Need advice: What to do with Mormon missionaries

[LuxPerpetua]

Timothy (the hubby) and I were riding home from our university on the public bus today and lo and behold if 2 Mormon missionaries did not get on with us and try to evangelize. Thankfully, we were not cornered, but at least two people were and the missionaries gave them the Mormon spiel and handed out their cards and pamphlets. So, my question is, how should an orthodox Christian handle a situation like this? I am especially looking for advice as to how to handle it if Mormons (or JWs or whomever) start trying to "share their testimony" with you. I usually get really flustered and uncomfortable because obviously I believe they are very much in the wrong but I don't handle direct confrontation well, although I feel it is my duty to at least expose them to the truth. What kinds of things would you say to them? I am very good at sharing my faith with nonbelievers but Mormons just make me flustered and all butter-tongued. :eek:

I welcome any and all advice. I want to be prepared for next time. :help:

[filosofer]

Two things that are of a substance issue:

1. Know the essential doctrines of Scripture well.

2. Know the main points that Mormons will try to present, and why they are wrong.

Then one thing concerning attitude. Love - that can't be stressed enough. They know Law, and legalism, and anger, and frustration, and judgmentalism. Many Christians show them that. Very few show them love, yet that is to be our attitude.

Also, keep in mind that it takes a long term relationship and commitment to "convert" Mormons. When I attended a conference (in Salt Lake City) about witnessing to Mormons, and talked with other pastors, they all indicated that it takes an average of seven years of continual witnessing before the person would leave the Mormon Church. That is because of relationships/ties within the Mormon Church. Even if the person knows and confesses the truth, actually leaving the church can be traumatic.

Fruit of the Spirit...

[Rechtgläubig]

Here is a web site that may help---> http://www.truthinlovetomormons.com/

It was set up by one of our Pastors, but I forgot his name :sorry: . I think he may even have a book out, but I am not positive. That site consentrates on using the Gospel to combat their church's teachings. A couple suggestions, do not do what most people do and drag out the old list of quotes about man becoming into gods or their treatment of African Americans and so on, and try not to get roped into these types of discussions either. Everyone does this and they are going to know how to explain this away. Use the Gospel as the site urges. A little knowlege of what the early church fathers really taught might help as well, because they will sometimes use quotes to try and support their views. If you don't have time to do all this prepairation, you could always just have a carton of eggs handy... :blush:


j/k


:D

[LuxPerpetua]

That website is phenomenal!! Thanks. :)

[Rechtgläubig]

You're welcome! :D

[MichaelFJF]

.....and if you want to avoid all that studying and legalistic stuff, tell them you're Catholic. That repels them like holy water does Linda Blair. M

[RobNJ]

I usually find, if I'm in a hurry....greeting them with a warm friendly Shalom!! usually does the trick

[Phoebe]

Me thinks I need to do some reading. Me son- in- law was/is Morman. He is not in good standing because he was borderline alcoholic. I need to work on him and my step daughter concerning infant baptism. (she was being raised as a JW until shortly after moving in with us at 15)

[Phoebe]

.....and if you want to avoid all that studying and legalistic stuff, tell them you're Catholic. That repels them like holy water does Linda Blair. M
That works well with JW's, too.
I should get a crucifix for my front door. :D

[KagomeShuko]

That works well with JW's, too.
I should get a crucifix for my front door. :D
It's too bad that it's not the Mormons and JWs that really are all that bothersome here, but the Baptists. We get them all, but we get tons of Baptists handing out tracts.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[Phoebe]

Do you get the Jack Chick tracts?

[RobNJ]

Do you get the Jack Chick tracts?
Are they STILL around???:sick:
They've probably driven more people AWAY from Christianity

[KagomeShuko]

Do you get the Jack Chick tracts?
I've no idea what those even are, so nope!

