EMPTY KINGDOM HALL

by thebigdebate 53 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  Ianua

  it's been going down for years. i remember that we had to remove a few lines of seats, so the hall would not look all that empty.

  i also know that many (i used to do that too) don't go into field service but turn in some 2-4 hours every month.

  
  
  

  It's the same here in northern germany. Congs that have been separated in the late 80s/early 90s are merging again, lines of seats being removed (to have more space for the families with kids, of course. Not because it looks so depressing empty in the halls). Many (I also did that)counterfeiting their field service reports...
  
  
  It's going down...
• 

  fjtoth

  
• 

  aniron

  A couple of years ago my non-JW daughter went to the Kingdom Hall on a Sunday (PT&WT) with her JW sister.

  The congregation that they went to, when I knew it, used to quite easily get 130 on verge, sometimes 150.

  She was shocked, when there was only, she reckoned, about 30 there.

  I couldn't believe it nyself I remember it as a real strong congregation, with good Elders.

  Really looking forward to growing more.

  I did find out that some, even though still lived in the area, where going to different local congregations.

  But even those others are down on numbers.

  Something certainly has happened to cause this.
• 

  fjtoth

  
• 

  Homerovah the Almighty

  Good one fjtoth, there is some inner truth to that
• 

  catbert

  Anywhere that the majority of the population can google "jehovahs witnesses", the numbers will decline.
• 

  SnakesInTheTower

  One KH I visited to give a public talk about 6 years ago, in SW Iowa....a hell of a drive for a talk, I know..I went to visit a friend from MTS... was shrinking exponentially. The brother I visited grew up there, went to MTS, and was assigned to stay. There are no jobs to speak of in that tiny community... many are moving to larger cities in Nebraska across the border. The auditorium could easily hold 80-100 and only 2 years earlier had been that many attending........ when I got there were only 30 seats on the floor near the stage (6 rows of 5....3 rows to a side.)...mostly filled. (And no, it wasnt because Iwas giving the talk ...heh heh....that was their usual attendance..30...but I think they had 11 pioneers...go figure.) ...... It was the most disconcerting talk I ever gave...looking out at an auditorium 3/4 empty....and I was sick to boot. During the talk, one brother brought me water, another brought me Tums...another brought me an aspirin........I ended up giving a 38 minute talk..... (might have been exhaustion due to the heat... I went out all damn day in the field circus in 90+ heat the day before with the congregation...). I will say this, it was a very nice congo...at least to this outsider.....

  Closer to home, I pass a KH several times a week on the way to the office that houses 2 English and 1 Spanish. Spanish seems to have a pretty full lot on their nights.... English is dwindling...wouldnt be surprised to see them combine (if they havent already done so). Funny, a new church is going up right next door...LOL

  I noticed that about south Florida when I would visit my mom.... spanish everywhere... part of the reason my (nonJW) step dad wanted to leave..he didnt want to have to learn spanish lol

  Let's hope this encouraging downward trend continues.....

  Snakes (of the "contributing to the trend" Sheep Class)
• 

  flipper

  I haven't been to a meeting in almost 5 years now. So I can't comment on how many are attending. However when I was attending so much pressure was put on the witnesses to perform and be regular meeting attenders without consideration as to how hard life is, and how hard it was to make a living. I had one brother I knew about 45 at the time who was a sole provider for a wife and 6 children at the time tell me he had been mercilessly harassed by elders to change or give up his swing shift produce clerk grocery store job, so he could make all the meetings. He was virtually in tears talking to me about it , frustrated that the elders refused to understand that with 6 children, he just couldn't up and quit his job ! I think a lot of people stopped going, because they got tired of the common brow beatings to be regular. Too much stress to deal with anyway in life ; then you have somebody telling you you are inadequate, because you ARE NOT attending meetings ?? Screw em'. That's one reason I stopped. Had more important responsibilities in my life - like earning a living
• 

  Octarine Prince

  They will spin it to hammer home their assertion that we who
  leave are the weeds, and don't want the truth.
  
  I am living the truth now. They are the ones who hide the
  child molesters and "library" cards, not me.
• 

  Homerovah the Almighty

  And is it not an honest assertion that the GB members and the work being done by the people that work at the printing presses

  are actually doing what they do to make a living........something to think about isn't ?

  as for as JWS growth in my town I'd say its stagnant, has been for a long time

  Funny though just about every other church has grow expediently like the Catholics for example they just built 3 new churches

  each one in the mega millions in value,

  They make the local KD halls look like barns in comparison ......... go figure