JOURNEY HOME - 2024-11-18 - JOE WARD - FORMER CALVINIST

Joe Ward was adopted from foster care in New York, and attended a number of different churches growing up, including Presbyterian, Methodist and Mennonite congregations. In his college years, he became extremely interested in Calvinist theology, and explored it deeply while also doing work with InterVarsity Fellowship.

After graduating, Joe went on to teach music, and became part of the worship team at an Evangelical Free church. When the leadership team there encouraged him to take membership classes, it got him thinking about differences between denominations and what it meant to fully declare membership in one.

His study of that question led him to begin exploring Catholicism, but when that became public, he was asked to stop being on the worship team. That forced Joe to reckon more seriously with the question of Christian authority, eventually leading him to the conviction that he needed to become Catholic.

[virgil]

God bless you Joe! As a father with son who we adopted, I loved your story. We will never abandon you.

[lindahill]

I love “On the Journey!!” Welcome home!!

[terencelanigan]

What a grand testimony for a young man who truly loves God. Blessings.!

[veronicacastillo]

Welcome home, Joe, to a great Father, Gloria a Dios!

[LANNGUYEN-dxpw]

Thank you for sharing your journey Joe! May God bless you and your family!

[CocoWynn]

Welcome home, Joe! We go to Our Lady of Peace in Santa Clara as well ❤

[s.michinock]

Welcome home ! I loved your story ! God bless you !!!

[mamam]

Minute 38:15 “Then Covid Happened” after this is my exact conversion story and timing as well! God was using all of the same resources on YouTube to draw me in and teach me about Catholicism. I joined the church the week after Easter 2022. My catalyst for study of the fathers was questioning why it was so serious to go make peace with your brother before taking communion so as to NOT drink damnation on my soul. If it was just a symbol why would it be so harmful to me to take it unrepentantly? That was the beginning of study and prayer. It has been hard as we raised two sons who are die-hard reformed and my husband hasn’t converted so they see it as a lack of leadership in our home. It is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made, but I am still so so thankful for the truth and beauty in the Catholic Church. I am also grateful that my husband goes to mass with me and our two daughters and attends a men’s group. It is exactly what he had always been looking for in the PCA but never found…men in authentic relationship, talking about the scriptures and how to live as better husbands and fathers. I always laugh and say he is the most Catholic Protestant I know. I think he attends mass more than I do. If I miss a morning and go in the evening-he goes in the morning and the evening! Great testimony-thanks for sharing. PS-I didn’t hear you mention Dr David Anders at Called to Communion on EWTN-he has an amazing intellect and gracious heart as he answers all sorts of questions from Catholics and non-Catholics. Go check him out.

[melanieeckstein]

Thank you for sharing your amazing story, Joe! Welcome home!

[sharongeier]

What a journey! Thank you for sharing your story!! Welcome home! 🙏

[RitaGatton]

Congratulations to your parents on adopting five children! They must be wonderful people! (I adopted one child. It was not easy!) It was very sad to hear that, as a Calvinist, you did not know if Our Lord loved you!

[JorgeStein-qh]

Welcome home from the birth town of Calvinism. Geneva (Switzerland)

[rachaelmwangi]

The trauma of adopted children is a really sad reality. Why would parents who have CHOSEN to take in children not protect them? It makes me so angry. I’m sorry that you suffered abuse and even felt that you couldn’t get helped as a child being calm. No children should be forced to act an age they’re not.


I also learnt a little about Calvinist beliefs on Once saved, Always saved. Such a tragedy - so many texts saying we must produce fruit else we will be cut off. The letters of the Apostles are relentless in their exhortation to stay the course. St. Paul, St. Peter and St. John in all their letters