by Drearyweather 60 Replies latest jw friends
Drearyweather: 2017 Figures released to Bethel families worldwide
Interesting that the Bethel families have been told, thanks for that - do you know when they where told? have they been told to keep quite the figures?
The letter to US congregations - that is due to be read out at the first mid-week meeting in January 2018 - was leaked/released yesterday on reddit:
December 15, 2017 TO ALL CONGREGATIONS Re: 2017 Service Year Report
I presume WT is working up on a strategy to keep afloat themselves from a global decline.
It's true that the WT has cut back on magazines and branches, however they have considerably ramped up the different schools that they provide for the elders, MS, pioneers, Circuit overseers and the branch members.
Of all the 9 or 10 schools that they have, 75% of the JW's have access to only school- the Theocratic Ministry School (now embedded in the CLAM), Whereas all the other schools are only for the 25% hard core JW's.
So, rather than concentrate on the faders, the WT currently only concentrates on the 25% JW's (elders, MS, Pioneers, CO's), because they are the ones who would be taking the org forward.
If people from the west are leaving from the backdoor, they are being highly compensated by those who are coming in from the front door in the third world countries. and as SBF said, if people are waking up, there are more who are digging themselves in further into the org.
The real global decline will start only if the JW's from the core 25% start waking up, not just from the normal rank and file.
Fantastic how ex JWs can get the same information as the rank and file witnesses on the very same day. They are bragging about some of the figures in that letter so I dont think they care if it is kept quiet or not.
Interesting that the Bethel families have been told, thanks for that - do you know when they where told? have they been told to keep quite the figures?
Sorry darkspilver. I dont have this info. Even I found it a bit strange. Sorry, I'll try to confirm it from the one who sent me these.
The increase in pioneers is probably due to the cart witnessing. It's nothing now to spend 3-4 hours in service standing around.
You're right wannaexit. So easy now for them. They can even do their preparations for the meetings on their phones or their tablets, which up to now they would have had to do at home. It doesnt surprise me in the slightest that the pioneer figure is up. Its even better in the summer. Near where I live they get to sit on a bench in the warm sunshine chatting to their mate, while people simply walk by them and their carts.. It doesnt get much better than that.
There's huge pressure on parents to get their kids baptized asap. So I think there's a lot of kids in those figures.
JWs are being constantly pressurized to pioneer, too. It's like if you are not pioneering, what's wrong with you?
And let's face it, pioneering is easy compared to years ago. Several people standing around carts playing on their phones. I've seen them in every major city I've visited and it was the same everywhere except Italy, when the JWs were chatting to everyone - but that's lovely Italians for you!
When I pioneered in the 60s I had to do 100 hours a month, we were expected to try and place 100 magazines and do god knows how many return visits (back calls we called them) 75? Plus hold down a job to support ourselves. Hence you'd only get a few pioneers in most congregations and they were usually school leavers still living at home.
So these figures don't surprise me.
I also think people in general are freaked out by world conditions. N.Korea/Trump etc so they want something to cling to that gives them hope.
A lot of great comments here. alanv is correct. If you continue to lower the requirements, then more people can be pioneers. Lower the requirement to a little above the publisher average and 50% or nearly 4 million would be pioneers? I am guessing that the requirements will be gradually lowered so it will not be detected like in the past. Publishers only need to record 30 minutes. Field service time is counted by standing at a cart and staring off into space and zoning out. No real field service and talking at the doors, debating, defending your good news and beliefs.
Here is the reason for increase in pioneers. Its kids just getting out of high school. In my area most kids are home schooled then they pioneer while living at home. So why get a job if your parents are Continuing to support them just to drive around all day. I would say they make up 2/3 of all pioneers
When you don't encourage higher learning or trade school....... pioneering for an 18 year old earns them a lot of respect from their local congregation and circuit.
Having peer acceptance provides a wider JW social circle. Living at home, no bills, maybe an easy part time job........ if that......it's all good until they realize the years they could have used to actually learn something were pissed away.
Conversely the older JW can retire and spend their leisure time thinking they are still accomplishing something by sitting next to a cart gabbing with other older JW's.
