Daybreak Flyer Distribution

My dad and I were at the last Daybreak concert of the season tonight on SoDa Row in South Jordan and we got a ton of these flyers out for my nephew and niece's (far left of page) band who were coming up to play at a park over Labor Day Weekend. Dad talked to one set of missionaries and I talked to another (the ones that live a couple doors down from my folks that I've talked to before). They said they would try to come. Talked to another LDS guy who loves Christian worship music, and he said they just moved up and will be there as well.

A couple days later, I got the flyers out door to door around the park. While I was putting them on the doors, I realized how close I was to Herriman High School, so I gave them out to students there coming out at lunch and at the end of their school day. The Vice Principal came out and told me to move off their property and then told me that I was impeding traffic by handing the flyers out to cars that were taking a right at the corner. I told him I didn’t believe I was impeding traffic, so he called a Herriman cop on me. The cop came and told me I was impeding traffic and I could only pass them out on the public sidewalk. So I need to check with the district attorney to see what the law really says. I find it hard to believe that I am really the one forcing cars to stop and impeding the traffic by quickly passing out a flyer. Here’s the video of my interaction with the cop. Despite all that, I probably got around 50 flyers out at the high school.  

MeetTheExMormons.org


Dad talking to the LDS missionaries
Our friend David Flores came to share his story at our monthly fellowship. David is recently retired from the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department. This was his first time to share his story and he did such a great job. It’s really one of my favorite testimonies. You can check it out as well as the pictures at our site linked above.

More Contract Work

JUCE TV, that hired me to work on their Overtime script on Mormonism last fall (see the video), hired me again, but this time it was for a script they are working on explaining Jehovah’s Witnesses from a Christian point of view. Stay tuned for the upcoming video!

New URL Directing to MormonInfo.org

My friend Moishe wrote: “I bought a website and redirected ComeWithChrist.com to MormonInfo.org. In doing this, I have gotten Mormons to be inquisitive and actually consider looking at the site. One of the ones I shared the link with has since left the Church and is looking for more answers. Everyone can make a difference!”

Dialogue With LDS Missionary
Over Racism in LDS Scripture


I had a very helpful and respectful discussion with an LDS missionary on my Facebook discussion board over racism in LDS Scripture. Please check it out here

Update on My Dissertation

Please continue to pray for me as I work on my dissertation through North-West University. I met with my supervisor over Zoom for the first time. Dr. Fohle Lygunda is a great guy who really loves the Lord. It is so great to be a student at one of the largest public schools in Africa, and have my supervisor pray for us at the beginning of our conversation and then I prayed to close it off. So unlike the public schools here in the U.S. I am in the process of redoing my research proposal to meet their standards, which have been very confusing in parts. Also, please pray that I get my bill straightened out. I paid for what I owed via a wire transfer back the end of July. However, they won’t respond to my requests when I sent them the receipt and they simply sent me another bill with interest!

 

Back to School Party

 

We had around 10 of Tara's fellow classmates over for a back to school pizza party. Most, if not all of them, are LDS. I prayed over them and we had a great time together. One of them has since opened up to Tara about her frustrations/disillusionment with the LDS Church. 

 

CCU is Now Domesticated in UT

 

Most of you probably didn't realize, but CCU was established in CA and we have been operating as a foreign entity in UT all these years. Well, praise the Lord, after years of red tape, last month we finally dissolved our standing in CA and became a domesticated 501c3 in UT! This will make things, particularly our taxes, much more efficient. 

We Need Your Partnership!

We not only need your prayers, but we need your financial partnership as well. Keep in mind that your investment is not simply for us, but for the lives of others we reach with the gospel. The standard way to financially invest is by writing a tax-deductible check to Courageous Christians United (CCU). For more information on various ways to invest in this ministry, including online giving, please see our “Invest” page on our sites. Please keep in mind we have no financial guarantees each month. Ministry partners come and go. If you’re not a partner and are blessed by these monthly updates, please consider joining our team and let us know soon. We’d love to be your missionaries here in Utah. Many thanks to those of you who hold us up in prayer and/or in your financial giving!

