Reading between the lines in the January 2008 "Our Kingdom Ministry"

by TooBad TooSad 34 Replies latest watchtower scandals

TooBad TooSad

I like to read the KM to see what the WTBTS is saying, and then to think about what they really mean.
Information appears in the KM when problem need to be addressed in the organization. The article on
the front page "Make the Most of Your Time in the Ministry" was insightful to me. In the fourth paragraph
we find these encouraging words "Once the meeting for field service ends, do not linger unnecessarly, but
begin by making your way to the territory." It appears that the brothers and sisters are not too eager to
get out there and knock on doors of people who are not home, or burn up their $3.00/gallon of unremibursed
gasoline. They like to "linger". (there will be no lingering in Jehovah's organization !!!!!!!!)
The paragraph continues "If you anticipate having to leave the territory early, arrange for your own transportation
so that the rest of the group does not have to leave early." It appears that if the driver of the the car group says
after one hour " I have to go in because I have a doctor appointment or an important errand to
run" that the whole group says "OK that is fine I will stop too have things to do too." (meeting with the group is for show
anyhow. Once you were out and the friends saw that you were out in service this is "mission accomplished." It is not
about saving lives, it is about appearances. I should know because I did it for over 40 years.)
In paragraph 5 we find the encouraging words dealing with return visits "If you anticipate a lengthy visit, arrangements
can be made for those in your group to preach nearby." Sitting in a car waiting for someone inside is the best time.
You get to sit in a warm car, you don't have to talk to strangers, uou are not burning up your gasoling and the clock
is still ticking, you are still punched in counting time and you can get caught up on the latest gossip.
It sounds like the Society is beginning to crack down on this. The article that made my jaw drop was the insert
on "Bear Through Witness to the Good News." In paragraph 5 we find "If you are elderly or infirm, you may be able
to auxiliary pioneer by spending a little time each day in the ministry." The word infirm means "weak, feeble, not
stable, or frail." I thought to myself what the heck is going on? Is the ministry activity going down hill so fast that
they need to encourage the infirm and elderly to pioneer? No doubt the reason is so the elders can say that
if "Sister Wheelchair" or "Brother Cripple" or Sister Dementia" can out in service every day then why can the
young, the teenages, those with good health, or wifes who don't have to work be a pioneer since Armegeddon
is soon, just around the corner.
I just had to share my thoughts with you.
TooBad TooSad
blondie

The elders are the best time wasters.
1) drop off the publishers, then go back and pick them up, never spending any time talking to anyone yourself.
2) going off with a MS to make special calls and errands
3) going off with one's family every Saturday morning, never spending time with the rank and file
4) scheduling a "bible study" on Saturday morning but always going by yourself
5) taking much time for the meeting for field service, waiting for the late ones, taking 30 to 45 minutes before even getting in the car.
6) stopping for coffee break at 10:45 and taking 45 minutes, then quitting because it's 11:30, saying you will make an RV on the way home.
Gary1914

The elders are the best time wasters.
1) drop off the publishers, then go back and pick them up, never spending any time talking to anyone yourself.
2) going off with a MS to make special calls and errands
3) going off with one's family every Saturday morning, never spending time with the rank and file
4) scheduling a "bible study" on Saturday morning but always going by yourself
5) taking much time for the meeting for field service, waiting for the late ones, taking 30 to 45 minutes before even getting in the car.
6) stopping for coffee break at 10:45 and taking 45 minutes, then quitting because it's 11:30, saying you will make an RV on the way home.

OMG Blondie, it's like you're following me around!
I'm an elder and I do all of that in order to avoid going in service. In fact, I have not been door-to-door in months now.
Of course, I still count my time which is above average.
No. 4 is my specialty, but I always "take alone" the wife and kids.
OnTheWayOut

Blondie is right about the elders. They send the group out, but have an important
meeting with other elders. They get out to meet the group after a delay to
shepherd or wait for Sister Late. They leave early as Blondie mentioned.
On Sunday, after the meeting, they have important stuff to do instead of meet
with the group.
These Kingdom Ministry articles or reminders from C.O.'s or at Conventions come
out periodically. They seem to have a tiny effect for a tiny while, then back to
the same-old same-old. Do you really think the car group will get out of the car
and "preach" if the return visit lasts awhile? No- especially not in January. The
article would better serve April or May, while it is fresh in minds. Lingering at the
Hall does stop for a time, but switches to somewhere outside the Hall. Those
breaks- some things will never change.
Tuesday

