Branch Vists the new Regional Convention?

konceptual99

So there was a mention yesterday about "next year's" branch visit and this being streamed.

Is there a chance these will become the new Regional Convention? Consider the evidence:

- branches being closed down or downsized

- emergence of "super branches" - US, Japan, South Africa, Germany

- streaming technology increasingly in place in halls and the technology being used more and more

- use of GB helpers to go to branches instead of it having to be GB members

- desire to reduce the overhead of organising large stadium events indicated by increasing "simplification" and use of pre-prepared video presentations

- the removal of the "district" both as a name and as an administrative grouping with a DO. Region can be as large or small as they want

If you had a two day event you could probably hit all the people in a branch territory in two weekends with a combination of assembly hall and kingdom hall presentations.

So we may have just be having a new yearly special meeting to listen to a branch visit session or could this be the latest in a line of baby steps to moving the RC away from stadiums to halls?

nowwhat?

Even with all the logistics, convention's are a big money maker-at least in western lands

That's a good point and probably the number one reason for keeping them the way they are but I don't think anything is sacrosanct and perhaps the financial impact is not as great as we might think or is there is (or has been) a slide in donations at the conventions.

sir82

Yeah, that's exactly the problem - JWs feel compelled to "contribute big" when they attend a "big" event.

RCs are as big as it gets most of the time. Each one generates 10's if not hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Conventions are far too efficient at generating income for "mama" to be eradicated.

I do think, eventually, the WTS will finally succumb to common sense and make them 2 days long, though.

bohm

as nowwhat? and sir82 says, as long as they make money they will stay. However in countries where they don't make a profit I could absolutely see it happening...

In this scenario, where would they get baptized?

crazy_flickering_light

I don't think the conventions the big money-maker in the next years. Nearly 50-60% from all money comes from old people. So when more and more older people don't go to the conventions, it maybe make more money to stream it to the hall. So one big convention in each country, stream it to every cong, ask for money - finished. Also the witnesses will go crazy, when they the choosen once for the meeting at a convension that be streamed.

freddo

Of course there are to be no hard copy literature releases at this years RC's so no contributions there though I guess they weren't getting enough to cover transportation and printing costs ...

stuckinarut2

Large gatherings are more about the hype and emotional boost it provides to emotionally strengthen the "flock".

Seeing a large group of people all together creates a unifying effect that strengthens witnesses resolve.

Doubt they will ever let go of this sort of event....

crazy_flickering_light

But more and more people leave. In Berlin a brother talk to the congregation that he leave and why he leave. As good as the conventions are, they also spread gossip and other stuff around. So small groups good for reduce the input from outside or about people who leave and how the leave.

Branch Vists the new Regional Convention?

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