• Stone in the Shoe Witnessing - Today, we start a new blog series which I’ve entitled, “Stone in the Shoe Witnessing.” Here’s how it works.
  • Stone in the Shoe Witnessing Safeguards - Using soundbites as stones in the shoe in witnessing has a downside. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t use them. However, it does mean that it’s important to establish some safeguards.
  • Does Jesus Lead the Watchtower? - In a February, 2017 online article, “Who is Leading God’s People Today?”, the Watchtower points out that after his ascension to heaven, Jesus worked through the apostles he had chosen and empowered them “by holy spirit.” From this, it concludes that he works through the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the same way today. Of course, this doesn’t follow at all.
  • Were the Apostles a “Governing Body”? - The February, 2017 online the Watchtower article, “Who Is Leading God’s People Today?”-today/ teaches that after Jesus ascended to heaven the apostles constituted “a visible body under an invisible Leader.” It states: “As a governing body, they gave direction to all the congregations. – Acts 15:2.” Challenge the Watchtower’s interpretation of what happened in Acts 15.
  • God’s Sole Channel? - The Watchtower Society claims to be God’s sole channel of communication to mankind. Instead of laughing at the Witnesses or arguing with them about this claim, draw them out with diagnostic stone-in-the-shoe questions.
  • The Only Reliable Bible Interpreter? - Because Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the Watchtower is God’s sole channel of communication, it follows that you and I cannot properly interpret the Bible without them to explain it to us.
  • The Only Way to Salvation? - Today’s topic can be a stone-in-the-shoe question: Can a person be saved without first becoming a Jehovah’s Witness? Try to pin Jehovah’s Witnesses down to answering that question.
  • Neither Inspired Nor Perfect - In a February, 2017 online article, “Who is Leading God’s People Today?”, the Watchtower makes the following admission regarding the Jehovah’s Witness organization: “The Governing Body is neither inspired nor perfect. Therefore, it can make mistakes when explaining the Bible or directing the organization.” Sounds pretty humble, doesn’t it? And that’s the way the vast majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses who read those words will interpret them. But let’s dig a little deeper. Let’s look at the implications of the Watchtower’s admission.
  • Understanding the Watchtower’s Two Class Salvation System - I won’t be suggesting specific stone-in-the-shoe comments or questions in this post. Rather, this will be a background article to make sure you understand the Watchtower’s two-class salvation system. For some of you, this will be a review. For others, it will be new.
  • God Has Only One Flock, Not Two - One way to challenge the Watchtower's two-class salvation system is to ask the Witnesses about scripture passages which show that Jesus’ invitation and promises are for everyone who will receive him, not just a select group of 144,000.
  • How Good is Good Enough? - The Watchtower teaches that the battle of Armageddon is just around the corner, and only those whom Jehovah deems worthy will survive that battle. Those worthy survivors will join those deemed worthy of resurrection in living in a near-paradise conditions during Christ’s millennial kingdom on earth. This provides you with an opportunity to discuss with the Witnesses their feelings about their status during Armageddon and the coming millennial kingdom.
  • Two Sin Problems God Had to Solve - Before we discuss the Watchtower salvation system with Jehovah’s Witnesses, we need to make sure we have a solid understanding of what the Bible actually teaches. Start by looking at how bad our sin condition really is. Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t seem to understand this.
  • God’s Righteousness vs. the Penalty of Sin - Imagine for a moment that you owe someone a staggering amount of money—let’s say a billion dollars. There is no way that you would ever be able to pay it off. In order for you to be rescued from this predicament, a very wealthy and generous person would have to pay it for you. The sin debt we owe to God is not monetary, but moral, but the principle is the same.
  • God’s Righteousness vs. the Power of Sin - If you owed a billion dollars and someone graciously paid the entire amount, you would be free of the debt. That would be fantastic! But now your bank balance would be zero and you would still be bankrupt.
  • Establishing Their Own Righteousness in This System - If we try to establish our own righteousness—that is, if we try to generate sufficient righteousness by self-effort and dedication—we are thwarted at every turn by the dead spirits we inherited from Adam. But this is exactly what the Watchtower insists they must do.
  • Establishing Their Own Righteousness During the Millennium - According to the Watchtower, members of the great crowd must try to prove worthy of everlasting life by attaining moral perfection during the millennial kingdom. I recommend that you ask Jehovah’s Witnesses to explain step-by-step how this will happen.
  • The Great Crowd Will Never Be Secure - The Watchtower teaches that in order to obtain everlasting life, members of the great crowd must achieve moral perfection by the end of the millennial kingdom. Ask the Witnesses the stone-in-the-shoe question: How are they supposed to accomplish this?
  • What Must I Do to Prove Worthy of Everlasting Life? - The Watchtower claims that in order to be saved; members of the earthly class must prove worthy by their works many times. Don’t argue with them. Keep asking stone-in-the-shoe questions to draw them out.
  • The Watchtower Salvation System Doesn’t Work - We would like to show Jehovah’s Witnesses that the Watchtower’s salvation system doesn’t work. Unfortunately, because the Watchtower has trained them to expect persecution, Jehovah’s Witnesses are often easily offended. Tactfully, ask Jehovah’s Witnesses to explain the Watchtower salvation system to you step by step.
  • The Watchtower Salvation System Doesn’t Work - We would like to show Jehovah’s Witnesses that the Watchtower’s salvation system doesn’t work. Unfortunately, because the Watchtower has trained them to expect persecution, Jehovah’s Witnesses are often easily offended. Tactfully, ask Jehovah’s Witnesses to explain the Watchtower salvation system to you step by step.