![]() ![]() In Matthew 16:18-19 Jesus makes Peter “the rock” on which his Church would be built and gives him “the keys to the kingdom.” In Matthew 28:20 Jesus says, “I am with you always until the end of the age” and Paul writes in Ephesians 3:20-21, “To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Acts 1:20 describes how the apostles could pass on their authority to future bishops. This shows that the defection of some Christians from the early Church is not proof that the Church lost its divine authority.Īlong with the lack of evidence that a total apostasy took place, there is positive evidence that such an apostasy could never have taken place. These groups still exist and share JW theology, though they do not recognize the authority of the Watchtower. This happens in all religions, including the Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose early disaffected members left to form other groups such as the Dawn Bible Students. But these verses show only that some members of the Church fell away from the Faith, not all of them. In regard to the first topic, the Witnesses might cite Scripture verses that describe those who fell away from the faith in the early Church (e.g., 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 2 Timothy 1:15, and Galatians 1:6-7). Stay focused on one issue: AuthorityĪsk the Witnesses to explain why you should believe (1) that the Catholic Church lost its God-given authority to interpret Scripture and proclaim doctrine and (2) that the Watchtower is God’s official organization on Earth with his authority to interpret Scripture. ![]() In order to make headway with Witnesses, you must challenge this foundational belief. Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that all other Christian churches represent “apostate Christendom,” and only the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (which is the spiritual leadership of the Jehovah’s Witnesses) can be trusted. Even if you reply to these verses with sound biblical arguments of your own, the Witnesses can always dismiss your argument by saying, “That’s just your (incorrect) interpretation.” Don’t get caught in “verse slinging”ĭue to the amount of study they engage in, the Witnesses are skilled at wielding dozens of memorized Bible verses to defend their beliefs. Most of their preparation focuses on answering arguments about the Bible and does not prepare them for questions like, “Why did you become a Jehovah’s Witness?” If they mention that they are former Catholics, this can be a good opportunity to discuss any mistaken views of the Church they may still possess. Unlike Mormon missionaries, who receive very little theological training before they go out and knock on doors, Jehovah’s Witnesses spend countless hours studying and practicing for conversations with potential converts. (If you’re unfamiliar with their beliefs click here and here.) Make it personal I figured it would be appropriate to follow that up with some tips for how to evangelize another group of people you’re likely to meet on your doorstep: Jehovah’s Witnesses. Last month I posted an entry on evangelizing Mormons.
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