When They Come To Your Door JW When They Come To Your Door
Jesus warned his disciples not to speculate about the time of his return (Acts 1:7) nor to believe in another gospel (Gal. 1:6- 7), for such a different gospel would lead away from God. ÿTo be blessed ÿone had to believe in and witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8, Rom. 10:8-15).
In spite of these clear statements, ÿCharles T. ÿRussell ÿset out ÿin ÿ1876 ÿto preach another gospel. ÿWith it he ÿspeculated about ÿthe ÿfuture and set 1914 ÿas the date for the end ÿof ÿthe word. ÿHe developed new doctrinal statements: ÿno Trinity; ÿno deity ÿof Christ; ÿand, ÿin the place of hope, ÿArmageddon ÿdoom. Three ÿtimes in 90 ÿyears, ÿJehovah’s Witnesses (as his followers are now called) ÿhave had to change their gospel. ÿThey preach a tale of woe!
Going from door to door, ÿthey will be coming to see you very soon. ÿÿÿThis ÿis ÿtheir ÿway ÿof ÿworship–selling ÿbooks ÿÿand perpetuating a protection notion. ÿIn their endeavor to sell you their books they are sincere–but I must add, “sincerely wrong.”
Whey you see the Jehovah’s Witnesses, ÿChristian, ÿremember a few ÿvery ÿimportant ÿDON’Ts. ÿDo not argue ÿreligion ÿwith ÿthe Witness, ÿfor his doctrines are built upon a misuse of the Bible. Texts ÿand passages torn out of the Bible are used like ÿbuilding blocks to back up false conclusions.
Another ÿDON’T ÿis ÿnot ÿto engage in ÿa ÿconversation ÿabout present events with the Jehovah’s Witness. ÿDON’T buy literature or accept anything free from him.
With ÿthese DON’Ts clearly etched into your ÿmind, ÿÿrejoice! You have never had it so easy. ÿHere is a whole missionary field walking right up to your door. Make the most of it!
Be ÿcourteous ÿto the JW–let him continue ÿhis ÿpresentation without interruption on your part. But also, as the Witness from time ÿto ÿtime asks you leading questions, ÿDO NOT ÿanswer ÿthem. These ÿprobes by the JW are to discover whether you are a ÿperson who has fear about the troubles in the world; ÿor whether you are a ÿperson ÿwho is lonely; ÿor whether you are a ÿperson ÿwho ÿhas gripes against the establishment. ÿIf you so much as give a hint of ÿsuch ÿattitudes, ÿÿyou ÿare immediately ÿcatagorized ÿby ÿthe Jehovah’s Witness, and he will latch onto you and you will not be able to do him any good.
Wait ÿthe ÿWitness out, ÿtherefore, ÿwithout allowing him ÿto categorize ÿor ÿclassify ÿyou. ÿFinally, ÿwhen ÿhe ÿis ÿthrough. Promptly ÿforget what he has said. ÿBegin something of your own. Tell ÿhim ÿwhat ÿthe ÿLord Jesus means to you: ÿÿgive ÿhim ÿyour testimony. Make it short and sweet, but say it with enthusiasm.
Then ask the JW to give you his testimony. This will nonplus him–he cannot speak of the grace of God in Christ Jesus. ÿPress on, ÿsaying, “Surely you must have experienced common grace, ÿfor God does let his sun shine over the just and the unjust.”
Should ÿyou ÿsucceed ÿin getting the Witness to ÿgive ÿyou ÿa testimony, ÿyou have gotten him off his track–things are looking up. ÿÿWalk ÿinto this opportunity by sitting down with ÿhim ÿand reading two chapters of the Gospel according to John. If you are able to do this, invite him back for further readings.
However, ÿÿmost JW’s will not give you a testimony ÿand ÿwill leave. ÿÿDo not be dismayed, ÿbut as the door closes pray to the Holy Spirit asking him to take over.
Your ÿprayer may bring the Witness back. ÿThis time he ÿwill want ÿto recite for you a whole list of Bible passages. ÿDo ÿnot let him do that! Ask for him to wait as you get your Bible.
With ÿyour ÿBible ÿin your hand ask, ÿ”Can I have ÿthe ÿfirst passage?” Reluctantly he will give it to you. Look it up, ÿread it, ÿÿbut also read the contest–the verses surrounding it. ÿHow that ÿchanges ÿthe ÿmeaning of the passage! ÿAsk for ÿa ÿsecond, third, ÿand perhaps fourth passage and treat them in like manner. That is about all you will get. ÿBut this way you have used ÿthe Word of God as it is.
You see, ÿour two most effective weapons are the testimony of Jesus ÿand the Word of God. ÿUse them in this way and you cannot lose.
The ÿabove ÿtext was from an old xerox copy I had ÿthat ÿcame from ÿa ÿbook ÿwritten by an ex-JW. ÿI ÿdon’t ÿknow ÿeither ÿthe author’s ÿor the book’s name. ÿIt may be helpful to some one who might want to know what to say to a JW. Or in developing a future text file concerning JW’s. Please bear in mind that it is from a copyrighted ÿ(c) ÿÿbook, ÿÿand I am only submitting ÿit ÿto ÿhelp develope future public domain files.
Stephen Bresnahan, Crossroads BBS, Safety Harbor, FL, (813) ÿ725- 4452