by Grey Goose 29 Replies latest jw friends
Hi everyone.
Thanks for the welcome a few days ago, it was nice to hear your support.
This is a pure speculation thread, but what do you think the next changes are going to be?
Will we see tything come into play?
More evangelical style meetings?
I wouldn't have thought any of this would even be on the radar 5 years ago, but here we are.
Speculate away.
They are basically becoming more like Mormons and swapping zealous service for contributions. So more relaxed preaching requirements but more donation expectations.
Soon you'll just be able to get salvation with a pre-authorized debit and a few facebook likes of their site.
One thing that seems to be happening is the quality of Elders is rapidly going downhill. It's been said in many congregations that the more "engaging and enthusiastic" elders seem to be dropping like flies. Either it's because they are getting burned out, becoming discouraged due to all the recent changes, or they are suffering poor health.
It seems to me that if this trend continues the organization is going to have a real problem in the area of teaching. Perhaps that is why they are constantly recycling the same old crusty "spiritual food" and dumbing down the meetings. This way any goofball with a tongue and lips can conduct meeting parts.
Perhaps that is why they are constantly recycling the same old crusty "spiritual food" and dumbing down the meetings. This way any goofball with a tongue and lips can conduct meeting parts.
Darkknight757 if you've ever watched a Mormon service on BYUTV I can see where the dubs are headed. I can't imagine sitting through a typical Mormon meeting, same old monotone and singsong voices, boring cheap suits and regimental ties. Doesn't take much to prepare. And now with dub TV they can tune in and snooze in the seats.
In some way, it's going to involve expanded use of videos in weekly meetings. Expect one "Public Talk" a month to be piped in from HQ. There hasn't been a lot of talk on here about the 'new and improved' JW Stream site, but it sure looks like they're getting expanded bandwidth & infrastructure in place to do a lot more live streaming. From what I hear, anyone with login credentials can download regional and circuit events right now in almost any language. Most local public speakers are quite awful, so the R&F may find this a welcome change.
A couple years ago, I thought they were about to replace one of the 3 yearly assemblies with a live stream, but now I'm not so sure about that. Assembly Halls, Regional Conventions, and other circuit level events are HUGE money makers for them. It is possible they may add a 4th yearly 'local assembly day', similar to these streamed 'branch meetings' they've been promoting in the developed world the last year or two.
I don't see how they can reduce magazine production any more than they already have; it's already down to a barebones operation, with one 16-page wide-margined, PowerPoint formatted mini-mag for the public each month, quite an embarrassment compared to what they used to do.
They're between a rock & a hard place in terms of magazine production. It's obvious they would really LOVE to go online only, but their growth model is most productive in less-developed countries that simply don't have as much internet access. If they want to keep growing, it has to be among the least educated populace, as well as 3rd world countries & recent immigrants (their current target demographic), among whom printed mags are often more accessible than the internet. As we all know, these people are coming into the org, but they aren't donating.
This is not a sustainable model. Expect more cash grabs and donation drives, while they tout the need for more KH's in the developing world (and throwing in images of poor JW's in Africa or Asia after a natural disaster).
Video, video, video, the WTS has strategically moved into the technology age to not only lessen the cost of literature printing which can be a lot more expensive these days but to also use JWOrg. and its entailing video presentations at Kingdom Hall meetings, as well in private bible studies.
For example I know of at least two Kingdom Halls where I live that recently installed large monitors at both sides of the stage.
I would also speculatively say that I think 1914 will be eventfully tossed out being that its a doctrine that has become a heavy anchor to tow and weakens the credibility of the JW organization and its overall preaching work.
People can now log onto the inte-net and see how long the WTS has been preaching that Christ returned and mankind is now living in the last days , all throughout the 20th century right back to 1874.,
Tithing is what I can see to be the new practise.
With the May 2014 arrangement. Just a refresher, that was when the Borg forgave all outstanding KH mortgages. Then, arbitrarily had all congregations worldwide send in a monthly contribution amount. Generally speaking each congregation passed a resolution to determine the maximum amount they could send in each month.
Well, here we are. Nearly 2 years on now. I haven't heard any negative about the arrangement, other than a letter read a few months ago complimenting the brothers for their obedience in sending the donation each months. What I venture out and say is that May 2014 arrangement was a feeling-out procedure, with the brother hood. That the Borg could implement a mandatory tithing arrangement if the forever donation per month didn't work out.
