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Topics for Talks, Retreats, and Seminars
Matthew is always willing to prepare talks on whatever topic the inviting church
or organization would like him to address. However, he does have a number of ready-
“This Orthodox Life” Series
This is Matthew’s most comprehensive work. These four presentations can be offered
as a complete series, in any combination, or as individual, stand-
1. introduce those outside the Orthodox Church to Original Christianity;
2. help Orthodox Christians better live their Ancient Faith; and
3. encourage personal evangelism and parish growth.
Presentation 1 — Seeking Truth, Finding Love: My Journey to the Orthodox Church
The tale of how I found Eastern Orthodoxy, and what I discovered when I
entered
into it. Important topics addressed in this talk include:
Do Christians with contradictory doctrines really worship “the same Jesus”?
Can the truth be found in “the Scriptures alone”?
Historical versus Theological Christianity.
Reason versus Sacrament.
God’s ultimate goal for humanity.
Presentation 2 — One: What It Means to be Orthodox
To be Orthodox means to fulfill God’s desire for us: to be one with Him,and one with
each other, in the same way that the members of the Trinity are one (John 17:21-
The foundation of unity: the Holy Trinity and the life of God in the world.
The Fall: humanity’s descent from oneness to individuality.
The Incarnation and the coming of the Holy Spirit: the restoration of oneness.
Salvation as transformation.
Living in unity: facing up to the challenges of oneness.
Presentation 3 — Dancing with God: The Sacramental Life
Our experience of God is to be one of direct participation in His life. This presentation focuses on:
The Eastern immediate experience of God versus the Western mediated approach to God.
The meaning of mystical.
The power of the sacramental life: one single experience of the one Spirit, across time and cultures.
Preparing for Heaven by devotedly living the life of the Church.
Presentation 4 — “If You Build It, They Will Come”: Evangelism St. Seraphim Style
The key to growing our parish is our mutual commitment to living the life of the Body of Christ, and sharing that life with those around us who are “hungering and thirsting for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6). Topics include:
A rich and full liturgical life: a parish’s life blood.
Personal commitment to the sacramental life, spiritual struggle, and spiritual growth.
“It’s all about oneness”: a simple model for sharing your faith.
Fellowship and evangelism—at home, and at church.
“Discovering the Will of God”
For Eastern Orthodox Christians, the “will of God” and our relationship to it is not the enigma it is to those in the West. This series examines the essential differences between the Eastern and Western understanding of the nature of God’s will, the relationship between His foreknowledge and our freedom, the sacramental life as the revelation of God’s will, and practical advice from the saints regarding discerning God’s desires for us.
Presentation 1 — Discovering God’s Will
Presentation 2 — God’s Will and My Will: A Predestined Synergy of
Love
Presentation 3 — Letting the Will of God Find Us
Presentation 4 — Practical Advice From the Fathers More topics....