Well said Father. We’re doing our best

Isn’t it a reader’s service? I’m in Sicily, Italy. I’ve reverted to reader’s service and televised/streamed/zoom church, even the ultra traditionals shut churches and downsized their communing of the sick, infirm, housebound, diaspora, and community gatherings. We were all obediently priestless, Russian Old Believers ~another grey example, phalanxes up and did reader’s services as Community. He has a covenant with his community, like husbands to their families, it’s honorable to captain the ship together. Abraham brought his entire household in. I’m sure Pastor Klaudt from my first few seconds in to the video clearly discerns ego and humility and order. Praying for him and his family and community. Bear n mind my time zone and eastern hemisphere is easier to keep simple as priestless readers service because I’ve had some lapses of oops, wrong day. In fact I use my old believer books. And friends send me antidoron (much like the priestless old believers kept until death bed administration by the elder). We orthodox have a little grist in the mill, glorious blessings and crosses have been given to us over the years - the evangelical orthodox Christians from the Campus Crusade for Christ and the Christ the Saviour Brotherhood from the Holy Order of Mans. We went tooth and nail on them and others. Maybe we’re part of their and our cross and struggle to assimilate in new siblings, but, sometimes it can draw flame wars if not blood I just looked up Fr Andrew Jarmus and FOSTR. Chancellor of the Bulgarian diocese. I need to contact the Bulgarian diocese for fostr ministry. I don’t know if he can hook me up here, but I’ll be posting this to my American diaspora friends and emailing the program for prayers, counsel, and suggestions. www.bdoca.org/fostr.html

I do wonder how much Orthodoxy is increasing in places like the US. I was reading up on these sorts of statistics and found that Eastern Orthodoxy in the US between 2010 and 2020 lost around 15% of its members.

@@MrBattlestar10That’s because cradles are leaving in droves and converts don’t have a super high retention rate from what I understand. The Orthosphere has definitely created a lot of buzz online and has sparked major interest, there’s no doubt. How that translates to real life though, I’m not entirely sure. I’m on my way out of the Orthodox Church sadly after only 5 years. I’ve loved my experience for the most part but after discovering some theological and historical blunders I’m starting to become convinced that none of the major traditions have a pure and full hold on the Truth of Jesus.

The fact that people leave for various reasons isn't that surprising if you know your history and have been a part of any church for any lengthy period of time. It happens all throughout history. The local churches have had their blunders, big ones too, but theres repentance and reconciliation that happens all the time. The Holy Spirit appears to have led me to Orthodoxy. Lord willing I shan't depart.

I have a God Son who seems to be going through the same thing... His wife wants nothing to do with his new Church or the people in it as she blames him for placing obstacles between them. Pray for Athanasios and his wife to overcome. Congratulations on your Chrismation. AXIOS!!!! (ask your spiritual father what that means)

Congrats brother.

May God be with you Sir. Welcome home & Thank you for your service.

The Church is the Pearl of Great Price. We have to be willing to give up everything to get it. Christ divides. I’m sorry that happened. Many years to you and Glory to Jesus Christ!

Sorry she cannot accept your change. May God help you both and your family xxx

Pastor Scott should go visit father Deacon Dr ananias in Montana

What happened ? I’m asking out of a sheer interest.

I had grown increasingly disillusioned with Protestantism and Reformed theology in particular. When I left my pastorate I began reading the Church Fathers and early church history and finally went to an Orthodox Church service. At my first service I knew I was home.

@@tsriccido you still pastor there?

I’m former Pentecostal and now Orthodox. Zero regrets.

Similarly, I converted from Protestantism to Orthodox at age 54. Orthodoxy for oldsters!

Amin. Was Lutheran until I was 57.

I used to be a Baptist

I was Catholic

I think all of us converts wish we had discovered the Church long before we did.

Amen

I'm a convert as well

converted seven years ago

Christ revealed Himself to us at exactly the right time, brother. But I know what you mean. A lot of wasted time spinning your wheels. And I can't imagine being a pastor, and having that epiphany, when everything shifts, and you realize that potentially what you taught was wrong, or skewed. I'm certainly not trying to assume you mistaught (I don't know you) but I could see how that could be a possibility.

Praying for you! I too was a Calvinist, I converted a few years ago

God bless you Scott, hang in there!

Your journey seems a lot like Fr Peter Gillquist's. Awesome to see you've read his book.

Wow, you are so "close" Scott! Only an 8 or 9 hour drive due south! For those Eastern folks, driving an hour or two somewhere is quite normal for us Western prairie folk.

