Jehovah's Witness

[ursen]

I think I scared off two old lady Jehovah's Witness this morning instead of witnessing to them. First of all they woke me up when the furry doorbells went off. Not knowing what is going on I hustle to the door in my pjs, which consist of a swim suit and a tshirt which looks like it lost a battle with a hoard of rabid moths. Open the door a little and littlest doorbell runs out and starts her "Hi, Hi, Hi new friends" act. I see the Watch tower magazine and my heart sinks, "Lord I absolutely cannot witness to these two right now." So there I stand breathing morning dragon breath on them, mumbling around my splint, "Not right now thank you." I wrestle the dog back in as they turn around to leave, and I am still wondering how they ever found this place, or even had the courage to come up this ratty drive that seems to go nowhere. The question is, would you have tried to witness to them? Or been real rude? Is this what the scripture written towards?

2 Timothy 4:1-4
New King James Version (NKJV)
Preach the Word

4 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at[a] His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

I will give them credit, they did not screech and run when this apparition with a hyper active dog answered the door.

 

[rev. Jim]

I actually wait for and relish opportunities like this. Happens about two or three times a year. I've had some fairly profitable dialogues with them, and planted some seeds for the Holy Spirit to water (which is all we can really do).

I am used to being woken in the middle of the night though, so it doesn't bother me as much as it might some others who have a more normal schedule.
If you are feeling as though you should have at least given it a shot, it's perfectly okay to pray and ask God that they would come back to your house.
I've actually done something similar, when I just knew that I had missed an opportunity with someone, and I didn't have any way to contact them. I prayed that God would grant me a second encounter with this person, and I met them a few days later at a grocery store of all places.

Don't beat yourself up about it though.
Whether you see them again or not though, nothing ever stops us from praying for them.

 

[Kahiel]

I think Satan finds them the worst times to contact strong Christians. I had a little old lady who was new to the JWs grace my door step a week before we had to be out of our house because it had been foreclosed on. I took a deep breath and had a nice conversation with her. I was in Seminary at the time and was taking Greek, so we had a great conversation about how Jesus paid the price for our sins and how some of the terms in Scripture didn't mean quite what the JWs had told her. Sadly she came back a week later with a couple of her friends while I was in the midst of the "OMGoodness! we have to be out of the house in two days!" part of the process. I was unable to follow up with her and the more "mature" JWs she brought.

The key to witnessing to JWs or anyone is relationship. Have a conversation. Give them a cup of coffee or a drink of water (I forget if JWs don't do coffee). Be patient and pray for the Spirit to give you the words and answers they need to hear. Remember they believe some of the same things orthodox Christians (not the Orthodox Church) believe. We just differ on some very important points of doctrine.

 

[Wolfeman]

Of course you could always go the 2 John 1:10-11 route.

 

[Kahiel]

Of course you could always go the 2 John 1:10-11 route.

Note, I did not say to invite them in (I almost did and corrected myself). Sponsoring a JW and sharing the true Gospel with them are two different things. They are often devote and faithful, once they see the light of the Truth many will turn away from false teaching.

 

[Patriot]

Of course you could always go the 2 John 1:10-11 route.

Or the Matthew 7:6 route...

I suppose it should be on a case by case basis, but I have never seen anyone do anything more than end up getting frustrated (myself included) by trying to witness to these folks as they are attempting to proselytize. Twisting Scripture is particularly annoying to myself. And when they can't provide answers they end up coming back with the more slippery and skilled elder members.

We should be ready anytime to share the truth with those who would hear it. But more often than not, these people are not at your door to hear the truth. My heart aches for those trapped in this false religion, but I think there are better times to evangelize to them than when they are attempting to 'evangelize' you.