Last year I was teaching through a series on cults in our church on Wednesday nights. Through the series we looked at Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Seventh-Day Adventists, and Jehovah's Witnesses. When I started to prepare for the lessons on Jehovah's Witnesses I started to round up my books and remembered that I had let someone borrow them. I had two really good resources, "So what's the difference?" by Fritz Ridenour and "The Kingdom of the Cults" by Dr. Walter Martin. (Both I would recommend for a deeper understanding of the differences between Christianity and other belief systems.) So I contacted the lady I had lent the books to and she had some bad news for me. She had borrowed them so she could discuss with her boyfriend, who was a Jehovah's Witness, about some of the beliefs Jehovah's Witnesses held that were different from what she knew to be true. She told me after she discussed some stuff with him that he threw the books in the trash after she left the house. I thought it was ironic that my best material about Jehovah's Witnesses were thrown in the trash by a Jehovah's Witness but nevertheless I was without some good resources. The lady offered to pay for the books and I refused but she did offer something that I immediately took her up on. She offered me a copy of the Jehovah's Witnesses "Bible" called the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Once I had it I highlighted a few places in it, made some notes, and stuck it in my nightstand beside my bed. Now to some it may seem odd that I'd jump at the chance to have one of these books, much less that I would put it in my nightstand. Well my reasoning is rather simple. If I am to reach a Jehovah's Witness with the true gospel of Christ then I cannot do it by starting off with my Bible. Regardless of the translation I cannot reach them first with a Bible because they are taught not to read or use materials other than their own scriptures or Watchtower articles. The key to leading a Jehovah's Witness to Christ is in showing them the error of their doctrine from their own scriptures (Who Jesus is, the Trinity, and salvation by grace not works are just a few of the areas of difference between JWs and Christians). That is why I highlighted and made notes in the copy given to me. But why stick it in my nightstand. Well for me it was a place I knew it would not get misplaced and I could easily find it when it was needed. 2 Timothy 4:2 says "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction" (NIV). Not if, but when a Jehovah's Witness shows up at my door, I need to be prepared to share the gospel with them. By keeping that book in a place I know it will be in, then I can follow Paul's instructions to Timothy.
We should always be prepared to share the gospel, regardless of the situation. If you know how you will share the gospel then you have half the battle won. If you don't know how you would share the gospel if the opportunity presented itself to you, then you need to figure out how you feel most comfortable doing so. Because if you aren't prepared, you won't share it. It's that simple. So be prepared, in season and out of season, to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
*There is more to effectively sharing the gospel with a Jehovah's Witness. If you need some help in this regard, then email me at pastornick@northcatawbabaptist.com and I can get some resources into your hands to help you out.
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