Have You Witnessed to a Mormon Lately

by James Spencer

Written by former Mormon Elder Jim Spencer. This book is an insightful guide for sharing the Gospel with Mormons. Its detailed information and specific strategies will help you speak convincingly to Mormons about the errors of their religion and lead them to personal faith in Jesus Christ.

Genres: Religion

213 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1987

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing insight into the bizarre mind of evangelical Christians and how they fail to see their religion through the lens that they view Mormonism through.

[Tracy Middlebrook · Rating 3 out of 5]

My star rating was tough to give, because I enjoyed this as an anthropological and theological insight into the author's mindset and beliefs about his current and former faith traditions and practices and religions. But as an actual "how to" guide to be used by a fundamentalist Christian to try to convert Mormons, I can't really rate its effectiveness, especially as it's 30 years old and I have some real disputes with much of the content. So I sort of just went with 3/5. So here's my review: When I saw this in a little free library, i got really excited. A pal and i have a longtime fascination with Mormonism in general, and a shared love of theological study and debate. And having a former Mormon turned evangelical Christian write a treatise on how to gelp convert Mormons?? Could not wait to read this small, older, might-as-well-have-been self published book. Did not disappoint. And i was as equally fascinated by the insights into the fundamentalist christian beliefs (and traditions of Witnessing) as i was to read about his current views on his former Mormonism. Happily much of the book was not as racist or outdated in hateful ways as I'd feared (but boy, somw truly jaw-dropping stuff does get sprinkled about. And some of it wildly in his historical and cultural statements of "fact" with talks of Mongoloid Races and some other gross stuff. (Written in early 80's). But the insight and journey through this man's life and belief system, and then viewing Mormonism through his lens....just right up my alley. The moments of cognitive dissonance and contradictory thought. The times he'll berate Mormons for their unquestioning belief in church doctrine and teachings, but then state one of his own purely faith-based beliefs as objective Truth. At times, he tries a scholarly debate approach, fact by fact to help point out falsehoods in Mormon doctrine, and how his personal faith journey and evangelical Christian beliefs are demonstrably and incontrovertibly capital "T" True. And then he'll share an anecdote about a visitor who felt a chill while driving across a certain state or county border, and he'll get out a map and show that to hr Mormon religion was growing there and surely that chill was caused by Satan's presence (because Mormons are Satanic, of course. Taken as Fact). I did appreciate his ongoing compassion and care for people caught in this "Satanic religion," at least. That was nice. Or at least, not as bad as it could have been.

[Micah Klinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is full of helpful information—even though it’s an old book. Though, the Spalding theory he briefly mentions and is in the appendix is not a reliable anti-Mormon theory, most of what Spencer writes is accurate! I would definitely recommend reading it if you want to reach Mormons. I do highly recommend digging Draper into the topics he mentions though, because simply pointing out things such as the infinite regress problem is not sufficient—you’ll have to direct the infinite regress problem towards the contingency problem of the eternal and uncreated intelligences. My point is, take what he say and dive deeper into it before arguing with Mormons about it.

[Nik Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really an interesting read. It's easy to be confused by the mormons because they say things which are so close to the truth. This book explains a lot of the deep beliefs that the mormon cult doesn't talk about with bible believing Christians. Things that are so far from the truth, it is shocking. It is unfortunate how many people are fooled by this religious system.

The author wrote some really good information for conversation starting points, to help break someone out of the spell of mormonism. Just remember, it is a process which takes time, love, friendship, prayer, and most of all the help of God himself. Authentic relationship with someone, with the help of God, is the only way to be effective in rescuing someone out of a cult.