About a month ago, I met some guys in town while I was walking with Joshua Pratt.  They seemed like really nice guys, but I could tell there was something “interesting” about them from the start.  The name of the one that seemed like the leader is Alex.  He is a young Ukrainian man.  The other’s name is Michael.  He’s a student from Nigeria.

Through the course of the conversation, they asked about our church and the Calvary Chapel organization (if it can be called that… haha) and eventually tried to give us some literature.  They also tried to get our phone numbers.  In order to keep them from getting Josh’s, I gave them mine and got theirs.  I used to have a lot of Mormon friends when I was Josh’s age, and they did their best to dissuade me from my faith.  I didn’t want the same thing to happen to Josh with the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Eventually, Alex, the older one, called me and asked if we could meet in town sometime.  I was genuinely busy most of the times he would call until this last time.  We met at a coffee shop and sat down to a 2-and-a-half-hour discussion, mostly over whether or not Jesus was God.

Not having dealt with Jehovah’s Witnesses before, my original thought was it would be just me and Alex over a cup of coffee, getting to know each other as Ukrainians are accustomed to doing.  Seeing Alex bring his books and younger disciple with him (Michael), both of them ready for a theo-philosophical war, was a little surprising for me.  I was very thankful that I had my Bible with me that day.

I’m really concerned for these guys.  I really doubt many are willing to witness to them around here.  I feel that I held myself pretty well against them (thank God!), especially considering that I came with no study or preparation except for prayer.  I don’t know if they will invite me to meet with them again after that, as I told them my disappointment as I was expecting a friendly get-together and received an hours-long debate.  Please pray for Michael in particular, the younger Jehovah’s Witness, about this.

I’m praying for more opportunities to witness to them and to be ready, not just to answer and try to prove them wrong, but to serve them, love them, and show them that God loves them.  It seems that every time I open my Bible, I find a new verse that I want to show them.  Please pray for me in this way.  Please also pray for the African students in the church, as many of them have a Jehovah’s Witness or two in their dorms.