Nov 15 WT Study Edition - Appeal to help inactive ones (page 2)

civicsi00

Bring it on!! (I still haven't DA'd yet...)

ithinkisee

How depressing for my JW family members that get to sit there and think of me the whole time.

-ithinkisee

(Just popping in and looking around briefly ...)

When the elders visited my wife and I we were told that we'd need to make our minds up about what we want to do re. the WTS/meeting attendance etc.

I'm convinced that the WTS is not going to sit back and let faders get away with appearing to have their cake and eat it.

AK - Jeff

They are setting it up! They will soon produce an article like the ones they used to disfellowship smokers in 1974/75. This is the primer before the musket is charged IMO.

OnTheWayOut

Faders, your time is coming! They are coming for YOU!

I won't return any calls from them. If they catch me live on the phone or in person,
I will simply say "Thanks for thinking of me" or "I am fine."

It will all die down after the 2 articles are studied and another week goes by.
At least that is the plan- based on past history. Heck, in my case, I bet they
don't even call.

undercover

Naw...nuthin's gonna happen.

Your typical everyday dub is too busy getting themselves to all the meetings and getting a couple of hours of service in that most of them aren't going to give a hoot 'n hell about some inactive person they haven't seen in a year or more.

At most, a family member might say something, but we should expect that from family members that we see more often than others.

blondie

The WTS has periodically had WT side articles and KM articles (usually just before the memorial), as recent as 2007 (probably 2008 but I don't have access to the KMs for 2008). I saw nothing in this article that was setting up non-meeting attendance and/or not turning time in as a basis of disfellowshipping or disassociation. Same old stuff.

*** km 2/07 p. 8 Do Not Forget Those Who Are Inactive ***

1

Are you acquainted with anyone who has become inactive? Perhaps he has stopped associating with the congregation and has drifted away. You may have contacted such a person while engaging in the house-to-house ministry. We must keep in mind that the individual continues to be our spiritual brother. We want to confirm our love for him and help him to return to the congregation and to ‘the shepherd and overseer of our souls.’—1 Pet. 2:25.

2

DemonstrateInterest: A brief telephone call or visit may assure one who has become inactive that we have not forgotten him. What could we say? We may be encouraging by simply letting the person know that we were thinking of him. Keep the conversation positive and upbuilding. (Phil. 4:8) We might mention a point that we enjoyed from a recent meeting. We could also invite him to an upcoming meeting or assembly and offer to save him a seat or provide transportation.

3

A sister who had been inactive for more than 20 years was found in the territory. Although she was unwilling to accept a Bible study, the sister who found her called back, leaving the current magazines. After the district convention, the publisher shared some convention highlights with the inactive sister, and eventually she was reactivated.

4

WhenSomeoneReturns: When an inactive brother begins coming back to the meetings, how should we treat him? Well, how did Jesus treat his disciples after they had temporarily abandoned him? He warmly referred to them as his "brothers" and showed confidence in them. He even gave them an important assignment. (Matt. 28:10, 18, 19) Shortly thereafter, they were busy declaring the good news "without letup."—Acts 5:42.

5

Before offering to study the Bible with someone who has become inactive or before inviting a brother who has been inactive a long time to accompany us in the ministry, we should seek direction from the elders. If we come across an inactive publisher in the territory, we should inform the elders so that they can render needed assistance.

6

As the Bible clearly shows, only those who run the course to the finish will receive salvation. (Matt. 24:13) Therefore, take note of those who may have stumbled or drifted away. If we patiently reflect Jehovah’s love by demonstrating sincere interest in such ones, we may experience the joy of seeing them resume their sacred service alongside us.—Luke 15:4-10.

WTWizard

They had better limit it to calls (that will not be answered or returned) and door knocking (which will not be answered, and if they get in, they will be greeted with a still-up Christmas tree and some Christmas music). And my Ouija board.

What I do not want is to have several men surround me and physically cart me into the Kingdumb Hell. The humanoid that scammed me in in the first place has several times expressed serious interest in having me living permanently with him (of course, I realized that there would be zero freedom for me if I agreed and refused). Anything I have done (except fornication because they are paranoid about that and that would render me worthless to the Value Destroyer Training School) would be pushed in the background, and I would be set up so I could never do it again. No computer means no posting on apostate boards. No Christmas decorations means not putting them up. And no Ouija board, "secret" society literature, or Crisis of Conscience. No nothing.

And no escape. They would have several men supervising me to force me out in field circus all day, and to go to all the boasting sessions without walking out. Saying anything wrong gets me a stern lecture and even more stringent conditions. As for dress, nothing even semi-attractive--just that ugly olive green suit they pick out for me.

james_woods

I love this term "inactive".

It means you are not up off your butt and going to meetings, assembiles, and selling magazines. You are not ACTIVE.

This is the only criteria. It does not address whether you are moral, solvent, sick or well, nice to other people, a good family member, a contributor to the community, working a job that helps mankind in some way, or anything else in normal human endeavor.

In other words - all that matters is that you are ACTIVE.

chickpea

oh, sh!t Crazy Emoticons

Nov 15 WT Study Edition - Appeal to help inactive ones