Last evening we held our first ACT 3 Forum of 2007. It was a great blessing for many who came. Comments and responses were almost all positive. We also attracted the largest crowd for such an event that we have ever had in Chicago. We hope to build on this beginning and see these types of forums grow in their impact upon Christians and churches. The next one will be held May 6, at 6 p.m., at Lutheran Church of the Master in Carol Stream. (Details are on our Web site at www.act3online.com.) The speaker for that evening, retired physician and author Dr. Charles McGowen, will address the issue of stem cell research. The event is free and all are invited.

Ron Nollet’s story last evening was moving and inspirational. It revealed the bondage that a person lives in day-in and day-out under the authority of a cult like the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. If you know a little or a lot about Jehovah’s Witnesses you would find his presentation extremely helpful. He and his wife, Adriana, never expressed anger toward the Watchtower, a remarkable grace.

In 1994 their sixteen year old son was allowed to die because he would not take blood products for a serious condition. As they watched him die, after a painful eleven days, they sincerely believed they, and young Keith bravely agreed with them, were doing God’s will. Frankly, I do not know how I could live well knowing this was a part of my past and that my decision was based on the false teaching of my one-time church. This is what amazed me the most last evening. Not a word or a note of anger toward the Watchtower was expressed, just pity and deep concern, motivated by genuine love. (My private times with Ron also revealed the same thing again and again.) It is hard to leave a church or group that you have been hurt by so deeply over many, many years. This man spent 47 years in the Watchtower and yet his life is now flooded with deep abiding peace. And there is absolutely no evidence of bitterness in Ron toward his past or toward those who truly hurt him. He works now to expose the public teachings and practices of the Watchtower in order to help others stay out if it or get out. He is discreet and gentle in all his dealings with JWs. He does not attack but shows facts and makes calm appeals rooted in the gospel of grace alone.

We plan to have an audio version of this address, as well as the question and answer time, online before this week is over. We will also have a video version online within a few weeks. The video version will air on most Comcast cable systems throughout Chicago in the coming weeks. Please pray for those who will see this powerful presentation. Watch our Web site for these new resources to be added soon.

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Comments

  1. Brandon March 20, 2007 at 1:17 am

    i’m a jehovah’s witness and i don’t feel like i’m in bondage at all. actually by adhering to bible standards i am free from many of the problems that many people face today.
    as far as the blood transfusion issue. the bible very clearly shows that they are unacceptable. in acts 15:29 it says to abstain from blood. you can’t abstain from something if your putting it directly into your veins.
    if this man really has no bitterness then why does he spend so much of his time campaigning against jehovah’s witnesses? if he felt it was wrong why didn’t he leave before he lost his son?
    i feel terribly for his loss but to me he sounds like someone who doesn’t have faith in the resurrection promised in the bible.
    god never forgets when people are faithful. so no doubt he will remember this young man. i wish this person would have the same confidence in jehovah.

  2. Kevin J March 20, 2007 at 4:07 pm

    I am thankful for the seminar on Sunday evening. It was very enlightening since many of my own relatives are Jehovah’s Witnesses. I thought about many things, but the following is what I pondered the most.
    I think it is easy to fall in to the trap of a “works based” mindset where we feel like we need to do “x” amount of things in order to be right before God.This can be the heart’s attitude of Christians in sincere Christian churches. There is something within us that does not want to accpet the complete and utter forgivness of sin afforded us through Jesus’ death on the cross. We may study it and even preach, even for years, but have we accepted it personally? I know because I lived for years in perpetual self condemnation and condemning others. In my subconscious I was a works based Christian. I was saved, but I had no peace in my heart. My relations with others was strained and I didn’t leave room for God to work. I only felt joyful when I felt I was performing well, from my own point of view. I was not taught this, but it was rooted in my own unbelief. I felt true peace when I simply believed the Gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrecton. Maybe all “works based” religions, “Jehovah Witness'” or others are born out of this condition of heart. It all started when Adam sewed fig leaves together and tried to cover himself in Genesis.
    But there is the opposite end of the spectrum, that is, those who claim Jesus grace and have no works and condmen those who do works. Faith without works is dead.(James 2:26) We need to find a good balance between faith and works and discover how our Christian lives can be full of good works and at the same time depend only on the shed blood of Jesus for our salvation. Maybe people caught up in “works based” religious systems do not want to listen to us because they do not see good works in our lives. I minister to two people who are involved in a “works based” religion. They are my friends and they listen to me because they respect the good works they see. One of their pastors invited me to speak on Matt 24 once. There are opportunities opened because of faith and works working hand in hand. May God help me to find that balance and pray for others to do the same…

  3. j. f. rutherford April 19, 2007 at 7:05 am

    OVER 450 JEHOVAH’S WITNESS LAWSUITS, COURT CASES, ETC SUMMARIZED
    This website summarizes 300 United States court cases and lawsuits affecting children of Jehovah’s Witnesses, including dozens of cases where the Parents refused to consent to life-saving blood transfusions:
    DIVORCE, BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS, AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING CHILDREN OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
    http://jwdivorces.bravehost.com/
    This website summarizes 160 United States court cases and lawsuits filed by Jehovah’s Witnesses against Employers:
    EMPLOYMENT ISSUES UNIQUE TO JEHOVAH’S WITNESS EMPLOYEES
    http://jwemployees.bravehost.com

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