Effects of the changes if the book study is amalgamated with the TMS

by truthseeker 25 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  truthseeker

  We're pretty sure what will happen next week but not why.

  This thread is just for a list of changes that will affect those who still go.

  1) No more private book study arrangements. The book study host will ask themselves "why?"

  2) No more congregation book study overseers. They will ask themselves "why?"

  3) No more Monday evening goodie nights

  4) No more shepherding in the conventional way

  5) Coverage of the new bookstudy likely to be reading the questions with no reading of paragraphs

  6) The bookstudy contribution box will be redundant

  7) No more Saturday bookstudy groups for field service

  8) No more bookstudy groups assigned to clean the Kingdom Hall

  9) No need for the service overseer to visit each bookstudy and encourage them

  10) No more congregation bookstudy picnics!!!

  How does this benefit JWs?

  1) One less meeting to get dressed for - more time for personal pursuits or just plain old movie night

  2) Less incentive to go out in field service as your absence is less likely to be talked about

  3) The elders no longer have to worry about conducting this meeting

  4) As there will be no CBS overseers, you are LESS likely to be harassed for your time sheet

  The JWs might make an extra effort to attend both meetings BUT, nothing will actually have changed for them - it will be easier to miss meetings now that congregation book study overseers no longer exist -

  Who will keep track of the faders?
• 

  sir82

  I disagree with 4 & 7, and maybe 8 & 10.

  Many, if not most Kingdom Halls have at least 2, often 3, sometimes 4 or 5, congregations meeting there.

  Assuming that half the congregation typically goes out in service on a Saturday morning, there just simply wouldn't be room for 150 - 250 people meeting for field service at the Kingdom Hall every Saturday morning. Conditions would be overcrowded, parking would be scarce, people would get discouraged & just go home.

  I think they will maintain small groups just for "field service centers" for Saturday mornings. Perhaps the "CBSO" role will morph into a sort of "mini service overseer" (MSO ) role for the smaller group. And it would probably make sense for the new MSO to shepherd his group, and also make sense for that small group to be assigned KH cleaning.

  I wonder, if my speculation holds, if "shepherding" calls will be more focused toward "do better in the field ministry"...a private visit from the MSO explaining "how to be more effective in the ministry", family by family. Ugh.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  1) No more private book study arrangements. The book study host will ask themselves "why?"

  Yeah, there are a few members who love being the limelight by having this arrangement
  in their home. But so many are elders and elderettes who would love to kick it out of
  thier home. Many are pressured to do this, and the dubs use their toilet paper, dirty their
  dishes and drink their coffee, but occasionally bring a snack for others to share. Most
  hosts will be grateful.

  2) No more congregation book study overseers. They will ask themselves "why?"

  Most overseerss will be grateful that they can kick back and listen while someone else
  conducts. A few will hate it, but feel so wonderful that the FDS has addressed the
  problems of busy lives and made things so much better for faithful JW's to serve.

  3) No more Monday evening goodie nights

  That's a small bright spot on an otherwise gloomy sky. The vast majority are
  grateful to have another evening free- free at last, free at last.

  4) No more shepherding in the conventional way

  7) No more Saturday bookstudy groups for field service

  8) No more bookstudy groups assigned to clean the Kingdom Hall

  I don't know about working these out. They will have to keep the groups assigned to
  individual elders for the cleaning and shepherding and hounding and there may still be
  some organization by groups to field circus. I am almost positive that the Borg will
  spin this toward the elders that they have even more responsibility toward their group
  with this change, but they will allow it to cause more slack.

  5) Coverage of the new bookstudy likely to be reading the questions with no reading of paragraphs

  I bet not. They like to read to reinforce the doctrines. I bet they just cover tiny segments at
  a time, taking more than a year to finish a book. That way, they don't need to cover books
  again and again, since they will no longer cover material faster than they print new stuff.

  6) The bookstudy contribution box will be redundant

  Wasn't it virtually useless before this change. Most dubs put in at the main meetings.

  9) No need for the service overseer to visit each bookstudy and encourage them

  I found this was always like the contribution box. It was mostly useless anyway.

  10) No more congregation bookstudy picnics!!!

  Where have you been? The organization hates anything like that label. There are
  no "CONGREGATION" or "CONG. BOOK STUDY" PICNICS. The Borg never liked
  this type of fun, as someone always worried about members having sex or heavy petting
  in the woods or alcohol causing someone to punch an elder in the mouth, or simply having
  "sisters" get into a catfight.
• 

  daniel-p

  The book study was always my favorite meeting; it felt more REAL somehow, more close and intimate. You could get to know people much better because you saw them every week. I think what a lot of elders will be saying is that this change is meant to "strengthen the brotherhood," when, in fact, many of them probably feel exactly the opposite.
• 

  Hope4Others

  2) Less incentive to go out in field service as your absence is less likely to be talked about

  Even though I do not attend meetings, I find this the most appealing.

  hope4others
• 

  95stormfront

  So, I guess there'll be one less trip JWs will have to make for their programming sessions.
• 

  hillbilly

  killing the BS will impair whatever social skills JW's still have. Back in the 70's the BS was the only thing I ever really liked to go to.

  You got to talk to people and work as a small group... a little personal contact goes a long way in making a good org.

  Someone in NY needs to read the playbook... they are taking every option away that gave them a way to 'team build'... no work at assemblies, now, no close contact meetings. Like most of the other grand ideas they have used this one will backfire too.

  How many JW's will start night classes with an extra night? I missed a lot of Tuesdays and Thursdays as most night semesters used those days for classes.

  Hill
• 

  BizzyBee

  they are taking every option away that gave them a way to 'team build'... no work at assemblies, now, no close contact meetings.

  Good point. It will widen the gap between elders and rank and file and strengthen the hierarchical nature of the power structure, if that is even possible.
• 

  Dunk

  Can someone post a copy of the letter to the BOE?
• 

  Graham G.

  Excuse me, I'm new here. First entry.

  Was this announced on the Bookstudy? I have not been to the meetings for over 3 years. 46 yrs old, male. Born and raised as a witness. Completely burned out with the wts 3 yrs ago, never went back, but Happy and Cheerful every since! :-)