What if someone taught the gospel this way:

[mrmarklin]

A member of the church goes to college to become a state-recognized preacher since that's what people have to do to become that kind of preacher. M.U.S.T.: Mormon Undercover Spreading Truth. :)

The above quote is a fatal flaw in your plan. Attending a course for another religion with the "object" of becoming a preacher may be interpreted as an act of apostasy by church leaders, hence your cover would immediately be blown!!!!!

[mordorbund]

The big thing here is that deception is not a conversion tool. We are told to preach with patience, love, and long suffering.

Deception is what Satan uses to convert the hearts of men and remember that nothing of God can be done by wicked means.

To preach in deception is to do the work of the Deceiver not of Christ.

Also this would definitely hurt the Church's image and effect our interdenominational relief effort around the world.

Ok, so deception is out. What about guile? Is guile an acceptable conversion tool?

[ChooseTheSun]

Maybe someone could approach the Baptist Church leadership, fully identifying him/herself as LDS, and see about coordinating an inner-denominational educational night.

Speakers from different faiths could get together with the Baptist congregation and respectfully discuss faith issues over potato salad and tuna casserole. Everyone's faith is above board, and the Baptist congregants could ask questions without being duped.

[pam]

Ok, so deception is out. What about guile? Is guile an acceptable conversion tool?

Oh brother.

[carlimac]

Actually, this is an interesting concept. Obviously it would never work as the op described. But what if a congregation heard the true gospel of Jesus Christ without the title of a particular church being attatched to it? Think of a blindfold taste test where the taster doesn't know the brand. So if people heard the gospel without knowing they were being taught the Mormon brand (for lack of a better description) of doctrine and with the spirit that accompanies the teaching of truth, I wonder if more people would accept it that way. There are so many preconceived ideas that folks have about "Mormons" that they are biased from the get-go.

There is a story in a new book out by Gerald Lund that I just read about this very thing happening. It was just one woman rather than a whole congregation. Once she realized what she was hearing was from the LDS church, she accepted the missionaries in and was baptized.

The whole deception thing wouldn't work, but the idea behind it is one to ponder.

[carlimac]

Oh brother.

Why oh brother Pam? It's straight out of the Book of Mormon.

[NeuroTypical]

But what if a congregation heard the true gospel of Jesus Christ without the title of a particular church being attatched to it?

Our ward was finishing up a service project one saturday at the church, and we noticed something going on at the community church across the street. It seemed like an elderly couple was trying to do landscaping - moving a bunch of rocks and paving stones and whatnot. So our ward made a phone call or two, got a few more brethren, and half a dozen elders helped them out.

We got news about how the pastor responded on Sunday. He got up in front of the congregation and spoke about how beautiful the new landscaping looked. He thanked the congregation for the donations that made it possible. Then he talked about how even though folks had signed up to complete the project, there was just the elderly couple that actually showed up to work. He very clearly stated that the mormons from across the street, quickly rounded up half a dozen strong backs and smilingly did the work. Then he said "Their example is a finer sermon on charity and pure Christian service than anything I prepared to say today". He informed the congregation flat out that whoever floated the next criticism of the mormons, would be answering to him personally. Then he dismissed the congregation early and asked people to reflect on what they'd learned.

LM

[pam]

Why oh brother Pam? It's straight out of the Book of Mormon.

Because I was joking with him. Hense the little emoticon. And guile also means to deceive. So I found it humorous that he just used another word.

Edited January 30, 2011 by pam

[volgadon]

This reminds me on an interesting story that I once heard from a Missionary. They said somewhere in France (I believe) a Catholic Priest found a unbound Book of Mormon (It didn't have the cover or title page so he didn't know that it was the Book of Mormon) sitting in a public trash can. He thought it was a bible and picked it out of the trash and took it home with him. He read it from front to back and prayed about it as he was invited to in Moroni 10:3-5, he received a testimony from the Holy Ghost that Jesus was the Christ and that the book was the Word of God!

In his parish attendance was very low but he knew that he had to share this great message with his congregation! He started preaching from the book and the congregation was filled with the Spirit. Attendance skyrocketed and the Holy Ghost was felt each Sunday as he taught from this discarded book.

Where the diocese heard of the miraculous turn around in attendance at this one parish they went to investigate. The priest told them about the book he found and how it was the reason for the dramatic attendance increase in the parish. The diocese looked into this book and quickly discovered it was the Book of Mormon.

The forbid the priest from preaching this book ever again and demanded that he destroy it immediately! The brave man refused to destroy the Word of God and insisted that he would preach from this book because it is true.

