Why I left the Catholic Church. A personal conversion story.
This is my personal story on why I converted to Protestantism.
I was baptised in a Catholic Church when I was 4 months old. People call us "Cradle Catholic". My mother is a Catholic, my dad is a Buddhist until today. I never ever deter to any other gods. I always knew that Jesus is God. I went to Catholic Church on and off. When I came to Singapore, I also went to Catholic Church. I was just a Sunday Church goer. I did not get involve in any of their activities. It is not that I do not want to. I want to join, I actually desire to join Church activities. I actually love to be involved in Church. But somehow, it just didn't happen.
As long as I can remember, there was no one from the Church who reached out to me, asking me to join their activities or their cell group. There is no connection, no personal touch. All of us go to church to merely fulfil our religious obligation.
When I went to Polytechnic, I joined Navigators for my CCA. Which was recommended by my mother. She joined Navigators for a short period of time back in Jakarta, and she loved it. My brother and I actually saw her transformation when she joined the Nav. She became more loving, more patient, and less violent aka. less caning. It is a pity that she doesn't anymore. Anyway, when I joined the Navigators, I immediately said the Sinner's prayer. It is a no surprise, since I have been wanting to be close to God.
In Navigators, I learned more about Christianity, about Jesus and learned how to open up the Bible. From there, I started to attend Bethany Indonesian Church. It is a Charismatic Church, a lot of clappings, jumpings, speaking in tongues during worship. That was where I experienced the Spiritual side of Christianity. In Bethany, I experienced the Holy Spirit, I encountered God in a personal way. But it was short-lived as my parents knew about it and warned me sternly not to leave the Catholic Church. So I quit, and went back to be the normal sunday church goer once again.
Then I attended Free Covenant Evangelical Church in Bukit Panjang, led by Pastor Edmund Chan. I was invited by some friends of mine in Polytechnic. CEFC was new when we went there. and ohhh wow... Edmund Chan was a great man, yet humble. Then I began to attend their newly formed cell group. It was amazing! The first day we gathered, all of us were strangers, but yet the atmosphere was so friendly, as if we have known each other for very long. All of us were amazed by how comfortable we are with one another. I feel settled in right away. Leaving CEFC was one of my biggest regret. Yes, I left the Church very shortly after, because my parents found out about it again.
After that, I learned my lessons. I did not want to look for trouble with my mom especially. But still, I attended St. John's Chapel, but not regular. I remembered that I attended the Alpha course, but somehow I cannot remember a single detail of it. I was in Polytechnic still, at that time. Anyway, I continued attending Catholic Church once in a while.
Then I got married really young. My husband is a Christian but not baptised. Both of us, sometimes attended the Catholic Church. We avoided Christian Church because we feel that they are too judgemental and fake and insincere. And we couldn't deal with "May the first-timer stand up?" thing. We basically stopped going to Church after we finished poly.
My Spiritual life has been stagnant for many many years. I attended the Catholic Church as it gives me peace. But there was no one who pull me into their cell group. And I am not someone who will actively call up the Church. But I do not forget about Christ during the stagnant years. I just did not read the Bible as much, did not pray as much and definitely, I did not meet with other brothers and sisters in Christ.
Then in 2016, my husband's acquaintance whom he known for 7 years at least, invited us to go to Brighton Community Church. Well, actually she had been inviting my husband since they known each other. But only in 2016, my husband told me about it and asked me whether I want to go to Brighton Church. So we went reluctantly. It was okay. We didn't go every week after that. We attended some of their outreach events, so we get to know some of the Church members a little better. Then slowly we attend the Sunday Service more regular, but still not weekly. We joined them for lunch after service and I realised that they are a bunch of nice people. They showed interest in your life, they do not make you feel guilty when we don't go to Church. They didn't question about our spiritual life when we interact. They made us feel at ease. They are very different from other Christians that I encountered.
In 2017, my husband's acquaintance whom now our cell group leader, invited us to join their cell group. We were very reluctant at first. But we decided that maybe we will attend once a month instead of weekly. We actually skipped our second cell group session to watch a movie. They were cool about it, they didn't judge us or anything. But when I attended the third session (that means the second time we went there), something is changing, something inside me has transformed. I do not know why, but I do not want to skip a single CG anymore! Just like that.. in a snap of a finger I was transformed. I got excited to attend the cell group. Every monday, I started to count the days to our cell group meeting, which is on Friday.
Then in end of Sept 2017, I was "zapped" by God. I wrote about this in my previous blog post. So I am not going to write it again. So after that, I immediately knew that I want to stay in Brighton, I want to serve in the Church. Then the reality kicks in. How do I tell my mother??? I have to go through the arguments again? It took me a while to decide to leave Catholic Church altogether. After much struggle in my hearts, I decided to leave the Catholic Church. I stopped attending the Church and decided to stay in Brighton.
