The following March Newsletter from Mike Gendron’s Ministries was copied and pasted from my email subscription.
Mike Gendron was a practicing Roman Catholic for 37 years before he was born again. Thereafter, he and his wife began ministering to Roman Catholics.
His resource materials can help you minister to Catholics or develop discernment that might enable you to find your way out if you happen to be in the Roman Catholic Church.
| Ask Probing Questions as Jesus Did |
The greatest evangelist the world has ever known has been Lord Jesus Christ. If we are going to be effective witnesses for Christ and His Gospel, it would be wise for us to follow His instructive example of asking questions. In the four Gospels, our Lord asked over 300 inquiring questions to challenge people in their spiritual knowledge and understanding. We see His questions were effective in initiating conversations, building relationships, challenging people to think, and leading them to arrive at the right answer. Whenever He was asked a question, He would often respond with another question rather than give an answer. His questions caused people to reflect on what is really important in this life and the life after death. Questions About What Is Really Important Jesus asked people questions to uncover their motives and to expose their unbelief. He asked, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36-37). To the stiff-necked Jews He asked, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). For the purpose of establishing a trustworthy source for truth He asked, “Did you never read in the Scriptures?” (Mat. 21:42). Concerning the promise of His return to establish righteousness Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). Questions About Faith and Authority Many questions caused people to examine their authority for knowing truth and to consider the object of their faith. Jesus asked, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” (Mat. 16:13). On another occasion He asked, “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word” (John 8:43). “If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?” (John 8:46). A question that still needs to be asked today is: “Why do you break the commandments of God for the sake of your tradition?” (Mat. 15:3). Jesus also confronted unbelievers in their spiritual blindness by asking questions. “Having eyes, do you not see and having ears do you not hear?” (Mark 8:18). “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 3:12). “How will you escape the sentence of hell?” (Mat. 23:33). Questions Show People You Care People really don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. This is a powerful lesson for us today. Rather than preaching to people about their errant religious beliefs, it is better to ask, “What is your supreme authority for knowing truth.” Can there be any more trustworthy source for truth than God’s inspired, inerrant, infallible Word? Questions With Eternal Significance
One Final Question to Ask There may be occasions when friends or family members no longer want to talk about spiritual issues. If this happens you might respond by saying, “If our roles were reversed, I would want you to keep pursuing me with the truth until I believed it.” There may be other occasions when people may not be interested in talking about the truth of God’s Word. Whenever this happens, I say with sincere compassion, “We can be wrong about a lot of things in this life and still survive, but if we are wrong about what we are trusting for eternal life we will pay for that mistake forever and ever in the eternal lake of fire.” After you have shared the Gospel verbally, it is always important to also leave the Gospel in written form so they can review the Biblical truths that you have shared. Remember the Word of God is the imperishable seed that brings forth life to those who are dead in sin (1 Pet. 1:23). All of our Gospel tracts contain an abundance of God’s Word for that very purpose, and to glorify our Lord and Savior! |
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| Challenging Questions for Catholics |
Due to the captivating power of religious deception within the Catholic Church, I did a message entitled Hard Questions for Good Catholics. This DVD will equip you to ask questions that will challenge Catholics in their unbelief. Examples are: “Why do your priests continue on an altar what Jesus finished on the cross?” and “Why do you need purgatory when the blood of Jesus purifies believers from all sin?” Order the DVD here. |
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| How Catholicism is Deceiving Evangelicals |
Mike was a recent guest on the Pastor/ Scholar podcast to discuss how the Catholic Church is deceiving many evangelicals in its attempt to reverse the Reformation. Watch the podcast here. |
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| Letters to Equip and Encourage the Saints |