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[LuxPerpetua]

I was raised Southern Baptist and have never heard of Jack Chick. :confused:

Usually the tracts that they hand out are a short explanations (with Scriptural references) of theological things like original sin, our need for Christ to be saved from eternal hell, how Christ's death bridges the gap between sinful humanity and God so that we can now approach God with confidence in prayer, and how believers will live with God eternally if they trust in Christ's death and resurrection. At the end is the "Sinner's Prayer" that the person is encouraged to pray if they have faith in what they just read. They really aren't that bad.

[Phoebe]

I can't remember who hands out the Jack Chick stuff. There is a website listing the tracts that are available. That information might be located in the depths of Liberated Lutherans.

My brother is now Southern Baptist. I think he joined because he liked the pastor. They probably have a decent youth program, too. He had two daughters in their early teens when they joined.

[Bradford]

I've no idea what those even are, so nope!

Stein Auf!
Bridget
Material that denegrates the Catholic Church.

[filosofer]

Yep, the tracts tend to overstate the case, and are not ideal material for witnessing.

[KagomeShuko]

Material that denegrates the Catholic Church.
Oh, no, I don't get that - except that I know the SDAs will send out things about the "three angels prophecies."

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[BrightCandle]

KagomeShuko:

The understanding of the one of the most startling warnings to mankind in all of the Bible is contained in Revelation 14:6-12, otherwise known as the "three angels messages". Basically, the warning is given in verses 9-11, where it portrays the doom of those who worship the Beast (AKA: Antichrist). In light of the fact that the majority of the world's 6 billion souls, including the Chrisitians, don't even know who the Beast or Antichrist is, is why SDAs feel compelled to share this message, along with the Good News that if they have faith in Jesus and keep His Commandments (see Rev. 14:12), they will not recieve the mark of the beast, but the seal of God, and be saved forever.

Brooks

[sculpturegirl]

Ack- those Chick tracts traumatized me as a child! I cannot imagine them bringing people to Christ. Well, then again, only God's spirit brings people to salvation!

[Bradford]

Ack- those Chick tracts traumatized me as a child! I cannot imagine them bringing people to Christ. Well, then again, only God's spirit brings people to salvation!
Not to mention that they're downright lousy theology... Decision Theology from beginning to end.

[cajunhillbilly]

Ack- those Chick tracts traumatized me as a child! I cannot imagine them bringing people to Christ. Well, then again, only God's spirit brings people to salvation!
If God can use a donkey to stop Balaam, then He can use even a Chick tract to bring someone to faith in Christ. :preach:

[cajunhillbilly]

Not to mention that they're downright lousy theology... Decision Theology from beginning to end.
Very bad theology. But the germ of the Gospel is there.

[Jason of Wyoming]

Timothy (the hubby) and I were riding home from our university on the public bus today and lo and behold if 2 Mormon missionaries did not get on with us and try to evangelize. Thankfully, we were not cornered, but at least two people were and the missionaries gave them the Mormon spiel and handed out their cards and pamphlets. So, my question is, how should an orthodox Christian handle a situation like this? I am especially looking for advice as to how to handle it if Mormons (or JWs or whomever) start trying to "share their testimony" with you. I usually get really flustered and uncomfortable because obviously I believe they are very much in the wrong but I don't handle direct confrontation well, although I feel it is my duty to at least expose them to the truth. What kinds of things would you say to them? I am very good at sharing my faith with nonbelievers but Mormons just make me flustered and all butter-tongued. :eek:

I welcome any and all advice. I want to be prepared for next time. :help:
Lot's of advice given here, but I'll tell you what did it for me. (Yes, Im an exmormon.)

It was the stuff people pound at all the time that finally did it for me. I learned that my church had changed a lot over the last 100 years, and I wondered why. History did it for me.

Honestly, Im grateful for Gerald and Sandra Tanner of Utah Lighthouse Ministries. Their information gave me enough to think about that after four or so years of study, I finally woke up one day and realized it wasn't true.

http://www.utlm.org/

Good luck.

[Bradford]

Very bad theology. But the germ of the Gospel is there.
Telling Catholics that they're going to hell is not the "germ of Gospel" I'd ever want to be associated with.