My name is Deacon Raphael Abrahams and I am the Desert Deacon. Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, I am indeed from the desert.
My wife and I grew up in protestant/evangelical churches which taught that the early church disappeared hundreds of years ago. They aspired to be like the early church. Imagine our surprise when we stumbled upon the Orthodox Church.
What? The early church never went away? It wasn’t what we expected but it was what we wanted. We plunged ahead.
In 1993 we joined St. George Antiochian Eastern Orthodox Church in Phoenix, Arizona. It’s a long name, and yes, we are Christians. (Some hear the word Orthodox and assume we are Orthodox Jews.) I was ordained a Deacon in 2003.
Orthodox is from a Greek word meaning correct teaching. Antiochian means we are of the Church of Antioch. We are that same historical, first-century Church mentioned in Acts 11:26 which says, “…the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”
Eastern Orthodox Churches (including Greek, Russian, Serbian, and other Eastern Orthodox Churches) are the same theologically, but administratively we operate separately. Anyone can call themselves Orthodox so we frequently identify ourselves as Eastern Orthodox to minimize confusion.
If you want to know more about the Eastern Orthodox Church visit stgeorgeaz.org. Classes are held regularly that introduce the Orthodox faith. If you can’t get to St. George in Phoenix, I bet there’s an Eastern Orthodox Church near you that teaches the basics of Orthodoxy.
If you are Eastern Orthodox and want to know more about evangelism, check out EBT. Evangelism is the primary focus of this website. The late Fr. Peter Gilquist liked to say, “The Orthodox Church is America’s best kept secret.” If you’d like, join me as I work to change that perception.
Additionally, our pastor, Fr. Chris broadcasts short video teachings weekdays at 11:00 am MST(AZ). He talks about living the faith crucifixionally. Watch on the St. George website or YouTube. If you have any specific questions email me at dn.raphael@desertdeacon.com.