Dealing with distractions is a big part of witnessing. People in general love to take any rabbit trail that comes up in a conversation. If one does not come up naturally, they will create one!
Jehovah’s Witnesses are similar in that they find it their job to teach the one witnessing to them. The words sound good. “We just want to teach everyone more about Jehovah and help them have a stronger relationship with him. See, let’s look at the Lord’s prayer. From Jesus’ example, we can see how to pray!” (Taken from an actual conversation I had with a Jehovah’s Witness.) So how do we, as Christians, redirect in love?
There is an art to redirecting any evangelistic conversation that I’m not sure can be taught. And I know that I am not qualified to teach such an art. But there are a few helpful principles I like to keep in mind.
- You have the truth. Any other belief that is contradictory to what is taught in Scripture is not truth. In an evangelistic situation, your goal is to present the truth in love.
- Without the truth, this person (or group of people) is going to hell. There is no middle ground.
- If this person is going to hell without the truth, and you have the truth, you need to communicate the truth with a sense of urgency!
- Do not allow a person to talk over you. When you are speaking in the name of Jesus, you have power over the lies of satan. Speak firmly and in love and communicate the sense of urgency.
- Do not feel the need to respond to every comment or question. Most comments or questions are distractions. Sometimes simply continuing on in presenting the truth is the best thing.
- Always pray as you speak to a Jehovah’s Witness for wisdom in dealing with them as an individual. There is no one right way to handle every person or one right argument to encourage them to examine their own beliefs.
- Most importantly, know what you believe. Presenting the truth is far more about your own knowledge of God than it is about understanding all the ins and outs of a cult.
Entrusted With 
Your comment about distractions is good. I think that with all types of witnessing, we get sidetracked by such questions and comments, forgetting the main point of our message is the main point.
Jenny,
Good wisdom here. Thanks. “speak the truth in love” that is key. I might add, don’t just speak “truth” or just speak “love”, but “truth in love”.
Also, I have found that listening is big also. We can’t expect them to hear us if we don’t hear them. True communication is, listening then speaking.
Now the flip side to this is, if they never give you a chance to speak then you need to say “excuse me, but you have been talking for ___ minutes now. Can I speak now? It works.
Thanks for true post,
Richard
i love this one… a good advise…for JW and non-JW