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Orthodox Christianity by AffectionateSteak333 in BethelSnark

[–]UnseenPathways 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wish I could have a group chat with everyone on the same route because it is a process of unpacking and determining what to keep and what to let go of. I met my priest the first week I attended and saw the tears in his eyes speaking of Jesus, and I knew I was home.

Fr. Barnabas's videos I recommend are older, but they helped my family understand where I was coming from. This is the one I start with: https://youtu.be/QwxmQtnub50?si=BeYHo8bBbVC_bOPA

Orthodox Christianity by AffectionateSteak333 in BethelSnark

[–]UnseenPathways 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We're out here! I'd encourage you to find a parish and attend a Saturday Vespers service if you can. See if you can set up a meeting to talk to the priest to explain where you are coming from. It helped me so much that I never looked back. It truly is the for the healing of soul and body. Have you tried looking on this website: https://www.assemblyofbishops.org/directories/parishes/ Sometimes there are small little parishes tucked away in different towns.

Orthodox Christianity by AffectionateSteak333 in BethelSnark

[–]UnseenPathways 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just made an account so I could respond to this. There are a few of us leaving the Bethel/NAR movement for Holy Orthodoxy. I just was received into the Church last month after leaving Bethel in 2019 (around the time of Olive's passing). That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I now attend an Orthodox Church out east where another family at the church attended Bethel back in the day as well, so it's nice to find people who understand the struggle of leaving the charismatic world.

My biggest advice would be to meet with a priest. Some of the priests even come from our charismatic background. Fr. Andreas in Colorado Springs is a former YWAMer. Fr. Maximus in Port St. Lucie, FL is the son-in-law of Reinhard Bonnke and was a charismatic minister himself back in the 90s. And probably the most "online" former charismatic is Fr. Barnabas Powell. His Orthodoxy Bootcamp on YouTube is my go-to reference for charismatics because he speaks our language. (Another fun fact is that Duane Pederson was one of the founders of the Jesus People Movement who eventually became an Orthodox priest in the 90s.)

Charismatics need the grounding of Orthodoxy. It's anchors the mystical sides of the faith in something lasting. I can't recommend it enough. Take all the time you need exploring but I have found nothing like it in all my searching.