Orthodoxy - A Fad or the Future?

Many people are turning to Orthodoxy in record numbers. Is this going to be a long lasting time of growth or a passing fad? Why are people coming to the Orthodox Church? What are some parishes doing to attract people?
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Fr. Michael Lillie shares his experience the Orthodox Church. He currently is the rector of Nativity of Christ Orthodox Church in Youngstown, OH (MP-USA) nativityofchri...

[@cwdgomez]

Hello Catechumen here from St Andrews. I have been a Christian my whole life, and so much has changed and so many different denominations. I was sick and tired of change. As a conservative women I like tradition and I like the ancient of the Orthodox Church. One thing I really love about Saint Andrews is that they have Orthros every morning and vespers every night. I need that for me. I need that I need to be going into a holy place and speaking to God in prayer. I know I can do that at home, but I feel more connected with the Lord when I’m at the church and I’m with other believers. I hear that not a lot of churches do Vespers in our area but a lot of people in our area will come to our Parish because Saint Andrews, does Vespers every day. That’s just one thing. There’s so many other things that I can say, but this would be a very long message. I hope this is helpful. Also when I walked into the church I never went back to my old church. I felt at home and what I had not felt before. This will be my home till I die.

[@jacobschultz7201]

We do that at our parish too and sometimes it's just one old reader chanting in an empty Church. Walking into some of those services were big moments in my conversion. The message was clear: "The cycle of services matters and we'll carry on worshiping the way God intended, every day, no matter what." I was starving to be part of the Church that does that

[@michaelofstjoseph]

I came to the Church after being chronically ill for several years and becoming disillusioned with Protestantism towards the end of that stint of illness (I grew up non-denom). My Church is also growing, I have several personal friends who have converted. I think the key is to be welcoming, but uncompromising at the same time.

[@jennslifeandhome]

The way to explain it for us is that as a protestant, there was something missing. Our priest told us other people have said this to him as well.

[@Talktothehand.253]

I was born into the Greek Orthodox faith. In my opinion i believe that Orthodox Christianity is RICH in it’s divine liturgy, it’s rituals and prayers. The faithful do not rely on just one pastor but a network of priests, monks and nuns to provide us with our spiritual growth. In our faith many miracles have happened and continue to happen because of our strong held belief and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Our painted icons although protestants think it’s idolatry actually depict a story. These came about because in the past ppl could not read or write so a way was found to tell a story. When i walk into an Orthodox Church it feels like im in heaven surrounded by GOD and the angels, also the saints. I can focus on an icon of a saint i know about and bring scripture to life. The chanting and hymns are also beautiful. Although i don’t necessarily agree with some things i would not want to be anything other than an Orthodox Christian. To all who have come to the church WELCOME, and to those who might be thinking of becoming a catechumen also WELCOME. Go out and buy yourself the Greek Orthodox study bible and take it from there. Also read about the lives of our saints and get engrossed in the lives and miracles they have performed. GOD BLESS! 🙏🇦🇺

[@jennslifeandhome]

@Talktothehand.253 yes, and the fact that protestants don't normally read about the saints is unfortunate. I am just beginning to learn and see that the saints should be an inspiration to all!

[@acekoala457]

In some sense people are coming in because of what is going on in the world, because they want Christ in His Fullness and Grace.

[@thereccereport1172]

I was recieved into the Orthodox Church three years ago. I converted to Orthodoxy after finding out about it from various sources including Fr. John Mayendorff's books. My parish is growing at a steady pace and a bit faster than when I joined several years ago. We are getting closer to Orthodoxy no longer being a secret in the West.

