Dear all,
Could someone explain where it is written that MServants should be doing the congregation average/10 hours minimum?
Thanks,
PlatinumFix
Appointed men & the 10 hour rule
by PlatinumFix 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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mynameislame
I don't think it is a written rule, sort of like the police don't have a quota for writing tickets but if they are doing their job they will likely find at least one person a day that truly deserves a ticket.
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leaving_quietly
This was pointed out during the week-long elders school a couple years back. This rule does not exist. To emphasize this, they stopped printing the average hours in the Kingdom Ministry. So, anyone using this rule should stop. As we all know, though, old habits take a long time to die out. Ten hours was certainly a recommended goal in times past. That's in print in several places. In fact, at one time, it was a requirement to have at least a 10-hour average and 6 back-call average for the previous six months and at least one bible study to be appointed a regular pioneer.
km 2/71 p. 3:
The “Lamp” book (pp. 194-200), of course, outlines the basic requirements that must be met by regular and vacation pioneers. But for the benefit of some of you new ones who have only recently started associating with us, let’s review briefly some of these points. First of all, before you can enroll as a regular pioneer you must have been baptized for at least six months, and during the past six months you must have been a regular publisher reporting at least ten hours and six back-calls on the average each month. You must currently be conducting at least one home Bible study. It is obvious, too, that your conduct must recommend you as a fine Christian in the community.
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NVR2L8
Usually to qualify as a MS one has to take the lead in field ministry so a 10 hour average would be an indicator. After being appointed if a MS circumstances change and his hour average drops the elders may be patient before removing the brother. That's what I experienced when I started traveling extensively for work...I asked to be removed but the elders refused saying they would give me time to correct the situation. At that time I was waking up to TTATT and my work situation was just an excuse so I insisted to be removed and they complied.
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AFRIKANMAN
When sitting in the CO meeting with Elders the average was often pitched at the congregations average or national average which could be 14 hours or more. Your spiritual character ie ability to show love to others. care for elderly, assisting single parent families etc never came into the reckoning when considering appointments. Also once you on the body - if you average dropped to say 9 hours - now problem - you were not on board. At all times the bodies entire average hours was never better than the congregations [mainly female Pubs] average.
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blondie
There was a monthly quota of 10 hours for all jws...then it was changed in the early 70's and the WTS saw the now implied quota drop below 10 in 1975 (because the end did not come but they won't say that). The public hope of the WTS as that people would not just make 10 hours/month the minimum but put in 20 or 30 hours a month or more in as a publisher. The last citation shows that in the 50's congregations were required to have a 10% increase in publishers.
*** km 8/76 pp. 1-4 par. 4 Are You Willing to Serve? ***
When a person offers himself in Jehovah’s service, no one sets for him a quota of hours that he is supposed to spend in sharing the good news with others. But we need to be careful not to miss the point. Jesus clearly said that Jehovah is looking for those who worship “with spirit.” (John 4:23, 24) That is, they are spirited in their worship; they reflect a spirit that is appropriate to the worship of the true God. In answering the question of a man who wanted to know what was required in order to gain eternal life, Jesus showed that, first of all, one must be whole-souled in serving Jehovah. (Luke 10:25-28) That is encouraging, because it indicates that God does not evaluate us by what others are able to do; each one gives of himself according to what he as a soul is; some have more strength or better health than others. At the same time, it puts us to the test, because it calls on us to show what is really in our hearts, to use our entire life in a way that is consistent with the love for God that we profess.
*** km 2/73 pp. 1-6 Branch Letter ***
How about congregation publishers? They are increasing in numbers, from 389,555 for the previous year to 401,519 for the first three months of the 1973 service year. That is good to see. But their report of hours is down—from 9.9 to 9.6 per month, on the average.
