Keep your eyes and ears open.

You may already know people who are not baptized Jehovah’s Witnesses but who are studying with them. Perhaps they are members of your family or personal friends. Or maybe you have a friend who is deeply concerned because a loved one has gotten involved in a Watchtower book study.

What can you do to help?

The first bit of advice I have for you is to take the situation very seriously.

Many years ago, I studied with the Witnesses myself, and most of my Christian friends didn’t see the danger. They may not have understood how heretical Watchtower teachings are, or they may have assumed that I had been a Christian long enough that there was little chance of my being confused or deceived.

I asked some of my friends to give me answers for the Watchtower’s teachings on a number of key doctrines, but they didn’t tell me anything of substance that would refute the Watchtower. I started to think that maybe there were no good answers and that the Watchtower was right.

It’s possible that some of my friends realized the danger but had no idea what proof texts the Watchtower uses or how to respond to them. All they said was that the Watchtower was a cult and to have nothing to do with them.

That just seemed like a personal attack on the Jehovah’s Witnesses I knew, and I found that offensive.

I can tell you from personal experience that it is almost always counterproductive to tell a person who is studying with the Witnesses that the Watchtower is a cult or to tell them point blank that they should stop their study.

If you do that, you will only be enhancing the credibility of the Watchtower.

Why? Because the Witnesses will have told them to expect this sort of opposition to their “learning the truth from the Bible.”

Typical is this statement from the 1989 Watchtower book, You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth (p. 23):

It may be that even close friends or relatives will tell you that they do not like your examining the Scriptures. Jesus Christ himself even warned: “Indeed, a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household. He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me.” (Matthew 10:36, 37) Relatives may try to discourage you, doing so in all sincerity because they do not know the wonderful truths found in the Bible. But if you give up a study of God’s Word when opposition comes, how will God view you? Also, if you give up, how will those friends and loved ones be helped by you to understand that accurate knowledge of the Bible is of life-or-death importance? Your staying with the things you learn from God’s Word may in time influence them likewise to learn the truth.

So instead of telling a person who is studying with the Witnesses that the Watchtower is a cult or that they should stop their study, listen to find out the degree to which they have already bought into the Watchtower mindset.

If they are just starting out, commend them for their interest in the Bible, tell them that you have seen some things that concern you about the Watchtower and its teachings, and ask them to look at both sides of things before making any commitment.

You might start with Chapter 19, “The Life and Death Issues Approach” (including blood transfusions) or Chapter 20, “The False Prophecies Approach” set out in my book, Getting Through to Jehovah’s Witnesses: Approaching Bible Discussions in Unexpected Ways.

If you have studied the various doctrinal chapters and approaches in my book, consider offering to come with them to their “home Bible study” to present a balanced view of whatever topic is being covered.

Most likely, the Witnesses who are conducting the study won’t agree to such an arrangement. In that event, ask the person to discuss these matters with you separately and give you equal time in order to get your response to what the Witnesses are saying. Invite them to talk with you about any Bible doctrines.

Look up the answers in my book or online and share them.

Usually, the Watchtower indoctrination will not be as strong with studies as it is with people who have been Witnesses for years. Their interest in religious topics may be a great opportunity for you to lead them to Christ.

On the other hand, sometimes you may find that a person who is studying with the Witnesses has already (even in a short time) developed such a level of trust of the Watchtower and of the Witnesses who are conducting the study that they consider any “other side” to be satanic.

In fact, if they have been “love bombed” at the Kingdom Hall and have never seen or experienced the downside of life as a Jehovah’s Witness, they may have a completely starry-eyed view of the Watchtower organization.

In that circumstance, the best thing to do is to tell them that you respect their right to make their own religious commitments. Then using one or more of the approaches in my book, engage them in discussion as if they were already a fully committed Jehovah’s Witness.

Even if they decide to get baptized as a Jehovah’s Witness, don’t give up on them. Continue to pray for them, and give things a little time until the “honeymoon” period between them and the Watchtower organization has passed.

Express your willingness to discuss Bible topics with them, but make every effort to talk with them one-on-one rather than in a more formal setting where some other Jehovah’s Witness accompanies them.

They are more likely to be open with you if only two of you are present.