Baptisms exceeding 300K last year – a possible reason

by Viva la Vida 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Viva la Vida

  Two facts to consider: 1) Most baptisms take place during assemblies and conventions; 2) the theocratic year goes from September to August.

  My theory: the Borg changed the calendar of conventions and assemblies so to concentrate the baptisms in a single theocratic year. E.g. if some conventions used to take place in July/August, for the 2018 series they moved them to September. That way they could count the baptisms for those conventions with the 2019 numbers. Then, for the 2019 series they move them back to July/August.

  Of course, this will make numbers go down for the prior and the following year. However, my thought is that they prefer some peaks here and there so they can brag about and, maybe, create some enthusiasm so baptisms increase naturally.

  What do you think?
• 

  Jehalapeno

  Isn't the Borg's reporting year October - September, hence annual meeting in October?

  October is the beginning of Q4 in a calendar year. I'm pretty sure it's Oct-Sept.
• 

  Viva la Vida

  This is jw.borg:

  2019 Service Year Report of Jehovah’s Witnesses Worldwide

  See details of the global preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses from September 2018 to August 2019.
• 

  sir82

  Doesn't seem likely - that would provide for a one year boost, but the following year the numbers would go right back down again.

  What is far more likely:

  Like it or not, JWs continue to have success in making converts in poor countries and/or countries where internet access is far less widespread than in North America & Europe. Their message of "your wealthy oppressors are all going to be killed by God soon, and then you will live in their place in paradise, if you just do what we say" is appealing to people who live in rickety hovels with dirt floors with no opportunity to escape poverty.

  Those increases in South America & Africa are still (so far) more than offsetting the losses in NA, Europe, and Asia.
• 

  dubstepped

  I think they just grew that much and we don't like it so we create ways to discredit it. They have growth from within and they grow in certain places more than others. It is what it is. They aren't going away.
• 

  Wakanda

  Here's the reason: They crammed baptism or die down their throats. My MIL complained about the special talk being only about baptism, because it was! Also, isn't this the year they showed parents teaching their toddler(s) all about baptism in a WT study article? It was a year of getting all the kids that haven't been dunked yet.
• 

  Sanchy

  The reason for the spike is a combination of various articles in 2018 encouraging "young ones" to take the plunge along with the chain of international assemblies that took place within 2019. What better time to do it.

  I bet we'll see a big dip in the baptism numbers this year.
  
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  As ridiculous as it is, there are NINE YEAR OLDS getting baptized.
• 

  truth_b_known

  Just wait until the Watchtower starts having infant baptisms at the Kingdom Hall.
• 

  Vidiot

  Sure, there’s 300K baptized a year...

  ...compared to how many DFed, DAed, faded, etc., though?