Yes, it is an Evangelical thing. I'm Catholic. I have had Evangelicals trying to convert me or inviting me to their church. This happens less in this area. However, when I resided in the south it was almost an every day occurrence. The very first question people would asked was, "What church do you attend?" Or if they realized that I just relocated to the area it was, "Are you looking for a church?"

I recently had an interesting encounter with an Evangelical at a social that I attended. She was so nice to me at first and I thought we got along great. However, when she asked me, "Since you relocated back to the area, are you looking for a church?" She went on and on about how great her church was and that her pastor teaches the word. I kindly told her that I was not looking for a church because I decided to attend my childhood parish. When I said parish she asked me, "What is a parish?" I told her that I was Catholic and the name of my parish. Well, she scoffed at me with a "You're Catholic?!", turned away, and ignored me the rest of the evening. However, this has been the story of my life in regards to dealing with Evangelicals. Once they discover that I am Catholic you can see the hate in their eyes and their entire demeanor towards me change.

After so many negative encounters with Evangelicals in various parts of the country that I have resided in I decided to stay as far away from them as possible. I have a heart of gold and I love people regardless of their religious background. However, Evangelicals are the most obnoxious and hateful religious people that I have ever encounter. They try to coerce and manipulate others into coming to their church. They can be quite overbearing with their conversion tactics. They operate like cults or predators looking for their next kill. It's offensive and rude the way they approach people. I always feel violated after I encounter one because it feels like I was just harassed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, is it McLean Bible Church? I've had people from that church hound me repeatedly to go to a service - I'm Jewish - and they can get very, very insistent. A polite "no thank you" doesn't seem to work.

I remember going to one of these functions in high school at McLean Bible Church. I'm also Jewish but my friend kept pushing it as just a party or whatever. It was uncomfortable for me and some other friends and I ended up standing outside for most of it.

I wonder if MBC members are pressured to convert Jews - like a point system or something. I say this because I had an MBC friend who would not give up on telling me how G-d disapproved of my religion and the only way to be "saved" was to believe in Jesus. I finally came right ask and asked if she befriended me (she definitely made the initial overtures) was because I am Jewish and she wanted to "save my soul" (in so many words). She hesitated for a few seconds and then said, YES.

The end. Finito. I ended the "friendship" then and there.

Anonymous wrote:OP, is it McLean Bible Church? I've had people from that church hound me repeatedly to go to a service - I'm Jewish - and they can get very, very insistent. A polite "no thank you" doesn't seem to work.

I remember going to one of these functions in high school at McLean Bible Church. I'm also Jewish but my friend kept pushing it as just a party or whatever. It was uncomfortable for me and some other friends and I ended up standing outside for most of it.

The definition of "evangelize":

convert or seek to convert (someone) to Christianity.
synonyms: convert, proselytize, redeem, save, preach to, recruit; preach the Christian gospel.

"the Church's mission to evangelize and declare the faith"

Yes, they are specifically encouraged to invite others to their church. Some are pretty pushy and obnoxious.

Some are pushier than others, particularly when it comes to their youth or teen ministries. It really depends on the person in charge.

I remember going to one in high school briefly where they asked us to have the courage to drop any friends who were non-believers.

So disgusting.

It is.

I was one of those kids when I was a kid/young teen. I cringe now when I think about it, but it seemed so innocent that the time...I didn’t want my friend Larla to burn in Hell!

Anonymous wrote:OP, is it McLean Bible Church? I've had people from that church hound me repeatedly to go to a service - I'm Jewish - and they can get very, very insistent. A polite "no thank you" doesn't seem to work.

Yes, one goes to McLean Bible and there’s a few others. I think an Assembly of God Church?

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]yes, it's common for Evangelicals to invite others to church. A big part of their mission is to help spread the gospel. I grew up with Evangelical parents.[/quote]

+1. AND many believe you are not born again if you are Catholic.[/quote]

That's OK - some of us were born right the first time

[quote=Anonymous]yes, it's common for Evangelicals to invite others to church. A big part of their mission is to help spread the gospel. I grew up with Evangelical parents.[/quote]

+1. AND many believe you are not born again if you are Catholic.

OP, is it McLean Bible Church? I've had people from that church hound me repeatedly to go to a service - I'm Jewish - and they can get very, very insistent. A polite "no thank you" doesn't seem to work.

I'm sure they mean well, but... barf.

yes, it's common for Evangelicals to invite others to church. A big part of their mission is to help spread the gospel. I grew up with Evangelical parents.

My DD (4th grade) has a few friends who go to evangelical megachurches and they are constantly asking her to go to church or religion class with them. She even got an invitation card at school to go to some big event at one friend's church (I thought it was a birthday party invitation at first and thought huh...interesting she's holding her birthday party at church!) It's just interesting to me because we are Catholic and it would just never occur to me to have DD invite friends to mass or CCD, and thinking of our Lutheran/Presbyterian/Methodist/etc. friends that's not a thing either.

Any Evangelical christians care to chime in?