New Mini-Survey: Successful Witnessing

by Juan Viejo2 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  Juan Viejo2

  Just wanted to let you know that there is a new mini-survey now online at JWSurvey.org that covers the subject of "Successful Witnessing."

  As a Witness, did you actually ever convince someone to become a JW? If so, how did you do it? Did you ever actually convert someone you met going door-to-door?

  Our friend Cedars came up with the idea for this mini-survey. It was ready to go online on November 1, but due to last minute technical problems it actually went up shortly after midnight EST.

  As with all mini-surveys, the results will be immediately displayed after you vote. You are encouraged to leave a comment or suggestion about the survey after you have voted.

  Here is the direct link to the survey. http://jwsurvey.org/mini-surveys/successful-witnessing . Please share it with your current and former JW friends.

  If you haven't voted yet on the Global Survey 2011, be sure to do so during your visit. You'll find several links to the GS2011 on the home page and elsewhere on the site. And please take the other mini-survey, "Who is the Faithful and Discreet Slave?" if you've missed it.

  http://jwsurvey.org/2011-jw-survey and http://jwsurvey.org/mini-surveys/mini-survey-who-is-the-faithful-and-discreet-slave

  Cedars and I want to thank everyone who has supported our survey site and participated. We are surprised and gratified at the large number of visitors who have actually registered on the site. Whether you have participated openly and registered or have hidden your identity, you can be assured that your information will not be shared under any circumstances. Our site stats indicate worldwide participation, something Cedars was hoping for when he started the Global Survey.

  Thank you all!

  JV
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  cedars

  bumping this thread, let's hear from ya folks!

  Cedars
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  Rydor

  Interesting idea! Thank you for doing this.

  Personally, I'm: "I progressed someone to baptism, but they were already involved with the organization."

  (He was a troubled teen whose family had been attending meetings in a different part of the state.)

  I grew up in the org, but was only an official baptized member for seven years, so fortunately I didn't have too much opportunity to spread the lies.
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  Juan Viejo2

  The new "mini-survey" about "Successful Witnessing" had 25 participants within the first 8 hours it was online - and that was before I had breakfast! Thank you!

  http://jwsurvey.org/mini-surveys/successful-witnessing

  Sorry, Blondie, that you had a problem getting in the first time you tried. Thanks for the suggestion about conversions of co-workers and their spouses. Frankly, that never popped in my head. I guess we considered co-workers in the same category as "friends and family."

  Actually, successful door-to-door witnessing (converting someone you met during field service) sits at 12%. Of course the sample is still very small, but that is much higher than originally expected. It will be interesting to see what those results look like after the base becomes larger.

  The other "min-survey" that asks "Who is the Faithful and Discreet Slave" has had over 250 participants. Charles Taze Russell still has not received a single vote in spite of the fact that Watchtower taught that he was the "faithful slave" for nearly 50 years. I remember that when I was a young JW in the 1950-70 period most of the older Witnesses (many who claimed to be of the "anointed class") still firmly believed that Russell had been the "faithful slave."

  So far, most paricipants write off the FDS question as it simply being a "parable" with no particular significance to any person or group. I'm sure that doesn't sit well with the WT GB - although they do come in second place.

  If you haven't taken the survey(s) yet, please head over to JWSurvey.org and let us know what you think. Cedars and I are very excited about the acceptance of the new survey site and hope that support continues to grow.

  JV
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  ziddina

  I voted!!!
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  life is to short

  I just voted. Thank you for doing this.

  LITS
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  jwfacts

  It would be good if the survey allowed for multiple choices, as it is tough to determine which choice is the most important. I met someone in field service that progressed to baptism, converted a bible study that was handed to me, and helped people leave.
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  Juan Viejo2

  jwfacts:

  Your suggestion is noted and appreciated.

  We originally considered having a multiple choice answer, but decided against it. Multiple choice questions end up skewing the percentages for the results on the survey program we are using. Rather than bearing the huge expense of a more flexible survey program, we've had to make some compromises.

  Yes, we can manage multiple choice for some applications (you see it in operation on the Global Survey), but then we have to use other means to calculate the number of actual participants. That's why there is a log in form for the Global Survey (we get our count of participants that way) versus the way we handle the more open Mini-Surveys which do not require a login before participation.

  The real question on the survey is whether the responder had ever converted anyone they met while doing field service. We could have made that a simple YES/NO survey. Instead, what we opted for was to ask that question, and then, if the answer was by default a NO, then let the responder consider what his/her highest level of success to be and answer accordingly.

  But as always, we look for suggestions and comments. We may do another mini-survey at a later date that revisits this subject and reword or set it up differently.

  Perhaps we could have worded the question better or in a more specific way, but hindsight is always more perfect than when we are predicting potential shortcomings. I am blessed with both excellent hindsight and innumerable shortcomings...

  I am assuming that if you've actually responded then you would be one of the very few who has actually converted someone you witnessed to a the door (about 8% of the responses as of tonight). That is the real question we were hoping to have answered.

  Paul. my guess is that that you are (or were) part of a relatively small minority that is growing smaller each year.

  JV