Evangelism

How Jehovah’s Witnesses Increased My Love For Christ

/ Reformed Baptista / 4 Comments

God has revealed Himself in the new covenant, through the person and work of Christ, with a clarity, glory, and beauty not seen before. He has shown not just the loveliness of His power and justice but has also thrown into yet brighter relief His goodness, mercy, and truth. These glories bind us even more to make known to those dead in trespasses and sins God’s ways of goodness, mercy, justice, punishment, forgiveness, righteousness, holiness, and peace. -Jeremy Walker, The Brokenhearted Evangelist

Convicted after reading Jeremy Walker’s highly recommended The Brokenhearted Evangelist, I prayed that I would be bolder in sharing the Gospel with those whom I came into contact. During a chaotic homeschooling session four days later, my children announced the arrival of a car in the driveway. An elderly man and young woman, both neatly dressed, walked up to the door. Jehovah’s Witnesses! Quickly praying for guidance, I opened the door.

“Hello, ma’am. Do you think people will see their loved ones when we die?” the young woman asked.

“Well, it depends.” I answered.

“That’s right,” she responded. “Let me share with you a passage from the Bible.” She then proceeded to share a verse from Ecclesiastes. “Here is a magazine for you. Would it be okay if I came again?”

Do I continue this? I wondered. Or do I say no and not have to be bothered again for a while?

“That would be fine.” I responded.

Thus began a process of evangelism that has of right now gone on for the past three months. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way:

  • Know Your Enemy…

“Can’t we all just get along?” is the cry of my weak self. Confrontation and I are not best buddies, so when some really nice-seeming people come to the door wanting to talk about the Bible, one of the last things I want to do is cause conflict. Yet these are people who are lost. They are under the dominion of Satan in a cult that has warped the Scriptures and instilled fear in its members. They are enemies of the Christian who desperately need Christ.

After my first encounter, I realized I needed to brush up on my knowledge of what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe. I watched this video by James White, listened to these talks by Credocovenant’s own William Leonhart, and read non-Reformed books and websites such as 4jehovah.org . This way I was able to get a good understanding of the heretical doctrine to which this group adheres as well as how this high-control group works.

  • …But Know Your Bible Better.

The doctrines that Jehovah’s Witnesses promote, and how they attempt to derive support for these doctrines from Scripture are fascinatingly odd. While it was important to know about the major heretical issues, I had to be careful not to spend too much time digging into other issues that were not essential. My time was best spent in the Word, reviewing what Scripture actually says and major points of Gospel truth. Since I’m a Reformed Baptist, using the 1689 Confession of Faith was extremely helpful in my studies.

If pressed, could you prove the Trinity from the Scriptures? What about the deity of Christ? What about the Gospel? Here is where the Confession with its Scripture references comes in handy. Learning where key Scriptures are located, and knowing the context of such passages, enabled me to interact with the topics that have come up during my meetings with the JWs. You do not need to fear if you don’t have all the answers; yet you should be acquainted with God’s word to an extent that you are able to recall passages that will aid in sharing the Gospel.

  • Don’t Go It Alone.

I have been nervous before every meeting with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. However, I have prayed before they come, remembering that I have Christ. “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” (John 6:37, NASB)  Not only that, the Spirit intercedes for me (Romans 8:26), not as some impersonal force, but as a member of the triune Godhead. It is not up to me to change anyone’s mind. My duty is to present the Gospel and trust that the Lord will use it to glorify Himself.

Human company is also beneficial when the JW’s come to call, although it is not always an option. My husband was able to be there for one discussion, but for the rest I have been unable to have anyone accompany me. My church knows about what I’m doing, though, and they pray for me and ask for updates. My husband always sends me an e-mail asking for an update on the days I have an appointment. Having this connection is extremely valuable, especially when dealing with such a high-control group.  I have accountability and know that I am supported.

  • It Gets Personal.

The same young woman, “Misty” (name changed for privacy), has come every time we have met. Through our chatting I have learned a bit about her. Her mother became a Jehovah’s Witness, so Misty grew up as one. Several health issues have ailed her since childhood. She is 27 years old, lives at home with her mother, and works only a couple days a week so that the rest of her time can be spent going door-to-door.

