial mantra back in the 1990s, that probably would have been it. Dr. Jerry Falwell was fond of saying that, and I enjoyed hearing it. I took the Bible seriously, very seriously, and if Scripture made a pronouncement on an issue, it seemed only reasonable to me to take those verses as literally as possible and to act upon them. If a Christian couldn’t base his life on the Word of God, then what else was there?

One Sunday morning when Dr. Falwell proclaimed that “everything we believe and do here at Thomas Road comes straight from Scripture,” I took that seriously, too. Everything we believe and do…. Everything?

Published in Evangelical
Tuesday, 14 June 2011 01:53

Catholic Revert: Russ Rentler

Catholic Revert

Russ Rentler

Born and raised Catholic, Russ left the Church as a teenager and became  a devout evangelical Christian for many years.  His journey of faith has taken many dramatic twists and turns culminating in his joyful reception back to the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

About 35 years ago as a young teen, I strayed from my Catholic faith and began to look into the occult and the rock and roll culture for answers and peace in my life. My parents brought me to Church faithfully but didn't allow their faith to help them with their personal problems. They had a troubled marriage and alcohol abuse was a chronic unspoken demon in their lives. As a teenager my Catholicism meant little to me, though I do remember praying the rosary at night to help me sleep when I was troubled by something.

Published in Catholic Reverts
Thursday, 31 March 2011 23:51

Evangelical Convert: Brandon Vogt

Evangelical Convert

Brandon Vogt

Brandon Vogt is a 24-year-old Catholic blogger, author, husband, and father who writes from the perspective of a young mainline Protestant drawn into the depths of the Catholic faith by way of the Eucharist and the lives of the Saints.

"He lies in wait like a lion in cover" – Psalm 10:9

For most of my life, I never met a rigorous God who made any sort of demand on my life. And I never encountered an intimate God who ravished me with deep love, or an epic God who warred against evil for my sake. The church I grew up in cared for me deeply. It encouraged kindness, and presented the basic, Biblical stories to me. But I never really experienced anything transcendent.

Published in Evangelical
Tuesday, 01 March 2011 01:40

Catholic Revert: Michael Luvara

Catholic Revert

Michael Luvara

Michael is a 32 years old Catholic Christian who came home in December 2007 to the Church after 15 years away. His story like many, as of falling away from the Sacraments after Confirmation and only to later return to the Church.

Coming Home

 

December 24, 2007 is a date I won't forget. This past Christmas Eve (December 2010) marks three years since I made the official decision to return to the Catholic Church after some 15+ years away. It was my conscious effort to follow Christ and his Church - my "Yes, Lord".  Beginning with several notable occurrences in the prior year, I made the decision to attend Midnight Mass by myself at the local Mission. I chose this place for several reasons. It was close, I had been there for a wedding in 2006 and lastly, I was baptized there as an infant, so it is a special place to me. Why not a rebirth there? I had not been to a Catholic Church (outside of funerals or weddings) on my own accord since my confirmation in 1992. In fact, I more or less feared setting foot in a church as it wasn't something I was comfortable doing. Add to that comments from many and society's labels and it is almost taboo. When I would drive by a Catholic Church, my conscience always nagged at me, but I would tend to find some excuse. I had always known that I would return one day, however my answer was "later", "sometime", or "not yet". That time was now.

Published in Catholic Reverts
Tuesday, 01 February 2011 12:20

Jewish Convert: Myron Moskowitz

Jewish Convert

Myron Moskowitz

Myron is a convert from Judaism. Becoming Catholic has been one of Myron's greatest joys in life. Myron is in his last semester of formation for the Permanent Diaconate preparing for Ordination in June. He was blessed to recently visit the Holy Land which helped prepare him even more for Ordination.

When I first received an inquiry asking if I would like to submit my conversion story I thought, “Sure”.  For me, answering why I am Catholic is a no-brainer; I read the New Testament and saw the Truth, the Light, and the Way.  The journey that led to reading the New Testament for the first time at age forty-eight was nothing short of incredible. 

Published in Jewish
Wednesday, 26 January 2011 02:40

Methodist Convert: Allen Hunt

Methodist Convert

Allen Hunt

Allen is a former Methodist mega-church pastor and currently hosts a daily talk radio show (the Allen Hunt Show) which is heard on 150 mainstream stations around the country each week with a half million listeners. Allen is also a husband and father of two daughters.

I never saw it coming.
For fifteen years, my ministry as a Methodist pastor blossomed from one ministry to another, culminating in my dream job. I became the senior pastor of a mega-church, the most well-attended Methodist congregation in the South, and one of the largest in the country. Somewhere between four and five thousand people worshiped there each Sunday.  Eight thousand gathered there for Christmas and Easter services. The church sponsored one of just two K-12 Methodist schools in the nation, had a full pregnancy resource center, a counseling center, a child care ministry, and maintained partnerships with vital missions on every continent around the globe. 

Published in Methodist
Thursday, 27 January 2011 02:28

Agnostic Convert: Julie Davis

Agnostic Convert

Julie Davis

Julie Davis lives in Dallas with her husband. They have two daughters and have had their own graphic design company for over 20 years.

Becoming Christian

My parents are atheists so there was no religion in our home. They never tried to prejudice us against religion, they just never talked of it. It was kind of like talking about sex ... it was the unspoken rule that you just didn't mention religion. As issues came up, we were taught to be good people in the morality of popular culture … work hard and do your best, be honest, don’t steal, cheat or lie. We learned that a lot of other issues were all relative. As long as you didn't hurt other people or break the law what you did was your own business. Of course, even though they never talked about it, we all knew that those boring church-goers were weak because they needed a crutch like religion to get by.

Published in Agnostic
Monday, 21 February 2011 00:02

Lutheran Convert: Richard Lane

Lutheran Convert

Richard Lane

Richard is a full time Catholic lay evangelist and frequent guest on various Catholic television and radio programs. Richard is the proud husband of Donna L. Lane and a beautiful daughter, K. Alexandria Lane

I was born in 1965 to Mary Lane (Alexander), now a retired Educator for the Highland Park, Michigan School district. My mother was famous in her own right. She was actually the first African-American female model that Coca-Cola ever hired in 1956.

My father was arguably the greatest Cornerback in National Football League (NFL) History; drafted as a free agent walk on in 1952 by the Los Angeles Rams, it was in his rookie year that he set an NFL record (that still stands throughout the 2010 NFL Regular Season) for most interceptions in one season. That was when they had 12 game seasons and played REAL Football; leather helmets, not a lot of padding and no face masks. In 1953 he would be traded to, at that time they were called the Chicago Cardinals, and played with them through the 1959 Season. In 1960 he was traded to and finished his career in 1966 with the Detroit Lions. In 2009, I believe Sports Illustrated and ESPN ranked the 100 most feared men to ever play the game of Professional Football, and my father came in SECOND… only to the great Dick Butkus. In 1974 my father received the highest honor to be bestowed upon anyone ever affiliated with the NFL, he was elected to the NFL Hall of Fame; his name was Dick “Night Train” Lane.

Published in Lutheran