We expect God to provide for our needs through you. Why? Because the Bible is clear: “the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14).

 


 

 

 

 

 

Be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6)!

Rob Sivulka
President, Courageous Christians United
P.O. Box 1374
West Jordan, UT 84088
(801) 792-6373 (leave voice message or text)
MormonInfo.org
MeetTheExMormons.org
JWinfo.org
MuhammadLied.Info
AbortionIsMurder.Info

Mailbag

I am not Mormon but my brother us and my heart breaks that he is deceived. Any suggestions to show him with live that it is a cult.

[I replied:] Please tell him about the Home page chart of differences on JosephLied.com and ask him if it is fairly representing what he believes and more importantly, what his church teaches. Then ask how can he believe all that when the Bible teaches such radically different things.

[She replied:] I need courage courage and more courage. I am determined in my heart. UT my brain gets scared. But I must love him enough to at least try. Thanks so much
______________

Praise Jesus

hello rob.
I've discovered your videos on youtube and have really engaged in your discussions with Mormons. A quick share about me. I'm 27 and am born and raised in... utah. Born into a Mormon family. Became a devout Mormon attending institute and graduating and receiving the melkezidic priesthood. I made a life long friend that is Christian and God gave him the ability to preach to me in a way I could understand, I then starting searching. I soon realized how I've been resisting the love that Jesus did for me on the cross. Soon following that I became born again and got my name removed from the Mormon church. My family is still unaware that I have done this. My heart is pain every night when I think how my closest loved ones are worshipping false gods and failing to recognize the love that Jesus has for them now and in heaven. And how they won't join me in heaven on high with God.
   
My question is this. What do you think the best way is to start preaching to family members that are sensitive about the mormon religion? I want to be able open the door for them to discover that Jesus is the way just as I have done. I would really like any advice you are willing to share. I am praying for you and the message you are sharing.   
     
much love

[I replied:] Praise the Lord brother! Thankful that God has brought you into His marvelous light.
I am no expert on your question. My in-laws are LDS or pagans, but we are not close and we all have very busy lives. As you know, my ministry is largely about preaching to strangers in a very direct way, and of course as lovingly as possible under the circumstances. Nonetheless, I do have some ideas.

I encourage you to do what Scripture requires. You have put yourself under the Lordship of Jesus, so strive to listen and obey His word. I find 1 Pet. 3:1-15 to be instructive on how to minister to close family members who are not believers. Yes, it specifically refers to a believing wife with an unbelieving husband, but I think the principle is basically the same. I think in these circumstances we are primarily called to keep our mouths shut and love them as best we can under the direction of the Spirit. We wait on Him to open doors and for them to ask questions when they are ready, and when they are, we respond with gentleness and respect. When you sense the door cracking, it's wise to continue letting them open it. All the while, you need to be in fervent prayer continually over this whole situation. When you fail (no one always loves as they should), you don't beat yourself up. Be patient with yourself as well. Nonetheless, you get back on the horse and keep doing what God's called you to do. Do not force the situation, though. You wait on God's timing, knowing that He's always at work and loves them more than even you do. Remember, He died for them!

When the time is right, I would ask if your family member(s) would read through the New Testament with you. Ask them what they got out of the chapter. Focus on the word of God to transform their lives. You may also want to read through a basic apologetic book for Jesus together. I just started "More Than a Carpenter" by Josh McDowell with my girls. This all will provide the basis of trusting God's word and turning to it to give light.

When they start to question their own beliefs and they ask you to hear their concerns, then it may be a good idea to offer them a testimony book like Micah Wilder's "Passport to Heaven" or his mom Lynn Wilder's "Unveiling Grace" or Lisa Brockman's "Out of Zion." After that, I suggest giving them my site MormonInfo.org's Home page chart of differences, and ask them to tell you what they think of it.