Sometimes it seems that some Christians learn Scripture proofs and apologetics only to show their intellectual prowess or demonstrate their superiority in a theological match. Yet if I can defeat my opponent in a Scripture smack-down, yet have not love, what have I truly accomplished?  Realizing that I am interacting with a person with thoughts and feelings deepens my sorrow and concern for them, and stresses the importance of their need for the gospel.

  • It Gets Difficult.

The extent of interaction that I have had with Misty and other Jehovah Witnesses is not necessary for everyone to do in order to evangelize. Yet if you do spend more time discussing Scripture with them, realize that requires more preparation, patience and endurance. Carving out time to study up on the next topic for discussion is a must. Attempting to ask questions to make a JW think about what they believe and why they believe it, only to have them use circular reasoning or seemingly not understand the question, can be more trying than teaching a stubborn child to read. And the amount of concentration needed to listen to what they are saying while formulating a response leaves me drained after each meeting.

This should be a reminder to pray for those who are involved full-time in evangelistic and missionary work. For if I get tired just meeting a couple times a month, how much more must those who work at this every day? Apologists, pastors, missionaries all have a wearying task, and need to be sustained through the intercession of our prayers.

  • The Blessings Outweigh The Work.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself.” – a Jehovah’s Witness to me during one meeting.

An unexpected result has occurred through this witnessing effort. The studies in the deity of Christ, the importance of His work in salvation, the deity of the Holy Spirit, the assurance of salvation, and the perseverance of the saints were (and are!) exciting and awe-inspiring. My love of Christ and His Spirit has deepened. My time witnessing to the Jehovah’s Witnesses will end soon, and I can honestly say that I will miss sharing with them the glorious Gospel of salvation.

So may this be an encouragement to those who are hesitant to evangelize. Do not fear!

The brokenhearted evangelist reminds himself of the blessings of salvation and keeps them precious in his conscience as he speaks to others who need them. His heart is blessed in the demonstration of his blessings to others. -Jeremy Walker, The Brokenhearted Evangelist

Truth for the Next Generation

/ Donnie II / Leave a comment

9781433614835-2It’s not everyday I get excited about the newest bibles on the shelves of Christian stores everywhere. There have been some game changers in the past, i.e. the ESV Study Bible or the Reformation Study Bible, and though those are great helps to the body the Scriptures have not had an apologetic aid to them until just recently. That’s one reason I’m excited about The Apologetics Study Bible for Students. Not only does this bible contain the inerrant and infallible word of God but it contains alongside it, well-researched articles on various aspects of our apologetic endeavor.

Continue reading →

A Working Definition of Evangelism (Revised)

/ William F. Leonhart III / 2 Comments

You can see the original Definition here.

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With a view toward making disciples of all peoples and bringing them into covenant with a local church, in which they shall be baptized in the name of the Triune God and taught to obey all Christ commanded, evangelism is the act of worship whereby Spirit-led believers articulate for unbelievers God’s holiness, man’s sin and its wages, Christ’s accomplishment of redemption through His obedience in life, death, and resurrection, and the proper response of sinners: repentance from sin toward God and faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

Calvinism: The Only Soteriology Consistent with Prayerful, Spirit-Dependent Evangelism

/ William F. Leonhart III / Leave a comment

This semester and last semester, I took two evangelism classes. One was a single credit undergraduate class, and the other was a three credit Masters level class. At the end of these two rather enlightening and challenging classes, I still am convinced that anyone who holds to a form of Calvinism that pushes him away from evangelism rather than toward it either does not hold to a historic understanding of Calvinistic soteriology or is not living consistent with it.

I have held to this view strongly ever since having been introduced to Calvinism as a young Christian. However, I have never thought about whether or not a person who holds to a soteriological view other than Calvinism could practice a prayerful, Spirit-dependent evangelism in a way that is consistent with his soteriological perspective. I say “in a way that is consistent,” because there are many Christians who share their faith who are not Calvinists.

I understand that it is the default to say that it is indeed consistent for non-Calvinists to share their faith. As such, Calvinists are often, if not always, the ones who are put on the defensive in this regard. Not only am I arguing here that it is consistent for Calvinists to evangelize, but I am also arguing that Calvinistic soteriology is the only soteriological system consistent with the type of evangelism prescribed in the Bible. Any soteriological commitments other than Calvinism fall short in this regard and are thus inconsistent with biblical evangelism.