[@crowlikemadness]

It took me 4 plus years to finally become Orthodox. Most take their time and the priests make sure that they are ready. The Orthodox faith isn't easy and takes time and patience to grow in it. I was fortunate to be in the Byzantine Catholic church for nearly 2 years which basically started me to look more into the Orthodox church. Also the fact that the RCC was against Tradition and was actively achieving its goals destroying it . After learning more about the history of the Schism (1054), once you open up Pandora's box there is no going back. I wasn't a cradle Catholic in fact I was in my 40's ish when I joined their church. I was so naïve and to be honest in the West there isn't many Orthodox churches so it isn't surprising that I wound up on the door step of the RCC. Thanks Be to God I am now at peace with being in the Orthodox church. Need more Orthodox churches, I know not enough priests but something has to make that happen. God bless

[@the.orthodox.photographer2272]

I can attest! My parish has 13 Catechumens currently, in Fall River, MA! When I first began attending 2 years ago, there were 5, and the parish was pretty small at the time, and over the past 2 years we've had 10 baby baptisms, 3 adult baptisms, and at least 10 Chrismations!

[@LifeSculptbyChristiMD]

I am a catechumen in Houston. Our parish, St Joseph’s, currently has 25 catechumens and twice that many inquirers. For me the reason I came to Orthodoxy, and truly see it as the treasure that it is, is threefold: 1. The ever shifting “truths” within most of Protestantism. Even the most conservative churches find it hard to resist the cultural tides. 2. Recognizing the real need to be equipped for spiritual warfare, in my own life and in the culture at large. Protestantism does not equip you for it well. 3. Needing an authentic Christian community. Protestant churches have become very programmatic and corporate. The pastor is often cordoned off behind a closed wall and difficult to get to know. The Gospel is meant to be delivered person to person, not by a program. Thanks for asking.

[@KnoxEmDown]

It's funny because we Orthodox have a literal wall between the priest and the laity in the iconostasis - but of course the priest opens the gate and comes out with the Eucharist, symbolizing the tearing of the veil in the Temple Mount iirc. Cradles from the old country often talk about how things feel ritualistic in big city parishes. They tend not to know the clergy well or receive much in the way of catechesis. American Orthodoxy is very unique from what I've seen and been told, in that there's an active emphasis on catechesis (because of all the converts), and most parishes are small enough that the clergy and laity actually know each other, even in the cities. There's also the whole Sunday school thing adopted from westerners, but that isn't the same as roundtable Q&A with your priest surrounded by Holy Scriptures and patristic literature.

[@westcoast9285]

Grew up Protestant, in the process of converting to Eastern Orthodoxy in Northern California. I did not church hop around a bunch, I went straight from Calvary Chapel into Orthodoxy because of the consistent principles and practices in Orthodox Christianity. I was driven into Athiesm for many years until I drove by my local parish and felt compelled to go one morning. Once I attended my first Divine Liturgy I have been unable to stop, It’ll be my first Vespers tomorrow. We are being called and we will answer Christs call and I will not turn astray.

[@naturesorder7106]

My family and I were baptized and Chrismated in Dec of 2024. We left a ditch reformed church and have never been fuller in Christ then here. The heterodox and heretical teachings of the protestant in America are showing in that they are all moving secular and clearly are sinking sand. The fullness in orthodoxy is apparent. We can now fully embrace the scriptures, history and God's sovereignty over His church, the ecumenical councils, and the authority of the church. All glory and praise be to our holy triune God!

[@COSMOS_AND_SUPER_ULTRA_MIND.]

☝️ Your releases need to be shown on all mainstream TV channels! But unfortunately they will not do this!

[@Shellshock1918]

Hey, that’s my church in the thumbnail and I’m in that picture!

[@ORTHOPRAXIA33]

I was visiting a parish in Chandler Arizona a few months ago that just baptized nearly 30 converts, all young adults, their parish has been booming since Covid… Father Timothy, the parish priest, gave a sermon on this phenomenon… He finds the same thing you mentioned: people are sick and tired of the ever changing teachings and practices in Catholicism & Protestantism; they want STABILITY, and they want an experience of the Early Church

[@Christusvinci]

What happens when Christ grants the Catholic a good Pope, what happens then ?😂 anyways, way to go Orthodox, I am Catholic in-between. 2:52

