Pay a Visit

The loud knock at the door startled me.

I looked out the window to see who it was, and when I caught sight of the familiar clean-cut figures in pressed white shirts, I sighed and said to myself, “Seriously… again?”

This was the sixth visit I’d had from them in just a few short months after moving into our new home. I got up and opened the door to two fresh-faced young men — the Mormon missionaries.

The first time they came, I had literally just finished unpacking boxes. I didn’t have the time, patience, or energy for a deep faith conversation. I was kind but brief, and they went on their way. But their visits persisted, and with each one, the conversations grew a little longer. Truth be told, I actually enjoyed their pleasantness.

Interestingly, I never had the same pair twice. That alone impressed me. They were organized, consistent, and determined, yet also genuinely kind and remarkably persuasive. I could easily understand how someone, especially someone searching for hope or truth, might become intrigued by what they were sharing.

What They Believe

Their dedication made me pause and wonder what could drive such commitment. How could a belief system so different from Biblical Christianity attract such dedicated followers and grow to be as large and far-reaching as it is?

Perhaps one of the keys is the human touch they offer. Their faith may be built on unbiblical foundations, but their personal approach (face-to-face, door-to-door) is reaching people in ways the modern church often doesn’t.

Like the Jehovah’s Witnesses I mentioned in my last blog, the Mormon faith is very different from Biblical Christianity. They believe that God the Father was once a man who “progressed” to godhood and that He has a physical body, as does His wife (Heavenly Mother). They deny the Trinity, teaching instead that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate gods. They also believe that worthy members can one day be exalted to godhood themselves.

Jesus, they teach, is a separate god from the Father, created as a spirit child by the Father and Mother in heaven, and is the elder brother of all humans and spirit beings, including Lucifer. And their “holy spirit” is not God but rather an influence or energy-like emanation from Him.

They also hold to a complex afterlife system of three heavenly “kingdoms,” where nearly everyone will eventually go, though only the most worthy can attain godhood. Those who fall away (apostates) or commit certain sins are said to go to “outer darkness.” Add to that secret temple rituals, celestial marriages, baptisms for the dead, strict tithing, two-year missionary commitments, and a strong social network, and it’s clear, this is a deeply structured and disciplined belief system. And yet, it’s clearly doing something “right” to have the traction it does.

It Got Me Thinking

I had to hand it to these young men, they were out there doing something, and their efforts stirred something in me.

They are out there, going door to door, and they’re bold, kind, and completely convinced of what they believe. They share their message with sincerity, and more times than not, people stop to listen, even inviting them into their homes. Why? Well, because for many, no one else has. No one else has taken the time to come knocking on their door to offer them something the world cannot — Hope. And so, even though their message is theologically untrue, the visit feels personal, and the conversation encouraging — and to a searching heart, it begins to meet a need that has long gone unmet.

And that realization stayed with me.

In all my years, I’ve never received a handwritten letter from a Christian stranger checking in on me (as I shared in my last blog), nor have I ever had Christian missionaries knock on my door, let alone six times in just a few months, simply to share the gospel.

And the thought lingered: why is that? Are we not called to do the same?

The Biblical Pattern

As I wrestled with those questions, I was reminded...we already have a model to follow. Scripture lays it out clearly and simply: we are called to go out and be Christ’s witnesses, and often, to do so two by two.

• You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses… to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

• And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits (Mark 6:7).

The very first disciples Jesus called were two sets of brothers, fishermen turned fishers of men. Later, He sent out seventy others “two by two” (Luke 10:1). That same pattern continued throughout the book of Acts. Being His witness wasn’t optional; it was the heartbeat of their faith. It’s how the gospel spread — through ordinary people who believed that Jesus was worth sharing.

Being His witnesses should still excite us today, and yet, outside of organized mission trips, we rarely see believers stepping out intentionally to share the gospel. Why is that? What’s stopping us? The call has never changed, but it seems that somewhere along the way, our practice has faded.

Open Doors

Maybe it’s time we re-engage with that model. Does that mean knocking on doors? Perhaps.

I remember reading about a pastor from California who decided to do just that. He stepped away from the large church he had been leading and teamed up with a few others to simply go door to door — offering prayer and presenting the gospel. To their surprise, many people were open and even grateful for the visit. In some neighborhoods, those simple encounters grew into home Bible studies and small church gatherings.

I truly believe people are more receptive to the gospel than we think. Maybe it’s time we start pairing up and stepping out. To help me in this, one of the things I try to remember to do every day is personalize a few verses specific to this very topic and make them my prayer as I head out into my community. Maybe they can become a prayer (and help) for you too:

That God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ… that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. (That I…) Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. (That my…) speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one (Colossians 4:3–6).

God loves to make references to doors. In fact, His Son is the door. And He delights in opening doors for His Word to be made manifest, He’s simply looking for willing hearts to walk through them. Is that you?

Today, pray and step out in faith. Maybe someone will open a door to you…and through that act of faith…open their heart to Him.

God bless you,

Carole