Preaching is a waste of time

by konceptual99 42 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  konceptual99

  Before anyone gives me the "bears/wood" similarities, this is a post based on InsidetheKH's reply on the mormon v jw thread. (http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/287545/1/Who-is-copying-who-Jws-or-Mormons) I like to see WT friendly posts on here as some of the WT bashing displays the same logical fallacies as levelled against the WTS and it's followers so it's good to consider reasoned debate.

  On the one hand I think ITKH makes a fair point if you compare the worldwide success of Mormons v JWs but there is an overall context to the preaching work that is completely ignored by those fully "in" and has been a major factor in my move from being an active Witness to one on the cusp of getting out. From a statistical point of view there are great headline numbers presented by the WTS but if you put them in the context of the number of Witnesses, conversation ratios, ratio of new Witnesses to birth rates, numbers that must be leaving, growth differentials across the globe, penetration in Muslim nations and so on then these numbers become meaningless. The world wide preaching work is anything but.

  You then have to square this with the regular counsel on preaching being a warning work, those not making a choice being in line for destruction, bloodguilt, narrow road to life/broad road to destruction against the double standard of most witnesses believing that Jehovah will spare billions that don't get a proper witness because he is compassionate.

  The "leave it up to Jehovah" thinking simply invalidates the preaching work. It's better if people do not know. It's better if we don't speak to them.

  The preaching work is a waste of time. The numbers don't stack up and the "scriptural reasoning" simply produces a ridiculous dichotomy.

  I am ready to hear from anyone who considers that it is anything but a waste of time.
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  Brainfloss

  As it says in Ephesians, evangelists are only one gift that Christ gave the congregation. In the witness idealogy you must be an evangelist or cannot be fully excepted into the congregation. For example if you are considered inactive you cannot become a MS thus not a good marriage prospect. So the real question is not; Is preaching a waste of time? It should be; Are the Governing Body acting as Pharisees imposing rules about preaching that are not found in the bible?

  Brainfloss
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  Theredeemer

  Number of LDS members worldwide= over 15 million

  Number of JWs= over 8 million.

  ISTKH may not have seen them at his/her door but they are out there and in many different ways than the JWs do

  www.huffingtonpost.com/.../lds-membership-numbers_n_4051539.html
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  Separation of Powers

  Sitting in the parking lot drinking my coffee before I went into the office. I am watching two sisters, probably pioneers, sip their coffees and talking. I am in my car waiting for about 15 minutes and they have only gotten out of the car once to give a tract to a man who got off his bike to tie his shoe. The parking lot is bustling with activity. Yes, my thoughts exactly, REAL PRODUCTIVE!
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  Vidiot

  Preaching isn't really about saving souls. It's about "going on record" as to whose "side" they're on.

  Managing to convert someone whilst doing so is just icing on the cake.
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  sir82

  Field service time is the primary measuring rod for determining how "spiritual" someone is in the JW community.

  Being "spiritual" leads to "privileges", and "privileges" lead to prominence.

  It is utterly and completely 100% irrelevant how productive it is.
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  konceptual99

  Spot on Sir82/Vidiot/SOP et al.

  Once the spell is broken then the real purpose of the ministry becomes clear however to those still "in" the numbers matter as they are seen as an evidence of Jehovah's blessing. I have to raise this subject with anyone who has been able to demonstrate the WWW is a productive and effective exercise. They come up with a whole bunch of alternative such as:

  • it's a command from Jehovah
  • evidence of our faithfulness and obedience
  • no one said everyone would be reached
  • JW.org is there to reach those who we cannot reach
  • makes Jehovah's name manifest

  ...and more.

  In fact the latest WT, in the article "Maintain Your Zeal For The Ministry", has the following list:

  WHY MAINTAIN YOUR ZEAL FOR THE MINISTRY?

  • The preaching work contributes to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.—Mark 13:10.
  • We prove ourselves obedient by participating in the disciple-making activity.—Matt. 28:19, 20.
  • Jehovah wants the wicked to be warned about the consequences of their course.—Ezek. 3:19.
  • We owe it to people to share the good news with them.—Acts 20:26, 27; Rom. 1:14, 15.
  • Participating in the preaching work protects us from bloodguilt.—Ezek. 3:18.
  • Teaching Scriptural truth is a requirement for our own salvation, and it saves others too.—1 Tim. 4:16.
  • Speaking about Jehovah and praising him publicly are important features of our worship.—Heb. 13:15.
  • We demonstrate our love for Jehovah and Jesus by obediently doing this work.—John 14:15; 1 John 5:3.
  • Our ministry helps to counteract the lies that Satan promotes regarding Jehovah.—Isa. 43:10-12; 2 Cor. 4:4.

  The question is how many of these are really being achieved by the preaching work as it stands.

  Check out the scriptures above and see the repeated references to all nations, those that listen being saved and bloodguilt being wiped clean through the action of witnessing. There is little scope for 1 billion of the world's population not even getting a look in, many people who have heard the "good news" but ignored it being saved, population growth outstripping organisational growth and so on.

  The taunt that those who wish to withdraw from the organisation withdraw from the ministry first reflects the fact that the ministry simply is a barometer as to your loyalty to the GB and not a meaningful way of preaching the "good news of the kingdom". Those that are awake can see this a mile off.
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  sir82

  There is little scope for 1 billion of the world's population not even getting a look in

  It is at least 3 billion, probably more:

  1 billion + in China, JWs preach to a few thousand at most

  1 billion + in India, JWs are concentrated in small pockets where a Christian influence was established centuries ago (and thus 98%+ of Indians never "get a witness")

  Nearly 1 billion in Muslim countries, JWs preach clandestinely to a few thousand, or not at all

  Uncounted millions more in remote areas or areas without an established Christian influence.

  Not to mention that after 130 years of "urgent life-saving work", only a few thousand of the other 4 billion inhabitants of the planet know something more about JWs than "Oh, those are the guys who knock on doors to sell the Watchtower and don't celebrate Christmas".
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  redvip2000

  I am in my car waiting for about 15 minutes and they have only gotten out of the car once to give a tract to a man who got off his bike to tie his shoe. The parking lot is bustling with activity. Yes, my thoughts exactly, REAL PRODUCTIVE!

  Exactly. I see it all the time too. I sometimes take the bus to go home and there is usually a group of sisters, probably pioneers, who instead of walking/talking with people where they mostly congregate, choose to walk inside a small park in front of the train and bus station. If someone happens to walk by them they will offer litera-trash (not even always). Meanwhile there are hundreds of people walking in the sidewalk next to the station.

  Urgent? Doesn't seem so.

  Door to door probably made sense 100 years ago, when it was a common method to sell stuff. Today it's simply a joke. Of course, it doesn't matter because it costs the WT nothing, and at the end of the day the members are the ones who pay for litera-trash anyway, so who cares if they don't talk to anybody.
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  Las Malvinas son Argentinas

  Preaching is not effective in the JW style because it has become so much of a routine to the point where putting on a suit or dress on Saturday morning to go out in field service is now no more than a ritual. It's like Catholics and Sunday Mass - just by showing up you get your weekly ticket stamped to heaven (or paradise). Hardly anyone was interested in going door-to-door anymore. It was all about Return Visits (much of it to elderly people who appreciated the company), Bible Studies with acquaintances or family members, or Not-At-Homes which frankly people hoped would continue to be not at home. It was a social outing with the traditional 'coffee break' which goes on longer than most COs are comfortable with. JWs have gotten so used to being turned down that they just go through the motions of preaching and the organisation is so backward thinking they can hardly think of a new strategy outside of wearing JW.ORG buttons.