Pioneers

Clam

It's been a long time since I left the Borg and JW matters are rarely discussed with my JW relatives. I am however, interested in the subject of pioneers.

A few years back I half expected my nephew to do some pioneering, but he opted to get married at 19 to a fellow Dub and it wasn't long before they had 3 little girls to support. My nephew, without the WTS to ruin his aspirations would easily have got to a good University after excellent A levels, but after a spell doing the inevitable window cleaning he landed a pretty good job. He's now an elder. Married when young it gave him the chance to get out of pioneering. I also wonder, if by "producing" three new Witnesses, he's done the Borg a bigger favour than if he'd been out converting through pioneer work?

Finally getting to my real questions, what kind of pressure is there on free agent Dubs to go pioneering? There was only one pioneer at my old Congo and at the time I thought he was a real hero. Are pioneers seen in a more favourable light by the powers to be, eg elders, CO etc. Are they under more pressure to get converts in, and if they're not doing such a good job, do they start getting questioned over their methods in field service? Please share any stories about pioneering. It's a real grey area for me and I know there's quite a few ex pioneers on this Board now.

Cheers.

Clam

Zico

Finally getting to my real questions, what kind of pressure is there on free agent Dubs to go pioneering?

I guess it depends on the Congregation and how much the elders care, though I know in my Congregation there was a lot. However, the pressure came more from existing pioneers than from the elders who weren't pioneering.

Are pioneers seen in a more favourable light by the powers to be, eg elders, CO etc.

I think so, yes. At least compared to people who don't have what the elders and CO would consider valid reasons not to pioneer.

Are they under more pressure to get converts in, and if they're not doing such a good job, do they start getting questioned over their methods in field service?

I put myself under pressure, but thinking back, I don't believe I ever received pressure from my Congregation's elders or other pioneers, perhaps because I was a young pioneer and they could accept I was still learning. This experience will likely be different for some.

Undecided

The pressure came from within in my case. It was part of serving God, at least that is what I thought then. I know now it came from my being raised as a JW and the praise given to those who did more. I never felt satisfied as a pioneer, it was just expected of me by the borg.

Ken P.

OnTheWayOut

what kind of pressure is there on free agent Dubs to go pioneering?

There was considerable pressure on young ones to consider pioneering as their "career" after finishing school.
The pressure was vamped up in the 90's after they started reducing Bethel as a goal, then it has dropped
down slowly over the years, but elders want their daughters to pioneer, so they can get a good jdub husband.
They need a good husband because they aren't setting lofty worldly goals. Pioneers put pressure on all the
young ones to join them in this wonderful work.

Are pioneers seen in a more favourable light by the powers to be, eg elders, CO etc.

YES. I think everyone except the elders praises them in private conversations among borg. The elders
praise them in meeting parts. CO's are really pioneers that rotate congregations, so they love them.
Pioneers are held up to a higher favored position by EACH OTHER. In my congregation, they look down
on young ones not pioneering out of school. Many pioneers continue to pioneer because they compete
with each other to stay "on the list" as long as possible, and don't want the others saying they were
bad "pioneers."

Are they under more pressure to get converts in, and if they're not doing such a good job, do they start getting
questioned over their methods in field service?

There isn't much pressure to get converts- the elders and CO know it's hard to get people to commit. Their
hours need to be kept up. If they have virtually no placements and return visits, then the service committee
looks into the way they pioneer. But it seems that if they are willing, they are allowed to pioneer, no matter
what their productivity. Amongst themselves, there probably is competition to bring "Bible students" to the
hall. Keep in mind that their competition in this area is a friendly one, and they are happy for each other's
successes.

We had pioneer sisters who made sure they didn't earn enough money on their part time jobs so that they
could continue to qualify for public assistance of various types. Now, I was never on the service committees,
but I said this was wrong. How can you pioneer by saying you can't go out and earn enough money to
support yourself, and you are healthy enough to be a full-time minister?

Nowman

In my hall and in my area growing up, it WAS looked upon as a wonderful/spiritual/getting Jehovah's blessing/setting an example type of thing...My mom was a pioneer, dad was an elder. I pioneered to make my parents happy, it kept peace at home until I made my escape.

Nikki

OnTheWayOut

If they have virtually no placements and return visits, then the service committee
looks into the way they pioneer. But it seems that if they are willing, they are allowed to pioneer, no matter
what their productivity.

Trying to break myself of the cult mindset.

Of course they are allowed to pioneer no matter how pitiful their results.
Why would you fire your unpaid book salespeople, just because others sell more books?
They are totally unpaid, unlike Bethelites. They spend their own money to sell books and donate
their vehicles to this work.

They do threaten to remove pioneers if they don't keep up their hours, but that is just to
pressure the pioneers to stay out there and get those hours. They tend to forgive a couple
hundred hours for one year, as long as you "came close" last year and do better next year.

Chameleon

In my congregation, there is no pressure from anyone to pioneer.

Sure, we get the "if you can, pioneer" talks, but that's the elders being BORG puppets.

tijkmo

. Are pioneers seen in a more favourable light by the powers to be, eg elders

elders dont like pioneers - they show them up...unless the elder is a pioneer

i pioneered for 20 years..as a teen/m.s./husband/elder/adulterer...and then exactly one year after being reinstated

i liked it

stopped now though

caligirl

My step son is a pioneer (19) For him, I don't know if it is so much the pressure, or the accolades and personal perks that he gets that make him want to do it. When he was in school, I think it helped him escape an unpleasant and volatile home environment. Now, I think it is some pressure to "live up to his commitment" It also doesn't hurt the ego to be looked up to in the congregation. Without that title, he would just be the son of the resident mental patient who likes to slit her wrists. Oh, and the fact that Mom will forego charging him rent as long as he remains a pioneer doesn't hurt either (because it ups HER status as well to have raised such a "dedicated" son.

?me?

at our cong. we have like 10 pioneers, all but 2 are under 25. most still live at home. i think most of them like the idea of not having to move out and get a real job yet. but i see very little pressure to pioneer. but we constantly have talks to encourage it, and ofcourse the ca and da are filled with "uplifting " encouragement to pioneer.

Pioneers

Share this