by wantstoleave 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Is being inactive just not being active in the field service? Or does it mean not attending meetings also? For some reason I thought it only meant not going witnessing.
For instance, years ago I went to every meeting, but not on field service. Thus was I counted as a publisher in the stats? Or deemed inactive? Can someone please clarify this for me?
If you go 6 consecutive months without turning in a field circus slip, you are "inactive". Of course, usually they miss most of the boasting sessions because, if you miss field circus but are regular at boasting sessions, the hounders are going to go after you to get you in field circus (eventually all the time). But, just missing field circus is enough.
There are always a number of "publishers" who are irregular (not having reported consecutive months since starting, or every month for the last six) or inactive (last report was six months or more ago) Meeting attendance has nothing to do with it.
The Secretary has the job of compiling the reports and the C/O puts all these figures into his report on the congo (no names just numbers) so the elders try all kinds of reminders to get them to report...The most soul destroying part of the Secretary's job was to reduce one's "sacred service" to figures on a sheet of paper and turn it into mere statistics.
Thanks for the explanation :)
so would an inactive get shepherdings? I like to know how the sheep are being cared for. What when someone doesnt attending meeting for a number of years? I know a friend who hasnt been for 6years..wow and shes just gone to a new cong and she isnt sure if they will assess her before she does ministry or if she will need a study?
Anyone know?
Hi AE
I think it depends on the Body of Elders. Is this friend of yours planning to regularly attend from now on, or does she just want to do field service occasionally?
Personally I can't see many BOE's letting her just do ministry without being a regular attender at the meetings unless she's a special case for some reason.
How is she supposed to keep up with the changes in teaching if she doesn't get to the hall? And therefore how is she supposed to teach others?
she wants to go back to meetings etc, yes she wants to return, she hasnt been for 6years and this is a new hall but shes unsure what happens when someone hasnt been for so long. I thought they might want to speak with her before she does any ministry to make sure she hasnt picked up and bad habits, so to speak?
Well if thats the case, I suspect they will want to assess her. They want to make sure for themselves that she isn't living a life thats deserving of reproof or disfellowshipping, they also want to make sure she's a potential good associate. The letter between congregation BOE's will also give details on her.
Depending on what they think, they might recommend someone study with her to get her up to speed, then when she's attending all meetings again, wants to join the school and giving the right answers, they'll let her out on FS.
Well, if she's only been gone 6 yrs. she hasnt missed anything.
In the JW world, "inactive" is also what happens to your brain if you stay in the religion long enough.
Farkel
