Effective Witnessing

Helping Jehovah’s Witnesses Come to Jesus  –-Mt. 28:19-20

Ten helpful suggestions for Christians

Come along side the Jehovah’s Witness as a friend would do.
Try not to have a debate; avoid building walls. 
Show genuine love and respect and patience toward them.

  1. Realize that they are at your door or attending a book cart because of their obedience to God’s Word (really to the Watchtower and its demands) and because of genuine concern for you. Whether you chat on your stoop, just inside your door, or in the living room, be in control of the time you want to allot to this first chat. They are masters at changing the subject and going on rabbit trails.

  2. Don’t hold them personally responsible for Watchtower deception. Rather, approach them as ones who have been masterfully deceived.

  3. When they speak, be a good listener. Your approach might include asking them to share what they’re learning about God as a Jehovah’s Witness and then asking them to allow you to share. Share your testimony interweaving the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. Point out that if each of you has different views on the essential Christian doctrine that obviously you both cannot be right.

  4. Ask them for their story: how, when, and why they became a Jehovah’s Witnesses and then this may be the best time to share your testimony and your personal relationship with Jesus, and the assurance, joy and peace that you have received.

  5. When concluding your time together, If you are comfortable, ask them if they would like to meet again.  Encourage further discussions. Emphasize that both of you love God, both of you love God’s truth, and how important it is to know God and to accurately know His Word. It is best to choose a subject beforehand either now or through a phone call, text, or email.

  6. If they return, there are two main approaches: discussion of Scripture and revealing various issues of the Watchtower over the years.

  7. SCRIPTURE: Decide on one subject, such is “Who is Jesus?” or “What is the good news?” Make every effort to thoroughly examine each Scripture, not rushing and not jumping from one subject to another. Ask them to read the Scripture aloud, but not like a teacher (they may need to read it three or more times to see what it really says). They need to feel that they are the teacher. In our opinion this is the most important subject—God’s Word. You want them to come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, yet you are but a seed planter and a waterer. Only God can lead them to Christ.

  8. WATCHTOWER ISSUES: If led in this direction, respectfully share Watchtower false prophecies showing them photographs of the organizational claims and then ask how they feel about these false prophecies.  Remember that they come to you fully confident that Watchtower truth is the truth and that their leaders are faithful and true and that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only true religion. OR you might revealing Johannes Greber to them, for example, OR issues with their New World Translation (NWT).

  9. Communicating effectively to Jehovah’s Witnesses requires prayer, the Holy Spirit, and a personal devotion and command of Scripture. Effective witnessing comes through knowing essential Christian doctrine and most importantly, knowing Jesus personally. Peter tells us, “Always be ready to make a defense for your faith.” (1 Peter 3:15; also read 2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:10-11 & 2:42.)

  10. Finally, remember that it is God who opens hearts to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 16:14). So prayer is always the key to our witnessing.

Contact us if you’d like assistance, encouragement, and/or suggestions.