[@OrthodoxChristianTeaching]

Amen

[@Adam_Wilde]

As an inquirer and hopefully catechumen soon, I have personally contributed to several views on your Morning and Evening prayer videos and small compline video 😂 I think the fullness of the Church is in the Orthodox and I am discussing with my non-denominational church about my inquiry and walking slowly with repentance and a non-schismatic spirit. I have been in a Protestant church since I was a child. My father was a Baptist pastor and I have taken my faith very seriously. I am dead serious about this issue, regardless of what people may think. I have done extensive studies so far and will continue to do so, while recognizing that remaining in a state of intellectual appraisal will not lead me to true repentance and faithfulness. I want to be baptized with the one baptism for the remission of sins, to have my nature healed by Christ, to be chrismated and receive the Holy Spirit, and to partake of Christ in the Eucharist and follow Him in His Church with the Saints. I have been praying for you.

[@kristenp5835]

Say what you want about Jay Dyer but I never gave Orthodoxy a thought before him. Or if I did I thought it was just a special church for Greek people. Thanks Jay😊 ⛪️❤

[@kevinmac8629]

He should get a certificate of achievement. 🎓

[@joeskill4663]

Jay is cool in my books..very gifted guy..👍🏽❤️‍🩹

[@jacobschultz7201]

Baptized Pascha 2023, married a cradle girl raised in the parish last summer, glory to God in the highest ☦️ Our perish has grown a ton and our priest is involved with a lot of the missions in the area. He always gives their priests the advice, "Make it hard." Converts LIKE the high expectations of the Church. Things like fasting, head coverings for women and sharp dress for men, frequent confession, consistent prayer rules, strong perish observance of feast and fasting seasons, taking communion preparation seriously etc. Our faith should be really "weird" to the modern upside-down world. When it's not, inquirers will search for a different parish, or leave the Church entirely, scandalized by its apparent laziness. Let us honor the Church Fathers by following them as closely as we can bear in our modern weakness, and the light will shine out to all the world. Glory to God for all things!

[@phillipbingham487]

Hailing from Dexter Maine..tried every church in town..did not find the right one..a still small voice directed me to the Orthodox Church..it is a 45 minute drive from here in Brewer..both myself and my wife were baptized and Chrismated on Palm Sunday 2019

[@Alex-gx5mb]

Our Parish makes it more welcoming for converts although I feel it’s at the detriment of people more mature in the faith. I would rather be in a small parish than one over extended.

[@KnoxEmDown]

Hard to honestly call Orthodox Christianity a fad when it's thousands of years old while Evangelicalism is younger than the United States.

[@Sonwalkers247]

Obviously this is going to be more biased. I think it’s great for a more ancient expression of Christianity but the proof of genuine conversion within newcomers is severely lacking. I’ve heard more than a fair share of people talking about the extreme narcissistic tendencies among joiners. From other perspectives it seems they are joining a mode of operations but are completely disconnected from the head of the church which is Christ Jesus. Many on KZbin are NOT easily intreated and fail to manifest any of the fruit of the Spirit. Some even say they are ‘joining’ to stick it to a minister who corrected them on partying during the weekend and becoming intoxicated. So a hateful attitude that is more built on revenge follows them into the church. It is very concerning.

[@Sonwalkers247]

Also this ‘narcissism’ has actually caused those from the outside to wonder if they are actually participating in what the apostles call a ‘falling away’. The proof is in the pudding and people need to resemble Christ in all things or at least manifest something that resembles the inworkings of the Holy Spirit rather than ‘I made it in to the Greek social club’ mentality.

[@kevinmac8629]

Why are those catechumens all lined up in the pic? Seems strange.

[@stevegrady5134]

Hello. I'm in the Columbus area. St. Barnabus in Sunbury, Ohio is planning a new building as the church has outgrown it's current location. I was raised Catholic but left it for a number of reasons. I went to a couple of different Protestant churches but nothing that I really connected with. I feel much more at home with Orthodoxy.