Today's WT lesson: Desperate for more MS. How many get appointed 1 yr after baptism?

by Open mind 42 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  OnTheWayOut

  This is not just a reminder to elders, it is a reminder to the men who join the cult. After one year, "What's wrong with you that you are not an MS? Start sucking up better."

  It took me more than 2 years to make MS from baptized convert, but only less than 4 more to make elder. I moved to a completely different area after that where they never appointed men elders with as few years as me. I suppose different bodies of elders have different takes on this. They did re-appoint me in the new cong., but I understand it was only from a favorable letter and some prodding by a C.O..

  I remember conducting a Book Study and I asked "Who has more than 10 years as a baptized JW?" Even my wife, who was baptized as a teen raised her hand. Every single adult in the room except for me, the only elder and the conductor, raised their hand. I kind of did the "Why aren't you up here conducting?" question to the men. (I was fully dubbed over my head at the time and about 7 years baptized.)
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  Mad Sweeney

  Over 40 years I have seen several men made MS after just 1 year. In one case they were born-in, baptized at 15, regular pioneering for 2 years, and appointed at 20, made elder at 25.

  This case is not 'after just 1 year' but after FIVE years.

  IIRC, I was baptized TWENTY-FOUR years before being appointed. I had "reached out" and given up many times. I suppose they wanted more consistency. From informal feedback I got filtered through my family they also wanted me to be "more humble." Yeah, like any of THEM were humble.
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  TheListener

  only 1 year! That's quick! I've only seen that a couple times.
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  hoser

  I saw a guy made an elder only about 3 years after he was baptized, but he was well connected

  I've seen some very qualified, poorly connected brothers wait upwards of ten years to make it.

  It's not what you know, It's who you know!

  hoser
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  steve2

  The reminder is a consequence of how few baptized males are actually reaching out for these positions. It has more than a whiff of desperation about it.
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  jwfacts

  Lack of supply has led to a change. In the congregation I grew up in, there were so many servants and elders that brothers waited years to become an MS. One serious minded brother that was raised a JW was not made an MS until he was 30. Nowdays he probably would have been an elder by that age.
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  TheLoveDoctor

  I was not a born in but while studying and took about a year, though i knew the (truth?) I have always showed love to the friends, always early for meetings, and did average 7-10 hrs a month. Baptised in 94 and appointed a year to a year and next co visit. Why? Cause I was a good boy.
  
  
  
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  Crisis of Conscience

  I was raised a witness, but not born-in. I was appointed a servant a year and four months after I was baptized.

  I never knew what the official policy was but I did find that little tidbit in the Watchtower study interesting. Desperation?

  CoC
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  EntirelyPossible

  1 year? That's stupid. Paul spoke to Jesus ONCE and was made apostle as soon as he could see again a few days later.
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  WTWizard

  Let's see. If you have someone getting baptized at age 6, they can be assistant hounders at age 7? For sure, they are going to start getting the pressure to do just that.

  Now, what is "reasonable" field circus hours? What is "reasonable" activity? Anyone that has had a basic knowledge of economics should know about opportunity costs, marginal costs, and marginal benefits. Marginal cost is the cost of the next unit of activity, while the marginal benefit is the amount you reasonably expect to gain from that next unit. There is such a thing as diminishing returns--the more you do something, the lower the marginal benefit is. And the marginal cost usually goes up with each unit. Once the marginal cost equals the marginal benefit, that is the optimal amount. Anything more is beyond reasonable and always results in net loss. This goes as much for attendance at boasting sessions and volunteeering at a$$emblies as for field circus.