God bless you Scott. Your copping a lot of flak here, but I believe you should stay focused on the relationship and guidance with your spiritual father. That’s the Orthodox way.

Absolutely. The further these other "churches" depart from the faith and become more and more worldly?? More people are starting to look for answers and they're finding it in Orthodoxy. I'm working thru it as we speak

“Recovering Protestant”😂😂😂 I can relate brother period up until a year and a half ago. I was in the Evangelical/southern Baptist DIY church I’m still learning I have not been cremated but three weeks ago a protest asked me stop coming to church. My comment to them was “I’m done with Protestantism. I’m never going back.” Yes it’s hard switching over from protest, and the way of thinking in the west to orthodoxy from the east and I keep finding myself slipping back into my thinking as a protestant

​@@t-bonet-bone713oh, dear t-bonet, I HOPE you haven't been CREMATED!!! I KNOW you mean CHRISMATED, but that word startled me for a moment!. Blessed PASCHA to you. And blessed reception into the Church when your time comes.. ☦💝📿💝☦

I've had hard time leaving RC. All our Catholic friends left us, even many family members distanced themselves.

Any sect you leave has the potential to alienate and ridicule you when you leave.

@@pero33403 I recommend the site Catholic Answers. Pax

​@@IAMFISH92obviously. But Not the point.

@@Brody-Aleksander I mean, it’s kind of the point though, right? OP was relating anecdotal evidence about his experience leaving RCC vs. Protestantism. I’m just stating that what he says has been many’s experience but from the opposite side, myself included.

GLORTY TO GOD! Welcome home brother. find that fattest lamb so we can feast!!! May God bless and protect you on your journey to Orthodoxy.

@@spartanastas5560 thank you brother! I will do😊

I loved hearing your story brother, glory to God in the highest ☦️ thank you for sharing your testimony with us

@@Donk3y-K0ng Good to hear from you brother! I hope you're doing well.

Thanks homie

Hey man! It’s awesome running into you on another video. Your testimony heavily influenced my journey into orthodoxy, and I am now a catechumen! Thank you so much man☦️

@@biggiesmall4817 Glory to God! That's the best kind of news my brother, thanks for sharing that with me. The Lord is doing big and exciting things in the Church in America right now. Glad to know you're part of it!

Thanks!

@@ScottKlaudt not sure if you've got any remaining stumbling blocks left but if you're looking to cement the protestant door shut behind you, I've got a number of videos on my channel you may find useful and edifying; if not for yourself, then for those in your circle whose eyes you're seeking to open. Also as a fellow truth seeker at heart who was on a decade long journey toward Holy Orthodoxy, you may find some comfort in my testimony :) May our risen Lord continue to bless and guide you, brother! kzfaq.info/sun/PLqhjJ813ZM-96vE8xB7z5A7ClRaKpMtrP&si=ieZIQO2CcTxUkJZH

@@ScottKlaudt not sure if you've got any remaining stumbling blocks left but if you're looking to cement the protestant door shut behind you, I've got a number of videos on my channel you may find useful and edifying; if not for yourself, then for those in your circle whose eyes you're seeking to open. Also as a fellow truth seeker at heart who was on a decade long journey toward Holy Orthodoxy, you may find some comfort in my testimony :) kzfaq.info/sun/PLqhjJ813ZM-96vE8xB7z5A7ClRaKpMtrP&si=ieZIQO2CcTxUkJZH May our risen Lord continue to bless and guide you, brother!

@bottomoftherabbithole hate to say it but after looking into it, this situation is scandalous to the Orthodox faithful. This pastor has now gone on a Roman Catholic podcast stating that he got a Roman Catholic priest in trouble for communing him and then boasted that one other hand he has been given permission to do a Eucharistic liturgy by an Eastern Orthodox priest and bishop. His takeaway from this was that the Orthodox are more open to this stuff I.e. full blown ecumenism than Roman Catholics are. God forbid! On this same show, he then went on to argue against the practice of closed communion citing Jesus eating with sinners. How can a pastor who has been mentored for over a year by an Orthodox priest not understand closed communion or think he somehow can offer the Eucharist to his congregation without apostolic authority? This ecumenism spiritually harms everyone involved.

@@contraheresy those are absolute lies.

❤

Glory to God! Welcome home Brother.

