Letter to BOE: Adjustment in process for appointing elders and ministerial servants

by pixel 143 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  pixel

  Hello, You read it here first!

  Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses

  TO ALL CONGREGATIONS
  Re: Adjustment in process for appointing elders and ministerial servants

  Dear Brothers:

  With regard to Paul and Barnabas’ visit to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, Acts 14:23 states: “They appointed elders for them in each congregation, offering prayer with fasting, and they en- trusted them to Jehovah, in whom they had become believers.” Titus and Timothy evidently are also recorded as taking part in appointing elders in the congregations. (1 Tim. 5:22; Titus 1:5) In accord with this Scriptural precedent, the Governing Body has decided that effective September 1, 2014, circuit overseers will be responsible for the appointment and deletion of elders and ministerial serv- ants. Additional information will appear in the November 15, 2014, issue of The Watchtower.

  We request your continued prayers on our behalf as the preaching work is speeding up and more and more people are beginning to worship God by going to “the mountain of the house of Je- hovah.” (Isa. 2:2) Please accept an expression of our warm Christian love.

  Your brothers,

  Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses

  PS to body of elders:

  Please arrange for this letter to be read to the congregation at the first Service Meeting after its receipt or after the next Watchtower Study, whichever comes first. This postscript should not be read to the congregation, and the letter should not be posted on the information board. If the circuit overseer is visiting your congregation, he will read this letter at the conclusion of the next congregation meeting. At circuit assemblies and special assembly days, the letter will be read by the last speaker on the program at the conclusion of his talk. We would appreciate your keeping this matter confidential until the letter is read to the congregation or circuit.

  In due course, further direction regarding the aforementioned adjustments will be provided to all bodies of elders.
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  DesirousOfChange

  It really doesn't change anything.

  Governing Body appointed; or Governing Body Helper applinted; or Service Department appointed; or Circuit Overseer appointed.

  It really doesn't matter.

  What matters is that what we have come to know: THEY AREN'T APPOINTED BY HOLY SPIRIT. THAT IS TOTAL BS.

  Doc
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  OnTheWayOut

  It sounds like the GB is throwing the C.O. under the bus for lawsuits. "You can't sue the corporation because Elder Chester was a molester. WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS APPOINTMENT. It was Circuit Overseer Kiss-ass that appointed him without asking the children if he ever touched them. Leave the multi-million dollar corporation out of your lawsuit and sue the C.O. who has taken his vow of poverty."
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  pixel

  "In accord with this Scriptural precedent"

  My question is, will the GB/WT/FDS accept that the way they used to do it before was not scriptural?? Me thinks not!
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  Doubting Bro

  I wonder if they think that by having the sign-off stop at the CO level, they are somehow reducing liability for the borg? I don't see that being the case at all because COs are full time employees (the branch directs their activity and provides financial support) and are still agents of the WTS.

  Now, if they moved the appointment to stop with the BOEs, that would likely break the agency relationship or at least make a good arguement since the branch wouldn't have as much control.

  I think that's why they stopped having the branch sign off on pioneers because they were afraid that someone would be able to make the arguement that they are agents of the WTS since they were appointed directly by the branch. Now, the BOEs appoint/delete pioneers and just inform the branch.

  It's really difficult for a high control religion to give up any control. So on the one side, you have the cult masters (GB) wanting to run every aspect of their members lives and on the other hand, you have the legal department attempting to reduce liability and protect company assets.

  Let's see who wins the arguement. I'll bet if they get a few more multi-million dollar judgements, the lawyers will win.
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  fastJehu

  .... In accord with this Scriptural precedent,....

  only with prayer and with fasting
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  suavojr

  After all these decades they just noticed those bible verses? I think something bigger has caused them to change this divine arrangement and soon we will see how will this apply with future child molestation cases.
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  DATA-DOG

  Awesome!

  I think it changes the game somewhat. I am sure that it stems from a legal need. So "normally" the Eldubs recommend a Brother or Brothers, when the CO visits. The candidates are suggested and the CO makes the final decision to send the Brother's name to Mecca for the Holy Spirit to check and determine if they are naughty or nice.

  The CO always made the final call, but now a real jerky CO can ignore the Eldubs. This could work out badly for the ORG. Even if making the buck stop at CO protects the higher levels of the Corporation, any terrible decisions will harm the sheep. If power mad COs start throwing their weight around even more, the BORG could lose drones. Maybe they don't care??

  Pixel said,

  "In accord with this Scriptural precedent"

  My question is, will the GB/WT/FDS accept that the way they used to do it before was not scriptural?? Me thinks not!

  LOL!!! Yeah?? What were they doing before???

  DD
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  gingerbread

  Paul and Barnabas (in case you're not too sure, these guys were NOT 'circuit overseers') put experienced men in charge of teaching in congregations.

  They could do this because there was .... no 'Governing Body'.

  I think this is an interesting development because, in a weird way, it returns some power back to the CO's. If I understand the process correctly, the elder body would recommend someone for a position to the CO. He would then give his approval - or not - to the branch. They would then make it official.

  Perhaps another way of looking at this 'adjustment' is to realize the the elders will no longer have a say-so. This pulls another autonomous freedom away from every congregation.

  First it was ownership of the Kingdom Hall. Now it's the loss of control of the congregation's bank account. Next the elder body can no longer make localized decisions regarding it's teaching/shepherding staff.

  The local elders can no longer be trusted

  ginger
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  Splash

  I would like to see the letter sent to the CO's regarding this - what checks are they to do, is there anything online for them to look at first, do CO's still have to get approval from legal etc.

  Splash