A Future Tipping Point? (page 2)

Gayle

The congregations operated before '71 with one 'congregation servant' w/at least two or more ministerial servants for decades, could that happen again?

OnTheWayOut

The congregations operated before '71 with one 'congregation servant' w/at least two or more ministerial servants for decades, could that happen again?

Only if they reduce the load on the ministerial servants. If they have meeting parts every week and take
care of the accounts and literature and territory, they will quit like crazy. Perhaps the borg can eliminate the
school or Service Meeting or at least shorten them and put the bookstudy in with the same evening. That
eliminates conductors, readers, many speaking parts every week.

During the 7 or 8 months I attended meetings after resigning as an elder (also refusing to take any responsibility
accept cleaning the toilets) I actually enjoyed myself at the hall. Oh, I knew the garbage from the platform was
wrong and trying to keep me indoctrinated. Other than that, I was carefree before, during, after the meeting.
That's the type of publishers they are getting nowadays. I used to pity them, now I don't.

R.F.

The congregations operated before '71 with one 'congregation servant' w/at least two or more ministerial servants for decades, could that happen again?

I'm speaking from a more local standpoint, but there are several congregations in my circuit that have one or two elders and have from between zero and two ministerial servants. I wonder what would happen if this was the case on a larger scale. It's at the point to where the MSs are handling elder responsiblities, such as things Service Committe members would handle. Again, this could be happening in many more areas, but i've heard that my particular area is quite unique when it comes to this. Perhaps someone could shed some light on this?

zack

If they run out of men they will just get the sisters to do the labor under the "direction" of a brother. Maybe they'll issue standard hats for them.

willyloman

One of the many, many fascinating points made in the book, "The Tipping Point" was about the critical number 150 in an organization. After you get 150 people, working together it becomes impossible to control what's going on, so many companies are beginning to limit their plants and operational units to that number or less.

It made me think of the WT directive that when a congo gets to 160 pubs, the CO is supposed to split 'em up into two 80's.

If it's true that the number of elders (especially "working" or "functional" elders) is dropping, the WT may have to turn around and start consolidating congos. In the 1980's I knew many congos that had 10-15 elders and as soon as that congo got anywhere near the 150 publisher mark, they started agitating for a "split" so that these guys - then all in their 40's and 50's - could have some kind of "position." There were lots of "political splits" in those days. Be funny if they have to go the other way in the future. One form of dysfunctionality would lead to yet another. Sweet!

WTWizard

I have a solution, but I doubt that they will take this advice. It's all about cost/benefit. If the total cost of attending meetings exceeds the total benefit, then you should miss that meeting. However, if the total opportunity cost is below the total benefit, the smart thing would be to attend that meeting.

How are they to get the total benefit up to where the opportunity cost is less than the benefit? Illusions will not work, since people will get pxxxed when they find out. On the other hand, if they made the meetings entertaining, then many people would get value from that. Making them educational and offering practical help to people trying to get decent jobs or social connections that don't stifle them would add to the benefit. Once the side benefits exceed the opportunity cost, then it doesn't matter when (if) the "new" order is coming because people would still benefit from going to the meetings.

That is not going to happen as long as they continue pushing imaginary "benefits". Taking away entertainment makes for higher opportunity costs. Stifling sexual, educational, or vocational needs also adds to opportunity costs. The houndings that usually follow also add opportuinty cost. And a burdensome ministry adds even more opportunity cost, as it gives people the wonderful opportunity to be ostracized in society. As there is no benefit of going to the meetings instead of staying home "sick", people are going to miss all the meetings.

And, if the benefits are high enough, congregations would be a lot easier to manage. Instead of having to prepare several talks in a row, they would be able to do them straight from the heart. That makes it a lot easier, plus they would not have to fake it. People would want to learn if they saw actual benefit. How often do you see disruption and chaos in classes that teach useful things in a fully integrated fashion? And those who break the rules would have opportunity costs in doing so that would exceed any benefit from breaking those rules. Obviously, it would make a congregation a lot easier for one or two people to handle if things were run in a fully integrated fashion, and with fewer stagnation-related problems (like alcohol abuse). Which would make it more of a joy than a burden for those taking the lead. Problem solved.

Of course, they will not take that route. They would have to give up some of their pride and admit that they have been deliberately lying all these years. But, as I see it, if they don't do it my way, they are going to implode and people are going to get pxxxed off. People can check the actual benefit on the Internet in about ten minutes, so they cannot fake that. Either provide real benefit that exceeds the total opportunity cost, or the Tower will come down.

startingover

Very interesting! I remember when my dad was the congregation overseer in the 60's. He had an assistant and if I remember right there was a bible study or a service overseer, something like that. I know he spent alot of time writing and giving talks and meeting parts, but it seems to me there were others up there giving talks beside those three appointed ones. Anyone care to refresh my memory? What standard did they use for those giving parts before the Elder-MS thing came into existance?

yknot

Ahh the great "man" shortage. I remember this from the 70's when there was the mass exodus. At last "Jehovah will sustain us". They will just choose younger men who will do as they are told.

metatron

Younger men? Where? Who? I see congregations in which the elders are running the mikes and

sound system. I observed the lack of MS's in one circuit and told the C.O. , "we have no 'B' team,

brother". He didn't know what to say. He later tried a big recruiting effort to get young brothers to

'reach out'. It accomplished nothing. Young men are chasing skirt, smoking weed, playing video

games, going to college, being gay or just lying on mom's couch.

metatron

jgnat

yknot: They will just choose younger men who will do as they are told

That will be harder to do this time around. Back in the 70's they were in the midst of the baby boom. Those same baby boomers are the old guys lumbering around with the mikes. We face the same dillemma in the work force; there are not enough young people coming up to fill all the positions.

It will be even worse in a rigid, stagnant business masquerading as a religion with a problem with retention.

A Future Tipping Point?

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