Another thing you can do is to invite them to special events at your church--like your baptism if you haven't done so already. That may be one of the first things you do. It would be a good way to clear the air and let them know where you stand. Don't use it to get in a knock-down-drag-out argument. Let the pastor do the dirty work. Just give the invitation and see if they come out of curiosity if nothing else. You may also invite them to your wedding, baby dedications, etc. This is who you are now. They will either still support you as a family member or they will avoid you. If the latter, then still commit them to prayer.

Speaking of prayer. There's no harm and it may be very helpful to promote a closer bond with your family members if you ask them if there is anything you can pray for them about. Enter their lives as much as you can so that you can look for any way to minister to them. As they open their lives up more to you, they trust you more, especially when they really need help. You want to be someone they can depend on... even when they have bad days and act jerky to you. Love endures all things as 1 Cor. 13:7 says. Continually recall how thick-headed you were and how long it took you to see straight.

Keep in mind that the intellectual is only one area of their lives that needs transformation. They really need to be born-again where *all* things become new. Also keep in mind that as a follower of Christ, you may be the only Christ in the flesh they have access to.

Finally, you need to study like crazy. Bookmarks are for quitters! LOL! But seriously, that's how you become prepared to answer the questions they hopefully will eventually ask. If you don't know the answer, again, don't beat up on yourself and don't beat up on them. Just be respectful, acknowledge what a good question it is, and ask if you can get back with them later after you think about it more. No one knows everything, and the more you know, the more you realize how much you don't know. And by the way, I'm here to bounce things off as questions arise.
That's about all I have tonight. I need to get to bed.

God bless!

Your bro,

Rob

____________

Hi Rob.

Are you still doing this? I realize it's been 5 years, but my brother and sister in law converted to Christianity upon leaving the church recently, and I have some very logical questions that I don't want them to feel like I'm attacking with some very pointed questions that I need resolved.

[I replied:] Yep, I still run the site. Thanks for reaching out.

I think you will appreciate this 45 minute video that I posted from last Saturday's Feast & Testimony meeting. David is a retired cop who used to be LDS. He committed himself to Christ on following the evidence.

Also, looking over what I said to you before, I was wrong about something. I weakened the case. The resurrection story wasn't simply within 30 years, but immediately. That is a fact that even agnostic New Testament scholars recognize. Well, Bart Ehrman says the story was about a year or 2 after Christ's death. But still, that's significant. How could Christianity thrive in Jerusalem during this time when Christ's death was a public, well-known event? The best explanation is that Jesus really rose from the dead. It was a verifiable story by checking the tomb and checking with eyewitnesses who were at least willing to go to their deaths for this story that originated with them.

Looking forward to hearing from you again!

_____________

Keeping you in my prayers. If I was 40 years younger, I'd be right out there with you.
I'm all for you!


Add Comment
Dennis says... (Reply)
"To add to Rob's comment that we can date apostolic preaching to (at least) a year or two after the crucifixion: I haven't heard it dated quite that far back, but it's not crazy. William Lane Craig has argued that the creed Paul gives in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 is plausibly dated to within three years of the crucifixion.

As for dating the gospels, not all conservative scholars buy the following argument, but some do and, at the very least, it's not crazy. The book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest in Rome in the early 60s. If it wasn't written then, it ends at a strange place: wouldn't it make more sense, if it were a literary fiction, to end it with Paul's achieving his freedom? (It's generally believed that he was freed, and was executed during a second imprisonment in Rome.) If so, then it makes sense to think that Acts was written more or less at the time of the events it describes. But Acts was Luke's (the person's) sequel to his gospel (Luke the biblical book), which would have been written some time earlier. And Luke is generally considered to be written after Matthew and definitely after Mark, so those sequentially push the date still further back. We're not talking 1-2 years, but we're not talking 30 years, either, much less the 40-50 years claimed by some scholars." (9/6/21)