James Walker is the president of Watchman Fellowship (www.watchman.org), a Christian apologetics organization based in Arlington, Texas, that researches a variety of religious movements, including Mormonism, and presents information in churches throughout the United States as well as on the Internet. Besides speaking in churches, James produces videos for the Internet and works with those who have recently left Mormonism or are thinking about it.
Eric and Sean: Can you tell us a little bit about your own personal testimony and how you left Mormonism?
James: I was a fourth-generation Latter-day Saint and fully believed in Joseph Smith. As early as the seventh grade, I had a Christian friend, Tom, who challenged my belief in multiple gods by showing me Isaiah 43:10 in the Bible. Ultimately, it was the Mormon gospel of works righteousness and always feeling “unworthy” contrasted with the biblical gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) that brought me to Christ at age 21.
Eric and Sean: Why do you visit churches around the country to teach Christians about Mormon beliefs?
James: God used Christian friends in my life to draw me to His gospel of grace, so I want to be that kind of friend to other Mormons. I also want to encourage and train Christians to share Christ with their Mormon friends “with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).
Eric and Sean: Suppose someone said that, by even talking about Mormonism with committed Christians in a church setting, there is a risk of someone possibly joining the LDS Church. How would you respond?
James: Spiritual maturity is the only effective way to avoid spiritual deception (Ephesians 4:14-15). Attempts to ignore the problem or hope that Christians never come into contact with people of other religions are not the best strategies to protect those who are young or weak in their faith. Maturity is greatly accelerated when believers are exposed to the error contrasted with biblical truth while being equipped and trained for gospel ministry.
Eric and Sean: Watchman Fellowship produces short videos and posts them on the Internet. What are some of the things discussed?
James: We produce these videos to train Christians to better understand and reach out to their Mormon friends. Here are a few examples:
• Explaining Grace to a Mormon (4 minutes): www.watchman.org/WitnessTip.htm
• Street Interview with a Mormon (10 minutes): www.watchman.org/LDS_Interview.htm
• Mormons in Transition Interviews (10 minutes): www.watchman.org/MIT_Video.htm
And here is a 21-minute video produced by truelife.org where I talk about the question, “Is Mormonism True?” www.truelife.org/answers/ is-mormonism-true
Eric and Sean: Tell us about your program called Mormons in Transition.
James: Mormon leaders have acknowledged that an unprecedented number of Latter-day Saints are having serious doubts about their faith or are leaving Mormonism entirely. Unfortunately, most who lose their faith tend to become atheists or agnostics. We want to build relationships with current Mormons who have questions as well as with former Mormons. We use MeetUps.com to advertise three monthly gatherings hosted in different areas of the city. We have no agenda or lesson. We share a meal, have open conversations, and try to facilitate new friendships. All views are respected wherever people may be in their journey of transition. We try to model biblical Christianity as a viable option for Mormons who question their faith.
Eric and Sean: As someone who used to be a Mormon, what is the best advice you could give to a Christian who wants to have a productive conversation with a Latter-day Saint?
James: Well, reading this book is a great start. It is important to take advantage of good Christian books and other resources. These tools help us to have the basic understanding of Mormon doctrines and terminology needed to have truly productive discussions.
I would also encourage you to pray for your Mormon friends and entrust the results of your discussions to God. Try not to judge the effectiveness of your conversations by the initial responses you get. When I was Mormon, I never let my Christian friends know that their questions were hitting home. I assured them that I knew “beyond a shadow of a doubt” that Mormonism was true. I would tell them that their questions actually increased my faith in Joseph Smith. In the end, however, God did use their questions, testimonies, and relationships to enable my journey from Mormonism to Christianity.