Then the next challenge popped up. If I want to serve in Brighton, I have to be their Church member, which means I have to get baptised! Get baptised in Protestant Church? Do I want to be killed? Getting baptised in Protestant Church is as big a deal as me renouncing my citizenship and converting to become Singaporean (which my mom cried at that). Ohhh the struggle... I rewind the scenario where I tell my mother about this, again and again in my head.
Then finally I decided that I will get baptised. Oh man... my mother took every chance she gets to criticise my decision. She would send me videos about how the Catholic Church is more superior.
Now.. I would like to explain something crucial and of great importance. I DID NOT LEAVE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECAUSE I FEEL THAT CATHOLICS IS A WRONG RELIGION AND PROTESTANT IS THE TRUE RELIGION. I moved to Brighton simply because God led me there and He obviously called me there. There were many things that happened that assured me, Brighton is the Church that I should stay in.
I have been learning about Catholicism even more diligently than I was a Catholic. I actually attended their Bible sharing group that was formed for the Lent period. I actually loved it and I wanted to continue, but the group has been disbanded. I learned that the Catholics and Protestants are like the Chinese and the Malays in Singapore, or like the Westerners and the Indians in Singapore. Basically all different races but the same Singaporean. They are 1 citizen, but different races. The Roman Catholics belief that Jesus is Lord, they baptised in the name of Christ and Christ only. It is the same as Protestant. We have different rituals. The Catholics have a lot more rituals and traditions because the Catholics are directly connect to Jesus time. It was from then, the tradition continued. The Protestant do not do all the rituals simply because there is no one who pass the tradition. But it does not mean that they are a less Christian, less blessed, less saved. Similarly, doing all the rituals does not make you more Christian, more saved, more favoured. Jesus came for all. He declared that God looks at our hearts, not at our outward appearance.
I do not see myself "converted" to Protestantism. I see myself as simply move from 1 church to another church.
I hope the Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Lutherans, and other denominations, would stop thinking that their denomination is the superior one. When you start thinking that, your humility decreases and pride rises up. And we all know God hates the boastful and the prideful. We have a real spiritual war to fight. My only hope is that all denominations one day realised that there is no 1 true denominations. We all believe in the same God, same Son and same Holy Spirit. Let us continue with our traditions but do not look down on other people's tradition.
God bless you all!
I was baptised in a Catholic Church when I was 4 months old. People call us "Cradle Catholic". My mother is a Catholic, my dad is a Buddhist until today. I never ever deter to any other gods. I always knew that Jesus is God. I went to Catholic Church on and off. When I came to Singapore, I also went to Catholic Church. I was just a Sunday Church goer. I did not get involve in any of their activities. It is not that I do not want to. I want to join, I actually desire to join Church activities. I actually love to be involved in Church. But somehow, it just didn't happen.
As long as I can remember, there was no one from the Church who reached out to me, asking me to join their activities or their cell group. There is no connection, no personal touch. All of us go to church to merely fulfil our religious obligation.
When I went to Polytechnic, I joined Navigators for my CCA. Which was recommended by my mother. She joined Navigators for a short period of time back in Jakarta, and she loved it. My brother and I actually saw her transformation when she joined the Nav. She became more loving, more patient, and less violent aka. less caning. It is a pity that she doesn't anymore. Anyway, when I joined the Navigators, I immediately said the Sinner's prayer. It is a no surprise, since I have been wanting to be close to God.
In Navigators, I learned more about Christianity, about Jesus and learned how to open up the Bible. From there, I started to attend Bethany Indonesian Church. It is a Charismatic Church, a lot of clappings, jumpings, speaking in tongues during worship. That was where I experienced the Spiritual side of Christianity. In Bethany, I experienced the Holy Spirit, I encountered God in a personal way. But it was short-lived as my parents knew about it and warned me sternly not to leave the Catholic Church. So I quit, and went back to be the normal sunday church goer once again.
Then I attended Free Covenant Evangelical Church in Bukit Panjang, led by Pastor Edmund Chan. I was invited by some friends of mine in Polytechnic. CEFC was new when we went there. and ohhh wow... Edmund Chan was a great man, yet humble. Then I began to attend their newly formed cell group. It was amazing! The first day we gathered, all of us were strangers, but yet the atmosphere was so friendly, as if we have known each other for very long. All of us were amazed by how comfortable we are with one another. I feel settled in right away. Leaving CEFC was one of my biggest regret. Yes, I left the Church very shortly after, because my parents found out about it again.
After that, I learned my lessons. I did not want to look for trouble with my mom especially. But still, I attended St. John's Chapel, but not regular. I remembered that I attended the Alpha course, but somehow I cannot remember a single detail of it. I was in Polytechnic still, at that time. Anyway, I continued attending Catholic Church once in a while.
