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Jehovah’s Witness and How to reach them for Christ Jehovah’s Witnesses Today Jehovah’s Witnesses Today Charles Taze Russel

Founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses Russel’s Founding of JW’s

. Raised Presbyterian, Eastern , old SDA teachings. . 1870’s: Started studies. . 1881: Formed Zion’s Watch Tower Tracts Society. . 1906: Divorced. . Sold mysterious “Miracle Wheat.” Declared and proven a fraud. . Lost libel case against opponents. Claimed to know Greek, but didn’t. Failed Predictions

. 1914: End of human rulership . 1918: God’s vengeance against Christianity. . 1925: Resurrection of the patriarchs . 1975: The worldwide jubilee “True” church in possession of JS’ original temple site. . 2000: Battle of Armageddon before end of 20th century.

“I said it from the platform! We told everyone the end was near. When I became a Witness I gave up my insurance policies, I cancelled all my insurance endowments, I never bought a house because I knew I wouldn't need one, we didn't even want to put the kids' names down for school.”

1976: 5,000 JW’s leave the movement in Netherlands. JW government since then demands greater loyalty and discipline from members. JW Doctrine

.Denies , divinity of Christ, and divinity of the . God’s name is Jehovah (though proper pronunciation is Yahweh). .Christ: Jehovah created Jesus. Jesus is really archangel Michael. Jesus died on a stake, not on a cross. He was spiritually, not physically, resurrected. .No hell, no punishment for . Sharing With JW’s

.Establish Christ’s divinity: Heb. 1:8-12; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 14:33; 28:9; John 1:1 (w/Luke 3:2); 8:58; Acts 7:59. .Point out their unfulfilled prophecies, and thus their interpretation of Scripture must be wrong. Today Mormonism Today

Founder of the “Mormons” Smith’s Founding of LDS

. 1820: Claimed to receive vision to restore the gospel. . 1823: Angel Moroni told him about , i.e. the . . 1827: Found the plates in “reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics.” . 1827-29: Translated plates using magic glasses – the “.” . 1829: Founded LDS. . 1830: Published Book of Mormon. Church Growth and Splits

. Brighamites (14 million) 1000’s led by Instituted “Church of Jesus Christ of LDS” . Josephites (250,000) Led by , w of Joseph Only descendants of JS can be pres. “Reorganized Church of JC of LDS” . Hedrickites “True” church in possession of JS’ original temple site. . Bickertonites “True” church led by JS’ theologian . Cutlerites “True” church led by , who received a revelation that he would lead. . Strangites “True” church led by James Strang, who claimed Smith appointed him as next president. Five Stages of Man (& God) Five Stages of Man (& God)

Celestial Kingdom

Terrestrial Kingdom

Telestial Kingdom Mormon Gospel

• We existed with God as a society of intelligences. • God evolved into a man and later an exalted man. • God created his spirit-children – Jesus, Lucifer, us. • God created the world. • God created Adam and Eve, so they could produced bodies for us spirit-children. • 600 BC -- Jews migrated to North America. Good Jews became “Nephites.” Bad Jews becames “Lamanites” and were cursed with dark skin, equated with Native Americans. • Jesus Christ came to earth twice – first to Bethlehem, then to America after His resurrection. • 428 AD – Lamanites killed all Nephites. Mormon wrote about this history on golden plates. His son, Moroni, buried the plates, and later became an angel. • 1820 -- The angel Moroni led Smith to the plates. How to Share With Mormons

Joseph Smith