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.

  1. Rely on the Holy Spirit, not techniques.

I share a lot of witnessing principles and techniques in my book and blog, and there’s always a danger that we will rely on them much the same as a salesperson relies on sales pitches they have memorized.

Remember that only the Holy Spirit can penetrate spiritual blindness.

It’s wise to prepare, but remember that the Holy Spirit has a right to either use or bypass our preparation and techniques.

  1. Watch your attitudes.

When you try to create stones in the shoe, do you find yourself being impressed with your own cleverness?

If so, repent and get back on track.

  1. Watch your motives.

Ask God to show you the state of your heart.

Are you trying to help Jehovah’s Witnesses come to saving faith in Jesus or are you actually trying to use soundbites and stones in the shoe to silence and humiliate them?

  1. Use scriptures and quotations in context.

It’s very tempting sometimes to create zingers that take scriptures or other quotations out of context.

Perhaps we wish the Bible were more clear on some point.

When that happens, it’s easy to fall into the trap of leaving out some qualifying language or to insert a few words into the text.

Sometimes we find ourselves stringing together verses that have nothing to do with each other in order to make a point.

I am most susceptible to this when I’m trying to counter a Watchtower argument that makes that very error.

  1. Don’t try to turn every point into a stone in the shoe.

In my posts in this series, I will offer you a large number of stone-in-the-shoe ideas.

That doesn’t mean you should try to use all of them.

In fact, if you use the technique too often, it will lose its effectiveness.

Also, remember that some Bible concepts are too complex to lend themselves to this type of treatment.

Don’t try to force stones into discussions where they aren’t appropriate or don’t work.

  1. Challenge Watchtower misuse of soundbites.

When you sense that Witnesses are taking quotations out of context or drawing conclusions that simply aren’t warranted by the text, point out the problem.

Perhaps that’s best done by using a counter-soundbite of your own.

At other times, longer explanations may be necessary.

Sometimes it helps to name the error you believe the Watchtower is making, such as: “The problem I see with using Ecclesiastes 9:5 as an unchallengeable explanation for what happens after death is that we are forced to ignore other Bible passages that ought to be considered…”

  1. Don’t beat a dead horse.

If what you are trying isn’t working and you have reached an impasse, agree to disagree on that issue and move on to something else.

 

 

 

 

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