How to Evangelise Jehovah Witnesses?

[springbreeze]

Dear friends

Today a very nice married couple came to my door to preach to me about their faith. They are JW’s. I invited them into my home and we had a pleasant conversation. The gentleman seemed a little annoyed, though remained calm and polite, that I didn’t accept his claims about Sacred Scripture, but the lady seemed a little more open to the Catholic faith. She asked me questions and I answered them the best I could. She didn’t argue with my answers, he did. She began to look at me closely and I could see she was sussing me out. She looked around at all the religious pictures on my walls and the statues of Jesus and of Mary and I could see she had started to ‘think’.

It occurred to me that obvisouly their mission was to convert me to JW, but I decided to convert them by the grace of God.

I listened more than I spoke, but when I did speak what I said carried alot of weight.

They asked if they could return again next saturday and I said they could. I shook the ladies hand when she left and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It surprised her and she said ‘how nice!’. She paused and looked at me again, right in the eyes and I know something changed in her heart at the moment.

How do I evangelise JW’s I would really like to be well prepared before their next visit next saturday? Of course I will pray on this, but I would sincerely welcome any advice you can possibly give to me.

Thank you in advance

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

 

[Prometheum_x]

A general suggestion (one you may be already following): speak in a way they can understand. They probably aren’t fluent in Catholic-ese.

 

[Beaver]

They mis-quote bible verses if you gentle correct them, they will come around.

 

[space_ghost]

http://www.mctague.org/carl/fun/pie/pie-face-2.jpg:D

sorry, it’s saturday and i couldn’t resist…

 

[Joysong]

Hi Teresa,

God bless you for your holy desires of bringing these people the truth. I don’t fear that they will cause you to stray, for you are pretty solid in your faith. But you are working with a tough bunch.

I tried it a few years ago, since I knew enough scripture to refute their arguments. The problem was that whenever I showed a different point of view that contradicted their belief, they had no answer. They went back to their superiors for help to rebut whatever I presented to them, and returned the following week with their pat answers that were twists of scripture.

After several weeks passed, I could see that they were not open to truth, but were hoping to convert me to their way. We had to discontinue the sessions. I have since learned that they are a cult. There are several books written by Catholic clergy that might be of help to you, should you see any possibility of carrying on a fruitful dialogue.

 

[Malachi4U]

Gods peace be with you theophilus springbreeze,

Keep asking them questions about their faith. Stick with topics in which JW’s are errant. One would be the Trinity. Ask them if Jesus is fully God? Not God? A person of God? Make sure you know your Bible so you can point out the truth.

Ask them about their founder.

Ask them why ony 144 thousand get to heaven. Will you bump one of them for their spot in heaven? If the number seems to increase to 1.44 million to 144 million then why do JW’s misinterpret Scripture? If they are wrong on this point are they wrong on others?

How can Gods word change?

Ask them about the name Jehovah and Yahweh. The very name Jehovah was invented by a Catholic who misinterpreted scripture hundreds of years after the Catholic Church wrote Scripture.

The difference between Lord and God.

If Christ promised to be with His Church till the end of time, then are JW’s in apostasy with the rest of the protestants?

Ask them why their church/sect/cult had to rewrite Scripture and change it.

Make sure you use your Bible and not theirs. Compare theirs to yours too.

Talk to them about St. John Chapter Six and the Eucharist. Why ‘chew’ His flesh? Is this symbolic? Why did His first followers desert Him here? Why did the apostles say “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Was their Faith in doubt over the Eucharist too? Was it hard for them to accept His precious Body and Blood too?

Let them see your Fiath and compare it to their faith. Give examples of how God works daily in your life and how He has led you. Tell them about the Holy Spirit in your life and how He is active with you now. (The Holy Spirit is with you now I hope?)

Ask them to close their eyes and hold out their arms and ask them what they feel? As a Catholic I can feel the hands of Heavenly Father upon my shoulders and I can feel the Holy Spirit grasping one hand while Jesus grasps the other. I can feel it while in prayer, can you?

Turn down the lights and light some candles in front of a crucifix or picture or stature of Jesus or a Saint, etc. Let them see first hand how our minds can be focused in prayer and thought when we use these tools/symbols to help us pray.

Ask them why they don’t celebrate birthdays? If birthdays are bad do they use wood or nails, etc.? These put our Lord to death so why do they pick and choose what is bad? If one person is killed by a table knife should we take all knives out of our life? Would not St. John the Baptist have been beheaded on someone’s birthday even if not the kings? Do they give back overtime money when working on birthday holidays? Do they take birthday holidays off or do they go to work anyway? Double standards of poor theology and logic?

Prove the Catholic Church too! From History and from Scripture.

Why avoid as friends people not JW? Did not Jesus tell us to go into the world? Did not Jesus come to save the sinners?

I have given you enough for months of talk. You will most likely piss them off with some of these questions so ask them kindly and over time. Give them time to ask questions too.

Some good starting links:

catholicexchange.com/clibrary/document.asp?document_id=513&category_id=614&main_cat_id=151

envoymagazine.com/backissues/1.4/jul_augstory1.html

ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ140.HTM

A prisoner of Christ,