Jason, a Seventh-day Adventist, emailed these comments regarding our Watchman Profile on Seventh-day Adventism…
Sabbath Keeping
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Christian discernment and apologetics ministry with a mission to educate, equip, and evangelize
Watchman Fellowship
WHAT WE DO
Watchman Fellowship is an independent Christian research and apologetics ministry focusing on new religious movements, cults, the occult and the New Age.
WHO WE SERVE
We serve the Christian and secular community as a resource for education, counseling, and non-coercive intervention and evangelism training.
As Christians, we believe that “we are our brother’s keeper.” Like the watchman on the wall (Ezekiel 3:17), we have the responsibility to sound a warning against the deception and destructive spiritual abuse practiced by counterfeit groups. In sounding such warning Watchman Fellowship also has a principled commitment to accuracy.
As Christians, we believe that “we are our brother’s keeper.” Like the watchman on the wall (Ezekiel 3:17), we have the responsibility to sound a warning against the deception and destructive spiritual abuse practiced by counterfeit groups. In sounding such warning Watchman Fellowship also has a principled commitment to accuracy.
SINCE 1979
Our mission is to fill a crucial need in the Church as a Christian counter-cult* and watchdog ministry. We have three primary goals: to educate the community, to equip the church, and to evangelize the cults.
WHO WE ARE
The ministry was founded by David Henke in Columbus, Georgia in 1979. He remains Chairman of the Board and manages the Georgia office. Watchman Fellowship’s home office is in Texas and we also have an office in Pennsylvania.
WHAT'S IN A NAME
Often confused with the Watchtower Society title used by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, we are in no way affiliated with them. Our name is taken from the Old Testament book of the Bible, Ezekiel.
“Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth, and give them warning from Me.” (Ezekiel 33:7)
Crisis of Conscience
Crisis of Conscience presents the story of a struggle to prevent the erosion of a God-given freedom of conscience and the ensuing dilemma of choosing between loyalty to God and loyalty to one’s religion.
Former member of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Raymond Franz delivers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Watch Tower Society. In response to extraordinary events, Franz tells a unique account of the decision-making sessions of this religion’s inner council and the powerful, sometimes dramatic, impact their decisions have on Jehovah’s Witnesses. Crisis of Conscience offers a penetrating view of the supreme council of this organization, the Governing Body and their life altering power over human lives.
While the events of Raymond Franz’s departure from the Governing Body occurred in 1980, the organizational foundation and structure remains the same today, making this account relevant to a whole new generation.
Content: Raymond Franz, formerly a Governing Body member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, shares an account that reveals the inner workings and the decision-making processes of that Body, offering a penetrating view of the life altering power they have over human lives. The final nine of his sixty years as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses were spent on this central executive council. Those years led to his crisis of conscience, which is the theme of this book.
Based on the entire manuscript of Franz’s 2008 printing of Crisis of Conscience, this fifth edition 2018, also includes:
Foreword by David Henke, author of Spiritual Abuse Recovery Workbook, and founder of Watchman Fellowship, Inc. — David Henke is a Christian apologist who specializes in the field of Jehovah’s Witnesses, issues of mind control, spiritual abuse, and legalism. In addition to the above workbook, Henke has authored evangelistic and educational tracts, and articles.
Excerpts from Franz’s In Search of Christian Freedom — Crisis of Conscience references 30 pages from In Search of Christian Freedom in the footnotes; for the convenience of the reader, these pages have been added to Appendix B.
Where is the “Great Crowd” Serving God? by Jon A. Mitchell, a former secretary to the Governing Body — As a secretary to the Governing Body, and member of the Service Department, Mitchell observed events during and immediately after Raymond Franz’ resignation from the Governing Body and numerous people were moved, demoted or disfellowshipped. As a result Jon Mitchell authored a booklet called Where is The “Great Crowd” Serving God? This is an account of Jon’s observations and his personal research from 1980 to 1981 while serving at Brooklyn Bethel. This booklet has been included in its entirety in Appendix C.
Epilogue, The Copyright Owner’s Story by Deborah Dykstra — Former regular pioneer and temporary special pioneer, Deborah Dykstra tells her journey of discovering that Jehovah’s Witnesses were not the sound foundation that she thought they were, realizing instead that it is Jesus Christ himself that is the real “truth” and foundation to life as a Christian. Thereafter, she shares how she embarked on a 25 year friendship with Raymond and Cynthia Franz along with anecdotal stories about the Franz’ lives.
Raymond Franz died in 2010, however in this re-publishing of Crisis of Conscience based on it’s very last printing in 2008, the authors story, heart and expressions of his love for God and his fellow man remain with us.
Jehovah's Witnesses
- Is the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ translation of the Bible accurate and unbiased?
- Are its predictions for the future unfailing?
- Is it true that the Society is closed to occult influences?
- Is the scholarship of its literature trustworthy?
- Is the Society’s teaching on salvation biblical?
Latter-day Saints / Mormonism
- How did Mormonism originate? Who was Joseph Smith?
- Is it a Christian religion? What does it teach about God?
- What is the Mormon doctrine regarding salvation? Life after death?
- Who do they believe Jesus Christ was…is?
- What is the Book of Mormon? The Pearl of Great Price? Doctrine and Covenants?
Spiritual Abuse
- Shaming
- Focus on performance
- Manipulation
- Idolatry
- Preoccupation with fault and blame
- Obscured reality
- Unbalanced Interralatedness
Prophecy
Concerning prophecy and religious deception, the Bible warns: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
- Open-dated
- Self-fulfilling
- Conditional
- Close-dated & Unconditional
Recent Posts & Articles
Commenting on the Text: John 20:25
Consequently the other disciples would say to him: ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them: ‘Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will certainly not believe.’
Prophet of God, Or Biggest Fraud?
Where do we begin in testing the “story of Joseph Smith,” or how do we “try the spirits” (I John 4:1) behind “Mormonism, as it is called?”
The Holy Spirit in Mormon Theology
The Mormon Church’s First Article of Faith says, “We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” On the basis of this one Article we find an “apparently” orthodox view of the Godhead. But, the Mormons use the vocabulary of orthodox Christianity while assigning meanings of their own.
Gone With the Wind of Heresy?
Solomon said, “there is no new thing under the Sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). If we apply that truth to modern-day Cults and ‘isms’ then we should be able to find historical precedents for the theologies they espouse.
Commenting on the Text: 1 Timothy 4:1-3
October, 2001 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their consciences seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and...
RESOURCE CATALOG OF BOOKS, DVD’S, & TRAINING MANUALS