The Priest was defrocked and excommunicated from the Catholic Church, but kept the book and eventually found out is was the Book of Mormon. From what I was told he is a member to this day.

I heard there was a movie made about this, but I haven't been able to confirm whether if this is a real conversion story or a made up one.

I just though it went along with the Spirit of the conversation.

As far as "undercover preaching" I don't know if that is the proper thing to do. We respect all people's right to worship God as they choose. We know we are the one true Church of Christ but we also show the truth of the Gospel through patience, love, and long suffering.

It was actually a Sicilian who was a pastor in some sort of protestant church (Lutheran?) in New York at the turn of the century. He went through a lot of trials before he found the church, and then due to WW2 he was only baptised in the 1950s. The best church movie ever made was about his story.

The difference between his story and the OP was that he didn't set out to preach LDS doctrine secretly, but shared something he discovered to be true.

[Just_A_Guy]

The movie was called "How Rare a Possession", and I think it's up on YouTube.

[bytebear]

It was actually a Sicilian who was a pastor in some sort of protestant church (Lutheran?) in New York at the turn of the century. He went through a lot of trials before he found the church, and then due to WW2 he was only baptised in the 1950s. The best church movie ever made was about his story.

The difference between his story and the OP was that he didn't set out to preach LDS doctrine secretly, but shared something he discovered to be true.

You can watch the video here:

It's a very good story. And an amazing trial of faith for this man.

[Guest LDS_Guy_1986]

Actually, this is an interesting concept. Obviously it would never work as the op described. But what if a congregation heard the true gospel of Jesus Christ without the title of a particular church being attatched to it? Think of a blindfold taste test where the taster doesn't know the brand. So if people heard the gospel without knowing they were being taught the Mormon brand (for lack of a better description) of doctrine and with the spirit that accompanies the teaching of truth, I wonder if more people would accept it that way. There are so many preconceived ideas that folks have about "Mormons" that they are biased from the get-go.

There is a story in a new book out by Gerald Lund that I just read about this very thing happening. It was just one woman rather than a whole congregation. Once she realized what she was hearing was from the LDS church, she accepted the missionaries in and was baptized.

The whole deception thing wouldn't work, but the idea behind it is one to ponder.

See the only catch though is the Book of Mormon is a Gospel of Jesus Christ, not a Mormon conversion tool. There are Christians out there (ans previous posters have shown the proof of them) who accept the Book of Mormon as scripture but reject the other Prophecies of Joseph Smith saying they are "unbiblical".

Deception is disrespectful to us and them, we are not to use deceict we are to be a light in darkness.

The 11th Article of Faith says we respect everyone's right to worship God as they so choose.

It is not ok to try and trick someone into Mormonism, accepting the BoM does not make someone a Mormon automatically, especially if you do so by tricking them into accepting the Book of Mormon.

[LDSChristian]

See the only catch though is the Book of Mormon is a Gospel of Jesus Christ, not a Mormon conversion tool. There are Christians out there (ans previous posters have shown the proof of them) who accept the Book of Mormon as scripture but reject the other Prophecies of Joseph Smith saying they are "unbiblical".

That part is just weird. I don't get how someone can believe the Book of Mormon is true then reject Joseph Smith as a prophet. Believing the Book of Mormon is true would assure them he was a prophet.

[Guest LDS_Guy_1986]

That part is just weird. I don't get how someone can believe the Book of Mormon is true then reject Joseph Smith as a prophet. Believing the Book of Mormon is true would assure them he was a prophet.

See for yourself, this is the story of a licensed Southern Baptist Pastor who accepts the Book of Mormon as the Word of God and preaches it in his Baptist Church. He explains why he believes the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and how it doesn't make someone Mormon to know that this is the Word of God.

Baptist Preacher Believes in Book of Mormon Grace for Grace

The Book of Mormon is a testament of Jesus Christ that proves that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. Accepting the Book of Mormon (which has no LDS doctrine in it) does not automatically mean that someone accepts Smith's latter revelations on eternal marriage, nature of the Godhead, cosmology, or baptism for the dead.

There are plenty of other Mormon denominations outside the LDS Church that say Joseph became a fallen Prophet when he started revealing new things (especially the doctrine of exaltation and later the laws governing polygamy).

[bytebear]

That part is just weird. I don't get how someone can believe the Book of Mormon is true then reject Joseph Smith as a prophet. Believing the Book of Mormon is true would assure them he was a prophet.