The elders are the best time wasters.
1) drop off the publishers, then go back and pick them up, never spending any time talking to anyone yourself.
2) going off with a MS to make special calls and errands
3) going off with one's family every Saturday morning, never spending time with the rank and file
4) scheduling a "bible study" on Saturday morning but always going by yourself
5) taking much time for the meeting for field service, waiting for the late ones, taking 30 to 45 minutes before even getting in the car.
6) stopping for coffee break at 10:45 and taking 45 minutes, then quitting because it's 11:30, saying you will make an RV on the way home.
That's so funny the one time I went in service with an elder alone the time was spent as follows:
1.) Meeting for field service at 9, since he was conducting the meeting his time started then.
2.) Conducted meeting and figured out the service arrangements. Which brought the time to 10:00
3.) Went outside to re-do the service arrangements due to who had which cars, which lasted till 10:15.
4.) Drove to the place of service which took till 10:30
5.) Checked on all the others who were in service to make sure they were on the right street till 10:45
6.) Break at 10:45 till 11:30 making sure to drop a tract on the table to the waitress to count the time.
7.) Get back to the territory at 11:45.
8.) Check on the rest of the group till 11:55.
9.) Finish the last three houses of one group's street till 12:00
10.) Go back to the Kingdom Hall for the 12:30 service meeting.
It's a good plan if you can make it work, it all ran like clockwork though so I'm figuring he had some expirience in doing this method of preaching.
mavie

6) stopping for coffee break at 10:45 and taking 45 minutes, then quitting because it's 11:30, saying you will make an RV on the way home.

This was normal in my Kingdom Hall. Everybody began to arrive at the local grocery store where they had coffee shop and a few tables in the store around 10:45 to 11:00. We would get about 30 people in a small 4 table sitting area plus some overflow into the grocery store aisles. People would begin to leave around 11:15, most would be gone by 11:30. The majority of the JW's, including me, tried to stretch the break as long as possible. I tried to arrive at 10:45 and leave at 11:30.

I felt embarrassed that our group would inevitably be loud and obnoxious in the grocery store. I routinely tried to find a stop out of the way where shoppers would not notice me.

Our KH's practice of taking 30-45 minute breaks was the topic of a local needs talk one week. The elder giving the talk admonished us to take only 10 minutes and that we should not be reporting our break time as field service. Some tried to make an effort but after a month we were back to taking 30-45 minute breaks. It was the only thing that made service bearable for me. I suspect the same is true for many others.
yknot

scheduling a "bible study" on Saturday morning but always going by yourself
TY you just gave me the best idea....
Imagine in this day and age where no one is home but always on the run....
I can "schedule" a return visit or study at the nail salon, the mall food-court, any resturant, at my computer thanks to my webcam or any place I can sit my butt down.....oooohhh wait with the MP3 I can argue that my walking buddies are listening and we are discussing spiritual things on our trips around the track, or while shopping....wow
My KH will be reporting a big increase in activity
Hermano

Good topic. Brings back a lot of memories. Shout out goes to Hermano Pineda in Boston, #1 time waster.
Marjorie

"If you are elderly or infirm, you may be able
to auxiliary pioneer by spending a little time each day in the ministry." The word infirm means "weak, feeble, not
stable, or frail."
The hell you say!
You know, this is one of of the reasons why I left. There were times when, due to my illness, I was barely able to hobble into the KH, and sometimes I had to sit in a chair in the vestibule because I couldn't make it to the main part of the Hall. You would think that the elders would be glad that I at least showed up, but no, after a few times times they removed all the chairs in the vestibule in order to force me to go in. That was when I started sitting in the ladies'. Then I stopped showing up altogether. There was no way I was going to kill myself for them!
Bonnie_Clyde

I can only imagine what it would have been like trying to take my mother in FS during the last 7 years of her life. Not only was she in a wheelchair most of the time, she had Alzheimers. She wouldn't have had the least idea what was going on. After she couldn't make it to meetings any more, the congregation forgot she existed, until her funeral. Then everybody told me how much they missed her and what a wonderful person she was.

Reading between the lines in the January 2008 "Our Kingdom Ministry"

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