Jehovah's Witnesses Mega Halls

by RolRod 10 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  RolRod

  I was thinking about this recently. The Society owns all the Kingdom Halls and with desperate need of money, their closing down and selling off properties. Consolidating congregations seems to be the order of the day. The only thing that is growing within the organization seems to be the number of "anointed" ones. When I was active, there were barely 6,000 who partook, 30 years later, I read somewhere it's more like 20,000 now, and it might be more by those who partake privately.

  So what if the Society decided to turn their assembly halls into mega churches. They can get rid of the smaller Kingdom Halls and have the various congregations form one big one. They'll make money on the sale of the property and make money from the donations.

  RR
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  WTWizard

  I hope they make people drive 100 km each way to boasting sessions, and have territories more than 10,000 square kilometers that do not get worked properly. And I hope that makes for more people staying home because they do not have the money to waste on gas, nor the time to waste driving an extra hour per way just for a boasting session they can download from the official site. And, all those new studies--I hope they find that they cannot or will not afford the gas and time wasted traveling those long distances just for a boasting session.
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  RubaDub

  About 7 or 8 years ago they sold our beautiful assembly hall sitting next to the Everglades (alligators and all) and made us go an hour north to West Palm Beach Florida.

  For all practical purposes, it is a mega church, seating around 5,000 people.

  Rub a Dub
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  Spiral

  I think that's definitely an option, especially for urban areas. It's not as if they really need smaller centers to coordinate the preaching work, that's all gone by the wayside.

  I have a couple of friends who attend megachurches. If they don't attend, they can watch online. Preacherman always is on one of the big screens, the choir on the other.

  They love it. Being part of a big congregation (if you can really even call it a congregation, at that size) is part of the thrill. Occasionally there's a big event (picnic, hot dogs, music, etc.) in a city park.

  It doesn't appeal to me, but as they always remind me, being a JW ruined me for all religion. (Yes, it did.)
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  Anony Mous

  They're already doing that, for the "foreign language field", circuit overseer visits and even for the memorial, they're now using the assembly halls (at a "voluntary donation" of course).

  The biggest problem with the large assembly halls is visitors, the cost of heating and lighting giant spaces is huge.
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  sir82

  The larger the congregation, the easier it is to slip thru the cracks and fade.

  Congregations are kept small, and field service groups are kept very small, on purpose. It's all about control, control, control.

  Mega-congregations? Would never happen.
  
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  RubaDub

  Being part of a big congregation (if you can really even call it a congregation, at that size) is part of the thrill.

  Spiral ...
  

  Yes, I think the "thrill" has begun or continues down here in South Florida. It's a joke, IMO.

  Mega Churches, here we come.

  Rub a Dub
  
  
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  RubaDub

  It's all about control, control, control.

  Sir82 ...

  I would have agreed with you several years ago.

  Now, personally, I think it is the amount of money that we donate.

  Rub a Dub
  
  
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  sir82

  I think it is the amount of money that we donate.

  Well, yes, but...

  Those who have faded don't contribute.

  Step 1: Control control control - keep them in the fold.

  Step 2: Once in the fold, guilt them into donate, donate, donate.
  
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  Spiral

  @Sir82, I also agree with you. But the bOrg seems to be going in two different directions at the moment.

  Years ago, the elders were into everyone's business, and you couldn't sneeze without permission. It was unthinkable not to have book studies and assigned service groups.

  They still like to maintain this type of control, but something - perhaps a pressing need to make money, and move it around where it can't be found - seems to be driving the real estate decisions they are making. 13 years ago, where we were, the bOrg sold a nice double KH. No pressing reason to do it (plenty of donating attendees) and no replacements were ever made. Created a huge burden on the scattered rank and file (especially the older ones) and many people ultimately faded away. Why did they do it? The only reason had to be $$$$. The WT held the title and all the money went straight to them.

  So although I'm sure they want to keep controlling everyone, there seems to be an urgent profit motive here. An urban KH in a good location is just ripe for the picking. A rural hall, not so much. So perhaps trying to fool city publishers into going to a megachurch is just a way to spin the real situation.