Meeting my first KJVO church goer.

Doesn't sound like the person is a KJVO. Sounds like he is KJV by preference. If he was KJVO, he wouldn't have said, "I just don't know". I'm in the same boat as your visitor is. I personally would not attend a church that preached out of a version other than KJV, but I accept that their are other versions that are decent. It's just a preference thing for me.

 

I'm in the South as well....I wouldn't even be coming back for a second visit. Nothing against you, but I just have my preference. That this guy is coming back for a second visit shows his preference isn't quite as solid as mine is.

 

Yea, I think you misclassified this guy. If he was a KJVO as you suggested, he probably would have left without saying a word and kept searching. Since he was honest enough to speak with you and has already said that they would come back, then I believe he is debating about whether or not he can deal with your use of the NKJV for the sake of his family being ministered to in a church where he was fed. Through prayer and open dialogue over this I think that you guys could reach a point of compromise. Blessings.

 

My pastor uses NKJV and it doesn't bother me at all even though I use a KJV and my wife uses an NIV. I actually like the NKJV but I couldn't find a good study bible in that version that I liked.

 

GBC, I think you got it right, he was a KJVO. He was finally put into a situation where he might start seeing how wrong he has been. Way to go! Do you have that sermon on a website? I think I would enjoy listening to it.

Matt, I do enjoy the Thompson Study bible in the NKJV.

I usually teach out of the HCSB or ESV. I still enjoy my KJV (I was raised on it) but some of the newer believers have a harder time understanding it.

 

Cutter is right. If this guy were really KJVO, there would've been punches thrown. I think he was KJVP, perhaps strongly so. There are KJVO churches within miles of my house that will check your Bible as you go in the door. You will be unkindly asked to leave should you dare take in anything but.

 

Tom, some of your statements seem a little over the top. Punches thrown...:laugh: An allegation that KJVO's automatically resort to violence if there version is not being used sounds ludicrous..

You've been to KJVO churches that turn people away at the door if they are not carrying a KJV? I have never witnessed this in my 35 years of attending primarily churches that promoted and preached from the KJV.

I am not questioning your integrity, but I would have to witness these accounts firsthand.

 

I erred in not being clear. I was a tad facetous about the "punches thrown" though I did witness one fight over it where the police were called. A guy smuggled in an RSV and read from it during Sunday School, and he and the teacher threw down.

And I saw this "at the door" nonsense with my own eyes as I used to be a member of that church. Preached at another one the last Sunday of '09. I made a joke out of it. "Oh....Like the binding, eh?"

It's not the only one in my county or in the metro that would do it. And I've seen it in more than just Tennessee.

 

GBC, God Bless as you meet with this gentleman. Hope it goes well.

We've got a handful of folks in our church who would prefer us to use the KJV...but since that version is used in their Sunday School class, (and their SS is what matters most to them at our church)...then they're able to handle the rest of it.

But as has been said...if they're willing to discuss it, then it's more preference than "only."

 

Well, that is definitely a sad commentary on any church that carries the name "Baptist" out front. I think it would be foolish to check Bibles at the door. Be thankful they are there and minster to them. I teach, preach, and read from the KJV, but I pray that I never condemn or turn away anybody that may come in with another version.

 

I agree. One church has it on their church sign (that they're KJVO). At the back of the church you'll find several racks of tracts that are rabid KJVO and anti-anything but. Not one Gospel tract, mind you.

Truly loving the Word of God won't take someone from the God of the Word.

 

I pastored a church years ago where about 1/3 were KJVO and nearly caused that church to die. One Sunday one of them told me that they could not figure out what Bible I was preaching from. So he asked me what Bible I was using. I told him that I used the Greek NT. A few weeks earlier he made a comment in Sunday school that the world was going to hell because it did not read the King James Bible. When I told him that I preached from the Greek NT he was stunned and did not know what to say. When I decided to preach on the leadership of Jesus I told the congregation that Jesus had followers and so do leaders. The KJVO folks did not have followers so it tended to silence them.

 

I remember my first encounter. I fellow called the church office and asked about the church. He was looking for a place to worship. He asked a lot of questions and seemed very excited. Then he asked me what version of the Bible I used. When I told him he told me that he only used the KJV and rudely hung up on me.

Just a few Sundays back a couple visited the church. Said they loved the service (worship music, preaching, and friendliness of the people). But, they had recently attended a six hour siminar on the KJV and how MV's denied the deity and blood of Jesus. I didn't even bother. What could I do in five minutes to undo the damage of six hours of indoctrination into a false teaching? I simply wished them God's will in finding a place where they could worship and serve God.

 

Quickly recommend good resources, noting this has been refuted by Biblical apologists. You never know. Like the gospel, you never know what seeds will take root, so scatter as much as you can, whenever you can.

 

Problem is that they stated that it would do no good to try and change their minds. The seminar sealed the deal as far as they were concerned.