What scriptures do the JW's use to justify going door to door? Is it a requirement, or just encouraged? Are the scriptures they use taken out-of-context? I had read somewhere that a study was done in Canada about JW's going door to door and only 1% of people who joined JW's were from going door to door, the rest were friends and family. The average number of hours was something like 50 full-time JW's going out 40hrs a week for a full year. Anyone know anything about this? Thanks
Scriptures and Door to Door Witnessing
by littlebuddy 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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dig692
The main scripture used to justify the preaching work Matt 24:24 "this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth..."
Another one used is Acts 20:20 where the apostle Paul talks about teaching "publicly and from door to door". That's where the door to door part comes in. I know there are other scriptures but these are the two that come to mind right now. It's not a requirement in that if you don't go preaching you will be disfellowshipped or kicked out, but you will be considered "inactive" and most of the JWs will look down on you because its a command (Matt 28:19, 20 "go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations.."
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WTWizard
I bet there is no proof that Jesus ever went door to door. Preaching the message to the whole world could be done without door to door work. In fact, it can be done more efficiently with TV programs, online sites, and by setting up a paradigm that actually works that is consistent with the message. Jesus spoke to large audiences who gathered to hear him, which was the most efficient method in his day--but I see no evidence that Jesus actually went from door to door. Nor did any of his disciples.
Paul, on the other hand, was confused and thought Jesus' word was to be taken literally. It is wholly possible that Paul did some door to door work (though I can find no proof from the Bible). However, I cannot find any proof that Paul wanted people to go from door to door, rather than speaking in public places. And, there is no proof that Paul meant for everyone to go from door to door--just some of the disciples.
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Aussie Oz
Rutherford NEEDED more converts badly by the mid 20s. The preaching work was the tool for the job, all he needed to do was find some passage to spin it, which he did.
The door to door work was most effective post world war two. The growth from about 47,000 in 1938 to 230,000 (if i remember correctly) in 1948 was a huge 500% jump. The increases got a lot less impressive after that in terms of % growth. Nowdays, yep it's nine tenths of bugger all!
BUT there is no way that they can drop the door to door work, not even when it gets into negative growth. They will just spin it's purpose differently. Perhaps to something like not so much a preaching/converting work but a warning work.
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donuthole
Door to door evangelism was a tool pioneered by Evangelist D.L. Moody. It was an effective means of contacting people during a time when other door-to-door forms of solicitation were the norm. (i.e. the Fuller Brush Salesman) Russell used it as a way to sell his books and Rutherford made it a requirement to sell his. (If you read the old literature they do not hide the fact that this is a sales activity.)
Despite what the Witnesses claim there is no scriptural prescedent for this type of evangelism. When Jesus sent out twelve disciples as apostles he specifically instructed them not "to be transferring from house to house", rather they were to find an open home in one area and stay there and use it a base to share the message. Per the scriptures, early Christian preaching was done as guests in private homes, in public places (markets, wells, pools), in religous buildings (the Temple, synogogues), and in rented facilities (the Hall of Tyrannus). You never read of Christians going "door to door" systematically in the manner of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The Scriptures that the Witnesses will fall back on is Acts 20:20 where Paul says, "I did not hold back from telling YOU any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching YOU publicly and from house to house."And Acts 5:42 where we read, " And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus."
The Greek word for "house to house" can also be rendered "in private homes", which is more to the point of what Paul is saying, claiming he openly shared his message of Jesus, both publicly and privately. It also has the same thought at Acts 5:42 where it highlights that the message of Jesus was shared both publically (In the Temple) and privately (in homes).
It is important to note the NWT does not render this consistantly and uses "in private homes" instead of "from house to house" at Acts 2:46
" And day after day they were in constant attendance at the temple with one accord, and they took their meals in private homes and partook of food with great rejoicing and sincerity of heart"
Ray Franz details that there was a time in the 70's where the Governing Body agreed with this and stopped stressing the "house to house" work accordingly before reverting back to their earlier stance.
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Heaven
Preaching the message to the whole world could be done without door to door work. In fact, it can be done more efficiently with TV programs, online sites, and by setting up a paradigm that actually works that is consistent with the message.
WTWizard, you're spot on as usual! Love your posts.
My father has been a JW for almost 24 years now. He has never brought anyone into the cult (yay!).
The idea of door-to-door witnessing bothered me when I was a teenager as it doesn't say specifically in the Bible to do this. Nor does it say 'hand out Watchtower and Awake! magazines' either. Shouldn't they be handing out Bibles instead? I mean, isn't that what they are offering -- 'Free Bible Studies'? Couple this with the fact that my Mother never went but tried to push me to do it just irked me. I was a very busy teenager... a job, homework, and farm chores. I didn't have time to do this stuff. And I still don't.