Conversation Guide
Witnessing Christ from the Old Testament
Latter-day Saints are reading the Old Testament in 2026:
Here’s How You Can Join the Conversation with your LDS Friends
Table of Contents
What’s Happening in 2026?
In 2026, members of the LDS Church will be studying the Old Testament in their homes and in the corporate youth and adult studies. That means millions of people will be spending a whole year reading some of the most foundational books of the Bible.
For Christians who care about sharing Jesus, this is an incredible open door!
Why This Is a Big Deal
The Bible has real power. When people read the Word, the Spirit is at work. Even when someone reads the Old Testament through an LDS lens, the stories still point to our need for rescue and the hope found in the promised Messiah. This is a rare, natural opportunity to begin conversations about sin, grace, and the heart of the gospel.
In other words, you don’t have to force these conversations. The Old Testament will already be on their minds. So let’s get ready to talk about it.
A Simple Question to Start the Conversation
When January rolls around, try asking:
“I heard your church is focusing on the Old Testament this year. Is that true?”
Then, every week for the rest of the year, you have an easy follow-up:
“What did you read in the Old Testament this week?”
This question does a lot. It shows interest, invites your LDS friend to share, and opens the door for natural, ongoing faith conversations. You don’t need to be an expert. You just need to be curious, compassionate, and ready.
How You Can Prepare for These Conversations
1. Be Ready to Explain Your Confidence in the Bible
Many LDS friends assume Christians aren’t thoughtful about translations or biblical reliability. Be prepared to explain why you trust the Bible and which translation you prefer. You can even share study tools you love, like commentaries, devotion books, or children’s Bibles.
Many LDS individuals now see themselves as Christians and are more open than ever to reading non-LDS content. Your recommendations can make a real impact.
2. How LDS Readers Typically View the Old Testament
Most LDS readers approach the Old Testament as a collection of moral examples. They’re often asking,
“How can I improve?” and “How can this help me progress?”
This comes directly from the LDS Plan of Salvation, which teaches spiritual progress as the path to eternal life with God.
Knowing this helps you ask gentle questions that turn their attention toward human brokenness, the seriousness of sin, and our need for a perfect Substitute.
3. Prepare Your Own Heart as You Read
As you read the Old Testament alongside your LDS friends this year, you too will be strengthened and encouraged by God’s powerful Word. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you study.
Law: What does this story reveal about human sin, failure, or brokenness? How does it show our need for the Messiah?
Gospel: How does this passage point to Jesus? What glimpses do I see of the Redeemer who was promised from the very beginning?
These simple questions will help you offer thoughtful, gospel-centered responses in your conversations.
We’ll Be Here to Help Throughout 2026
You don’t have to prepare alone.
- Sign up for weekly Old Testament devotions written specifically with LDS readers in mind at BeYePerfect.org.
- Watch for shareable content on Facebook and Instagram designed to spark gentle, meaningful conversations with LDS friends.
- Visit TILM.org throughout 2026 for new articles exploring well-known Old Testament accounts and how they point to the coming Messiah. Sign up for our newsletter to receive ministry updates, plus a weekly email exploring Christ throughout the Old Testament.
- Subscribe to our podcast to learn more about each topic and how to witness Christ from the Old Testament throughout 2026.
What the Old Testament Is Really About?
When you read the Old Testament through the lens of the whole Bible, a beautiful theme emerges. The Old Testament isn’t just a collection of ancient stories. It is the unfolding account of God’s promise to rescue a broken world.
From the first hint of the Messiah in Genesis to the promise of a coming King in the prophets, the Old Testament shows us two things again and again:
1. Humanity’s deep need for rescue
We see people who fail, fall, rebel, and return. Even the “heroes” expose human weakness and sin. Their struggles show why no one can be righteous enough on their own and why we desperately need a Savior.
2. God’s unbreakable promise to send the Messiah
Through covenants, sacrifices, prophecies, and patterns, God keeps pointing forward to Jesus. The Old Testament builds anticipation for the One who would do what no human could do: live perfectly, bear sin, and bring us back to God.
The Old Testament is ultimately a book of promise, pointing toward a Person.
How LDS Often View the Old Testament
Many LDS readers approach the Old Testament differently than Christians do. They typically see it as:
- a moral guide
- a book of commandments
- a record showing what God expects from righteous people
Because LDS teaching centers on spiritual progression and personal worthiness, many LDS readers focus on examples of obedience, courage, and righteousness. Their lens tends to emphasize how people can live up to God’s expectations and how the stories demonstrate righteous living.
In this view, the Old Testament becomes a book primarily about what people should do.
This perspective isn’t hostile to Jesus, but it often treats his role as part of the long process of human striving instead of the fulfillment of God’s promise to rescue helpless sinners.
Why This Difference Matters
Understanding this distinction will help you talk more meaningfully with your LDS friends.
When an LDS friend shares what they’re reading, you may hear:
- “It shows how we should live righteously.”
- “God gives commandments so we can become more like him.”
- “These stories teach moral lessons about obedience.”
Those comments make sense within the LDS framework, but they open a gentle door for questions like:
- “What do you think this story shows about human weakness?”
- “Where do you see God making promises here?”
- “How does this passage point forward to the Messiah?”
These questions help move the conversation from what people must do toward what God has promised and already accomplished.
They also help your LDS friend see the Old Testament the way Jesus taught it—as a book that testifies about him.
May God bless you and your LDS friends this year through his Word!
More Resources for You
The interns from Truth in Love Ministry—Caleb, Aaron, Ethan, and Noah—officially take over the Witnessing Christ Podcast to launch a brand-new series: Christ in the Old Testament. As Latter-day Saints study the Old Testament this year, this series walks alongside those readings to show how every page of Scripture points to Jesus Christ.
Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Join Our Newsletter
Stay Current on How Best to Reach Mormons
Learn more about our ministry, the impact of your support and more in our bi-monthly newsletter, Building Bridges.