As a Witness - What did you Notice in How Elders Got Appointed ?

flipper

I found it amazing being raised in the witnesses to see exactly WHO got appointed sometimes as an elder. It seemed that the criteria in my opinion had more to do with getting 10 hours a month in field service, answering at meetings, carrying microphones as a Ministerial Servant, or handling the magazine or literature counter ! In doing these " functions " and attending meetings on a regular basis - a man was thought to be considered " spiritually strong " and qualify to be an elder and serve on judicial committees judging people's personal problems.

Many times no thought was given to whether or not the guy was a loving husband to his wife in the home, or was he kind to his children at home ? Did he put on " one face " at the Kingdom Hall - and another personality in the homelife ? I observed MANY times that a temperamental jerk ended up getting appointed as elder - when he had no business telling people HOW to run their lives- as he was unable to run his OWN life !

When Timothy said an overseer should be " irreprehensible, sound in mind " I wonder if he meant appointing as an elder someone who had a past criminal child molester record - yet repented ( allegedly ) after becoming a baptized Jehovah's Witness ? Or when he stated an overseer should be " a man presiding over his own household in a fine manner, having children in subjection with all seriousness " did he mean to keep a heavy hand on his wife and children ? Controlling their every action ? What to watch on T.V. What clothes to wear ? The wife and children being expected to remain quiet while the alleged " head of the house " pontificates his redundant stupendous wisdom of the ages ?

A poster on the board told me an experience she knew about . This one elder served for years as an elders, neglecting his family - his 5 children and wife to carry out his " duties " in the congregation. As it worked out- all 5 of his children as they grew up resented him being so time consumed by the congregation- not ONE of the 5 remained a witness. They all left. He was abusive to his JW wife and in time they divorced. So what does this giant in alleged " spiritual men " do ? He meets a non-witness woman - drags her into the JW cult , she gets baptized then he marrys her ! Then my friend said that just recently he was re-appointed as an elder ! And his NEW wife has been really depressed for some time due to this guy reaching out again for eldership . To some men - being an elder ALWAYS took priority over being a good husband.

So the point I'm making is there were MANY things which would get a man appointed as an elder - but being a good person in his home outside the congregation was really rather low on the list of qualifications - as compared to how many hours he spent in field service , talks at the kingdom hall, raising his hand answering at meetings , etc ! But the million $$$ question - Can you really tell how good and decent a human being is - by just performing " functions " or " duties " in a high control organization ?

So what did all of YOU notice about how elders were appointed ? Did you see some be good company men at the kingdom hall, yet OUTSIDE and at home be anything BUT righteous ? As always- look forward to your takes and observations

OnTheWayOut

Many times no thought was given to whether or not the guy was a loving husband to his wife in the home, or was he kind to his children at home ?

Any complaints about him would keep him waiting another 6 months, but it was more important that not only he got 10 hours of recruiting and was regular at the meetings and the like, but that his wife and children were also there and did good with field recruiting.

Regularity somehow equated to being on good terms with Holy Spirit and that qualified an inexperienced window washer to suddenly know how best to aid clinically depressed people and sit in judgement of fornicators and smokers.

I didn't know it at the time, but I and another guy were appointed awfully early to elder in our cong. because we had been recruited by the glory-seeking pioneer elder that wanted credit for bringing not just men, but such spiritual men into the club. I had 6 years total in, the other guy had 7. When I moved from the southeast U.S. to the midwest, I pretty much learned that it is very rare to be appointed elder with less than 10 years in the org. I was appointed again because of the glowing recommendation- I was a total company man and I think they saw that I was "relaxing" by not being an elder.

Luckily, between seeing favoritism among elders toward their family and friends and the 1995 big doctrine change, I stopped being a company man and started being kinder and gentler to any members.

5thGeneration

Best ass kisser to the "Good 'ol Boys Club" + field service report of around 20 hours plus = Elder.

Quillsky

To be appointed an elder one has to have a submissive JW wife on happy pills.

Simon Morley

Suck Up + Green Handshake (CO and DO to get the mention at the elder meeting) 1st and foremost. Nice wife and kids who comment, in TMS, help old sisters, etc are bonus points. Keeping your hours under the nat average is a good way to stay out of their radar.

designs

It was equal parts getting in our 10 hours, who you knew of the BOE, and whether the CO and DO liked you.

stillajwexelder

Whose nose, tongue and lips are the brownest

booby

I was a brand new recruit in a congregation with not many "educated" ones, a rural area with many farmers and an older demographic. A young co jumped at the chance to get a younger brother helping out in the congregation. So at a young age and new in the truth I was given the privilege of being a "servant" in the congregation. I was used for/in a number of different positions including very quickly the theocratic school overseer. Jump ahead to when it was decided to re-jig the whole arrangement and bring in an arrangement of elders who were "appointed" through holy spirit. For those original elder positions what that amounted to was all who were servants sitting in a big circle and going from on brother to the next deciding if any would/should be excluded for any reason from a list that would be sent (in our case to Toronto) of ones that were approved locally for appointment in bethel. It is obvious that this arrangement had Jah's blessing when you look at the fine Christian progress that has resulted since that time. Yah right!!

man in black

"It's not what you know or what you do, it's who you know and what THEY do"

I heard this years ago, ..

The good old boys club personified .

When jeff renfroe from Crystal lake, Illinois was appointed an elder I was speechless, this statement literally jumped off of the platform and hit me across the face.

He is without any doubt the most headstrong, immature person I ever met, and yet he waltzes into the congregation,

( He couldn't become an elder from wherever he started,,,, never heard the whole story)

becomes business partners with dave redmond the PO and the next co visit this guy was appointed an elder.

Even now I hear stories about how his actions literally drive people away from the hall, and how the young people are learning very quickly how to lose respect for the elder arrangement.

If God was really watching over the jw's this guy would not even be able to handle the microphones,

( and this is not just entirely my opinion, young people from the hall have been sharing stories with my non jw boys regarding this "spiritual train wreck of a man")

144001

Those with the most poop on their noses were appointed as elders!

As a Witness - What did you Notice in How Elders Got Appointed ?

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