training? you are kidding right?
For the 5-6 years I was an elder, I got an hour with the CO twice a year with the rest of the elders....CO reading from an outline from the Society. Every 2-3 years, there would be an elder school. I went to 2 as an elder...a day and a half.. and I dont mean 12 hours either... listening to the same drivel as always. Every once in awhile there used to be a meeting with the CO and DO during the CA....but that was replaced with "business meeting" (aka "rubber stamp the decisions about money already made by the CO and DO...including sending a "donation to the society").
Even those comparatively rare elders like myself that went to MTS...let me tell you it was intense...and it was nonsense in retrospect. 8 weeks of my life wasted....ok...not really... it served a single useful purpose....it woke me up to the realities of the Watchtower Society. Seeing behind the curtain of the Wizard of Oz...opened my eyes.... It only took me another 5 years to leave.
Elders (and MS's) are supposedly chosen by holy spirit....based on the procedure that qualifications for overseers are outlined in the bible (which allegedly is inspired of holy spirit)...thus...in a circular reasoning sort of way...if the BOE reads the qualifications and follows them in the Scriptures, it is as if the person is appointed directly by God through holy spirit. Then the CO (who allegedly is also appointed by holy spirit....via the Governing Body who directly appoints only COs and branch overseers).... usually agrees with the recommendation...where it goes to Bethel...where it is literally rubber stamped by the Service Department....with a Governing Body stamp.... the GB never actually sees the appointment letter or is involved....then it comes back to the elders who ask the elder (or MS) if "there is any reason you should not be appointed?" and "were you ever a pedophile?"....once the wannabe elder says "no...no reason" its announced that night..
Of course, we all have heard stories of elders and MSs that were involved in wrongdoing at the time of their appointment, at the time of their consideration for appointment....thus....no holy spirit can possibly involved...since "God" does not make mistakes.....
We also probably know of elders who didnt meet the so-called "Scriptural qualifications" that were appointed anyway..... and those that later failed to meet the qualifications but were not removed (like the current SO/regular pioneer elder in my old congo that got busted for looking at porn but allowed to stay on anyway....)
So.... no training.....no basis for appointment.....all BS....
Snakes ()