Mr. Gendron, I am a 65 year old Roman Catholic layman and have listened to your YouTube messages with great dismay. I have come to the conclusion that you must be silenced. The more your deceptive teaching is disseminated, the more souls are in peril of damnation due to your errant preaching. I firmly believe that you are under severe oppression by the enemy (Satan) or at least a very powerful demon. The enemy preys upon the weak. You say that you were a “devout” Roman Catholic for 35 years. I suspect that your faith formation was severely lacking leaving a wide open path for the enemy to seize control of your ignorance. You are guilty of the deadly sin of PRIDE. You arrogantly proclaim abject heresy that leads poor, unsuspecting souls down the wide road to destruction. You say that you are assured of your salvation. That statement clearly demonstrates your presumption and pride. You’d better hope there’s a Purgatory. You need to avail yourself of the Sacrament of Penance with a Catholic Priest, who has the authority, given by Christ Himself to forgive your sins. I request that you cease your errant preaching immediately. Your website needs to be taken down. You need to stop publishing your monthly newsletter. You need to cancel your upcoming speaking engagements. This is a first warning to cease and desist. I invite you to “suck it up” and come back to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Please contact me if you’d like to discuss terms of your surrender. D.V., Internet Mr. V., Your email demonstrates the predictable response from Catholics who are steeped in religious pride and indoctrination. If only you were as loyal to the Lord Jesus Christ as you are to your religion. Your vicious attack on the messenger demonstrates the fruit of Rome when they are confronted with the glorious Gospel of grace apart from religious works and rituals. Scripture is the highest authority and was divinely inspired long before the Catholic Church came into existence. Your loyalty to a religion has blinded your eyes from the light of the Gospel (2 Cor 4:4). You demonstrate the very thing of which you accuse Mike —PRIDE. The biggest obstacle to learning the truth is to think you already know it. By the way, it has been two weeks since I responded to you. Why have haven’t you returned my call? Mike, Your book Contending for the Gospel is very powerful. It is hard hitting and vitally true. I have actually experienced what I can only describe as deliverance by reading it. Protestants, too, need to be returned to the true Gospel. You have allowed God to use you mightily and masterfully; a lot of glory will be returned to Our Lord because of this book and your fine servanthood. Mary L., Internet Mike, I am a Catholic, and unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Church has been falling into apostasy for quite a while now. Regarding your interview with Jan Markell on apparitions of the Virgin Mary, you will never change my mind, heart or soul! I truly believe in the Blessed Mother of God! Why would many miraculous miracles take place at the sight of her apparitions? Mike, I think you need to do a lot more research into why Catholics honor the Blessed Mother. And you should be very cautious to disparage the prophecies of these apparitions! Many miracles are taking place at the site of these apparitions! They have brought many pagans, many atheists, agnostics and non believers to believe in Jesus Christ! There is no need for you to bash the Catholic Church. By doing so you are causing more division within the church which is exactly what Satan desires! P.G., North Tonawanda, NY Hi P.G., I hope you don’t mind if I give you a biblical perspective on apparitions. Years ago I was interviewed on The History Channel and made this comment that they used to open the program. “I am always amazed to hear of people traveling hundreds of miles and spending thousands of dollars to seek a message from an apparition when they can open their Bible and receive a message from Christ.” Over 7 million Catholics make pilgrimages to places where Mary has reportedly appeared. As the Day of the Lord approaches, we should not be surprised that apparitions will continue to increase. God’s Word tells us: “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders” (2 Thes. 2:9). Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light for the purpose of leading people away from Christ and His Word (1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Cor. 11:14). The “Father of lies” will do everything in his power to divert sinners away from the Word of God, which has the power to bring spiritually dead sinners to life in Jesus Christ (1Pet. 1:23, Jas. 1:21). Your religion teaches a false gospel and calls Mary the cause of salvation for herself and the whole human race (Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 494). I pray that God will grant you repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth! Mike, I have truly enjoyed and appreciated your audiobook Preparing for Eternity. You give thorough and well supported evidence for the true Gospel. When I learned the true Gospel, I escaped the bondage of the Catholic Church. Your podcasts on YouTube have been very helpful in undoing the indoctrination of the RCC. I wanted to encourage you to persevere in your ministry because it is making a difference. God is using you to reach His sheep who are lost in the RCC. May God continue to give you courage and boldness to persevere in the face of intense persecution from Catholics. K.J., Internet |
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| Discerning Deceitful Doctrines of Demons |
The Apostle Paul warned us that “The Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1 Tim. 4:1-2). In this message, which has already gone viral, Mike gives Biblical exhortations as to how we can have discernment in these last days of growing deception and apostasy. Watch the message here. |
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