Then I got married really young. My husband is a Christian but not baptised. Both of us, sometimes attended the Catholic Church. We avoided Christian Church because we feel that they are too judgemental and fake and insincere. And we couldn't deal with "May the first-timer stand up?" thing. We basically stopped going to Church after we finished poly.
My Spiritual life has been stagnant for many many years. I attended the Catholic Church as it gives me peace. But there was no one who pull me into their cell group. And I am not someone who will actively call up the Church. But I do not forget about Christ during the stagnant years. I just did not read the Bible as much, did not pray as much and definitely, I did not meet with other brothers and sisters in Christ.
Then in 2016, my husband's acquaintance whom he known for 7 years at least, invited us to go to Brighton Community Church. Well, actually she had been inviting my husband since they known each other. But only in 2016, my husband told me about it and asked me whether I want to go to Brighton Church. So we went reluctantly. It was okay. We didn't go every week after that. We attended some of their outreach events, so we get to know some of the Church members a little better. Then slowly we attend the Sunday Service more regular, but still not weekly. We joined them for lunch after service and I realised that they are a bunch of nice people. They showed interest in your life, they do not make you feel guilty when we don't go to Church. They didn't question about our spiritual life when we interact. They made us feel at ease. They are very different from other Christians that I encountered.
In 2017, my husband's acquaintance whom now our cell group leader, invited us to join their cell group. We were very reluctant at first. But we decided that maybe we will attend once a month instead of weekly. We actually skipped our second cell group session to watch a movie. They were cool about it, they didn't judge us or anything. But when I attended the third session (that means the second time we went there), something is changing, something inside me has transformed. I do not know why, but I do not want to skip a single CG anymore! Just like that.. in a snap of a finger I was transformed. I got excited to attend the cell group. Every monday, I started to count the days to our cell group meeting, which is on Friday.
Then in end of Sept 2017, I was "zapped" by God. I wrote about this in my previous blog post. So I am not going to write it again. So after that, I immediately knew that I want to stay in Brighton, I want to serve in the Church. Then the reality kicks in. How do I tell my mother??? I have to go through the arguments again? It took me a while to decide to leave Catholic Church altogether. After much struggle in my hearts, I decided to leave the Catholic Church. I stopped attending the Church and decided to stay in Brighton.
Then the next challenge popped up. If I want to serve in Brighton, I have to be their Church member, which means I have to get baptised! Get baptised in Protestant Church? Do I want to be killed? Getting baptised in Protestant Church is as big a deal as me renouncing my citizenship and converting to become Singaporean (which my mom cried at that). Ohhh the struggle... I rewind the scenario where I tell my mother about this, again and again in my head.
Then finally I decided that I will get baptised. Oh man... my mother took every chance she gets to criticise my decision. She would send me videos about how the Catholic Church is more superior.
Now.. I would like to explain something crucial and of great importance. I DID NOT LEAVE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECAUSE I FEEL THAT CATHOLICS IS A WRONG RELIGION AND PROTESTANT IS THE TRUE RELIGION. I moved to Brighton simply because God led me there and He obviously called me there. There were many things that happened that assured me, Brighton is the Church that I should stay in.
I have been learning about Catholicism even more diligently than I was a Catholic. I actually attended their Bible sharing group that was formed for the Lent period. I actually loved it and I wanted to continue, but the group has been disbanded. I learned that the Catholics and Protestants are like the Chinese and the Malays in Singapore, or like the Westerners and the Indians in Singapore. Basically all different races but the same Singaporean. They are 1 citizen, but different races. The Roman Catholics belief that Jesus is Lord, they baptised in the name of Christ and Christ only. It is the same as Protestant. We have different rituals. The Catholics have a lot more rituals and traditions because the Catholics are directly connect to Jesus time. It was from then, the tradition continued. The Protestant do not do all the rituals simply because there is no one who pass the tradition. But it does not mean that they are a less Christian, less blessed, less saved. Similarly, doing all the rituals does not make you more Christian, more saved, more favoured. Jesus came for all. He declared that God looks at our hearts, not at our outward appearance.
I do not see myself "converted" to Protestantism. I see myself as simply move from 1 church to another church.
I hope the Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Lutherans, and other denominations, would stop thinking that their denomination is the superior one. When you start thinking that, your humility decreases and pride rises up. And we all know God hates the boastful and the prideful. We have a real spiritual war to fight. My only hope is that all denominations one day realised that there is no 1 true denominations. We all believe in the same God, same Son and same Holy Spirit. Let us continue with our traditions but do not look down on other people's tradition.
God bless you all!
Comments
Post a Comment