Some have said: ‘But we have no quotas now.’ Though the hour requirements for the various branches of pioneer service have not changed, it is true that congregation publishers have no set goal of, say, ten hours per month. Yet the question might be asked: Is this a valid reason for decreasing the amount of time spent in doing the will of Jehovah God in the field service? Really, in past years we were not going in the field service simply to meet a goal of hours, were we? We were interested in preaching the good news of God’s kingdom, to magnify Jehovah’s name and to give others the opportunity to hear. And we still are. Now that we do not all have a set goal of hours we are not to conclude that our field ministry is any less important. Our message is urgent. This is something to think about, don’t you agree? Jehovah’s requirement that our service be whole-souled has not changed.
*** w68 9/1 p. 525 par. 18 “Whatever a Man Is Sowing, This He Will Also Reap” ***
The Christian minister will never want to become a slave to figures; to be putting in time preaching just for the sake of reaching some hour-quota, or to build up some record of service with his congregation or with the Watch Tower Society. While it is commendable for a minister to seek to reach or surpass suggested goals for a balanced ministry, it would be unwise indeed to make these an end in themselves.
*** w63 4/1 p. 221 Accomplishing Our Life-giving Ministry Fully ***
“Fully,” however, means not only quantity—not only being concerned with hour quotas—but also with quality. It means performing one’s ministry effectively, thoroughly, enthusiastically. It means being both dependable and adaptable. Only then can a minister hope to get results. That means sharing in all features of the ministry, including incidental preaching, not neglecting any because of love of ease, fear of man or natural aptitude or inclination. All this, in turn, requires that one take time for both individual Bible study and congregational training for the ministry.
*** w61 6/1 p. 328 Your Time or Your Money? ***
Each Witness is urged to attend five congregational meetings weekly, 260 a year, spend time doing private and family study of the Bible and then devote as much time as he can to the field ministry. Each congregation has its hour quota and each Witness strives to meet or exceed it. The average minister in a congregation spends some ten hours monthly in such evangelizing. They believe in “buying out the opportune time” for themselves.—Eph. 5:16.
*** w60 4/1 p. 214 Pursuing My Purpose in Life ***
Pioneering was different for me, and I made many mistakes. During my first month I made the mistake of spending too much time fixing up an old shed for living quarters. At the end of the second month a letter came from the Society stating that they could not recognize anyone as a pioneer unless he met his quota of hours. From that day to this I have not missed meeting my quota of hours. I still keep that letter as a valuable document.
*** w55 12/1 p. 733 Part 1—The “Triumphant Kingdom” Assemblies of 1955 ***
Do not countenance retaining incompetent servants in office in a congregation, to the hurt of a congregation or a circuit. Servants should be removed, if advisable; worthy servants are those who set the pace for the congregation publishers as respects the field activity in publishing the Kingdom news. When a congregation meets its quota of increasing its publishers ten per cent in number, there is no need to raise the quota, with a possibility of not attaining to that number of publishers and thus depriving the successful congregation of its elation of reaching a quota and even exceeding it.
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NewYork44M
It is unwritten but makes perfect sense. I have also heard the rule that you need to meet the national average. Back when I was in it was about 8 hours. I also heard that to keep your position you had to stay above 5 hours.
I purposely kept my time below the national average but was still appointed an elder. The holy spirit was sleeping when I slipped in.
It is reasonable to conclude that time on a monthly time sheet is a barameter of your spiritual health. I am still looking for a scripture to support that concept.
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AndDontCallMeShirley
I am still looking for a scripture to support that concept.
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So is Watchtower. No doubt a Revised Silver Sword will contain that very scripture.
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Separation of Powers
Use to be close to the national average and a servant was expected to be doing at least the average.
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fastJehu
@ PlatinumFix
As a "brave" JW I always thougt, that the requirements for appointed men are "all" in the bible.
But then I learnd the hard way a lot of unwritten watchtower rules:
- DF / DA must be passed 5 years or more
- you have to do about 10 hours every month
- not allowed is a annual average of 10 hours
- you must be seen by other publishers/elders in the field service
- you must be leading in the group activities
- you must be a good example in cleaning and maintenance the hall
- regular giving answers in the hall (in our hall the elder write down all persons who give answers for the bible highlights)
- regular welcome other publishers in the hallAnd for example: biblical requirement hospitality was not required in my hall. It was only field service.