A radical direction for the WTS - speculation thread.

by besty 34 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  besty

  What might the WTS do to counteract growth stagnation and attrition?

  Of course they could ditch certain teachings and practices such as blood, shunning and homophobia.

  How about if they closed the Kingdom Hall network (all proceeds back to mothership) and built out more regional mega-churches? <Assembly halls>. All day Sunday worship and weekday events for the whole community. Combine 20 KH's and you could have a vibrant community going...

  Follow that up with converting JW.org to a social network - every JW has a profile (approved and moderated). New members are found and converted online only - the bookstalls are pop-up stores driving brand awareness same as any retailer.

  What do you think? it fits in well with their property development and donation business model. (they just have to accept a teensy move towards the mainstream in exchange)
• 

  KateWild

  I think you should send this business model to the GB. It will streamline the business, cut down on the expenses and overheads, and increase recruitment if the social networking takes priority over nulite and generation overlapping.

  The online donation option should be on the homepage too. I think that is likely to happen in less than 6 months.

  Sam xx
• 

  konceptual99

  In my opinion they are already trying to do something.

  World wide - in all areas - they are pushing jw.org and it's changing content to keep a level of interest going. They are changing the scope of reports (tracts OK now) - more & bigger numbers. They are allowing technology to be used more and more, raising a perception that the org is vibrant. They are keeping people busy with new building work, ministry campaigns, more opportunities to pioneer. They have wowed the English speaking world with a new Bible. They have international conventions to distract people.

  They are making the special schools open to as wide a range of people as possible. They are pushing "need greater" more and more. They are encouraging baptism of minors at an ever decreasing age.

  I don't think they will move to mega churches as control is easier in smaller groups. They need to keep the old guard countries in check with distractions and keep the growth countries expanding as quickly as possible. All the time the numbers are seen to be growing then people think all is good. No one sees a decline.

  It's all about accentuating the positives and burying the negatives.
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  1009

  They should make a clear distinction between clear biblical teachings and personal convictions . If the Bible is not clear on a particular topic, it should be a matter of personal conscience. That would then also include teachings like 1914, preaching, the earthly/heavenly hope, etc (so, uhm... basically every teaching ). Don't force people to believe in things that aren't obvious.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  We are talking about a dinosaur changing. While magazines are ending their print versions and newspapers are dying, Watchtower is simply cutting back on print. They will eventually have to stop that, but the average JW mindset is that these printed materials are so important.

  I feel it is the same with Kingdom Halls. The JW mindset is that these local small places of mind control are so critical to the flock. Maybe some time in the future, they will have to make the kind of choices Besty speculates, but right now they are nowhere near deciding to close Kingdom Halls. If you asked members to drive to some Assembly Hall every weekend, they would not do it. If you asked them to go there one day a month, they could be trained to do that. But overcoming their current mindset will take some time. I am confident they haven't seriously considered more than closing the occasional hall to cram eight congregations into a double Kingdom Hall and closing the occasional rural Hall to make them drive to the next one.

  They will possibly speed up the changing mindset. The book stands, carts are radically different. But those are part of their needed changes that have been forced on them- door-to-door being unsafe and uneffective. Plus, they really don't want to give away many books because donations are down for the printed materials. The book carts are really mainly for their faithful pioneers to still feel like they are being effective.

  Your thoughts are good calls. I can see them delaying making these decisions but the need to close Kingdom Halls becoming inevitable. I can see them telling members to go to jw.org for their weekly sessions. But the mega-assemblies will be crucial then. JW's are not likely to continue making donations via the computer. You need to get them to that assembly to drop money in the box.

  I don't see them abandoning shunning. It seems so critical to them to force people not to stray away from their rules.

  I don't see them abandoning their rules against homosexuality, or even fornication. It goes with the shunning- rules to keep them in the cult.

  They wish they could get rid of the blood doctrine. "Fractions" was a way to end their ridiculous extreme rules and still avoid being sued by those that lost loved ones. I can see them making the whole thing a "conscience matter" in a matter of 20 years (or less).
• 

  Crazyguy

  Just found out the district assembly in tacoma is canceled for an international in seattle. So I think the idea is to go from many dc's to a few large ones to make it seems as though there big and still growing
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  besty

  I don't think they will move to mega churches as control is easier in smaller groups

  It was widely speculated the reason for abandoning the CBS was small groups being more difficult to control. If you look at how the talks have become much more manuscript and outline driven with less and less room for personality, it would make sense to continue that trend. This is also borne out by the AGM arrangements to hook up lots of venues to a live event.

  I think consolidating to larger venues hides the decline effectively - megachurches maybe a step to far to soon now, I'm thinking 5-10 years out. I bet they have lots of plans for when that compound gets to be finished...
• 

  DeWandelaar

  I think there will come donation buttons on the apps and the digital magazines in order to get money in. I also think they will cram more people in the same halls and will shorten the meetings. They might even get the bookstudies back.
• 

  redvip2000

  The book carts are really mainly for their faithful pioneers to still feel like they are being effective.

  Absolutely!! In reality, the organization knows that once the publications reach the Dubs and pioneers, it's not important how they are moved down the chain from there. Income is generated from the rank and file, so for all intents and purposes, they could care less if dubs use them for lining bird cages.

  Sitting in a park with a book stand is an easy way to keep hours high. 4 or 5 dubs can sit there all day with little effort. From what i've seen, people pass by pick up a free book while dubs make little attempt at engaging them. The book is thrown out in a garbage can a few blocks down the street while the hour/book counter keeps ticking away, ensuring it all looks good on paper.
• 

  wallsofjericho

  the WTS wants every congregation have its own, dedicated Kingdom Hall with no multiple congregation KH's. That is their ultimate goal.

  make travel to the Hall easy and close by, central in the territory and now they own 3 properties instead of only 1