It’s sad how many Protestants will grip to Sola Scriptura but don’t even practice loving their neighbor when you don’t adhere to their false and emotional based presuppositions. Lord have mercy ☦️

Stay Strong... the next 3 years are going to be a bumpy ride in America... enough to make people lose their faith. Stay strong, and keep praying.

@@spartanastas5560 Why do you say that?

@@FaithfulComforter I know some Saints who have had revelations about what is going on... since Covid began when He reposed. All of his prophesies are falling into place. WWIII will begin when Israel attacks Iran directly... America is going to go through some very tough times. So pray and prepare for 6 months of famine in the US. Another saint also mentioned that planes may be grounded in May... we'll see.

​@FaithfulComforter the Faith is increasingly going to be tested, especially from within !

It's a entirely seperate religion, and theirs is a false once used by Enemy... I know people say _"the biggest lie or trick the devil ever pulled was that he doesn't exist"_ *but I'm thinking that might be 2nd to the lie / trick of Protestantism*

One, not once*

Moscow Korean? Are you in South Korea? If so, Isn't that against the canons to have a Moscow Korean Orthodox Church?

@spartanastas5560 what? No Korean diocese under the MP. Japanese Orthodox church is also autonomous under Moscow.

​@@spartanastas5560dude, no. Learn basic Church history. Have you never noticed America has non OCA churches...

Montana? I used to work with the Chick-fil-A there! Small world!

St. Hermans? I worship there, a wonderful parish for converts!

@ksong777 that's it! We were welcomed with open arms. The head priest is Greek, I believe. We go to a Greek parish in Denver and we made a few friends there too.

Roots of Orthodoxy is pretty top tier as well.

Can you send me a link to Fostr, please?

@@Kaytee-miow here is the link. God bless you in your journey towards the one True Church! ☦️

@@kasiosseijuro8494 I've been home longer than you've been born ... In Christ 1988, looking for the Faith 1989 - 95, Home to Orthodoxy 1996. Glory to God: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Thanks for the link.

@@kasiosseijuro8494 where link??

@@Kaytee-miow Praise God! My mistake sister.

This is all that needs to be said, perfect. I'm mind blown by the people telling him what he should and shouldn't do as if they were his Spiritual Father not some faceless YT rando... Tho I suspect it's mostly EO LARPers not actual Church Members

​@@Brody-Aleksander I'm a baptized Orthodox convert and an altar server; I.e. definitely not a LARPer. However, I do agree with a few of the critical comments. Not that Scott shouldn't listen to the priest whose direction he is under, but rather that this interview might mislead and scandalize some people. Especially the parts about not believing the infallability of the Scriptures, being given permission by an Orthodox bishop to baptize people, and even being given a "Liturgy" to celebrate. Perhaps he misspoke or simply needs catechisis. God bless his journey, regardless.

@@CosmicMystery7 I was clearly mistaken thank you for taking this time to write the comment and share these thoughts both for me and for others to read thanks for your patience

Not Scott, hopefully Fr Chrysostom.

Introduce a word/concept fallacy and claim the Church is invisible and made up of the believers / elect _(nowhere to be found in the Bible, there goes sola scriptura)_ Protestantism sucks

❤

God’s mercy endures forever! There is a great series of interviews done by a priest Scott mentions by the name of Father Josiah Trenham. These are called “Rock and Sand” titled after his book by the same name. Those two interviews alongside an interview Fr Josiah had with a channel called “Gospel Simplicity” will be fruitful for any Protestant inquiring into Orthodoxy. His book is amazing as well. God bless you as you move towards Truth! ☦️

The Orthodox church needs to make it a bigger effort to reach out to disaffected Portestants and catechism properly. Praying.

First of all, I'm not a Priest. I was born into Orthodoxy 50 years ago. One thing I've learned is that you only convert by living the example. People like to feel as if they came up with the solution. So show them the results and they will see the answer to their problems. Glory to God.

💎🔑

​@@spartanastas5560well said

Well, I just listened to Luther’s question near the end, where this point is addressed. NVM. God bless all Inquirers ☦️☦️☦️

"Coming Home" as well since it's about protestant pastors becoming Orthodox.

He says near the beginning that he did

He's under the care of an Orthodox Bishop and Priest. He just needs to listen to what they advice him to do, which is what he is doing.

I agree! Fr Gilguist is exactly the right person for this.

Well I think they want to prepare 600 people to come along with him and leadership on this journey.

I find it really off actually the more I think about it. He said there’s an Orthodox Church in his town but he doesn’t seem to have any connection with it. Has he even been to Divine Liturgy?

