Door To Door Evangelism

Some Jehovah's Witnesses stopped by the other day. They were very friendly of course, but I was frustrated by the experience. It's usually a different pair every time, so the conversation starts over from the beginning with each visit. Door to door evangelism has the same problems to me as discussing religion on a talk show. The time is too limited for anything noticeably productive to result, and because of this there is a tendency on both sides to listen only well enough to prepare and give a response. It's also an experience that, by its very nature, catches the recipient unprepared for the topic. And maybe that's why it has been shown to work so well for both the Jehovah's Witnesses and the LDS church.

In rare instances I've heard of Christian churches doing door to door evangelism, which perhaps has been effective. But in recent years I've seen more value in the admittedly far slower paced "relational evangelism". Relationships that build equity over time and allow spiritual issues to come up organically when the other person is interested and receptive.

Do you guys have any thoughts on door to door evangelism? How do you handle Jehovah's Witnesses or LDS when they come to your door?

I always feel uncomfortable on the receiving end, so as a result I've not thought of it as a particularly effective tool to use myself.

Usually when the JWs come to my door they just want to hand me a magazine. My usual response has always been to politely take it and then throw it out after they leave.
I kinda feel dishonest doing that. One time I was brave and just honestly said "I have my own Christian beliefs so no thank you."
either way I still end the encounter feeling uncomfortable.
I don't see a lot of point to the encounters. They are not going to sway me and I can't realistically see myself changing their beliefs when they've come to evangelise me.

Evangelism is definitely not my gift, butI know that it is something all Christians are called to participate in. The biggest thing with relationship evangelism is that you have to have good fruit. THere are times I feel I have turned people permanently off Christianity by my own bad examples. The solution is to continue growing in Christ-likeness, which is a life-long journey.

A pair of very nice LDS girls came by my house last summer, and I basically told them they were barking up the wrong tree.
When one asked what a specific problem I had with their doctrines and beliefs was, I said that their concept of gods as contingent beings was inconsistent with worshiping such a being, and that only the sole non-contingent Being is worthy of praise. ...they left.
I'm currently in a running email conversation with a Unification Church member (the Moonies), and I find that maintaining an attitude that treats the fellow as a thinking human being with his own closely held beliefs is very difficult. I started a response to his last message several times this morning, and had to step away, hoping and praying that a kinder set of words will come to me later. I already told him his voice is like mine, which is about as cruel as i can imagine.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I try to treat proselytizers with gentleness and respect... but still have an answer for my hope. The first bit is difficult for me when I can't respect the rationale that some people make in their theologies and doctrines.

One helpful hint, they usually come in pairs, one elder and one junior, and it is the elder's responsibility to keep the junior away from what they see as heretical thoughts. So, if you stick to the issues that distinguish betwixt JWs and Christians, or LDS and Christians, they will usually beat a hasty retreat.