by Paul Blizard

To learn how to approach these people, BATTLECRY interviewed Paul Blizard, a former Jehovah's Witness. Born into a Witness family, it was all he knew for 28 years. His salvation came through the testimony of Christians, plus reading anti-Witness literature. He tells us what to say, and how best to use literature to reach them.

Paul, what can the average Christian do when the Witnesses come to his door?

Share your testimony! Witnesses believe you can have no relationship with God apart from the Watchtower Society. Tell them what's happened in your life, and how God answers your prayers. They don't know how to handle that.

Whether they seem to listen or not, you'll know they've heard the Gospel. And then say, "Look, I'm going to pray for you." And when they leave, get down on your knees and pray for them that God will open their eyes. I'm here because somebody prayed for me.

Then this is what really affected you as a Witness?

Those who had a sincere love for me really blew me away. There was an old couple that I ran into up in New York, that had us come in the house, my wife and I, that were so kind. I said to myself "Jehovah, why would you destroy these people just because they're not Jehovah's Witnesses? They're living a better life than a lot of Witnesses!" Mainly I believe that it was people's living testimony that affected me.

Does that mean we should never discuss the Scriptures with them?

No, if you really want to have a serious discussion with Jehovah's Witnesses, let them talk for thirty minutes. For that thirty minutes, tell them you won't ask any questions or make any comments. Just let them talk through their whole spiel. After thirty minutes they'll be out of wind. Then say, "OK, now it's my turn. You've got to listen to me, and you can't ask any questions for thirty minutes." That way you can give them the whole Gospel presentation. But be careful, they'll try to interrupt you.

How do we prepare for this?

You've got to know your Scriptures, and you've got to know their Scriptures. You need to do some research. There are a lot of good books you can get.

How do they respond?

Don't expect to see any fruit right away. It took me, when I was finally really doubting the organization, about two years to come out. You go through the shock that it's not God's organization. Then you kind of throw your hands up and say, "Where is God's organization?" Then you start searching for a perfect church.

When you talk to them at your door, they'll never show any kind of emotion. But I'll guarantee you that I had Christians lay a Scripture on me like something about the personality of the Holy Spirit--"He" did this, or "He" did that--and when I got back to the car I was shaking.

How did people treat you when you were a Witness?

I've been shot at, had buckets of water poured on me, and had the dog sicked on me. There is no excuse in the world for us to act like non-Christians. We've got to show them love. And give them a tract. Give them a Chick tract.

They'll take it?

Well, let me tell you something. When I was going door to door, I used to find Chick tracts on the ground. I used to slip them inside my book bag, and I used to read them. They just attracted me. When they say "Chick tracts get read" it's true, even by Witnesses.

Does it help to politely take a Watchtower?

Don't ever take their literature. Don't give them any money. A lot of people think that if they give them 50 cents they're going to get rid of them. But if you multiply that by millions of people that they contact every day, that's what keeps the big machine going throughout the whole world.

Besides waiting for them to come to our door, isn't there something more we should be doing?

We should put tracts on their cars, and preach in the parking lots at their big conventions. We go to conventions around the country every year and picket. We try to get a lot of church people to go just to stand and carry a sign. The Watchtower Society is getting paranoid. They're warning the Witnesses inside the convention, "Don't take any literature. Stay away from these people; they're apostates; they hate you."

But if you stand out there and say, "Jesus loves you" or "You must be born again" carrying a sign, the Witnesses are so curious, that they'll come out and read those signs. Some of the new ones will say, "What are you doing out here? Why are you trying to harass these people?"

I'll say, "Listen, if you read this tract that I'm giving you the elders are going to take it out of your hand." They'll say, "No, no, I can read anything I want. This is God's organization." And then, right away, the elders come over and say, "Hey, don't talk to him, he's an apostate," and they try to pull the tract out of his hand. It's very effective.

Go to the Kingdom Hall and put tracts on their cars. They're forbidden to read any anti-Jehovah's Witness material, but they're so curious that if you get it on their car somehow where they can get it without the elder seeing it, they'll read it.

You're saying then that tracts are best placed on their cars, and mass distribution at their meeting places?

Yes. At your door, often Jehovah's Witnesses will not take any literature from you. They're instructed not to. How do you get around that?

If one witness comes to the door alone, you'll have better luck than if they come by twos, because one is watching the other. That's sad.

Yes. The Devil's got it down pretty good. But you've got to understand that if the Lord's dealing with a person, they'll get that information in their hand somehow. Challenge them, saying, "What's the matter? If you're God's organization, aren't you free to read anything you want? If you really have the truth, it will hold up against any examination."

You just have to be led of the Lord, and be prepared. But I really believe that tracts are powerful.

Chick tract for Jehovah's Witnesses - War Games!.