@@sugarloaf10 Yes. He has been in touch with all local parishes and is working with Bishop and Clergy to slowly bring them in.

@@sugarloaf10 he said he’s on the path and under guidance of a priest. He said if it wasn’t for his situation he’d be Orthodox already. It’s important to give him grace. Priests are already directing him.

@@sugarloaf10He also said they did baptisms and some were confused about the three submersions…what church are you baptizing them into? Why are people not going to the nearby Orthodox Church he mentioned? It has to be a challenging position to be in as a pastor of a very large church.

Thank you for the encouragement

❤🎉👌💎🔑👏💯🏆

You have only gone from one fake church and Godless deception right into another fake church and Godless deception. Repent, get away from the apostate church and learn what the truth, the gospel, and the Christianity of the Bible actually is.

@@AVoiceCryingintheDesert-tq4vw thanks for your opinion. May the Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us sinners

@@user-wz5gc2td9s ,...I did not give you any opinion, I gave you the truth for your edification. You are completely steeped in deception. Repent!

@@AVoiceCryingintheDesert-tq4vw Truth is objective. Truth is not a thing. Truth is a person. Jesus Christ. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Who He is matters and what you believe about Him is important because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) The sacred scriptures bear witness that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one body, (Ephesians 4:5), One Gospel, which St. Paul specifies is not a Gospel he was taught by men, but was revealed to him by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and there is NO other. If anyone preach another gospel, whether it be St. Paul himself or an angel from heaven, the Holy Scriptures say let him be accursed by God or anathema in Greek. (Galatians 1:6-12). Finally, according to the testimony of St. Jude, this one faith has been delivered unto the saints ONCE AND FOR ALL. (Jude 1:3) Only one faith abides by these standards laid out according to the testimony of the Apostles. Holy Orthodoxy. Given that Protestantism did not emerge until the 1500s and Roman Catholicism has been inconsistent and changing or inventing dogma since the time of the Great Schism, the conclusion is not difficult to draw. You bear no connection to the Church which truly is the Body of Christ and the pillar and ground of Truth. According to the writings of St. Paul, 1 Timothy 3:15 “but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” You are in the very apostasy you speak of and deceived by the spirit of the age. May God bless you and lead out of spiritual relativism and into Truth. ☦️

So lovely

Why wait though? God wills for us to come to his church, we have to allign our will with his and take the steps to do so

I rarely hear this one mentioned, but I thought it was fantastic. I think I read it 3 times when I was an inquirer.

New to me. thanks

Careful with Origen. He has been anathematised by the Holy Orthodox Church.

That’s super nice

Dude is modeling a path thru the bush. So great to see

Lots of us Orthodox were protestant and what he described jibes with our upbringing in prot churches so... yeah

This list is epic! I hope he sees it and reads, at least, 20% of these books.

Thanks brother!

Thank you!

That's amazing news! So happy to hear that. Have you had the chance to visit a local parish? 😊☦️

Glory to God! I believe you would enjoy the book “The Orthodox Way” by Timothy Ware. I once was a Pentecostal myself and certainly will pray for you, Sylvia. God bless you as you move towards Truth! ☦️

Do not have a Parish near me and am disabled….but praying and trusting God for direction🙏❤️🙏

Definitely have the book “The Orthodox Way” by Ware on my list!!!❤️🌹 Thank you for your prayers🙏❤️

I was going to ask the same thing. I watched one of his livestreams and the Eucharist segment really confused and didn't sit right with me.

My thoughts exactly.

Yes it’s confusing to say the least… his church seems like a sanctioned catechism class ? Does he not want to give up the show completely?

Should should should, I'd be careful shoulding all over at Priests like that. *could* might be more appropriate. If you have specific concerns related to your life maybe write to the Priests yourself, if not what are we doing here? Seeking trivia knowledge to be informed by?

Yeah it make sense, I just wonder if I'm not just emotionally unstable. It feels deeply prelesty when I frame it any other way for my own experiences

@@Brody-Aleksander- Right there with you brother. I don’t really think it’s emotional instability. The Holy Spirit is a powerful force. Especially for us fallen humans. And examples all through the Bible of people falling on their faces before God. As this is only appropriate. I truly believe at this point that anyone who has genuinely been touched by the Holy Spirit is constantly in a state like this. Like he said. Joyful tears. Sorrowful joy. It’s disarming. A little troubling. But it’s pure and true.

@@KRRR820 but why do I cry my face off at Liturgy then go back to my sinful ways after