What to do when the missionaries come to your door

I hunker down early in the evenings these days.

So last month, when at about 8:30 my doorbell rang, I was a bit taken aback.

I moved out from under the warm blanket covering my lap, pushed myself up from the couch and shuffled my way toward the door. When I caught sight of two young men through the window, I knew they were missionaries and I quickly concocted a vision of how this would go.

It turned out much differently than I had imagined.

As the door moved ajar, the first young man asked me, “Are you aware that we have a Mother God?”

My original plan was to politely tell the assumed Mormon missionaries that I believe in a different Jesus than they do, thank them for stopping by, and politely shut the door. But Mormons don’t believe in a Mother God, at least not that I am aware. What faith were these men proselytizing? My curiosity would not let me turn away.

The first man began showing me flip charts, explaining his perspective on the Bible. As I interjected with strong questioning, the second man felt it necessary to step in to his rescue. We went around and around about “realities and shadows” when it comes to interpreting Biblical text, and they made claims that God is married to a woman named Jerusalem and that eternal life is given through her.

I had never heard this before. 

The more they talked, the more my adrenaline rushed. I was trying hard to understand what they were trying to preach (at one point I asked the first man to put that dang flip chart away and just stick with the Bible), while filtering it through what I know to be true about the whole of scripture.

They were prepared. I was caught off guard.

They had their cheater notes and personal Bibles in hand. I had my feeble memory. 

Yet, by God’s grace I muddled through the conversation enough to get them flustered with their own logic. My intense emotions communicated that I was offended at the idea that they thought my God was incomplete in and of Himself, that He needed a female counterpart. I was also offended at the idea that if there actually is a Mother God, that she is so demeaned that she is never esteemed in Scripture, or that Jesus doesn’t ever pray to her. These poor men did not realize their match, a pastor’s wife and Bible teacher very familiar with the texts they were using for support. Nor did they realize that I am very protective of my community when it comes to issues of faith. I did not want them spreading such errant ideologies amongst my neighbors.

But even with my background and knowledge, it was still a difficult (and at times confusing) conversation for me. I can’t imagine what it would be like for many others.

I can see why the apostle Paul had such a strong word of exhortation:

“If someone comes to you and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite him into your house or encourage him in any way. Anyone who encourages him becomes a partner in his evil work.” 2 John 10-11

When missionaries of other faiths come to your door, the best option is to politely send them on their way.

But, if you must entertain a conversation, here are some important points of discussion:

1. Who is Jesus?

Sometimes we can use the same vocabulary, but the words can mean different things. If I refer to my friend Sue, you will not know of whom I am speaking unless I give you some more distinguishing details.

Some religions believe that Jesus is not God, just the Son of God, or maybe a prophet. Some religions believe that He is indeed God. The thing is, it must be one or the other, as it cannot be both.

Some religions believe that Jesus is Satan’s brother. (I have a problem with that.)

Some religions believe that Jesus came to the Americas, my Jesus didn’t.

Some religions believe that Jesus is God, but that He is married to Mother Jerusalem. (I have a problem with that too.)

We must be able to know, and defend the character and nature of Jesus Christ.

2. How are we saved, and what are we saved from?

The majority of religions believe that we are saved for eternity based on the good works that we do. People who follow Jesus Christ understand that no amount of good works will ever be able to pay for the penalty of our sins. Only the death of the God-man Jesus would ever suffice. Our salvation rests in His good work alone. Not our own.

Not only this, salvation looks different in different faiths. One salvation is for populating a planet (eternal pregnancy ladies?) and you can be saved through baptism even after you die. One salvation is from annihilation (a non-existence when you die). One salvation is for a comfortable life and utopia, not for being with God Himself.

“Salvation” is another word that needs to be defined.

3. What is your standard for truth?

It is hard to have a coherent discussion when not using a similar standard. One religion uses several different books, and believe a live prophet is better than a dead one, so truth is always changing and hard to pin down. Another religion uses only a certain version of the Bible, viewing a 19th century translation as more as the only legitimate read. Still another religion has a different book altogether, making finding common talking points almost impossible. The question of truth is a very important one and Christians must know their Bibles well, holding it alone as the standard.

So, here’s the deal. If  you want to take on the missionaries, you better know what you believe and be able to defend it. Dig into God’s Word so that you can distinguish the truths from the lies. Take an apologetics class. Go to seminary. Memorize key scripture verses. (Shoot, those are all good things to do anyway!)

Otherwise, just politely turn them away and pray. We can respect the people, their commitment and zeal for their faith, but we don’t have to entertain their strange ideas. The discussion probably wouldn’t be worth our time anyway.

And at the end of the day, I simply cannot be convinced that there is a Mother God.

Sticking to the truth I love,

{The missionaries that came to my door were from the World Mission Society Church, started 50 years ago in Korea. See the link above.}