The last Presidential election cycle saw a huge increase in discussion about Mormonism with Mitt Romney running for President of the United States. For some this conversation is new, but for many like me who live, work and minister around Mormons, Mormonism is nothing new. The area I live in, Boise, Idaho has one of the highest per capita populations of Mormons in the world. Being that as it may even before I moved to the Boise area, I have long been interested in reading books on Mormonism in order to better understand what they believe, so that I can faithfully engage them with the Gospel.
In my experience ministering and witnessing to Mormons, Mormons are confused on the essentials of the Gospel. For the sake of clarity allow me to state upfront, I know about Mormonism not only through reading books about them, but also because, I have multiple Mormon neighbors I’ve walked through the Gospel with in order to see what they understand of the Gospel from the Bible. In doing so I’ve asked open-ended questions, given Scripture and taught the Gospel to them. I have one Mormon neighbor who I’ve done this with, and he did not respond to anything I said, but when I mentioned something else about a Christian radio station in my area, he immediately lit up with excitement and became passionate about the Christian music he listens to. In my experience Mormons demonstrate not biblical literacy but rather spiritual blindness.
In their helpful updated and expanded edition of Answering Mormons’ Questions Ready Responses for Inquiring Latter-day Saints authors Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson write in order to help Christians understand such questions as “Why don’t Christians accept Mormons as Christians?, “Do you believe Mormonism is a cult?”, “If the LDS church is not true, what church is?, and “How can you explain the many contradictions found throughout the Bible?”
This book takes an approach that I think is helpful in that the author begin each chapter with a question and then gives response questions. Each chapter begins not with assuming what Mormons teach but rather with a direct quote from Mormon leaders, then give a summary of their official doctrine, and then proceeds to show where Mormons error by taking a biblical-theological approach to address the question.
The approach of this book resonates well with me, because it deals with the whole person and their worldview. The authors don’t assume that the reader understands anything about Mormonism but rather helpfully point out what Mormonism teaches and what the Bible teaches. Whether you’re new to studying what Mormons teach, or you live and work around Mormons, Answering Mormons Questions is an important book that will help you as a Christian to be prepared to answer Mormons questions and to ask your own. This updated and expanded book weaves biblical and theological insight with great knowledge of Mormonism in order to give Christians an insightful and easy to use reference guide with answers to the most common questions Mormons ask. I recommend you read this book along with Is The Mormon My Brother? Discerning The Differences Between Mormonism and Christianity? By Dr. James R. White.
Title: Answering Mormons’ Questions: Ready Responses for Inquiring Latter-day Saints
Author: Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson
Publisher: Kregel (2012)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Kregel book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
