As you listen to Jehovah’s Witnesses talk, you will find them using Watchtower lingo—phrases like “the ransom sacrifice” and “Jehovah’s arrangement for salvation.”
After you get them to define their terms, it often helps to use the Watchtower expressions yourself, so long as you aren’t agreeing to doctrinal error by doing so. Continue reading
The Watchtower uses Bible words and phrases but often attaches very different meanings to them. In talking with Jehovah’s Witnesses, therefore, it is critical that you get them to define the terms they are using. Likewise, define the terms you are using.
If you suspect that you have conflicting definitions of words or phrases, explain your understanding of the terms and ask them to explain theirs.
Make clear which definition is being used at various points in the conversation. That way, you will avoid the pitfall of appearing to communicate when in reality you are miscommunicating.
Don’t take anything for granted. Continue reading
When I recommend Student Role Teaching, you may be asking, “Are you saying I should never tell Jehovah’s Witnesses what I believe and why?”
No, sometimes you have to do that in order to get your point across.
But if you aren’t careful, you will come across as trying to take over their “rightful” role as teachers. You’ll arouse opposition, and the Witnesses may decide to stop meeting with you. That’s bad—you want to get through to them, not to drive them away.
So what can you do?
Follow your statements immediately with questions asking the Witnesses for their input.
There are a number of phrases that I’ve found helpful in doing this. Continue reading
I used to think that having Jehovah’s Witnesses read aloud a passage of Scripture would be enough to get through to them. I’d wait for them to concede the point the Scripture was making. Instead, they would often give me a blank stare.
They read the words, but the words didn’t sink in. They didn’t get the point.
What do you do if that happens?
Ask follow-up questions to bring out the meaning of the passage.
Let me give you an example. Continue reading
When you are about to discuss a passage of Scripture with Jehovah’s Witnesses, I recommend that you first ask them to read the verse or verses aloud from their Bibles.
If the passage is a long one, review it with them in smaller, more manageable segments rather than getting lost trying to analyze a lengthy passage all at once.
I’m not saying you should never do some of the reading yourself, but it’s best to have them do it as often as possible—especially with passages that are critical to the topic you are discussing.
Why do I recommend that you have them do the reading?
Let’s look at the alternatives. Continue reading
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