What Can I Say to Keep Jehovah’s Witnesses Coming Back?

“I have been meeting with the same Jehovah’s Witnesses and side-kick for the last 3 years. The experience has been amazing for both parties! I hope. Last week we were working through Heb. 9:14 and Phil. 2:5, 11. Two of 25 Scriptures I compiled for us to discuss in our ‘Trinity study.’ The meeting went well till the end of my, possibly heavy handed exegesis. When the Jehovah’s Witness leader sat back in his chair and folded his arms and stated he doesn’t think he can win me over to the Jehovah’s Witness rejection of the Trinity doctrine and that we might end the study in its entirety,  MY HEART SANK!  How might I navigate this potential ‘Break-up’? These two Jehovah’s Witnesses have become friends over the YEARS!  I have successfully navigated their judgments of me as an apostate so far and shared my life, family and gently a bit of the Gospel with them. I don’t have control and I don’t want it to end.  Please help?”

OUR RESPONSE:

Dear friend,

I’m impressed that you were able to keep them coming for 3 years already. That is amazing! This shows that you have really done a good job of building friendship. You probably figured out by now that the primary goal of a Jehovah’s Witness is to “study” with potential converts until they get to a point where you either decide to convert or you show signs of not being willing to change your beliefs (not being “teachable” as they would call it).  There are 3 rules of studying that Jehovah’s Witnesses are told to look for in a potential convert:

1.) Humble (You’re teachable and willing to accept their ideas.)

2.) Hungry (You are hungry for the Truth as they present it to you.)

3.) Honest (You value truth, particularly their truth without criticism and do not have ulterior motives to push your agenda of teaching them your beliefs.)

If you argue with them or portray yourself as someone who cannot be convinced, they are not supposed to continue meeting with you. This is not your fault. It is part of the cult dynamic that makes it difficult to get through to them with the truth.

I don’t know if you’ve read the following article on our website but it will give you some ideas on how to get past the cult mind control especially the section on “Building Curiosity” – https://www.4jehovah.org/what-you-need-to-know-to-rescue-your-loved-one-from-jehovahs-witnesses/

If you can, it would be good to get them to agree to “study” the Bible with you even though you have no intention of joining their religion. Usually at the very beginning of the study, they are more willing to make “deals” like this and now that they’ve seen how strong you are in your beliefs, it will be more difficult to pitch this idea to them.  But I still think you can by saying something like this:

“Listen, I realize we both have significant differences in our beliefs, but I am a truth-lover and I believe the Bible should form the foundation of my Christian beliefs. Don’t you believe this too? Even if we can’t come to an agreement on some of these issue, don’t you want to continue studying the Bible together because we can both learn from each other?  I know I’ve learned some new things in my studies with you like… [mention some of things they’ve taught you that you have learned from their studies to show that you’re not wasting their time]  I didn’t know… until you taught me….   So I really enjoy our studies. Would you be willing to continue meeting with me even if I don’t join your church?”

Usually this can get them to stick around a little longer. Then, I strongly suggest you learn the witnessing tip noted in the article above on how to “build curiosity” in the way that you ask and answer their questions.

We hope this helps. Keep up the good work!

 

This post is also available in: Spanish