interesting email circulating amongst witnesses: gubberning body says preaching reason is..................

DaCheech

Enjoy these remarks, friends. And, as always, if you have received this from another source, please just delete, forgive me and move on! <

Saturday, January 9, 2010, 8:22 AM

After the Saturday session of the International DC in Myanmar , there was a meeting with a member of the Governing body where Bethelites and others were invited to attend. In view of the theme of the convention, his opening question was most appropriate:

He opened with this question: True or false - the purpose of our preaching is to save people from Armageddon? Answer is false. While it is desirable that people respond and get saved, the main purpose, most important is found at Hebrews 13:15 "Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name." So, our main focus in preaching should be on praising God. This is more important than saving people, as Jehovah is more important than humans.

When many are unresponsive in the ministry, some publishers discouraged and lose their joy. They lose sight of the bigger picture, which is everything must revolve around Jehovah and his will. Our preaching "success" is not dependant on "results".

He then went on to quote Isaiah 43:10 "YOU are my witnesses," is the utterance of Jehovah, . . .

(Isaiah 43:21) 21 the people whom I have formed for myself, that they should recount the praise of me.

(Colossians 3:23) Whatever YOU are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men. Or we could say, not primarily for men!

Of course, there are other valid reasons to preach, that is to teach others the truth. And there is increase, worldwide there was a 3% increase. The US increase was even higher. About 5,000 are being baptized every weekend. In Mexico 7 or 8 new Kingdom halls are dedicated every weekend. In other parts of the world the growth is slower.

There are 1,652 Languages in India , not dialects, but languages, the most of any country in the world. 80% of India has NEVER been preached to. (We can add, and may never be preached to)

Some positive developments: The work has been legalized in Turkey and Indonesia . Indonesia is so big, the most populous Muslim country in the world, has 50 million more people than Russia . So now Gilead missionaries are being assigned to Indonesia .

He asked: Is Armageddon still far away because ? the world hasn't heard the Truth? No.

MT 24:14 merely says there would be a witness to all nations, not each individual.

Interestingly, it was pointed out at least twice the Watchtower has said that MT 24:14 has been fulfilled already. (Might be in the same line of thought as Colossians 1:23 'good news ...which was preached in all creation that is under heaven.' Clearly, not every single human being of that time or in the known world had heard the truth.

As far as we know, there are no reports from North Korea , Somalia , and Afghanistan . But there are individuals from those countries who have been preached to in others. We should not expect equal ratios of witness to people in all countries.

We learn two lessons from this.

#1) Jesus knows where the "fish" are. Imagine spending a whole night fishing, catching nothing, then having someone say, 'yeah, there are fish on the right hand side of the boat.' Jesus is directing the preaching work. He knows where the sheep-like ones are, and how to reach them.

Lesson #2) The 'fish" are not equally distributed among the different countries. In some, we catch next to nothing. In others, there is abundance. Some factors affecting the "catch" include national traits, religious back gound and governmental openness.

In one village in Romania , population about 2,500 people total, there are about 600 publishers! So, 1 in 4 people are publishers already, meaning each JW has only 2 houses to work! So, they have to travel to find territory. In Bangladesh , the ratio is well over 1 to 1 million.

Then, explaining (Matthew 10:23) When they persecute you in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to you, you will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives.) it was explained we will NOT preach to every single person. When persecuted in one city, or country even, don't force the issue, go to where you can preach and obtain more results.

How do we know this verse applies to our time and not just the first century, even though it mentions "the cities of Israel ?" Because it says "until the Son of Man arrives", meaning Jesus final "coming" at Armageddon.

Since we will not preach to all, does that mean then we could slow down and take it easy? NO!

(Hebrews 6:11) But we desire each one of YOU to show the same industriousness ...down to the end.

Then an encouraging thought on Revelation 14:6. And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.

Usually we apply this scripture to mean Jehovah uses the angels to direct the witnesses to the interested ones. But it also works that Jehovah can use the angels to "pull the interested ones out" of the areas they will never receive a witness in. The example was given of the Kurds who live in Northern Iraq and Turkey . There, it is almost impossible to reach them, or if we did, due to family and peer pressure, they may never accept it. But many have become refugees and accepted the Truth in England and Europe .

Jesus is the one mainly responsible for preaching, it has been entrusted to him.

(Revelation 14:14) And I saw, and, look! a white cloud, and upon the cloud someone seated like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
The enthroned and crowned Jesus directs the reaping of the sheep-like ones.

Then, there is a second reaping:

(Revelation 14:16) And the one seated on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. These are 'reaped' to destruction.

In the final analysis: (Matthew 28:18) And Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: "All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth."

The brother pointed out the verse does not read: all authority in heaven and Earth, Except in China , India and the Muslim world.

********************************************************
Agápe,

Brother Tomás Hackett
White Oak (Spanish) Congregation
Maryland, USA

alanv

Amazing how they put a good spin on anything. If there is increase they say it shows how Jehovah is blessing the org. If there is no increase it does not matter as the main purpose is to make God's name known.

They also feel it does not matter if a large percenage of the world has never heard the JW good news. It is not necassary as the preaching work has been sent to the most distant parts of the earth.

Things have not changed since I was a witness 15 years ago. They still teach witnesses the answers to any questions that come up. It matters not if they are sensible answers or not the rank and file lap it up.

zoiks

I see the continuing trend of viewing non-JWs, not as individuals, but as a mass of iniquity deserving of death. How nice.

lepermessiah

Every life is precious to Jehovah, and to his organization. Plus, we are to work "whole-souled" and (Romans 12:11) Do not loiter at YOUR business. Be aglow with the spirit. Slave for Jehovah.

Do not loiter at your business - "You arent doing enough - Do more in field service so we can keep the presses rolling!"

Be Aglow with the Spirit - "You WILL do more, and you WILL like it!"

Slave for Jehovah - "Slave for the WTBS!"

And oh by the way, his "organization" could care less about anyone.

thetrueone

The GB are really the Chief Sales and Marketing Executives of the WTS. Corporation, thats their job .....reality

dozy

"...our main focus in preaching should be on praising God..."

So lets forget about the literature , then.

dissed

Zoiks - "I see the continuing trend of viewing non-JWs, not as individuals, but as a mass of iniquity deserving of death. How nice."

Desensitize the JW's, generalize and put everyone into a group, then villafy them as not deserving of life. And they say they are following JC's example.

Heaven

Our preaching "success" is not dependant on "results".

x

Cool! They have no more need for field service reports, then.

nancy drew

evidently every life is not precious to jehovah because everyday the poputation increases and the bodies stack up and rather than killing them mercifully he will terrorize them as they run holding their children as the angels shoot fire balls from the sky. that is true love and goodness and lets be happy to participate. if each witness had to press the button to send fire balls down on groups 0f a thousand with a smile on their face how does that feel. it horrifys us but its ok for god how are we expected to love a god who does things we would'nt do. it makes no sense.

DaCheech

kill the infidels

interesting email circulating amongst witnesses: gubberning body says preaching reason is..................

Share this