2019 service report is out

by slimboyfat 48 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  slimboyfat

  The 2019 report is out:

  https://download-a.akamaihd.net/files/media_publication/29/syr19_E.pdf

  The “average publisher” figure for individual countries has made a comeback!

  Last year’s 2018 report can be compared here:

  https://download-a.akamaihd.net/files/media_publication/9a/syr18_E.pdf

  Total number of congregations is down again. In particular there is a big decline in congregations in the US —3.2% decline. No doubt entirely a money saving exercise for US headquarters, especially since the trend is not replicated in other countries.

  Number of partakers is up by over 1000, or 5% to 20,526.

  Average increase is 1.3%, which is a small drop from 1.4% last year. But a 1.3% increase is pretty good considering it includes a significant decline in Russia, where they are under ban. Looking at the banned countries list, it seems that JWs decreased by at least 10,000 in Russia. So, were it not for the Russian persecution, then JW increase would probably have been at least 1.4%.

  JWs are flatlining in countries like Australia, United States, Britain, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, and Germany, but they still showing small increases in countries like France, Norway, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland.

  Altogether they are not doing too bad in Europe, where churches are nearly empty, or even in the United States, to be holding their own while most other churches are now in decline.
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  St George of England

  Very surprised to see that, especially Avg Pubs been restored.

  George
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  Listener

  News reports discuss the situation that Russian JWs are fleeing Russia. One news report suggests it is at least 5,000.

  https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/05/13/list-of-persecuted-jehovahs-witnesses-doubles-in-russia-rights-group-says-a65554

  That reduction will be reflected by increases in (mainly) other European countries. Finland and Germany are two countries that have been mentioned.
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  Anders Andersen

  Average increase is 1.3%

  Given that world population growth was around 1.08% to 1.1% JW are barely keeping up.

  With 8M people knocking doors and billions of hours wasted annoying people, they managed to grow a whopping ~1670 publishers more than simple (world wide average) population growth would have given them.

  Fastest growing religion my ass. Population growth makes Islam and Catholicism each add more members every year than there are JW...
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  joe134cd

  To give some meaning to those figures, and living in a country that is listed as showing a slight increase. The congregations are made up of mainly old people, with very few in the 18-25 year old bracket. The attitude of most is lethargic, with borderline meeting attendance. Witnessing has been reduced to a coffee shop. Over all not surprised that it’s holding its own, if not about to go into decline. That just my take.
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  asp59

  Mostly increase in parts of Europe cause poor wittneses from 3 world move there. I can Imagine most increase are do too People born into the religion also. Yeah they are million years away from THE increase religions like Islam and Catholicism have.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  Nearly all the African countries are showing a increase in the 3-5% range.
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  Diogenesister

  Surprised New Zealand shows an increase but I’d be willing to bet these are mostly Islanders from Polynesian Islands.

  I imagine these people are single handedly responsible for getting Geoffrey Jackson his gig on the Governing Body. He probably made so many easy converts among them it was mistaken for Jehovah blessing him, rather than the result of an obsessive turn toward western religion by a people divorced from their culture by colonisation.
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  JW GoneBad

  The 2019 numbers don't look good for the U.S. when compared to 2018 . For starters...there are nearly 400 less congregations. While nearly 28,600 were baptized in 2019...the peak publishers for 2019 only went up 2,157 from 2018. The U S reportedly had 182,882 Pioneers working the streets in 2019 and all the U S Branch could come up with was an increase of 2,157 publishers over 2018. Add insult to injury...this 2,157 increase is made up of teeny-poppin born-in JWs!

  Mind you these low and negative figures come from the core & heart of this religion...the United States territory..sad!👎👎👎
  
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  alanv

  Not at all sad for ex JWs. Its all great news to see the religion slowly dying and allowing more people to lead there own successful lives. Certainly amazing though about the USA figures