What goes on behind the doors of the Governing Body is never published, but it can be surmised that recent years' Service Reports (which show a disturbing falling off of levels of increase), warrant a special push on getting new members. With the experience of the 1975 fiasco, the Governing Body must know that creating a fear of an early Armageddon would bring in more members, and the Deliverance at Hand Assemblies did just that, with quite good increases in membership during the 2007 Service Year at 3.1% of active members. The following data comparison probably identifies a cause for concern for the Governing Body :-
1990 to 1996 (7 years) Increase in active publishers 1,542,613; baptisms 2,219,357; loss 676,744.
2000 to 2006 (7 years) Increase in active publishers 837,782; baptisms 1,835,026; loss 997,244.
Net increase for the above periods were +5.15% reducing to +1.98% . A disturbing trend for the Society.
I ask : Were the assemblies for 2006 'Deliverance at Hand', based on some inside knowledge of the imminence of Armageddon or were they just targeting new members?