2% increase is about par for the course these days - not great but not terrible either. Things have been cruising along with mediocre growth for a few years now and look to be continuing that trend. The figures are no longer good enough to make Witnesses feel good about it, nor are they bad enough to give ex-Witnesses much encouragement that collapse or even decline is in the offing.
2% increase in 2009 U.S. Memorial Attendance!
by Gayle 25 Replies latest forum announcements
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Black Sheep
I want to see a scan
I want to see a scan
I want to see a scan
I want to see a scan
I want to see a scan
I want to see a scan
Cult crazed Kiwi unwraps towel from head and demands evidence of this travesty
"Bollocks" he cries, risking his membership at the number 1 ApostaJW website.
Gimme proof.
Reniaaaaaa. Help me darlin.
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insearchoftruth
http://www.jwsupportforum.com/index.php?topic=6726.msg96757;topicseen#new
Has a scan of this document
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Bangalore
But how many of those new attenders going to become JW's?
Bangalore
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shamus100
But how many of those new attenders going to become JW's?
They're not. They are generally people that feel guilty (the people we don't like to talk about... disfellowshipped and go through theyre whole lives feeling guilty and never going back), the non-believing husbands and wives (that do it to keep the peace), and all the other inactive people that do it to keep a foot in the door "just in case".
To not go to the memorial is quite a statement these days.
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Justitia Themis
If I remember correctly, Memorial attendance always well exceeded the baptism rate. It would be interesting to compare historical Memorial attendance growth percentages against baptisms to see if there is a pattern. One might be able to roughly project baptism rates by the computation.
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BluesBrother
Well, they still call it the highest number ever recorded, even though it is a very modest increase.
In reality Memorial attendance has less to with real interest than with the enthusiasm and arm twisting of the local dubs who cajole and physically deliver family members and the inactive ones to that meeting only .
NB I read also the article in the scanned K M "Meeting The Challenge of Witnessing To Men"...Are they top heavy with sisters? Should I expect a little bit of interest from the dubs when I go along with my wife? - That would be a change.
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slimboyfat
I have always taken memorial attendance as a measure of nominial affiliation, ( a growing number of hangers-on) not an indicator of future growth.
Bible study figures have historically been a better indicator of growth. Bible studies went up in the early eighties and good growth followed. On the other hand in recent years the Bible studies figure has gone up and it has not been accompanied by increased growth. Last year the number of Bible studies actually exceeded the number of publishers. I might be wrong but I think that is the first time that has happened.
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elder-schmelder
I am so happy that I am not in that number anymore !!!
elder-schmelder
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Billy the Ex-Bethelite
With the terrible economy and loss of jobs, more have time to attend rather than use work or vacation as an excuse. And secondly, their preaching gloom and doom should scare a few more than usual into attending, just in case armageddon would come the next month after the memorial... which it didn't.
Of course, with that rational, there should have been at least a 5-10% increase in observers. Oh well, I guess Jesus should have mentioned AIG and Wall Street in Revelation by name.
B the X