by stuckinamovement 18 Replies latest jw friends
There is an upcoming study article trying to encourage men to reach out. In my cong there are more former elders and servants than current ones. I was looking around the other day during a meeting and could only spot one young guy who is reaching out to be an MS. The 5 Elders are now running mics.
Last years KM school emphasized that there was a lack of willing men. Just curious, what are your thoughts? Do you see the same thing? What are the ages of the Elders remaining?
SIAM
Lets see when I left there were 5 elders - I brought down 2 so that left 3. One with bad CFS makes 1/4 meetings, and two over 60 one that can't read over a 5th grad level. May spell as good as me... no one reaching out and no MS
In my experience, the congregation will lower the bar for qualification, if more elders are needed.
In my experience, the congregation will lower the bar for qualification, if more elders are needed.
It was always inculcated into my brain that the qualifications for being a Shepard of the Flock was merely being a good Christian. Therefore, if they lower the bar for their shepards aren't they lowing the bar for the qualifcations of true Christianity?
-Sab
Our hall, actually, our entire circuit is hurting. For the last couple of years, we've been hearing at Circuit Assemblies, during Circuit Overseer's visits, and in local needs parts that we need more brothers. At a recent special assembly day, the District Overseer said "we are losing so many young ones" when referring to the need for young men to "reach out for greater service."
In our hall, we have more Ministerial Servants than elders. None of the MSs will be moving to an elder role anytime soon, if ever. Our elders are few and aging. Those who aren't yet advanced in age, have been dealing with health, family and employment issues. These factors made it hard for me step down earlier this year. I like these guys and hated to leave them with such a heavy load of work.
Lets see when I left there were 5 elders - I brought down 2 so that left 3.
I would be interested in hearing about this, if you care to relate. PM if you don't want to do it here. If you care not to relate it, then that is fine also.
Think About It
Granted, I'm out and don't keep up with all the goings on anymore but I know of only one 'younger man' who has made elder in the last ten years...and he's 45 or so.
That stands out to me because, well, I'm not young anymore and all my peers from the old days are either DFd, inactive, fringe members or are doing just enough to get by. Very, very few of the guys I grew up with...or even the kid brothers coming up behind us...ever made elder. Hell, most didn't make MS.
The few elders of what you would consider 'younger man' are converts. They come in guns a-blazing and buy into the scam 100%. They become intolerable as they reach out and gain "privileges" and become an elder.
The "born-ins", like me, burned out along the way. Some are just lazy. They were raised to think the end was any day now and to not put stock in the future, so they just go about their day to day life with no real purpose, worldly, JW or otherwise. Some have an inner crisis of conscience but haven't been honest enough with themselves to ask the hard question, "could the WTS really be wrong". And now I'm starting to see evidence of quite a few who are enlightened and awakened. They're going through the motions enough to skate by without be harrassesd and are waiting for the day when they can really quit.
As fewer people convert and as the born-ins drift away/leave, the pool for eligible elders gets smaller and smaller. And like LWT said, they'll lower the bar for being accepted, just to get warm bodies in there to do the work.
Dark days are in store for those who turn to what they think will be true spiritual men to help them with their problems.
Undercover you have a pm
SIAM
received and responded...
In our old congregation they reappointed a wife abuser (known to the elders) and an alcoholic (known to the elders). Every time a young male jw gets to the MS stage he flips out and leaves....our jw source said it was all the pressure on all the "friends."
