Observing a Jehovah’s Witness Worship Service

A Biblical and Discernment-Based Reflection

Christians are called to love people and to test teachings. Those two responsibilities are not in conflict. In fact, Scripture commands both.

Understanding what others believe, especially when those beliefs use biblical language, requires patience, clarity, and a commitment to truth. For that reason, first-hand observation can be an important tool for discernment and evangelism.

This post reflects on my observation of a Jehovah’s Witness worship service and compares what I witnessed with the teachings of Scripture. The goal is not ridicule or debate, but biblical clarity, compassion, and faithfulness to the gospel.

Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?

Jehovah’s Witnesses trace their origins to the late nineteenth century and emphasize what they believe is a return to original Christianity. They are widely recognized for door-to-door evangelism, public literature carts, and their use of the New World Translation of the Bible.

Central to their beliefs are several doctrines that set them apart from historic Christianity. They reject the Trinity, teaching that Jehovah alone is Almighty God. Jesus is believed to be a created being, identified as the archangel Michael, rather than God in the flesh. The Holy Spirit is not viewed as a divine person, but as God’s active force. Salvation, in their view, involves faith in Jesus along with obedience to Jehovah’s commands and loyalty to God’s earthly organization.

While Jehovah’s Witnesses are often sincere, disciplined, and morally committed, sincerity alone does not determine truth. Scripture must remain the standard.

What I Observed at a Jehovah’s Witness Meeting

The worship service took place in a Kingdom Hall and followed a carefully structured format. The setting was simple and undecorated, with no religious symbols or crosses. Everything about the environment emphasized order, focus, and uniformity.

The meeting opened with a song from their official songbook, followed by prayer. All teaching came exclusively from the New World Translation of the Bible and Watch Tower Society-produced materials. There were no physical Bibles. Attendees followed along using tablets or electronic devices.

Throughout the meeting, participants offered prepared responses to pre-written questions from an official workbook. All teaching points, discussion prompts, and role-play demonstrations were designed in advance by the organization’s leadership. Use of outside theological resources or independent interpretation was not permitted.

Several role-play demonstrations modeled how members should respond to conversations with non-Witnesses. These examples emphasized reliance on approved literature and framed evangelistic encounters in a highly structured way.

The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Members were friendly, attentive, and clearly invested in one another’s lives. There was a strong sense of community and shared purpose. At the same time, the heavy reliance on centralized authority and pre-approved teaching material was unmistakable.

Where Jehovah’s Witness Teaching Departs from Biblical Christianity

Despite surface similarities, the doctrinal differences between Jehovah’s Witnesses and biblical Christianity are foundational.

The Nature of God

Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the Trinity, teaching that Jehovah alone is God. Scripture, however, reveals one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Jesus commands baptism “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The Holy Spirit is described as personal and divine, capable of being lied to and grieved (Acts 5:3–4; Ephesians 4:30).

The Person of Christ

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is a created being. Scripture teaches that Jesus is eternal and fully God.

“In the beginning the Word already existed; the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
“Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God… the fullness of God lives in him” (Colossians 1:15, 19, GNT).

A created Christ cannot save. If Jesus is not God, the gospel collapses.

Salvation

Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that salvation involves obedience, evangelistic work, and association with the organization. Scripture teaches that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone.

“For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved, through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift” (Ephesians 2:8–9, GNT).

Good works follow salvation. They do not create it.

Resurrection and Eternal Destiny

Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the bodily resurrection of Christ and teach that only 144,000 will reign in heaven. Scripture affirms Jesus’ physical resurrection and describes a great multitude before God’s throne.

“Touch me and see for yourselves. A ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have” (Luke 24:39, GNT).
“There was a great crowd… from every race, tribe, people, and language” (Revelation 7:9, GNT).

These differences are not minor. They strike at the heart of the gospel.

Why These Differences Matter

Doctrine matters because truth matters. Who Jesus is determines what salvation is. A different Jesus leads to a different gospel, and a different gospel cannot save.

The apostle Paul warned that even messages that sound religious or moral must be tested carefully. Scripture does not allow believers to redefine Christ, adjust the gospel, or submit truth to organizational authority.

Discernment is not unloving. It is obedient.

Sharing Christ with a Jehovah’s Witness

When engaging with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christians must remember that they are people, not projects. Many are deeply devoted, family-oriented, and sincere. Harsh confrontation rarely opens hearts.

Scripture encourages patience, humility, and prayer. Conversations should focus on the person of Jesus and the authority of Scripture, not organizational debates. It is important to let Scripture speak for itself and to trust the Holy Spirit to work in ways we cannot control.

Building trust takes time. Asking thoughtful questions, listening carefully, and responding gently can open doors that arguments will close. Above all, believers must pray. Salvation is God’s work, not ours.

Truth and Love Belong Together

Observing a Jehovah’s Witness worship service highlighted both commendable sincerity and serious doctrinal error. As Christians, we are called to respond with clarity, compassion, and faithfulness to the gospel.

Truth without love becomes harsh. Love without truth becomes empty. Scripture calls us to hold both together.

Jesus Christ is not a created being. He is Lord. Salvation is not earned. It is given. And the gospel is not guarded by an organization. It is proclaimed by God Himself through His Word.

Our task is to speak that truth, gently but firmly, and to trust God with the results.