Prayerful, Spirit-Dependent Evangelism

The Holy Spirit’s work is essential in the work of evangelism. There is no corner of orthodox Christianity where this truth is denied. The question is, outside of a Calvinistic understanding of salvation, does the Holy Spirit truly have any power in evangelistic encounters? If He does, as nearly every evangelist will claim, who gives Him that power?

The reason these questions are important is that the natural response of most to the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s work is to push the importance of prayer. Hence, professors, pastors, and parachurch gurus have long pushed church-wide prayer meetings, prayer walks, and persistent personal prayer for the lost. The idea is, if the Holy Spirit is not working alongside you in your evangelism, you have no reason to expect your evangelism to result in the making of disciples.

Here, our problem with a non-Calvinistic approach to evangelism arises. In this instance, it certainly seems as though a form of election is taking place, though it is obviously not divine election. In a non-Calvinistic framework, Christians, though they may not be able to elect people to salvation, can certainly elect them to reprobation through their unfaithfulness in prayer. According to many who write on the subject, Christians decide how effective their evangelism will or will not be based on how persistent they are in prayer.

Calvinism, More Consistent

But Calvinists must admit that they also hold to a strong view of prayer as it relates to evangelism. Spurgeon wrote on many occasions of the need for more prayer in order to see the gospel advance in the world. However, the argument is not that prayer is unnecessary for evangelism to be effective. It certainly is. The argument I am here making is that Calvinists are the only Christians who can account for such an emphasis on prayer without doing injustice to their soteriological framework. Calvinists have the only soteriology that makes sense of such fervent prayer for evangelistic effectiveness.

When a Calvinist prays for the salvation of unbelievers, he believes that one of two things is the case. Either he is praying in accordance with the will of God and, thus, God will work through his prayers to effect the salvation of the unbeliever in question, or the desired effect is not God’s will, in which case the Calvinist rightly prays, “Nevertheless, not my will but Yours be done.” Two questions that naturally arise then are, What exactly is the non-Calvinist praying that God will do to make his evangelistic efforts more effective? and, Based on your answer to that question, why would his evangelistic efforts be less effective apart from prayer?

Divine or Human Reprobation?

The question in evangelism is not whether or not someone is elect or reprobate, but who elects them and who damns them. In virtually all non-Calvinistic frameworks, the lost seem to have no more choice in the matter than they do in the Calvinistic framework, unless they have heard the gospel from someone who is “prayed up.” At the end of the day, they still remain subject to powers outside their own control. If the Christian prays, he has a chance. If the Christian does not pray, kiss that chance goodbye. In other words, the Christian wields the power to withhold salvation from others, salvation the Lord had hoped to grant.

In the end, only a Calvinistic soteriology, which sees God working through secondary means like prayer and the proclamation of the gospel to accomplish His will, is consistent with prayerful, Spirit-dependent evangelism. All other soteriological frameworks are woefully flawed at this point. Those who hold to them can pray for the Spirit to make their evangelism more effective, and they can exercise a fair amount of dependence upon the Spirit, but none of them can account for the fact that they assume something outside of the hearers’ control that hinders them from repenting and believing.

The Christian’s prayerlessness, and subsequent lack of aid from the Spirit, works toward the hearers’ reprobation. The best such a person can say is, “At least it wasn’t God’s will that the hearers perish. It was simply not my will that they be elect.”

Conclusion

As a Calvinist, I would urge Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike to pray and ask God that the Holy Spirit would be at work in their evangelism. I certainly believe this to be biblical. I would particularly urge Calvinists to do this more fervently and persistently. It is only when Calvinists do not pray and do evangelism that I believe they are acting in a way that is inconsistent with their soteriology. I would also urge all who hold to a soteriological framework other than Calvinism to re-examine their beliefs to see if what I have written here is true. In the end, none of us pray enough or evangelize enough. So, if you think anyone who makes others reprobate is a monster, consider pointing the finger at yourself before you consider pointing the finger at the God represented in Calvinism.