by Dold Agenda 17 Replies latest jw friends
Hi!
In sweden we are now checking the attendance/baptisms ratio at some conventions by simply divide the number of baptisms to the attendance number.
Far ago in the 70-ies it was like 5% before 1975
Last year we was around 0,55%
(quite like the Italy in fact )
2009: 338/70000 (0,48%)
This year we have counted only 2 conventions this far
0.5% and a whooping of only 0.2% at one!
This cult is on the way down here for sure!
How are the numbers at yours?
Very interesting. I don't know the exact numbers for the Northeastern U.S. (where I am), but last I heard they have four congregations meeting at the KH I used to attend...and there were only two when I dropped out. So around here the numbers seem to be increasing. The new congregations are Chinese and Spanish. Don't know if these groups met elsewhere and were reassigned to this KH or if they are all new recruits. I didn't want to show too much interest, so I didn't ask.
I did notice that shortly before I left, it seemed like most of the baptisms were minor children of JWs with only a few adult Bible Studies. Have to wonder how long some of these kids were going to stay in. Its one thing to convince your 10 to 15 year old to get baptised, quite another for them to decide if that's the lifestyle they truly want for themselves...and most can't know that as kids. For all that the JWs talk about not doing something just because you were raised in it (when they are speaking to those in other religions), they certainly expect that from their own children. Kind of funny in a sad sort of way.
in our area, the only growth is the spanish and foreign languages (not alot, but 1000% compared to the english)
they're not building new halls, just making room for another spanish congregation to share it with.
this brother in my hall was all giddy during the last convention and was "proud" to have his 8 year old niece getting baptized. made sure he sat "in the front row" to take all the life memory pictures (until she gets df'd at 16 for immorarily like all other teenagers).
I can't remember a time in the last 10 years where there were more than 4 baptized, and there were 4 or so conventions with 0 baptisms
Nottingham - Friday - 6973, Saturday - 7777, Sunday (am) - 8168 (pm) - 8399
Baptised - 16 (9 bros, 7 sis)
George
I checked a few U. S. assemblies that ratio and was coming up with .6%,,probably were English speaking assemblies. The Spanish speaking ones may be higher?
Interesting last few years about baptisms:
2007 - 298,304
2008 - 289,678 (2.89% decrease from 2007)
2009 - 276,233 (4.64% decrease from 2008)
Can we only hope for a decrease this year also?
Regardless, of their reporting attendance, hours, pioneer etc. increases, the baptisms decreasing are the strongest reality factor.
I remember a baby boom among New Zealand JW couples after 1975 which continued well into the 1980s. This didn't seem to translate into gorwing numbers of active JWs. But it did illustrate a trend seen in other developed countries: Most new growth came from children raised in the religion - whereas prior to 1975, most new growth came from householders who "came into the truth" (to use that exclusivist phrase) from non-JW backgrounds.
I n Calgary, Alberta, Canada I thionk about 63 people were babtized and three of them were adult non-JW backgrounds and the rest were sons and daughters of rank & file members. the attendance was about 8,500. What ratio would that be?
per Borgdrone,, .7% would be the ratio
Here another,,Albany, NY,, attendance 4,000 - 5,000, baptized more than 20,,so ratio .4% or .5%
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100704/NEWS01/7040344
I will try to follow these reports as I get them through "Google"
62 baptisms out of attendance 9,000 = .69%
Duluth, Georgia
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/home/headlines/97749009.html
