Sunday, April 25, 2010

Question On Dealing With Cultists

This weekend we got a visit from some Jehovah's Witnesses. Occasionally we'll get some Mormons and representatives from other cults to stop by. So it got me to thinking, what's the best way to deal with them? I can think of three basic options.

1) Just get rid of them as fast as possible. Say you don't want to talk to them, make excuses, just don't answer the doorbell, etc.

2) Apparently the J-Dubs were busy this weekend, since they also visited my pastor. You can hear his method here, starting at about 7:00. (Go ahead and listen to the rest of the sermon too, there's hardly a better use of an hour.) Basically he let them know right up front that he knew who they were and what they believed, pronounced Biblical judgments on them unless they repent, and drove them out of the neighborhood.

3) The third option would be to engage them in conversation, letting it be clear that they are under condemnation according to scripture, and taking the opportunity to present the gospel as clearly as possible. Make it clear that you don't regard them as Christian brothers, but as people in need of salvation from God's wrath. They think they're recruiting you, but instead you hit them with gospel truth.

I'd like some input on which is the best approach. I think we can safely say that #1 is the least optimal - there are very few occasions where I'd recommend just getting rid of them. There have been times I've used #2 and #3 and I can see the strengths of both, but I'd like to figure out if one is generally superior to the other.

So what do you think?

3 comments:

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Alice said...

I've always used #1 (shame on me). They haven't come around here lately, but we do live adjacent from an LDS church, so they come 'round occasionally. My hubby usually deals with them.

Robert said...

Trogdor,

I'd say that #3 is the best thing to do, but it has to be done in a spirit of love and not out of superiority and looking down upon them. And we have to make sure that we speak...they will try to do all the talking and at some point, we have to tell them to listen if we are going to present the gospel. I do think that #3 can lead into #2, though, if they reject the gospel. Just my thoughts...hope this is somewhat helpful.