You can believe the message of the Book of Mormon is true and in line with personal beliefs, but not necessarily believe the origins, or story of how it came to be. The words of Nephi may be true regardless of whether Nephi actually ever existed. (by the way, this is true for Jesus and the Bible as well. Many people accept the message of the bible and Christ's message of peace, love,etc. without believing in his divinity).

[LDSChristian]

See for yourself, this is the story of a licensed Southern Baptist Pastor who accepts the Book of Mormon as the Word of God and preaches it in his Baptist Church. He explains why he believes the Book of Mormon is the Word of God and how it doesn't make someone Mormon to know that this is the Word of God.

Baptist Preacher Believes in Book of Mormon Grace for Grace

The Book of Mormon is a testament of Jesus Christ that proves that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. Accepting the Book of Mormon (which has no LDS doctrine in it) does not automatically mean that someone accepts Smith's latter revelations on eternal marriage, nature of the Godhead, cosmology, or baptism for the dead.

There are plenty of other Mormon denominations outside the LDS Church that say Joseph became a fallen Prophet when he started revealing new things (especially the doctrine of exaltation and later the laws governing polygamy).

Is that the same guy as this baptist preacher that realized the Book of Mormon is true: Two Sticks -- Ten Biblical Proofs of the Book of Mormon

[Guest LDS_Guy_1986]

You can believe the message of the Book of Mormon is true and in line with personal beliefs, but not necessarily believe the origins, or story of how it came to be. The words of Nephi may be true regardless of whether Nephi actually ever existed. (by the way, this is true for Jesus and the Bible as well. Many people accept the message of the bible and Christ's message of peace, love,etc. without believing in his divinity).

I don't know it could be check out the link!

[rameumptom]

It probably would not work for very long. First, to preach in a Baptist (or most other denominations) church, you have to interview with the leaders (often lay members, but sometimes ministers), to determine your compatibility and faith.

They would ask you regarding the Trinity, TULIP (for/against), and which key teachers you tend to focus on the most. Once you said: Godhead, free agency, and Joseph Smith, as the answer to those questions, you would be headed out the door.

And if you did get a chance to teach, it would not last long before you would be tossed out as a deceiver. This would probably hurt the LDS Church more than help it, as all would see you as a deceiver. It would justify in their minds the idea that Mormons are not Christian, but would do anything for a baptism.

Definitely not what we want to promote.

And D&C 50 warns us of being deceptive and lying. It asks us if we are doing things God's way and by the Spirit or another way? And if by another way, then it is not of God.

[captmoroniRM]

I thought of this last night and how interesting it would be if someone taught the gospel of Jesus Christ this way:

A member of the church goes to college to become a state-recognized preacher since that's what people have to do to become that kind of preacher. Then they go to let's say a baptist church, not becoming a baptist but remaining as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and teach the people the gospel that way. I wonder what would happen if someone tried to teach the gospel to others. That person could use scriptures from the Bible and the Book of Mormon and try to get them to join the church Jesus Christ put on the earth.

It would be M.U.S.T.: Mormon Undercover Spreading Truth. :)

Um...not exactly the same scenario, but try looking for the video "How Rare A Possession" which tells of a minister from Italy who finds the Book of Mormon in a burn barrel with no cover, no title. He cleans it up, reads it, not knowing what it is, and even starts including it in his sermons, because he knows it is true. While this makes his congregation grow, the religious authorities above him, kick him out unless he burned the book. The same would happen if one followed the scenario you outlined. Someone would catch on, and you'd get "fired" from preaching.

And honestly, what would be the point of going through all that trouble to get certified in the eyes of the world to preach the gospel. Priesthood holders in the Church have more authority than the Pope. Rather than having to sneak into other churches to preach their members, why not just serve a mission (if your of age) and teach them. Or as regular members, invite them to church, or let them hear the missionary discussions.

[Blackmarch]

I thought of this last night and how interesting it would be if someone taught the gospel of Jesus Christ this way:

A member of the church goes to college to become a state-recognized preacher since that's what people have to do to become that kind of preacher. Then they go to let's say a baptist church, not becoming a baptist but remaining as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and teach the people the gospel that way. I wonder what would happen if someone tried to teach the gospel to others. That person could use scriptures from the Bible and the Book of Mormon and try to get them to join the church Jesus Christ put on the earth.

It would be M.U.S.T.: Mormon Undercover Spreading Truth. :)

As fun as th idea sounds, I don't think it will pass-can't use deceit.. however if you're invited by the leaders to testify before their congregation, then you certainly can do so then... altho i don't think that has happened very often.