Preaching the good news in Africa . . . WTS's future?

sizemik

There's been a few threads and comments on where WTS will concentrate their efforts to maintain membership. It has been suggested that the advent and growth of the net, among other things, has significantly slowed growth in most developed lands. Some of the new style of literature has added to the speculation that less devloped lands present a better opportunity.

I found this article fron Ghana News Agency which, although not breaking news, drops a couple of hints as to where and how WTS sees it's future.

http://www.ghananewsagency.org/details/Social/Christians-urged-to-be-imitators-of-Christ-in-evangelism-work/?ci=4&ai=47974

A couple of extracts for the lazy . . .

Giving the advice at a special Assembly Day programme in Accra at the weekend, Mr Stephen McIntyre, Circuit "53" Overseer of Jehovah's Witnesses, said with impartiality, Christians could win people with limited reading abilities as well as non-Christians into God's Kingdom.

A 10-year old Angelica Akowuahm, who dedicated herself to God through water baptism at the Assembly, said her goal was to enter full time ministry to serve God.

NOLAW

For how long?

Atlantis

The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society in Zambia advertises everything except preaching, and no mention of religious services. . Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Company address P.O.Box 33459, Lusaka Phone +260 21 127 2062
+260 21 127 3508
+260 21 127 3509 Fax +260 21 127 2061
+260 21 123 3429
+260 21 127 2960 . About the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society . Watchtower Bible & Tract Society is located in Lusaka, Zambia. Company is working in Cleaning equipment & Services, General business, General office services, Printing, Secretarial services, Internet service providers, Audit and accounting, Air transport, Logistics, Vehicle services, Shipping & Port agent business activities. . http://www.zambiayp.com/company/2252/Watchtower_Bible_Tract_Society . . Atlantis

blondie

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah%27s_Witnesses_by_country

Angola

Cameroun

Congo DR

Ghana

Malawi

Mozambique

Nigeria

South Africa

Zambia

All have sizeable jw populations...the WTS has been there a long time

DesirousOfChange

The article appears to be an official "News Release" written by WT Public Relations Dept and sent to area News Agencies. Surely NO ONE from a newspaper or any regular news agency would spend a full day at a Cir Assm and draw such points from each part on the program. Likely a small town newpaper which had some space to fill in their paper and thus simply cut and pasted the "new article" they received from the Branch or Assm Hall HQ.

Doc

apostatethunder

Last year’s new releases at the convention were for people with limited reading. A clear declaration of intentions.

If they want to learn about the Bible, there are many other religions that wouldn’t be so costly for them in terms of freedom and personal development.

outsmartthesystem

But how will they sustain such an economic model?

cedars

Africa is a two-edged sword to the Society. On the one hand, most countries have poor internet penetration, making it easier to spread the word about JWism in the traditional way without much threat of interested ones being contaminated by inconvenient facts. On the other hand, the vast majority of new converts are bound to be poor (or on low incomes), and therefore less capable of contributing towards their local printing and building costs, making them more dependent on already sorely-needed contributions from wealthier lands. Any particular push towards increasing growth in these developing countries therefore only makes an already unbalanced situation even worse.

Also, even though internet penetration may be poor at the moment in many parts of Africa, it can only get better with time as the world slowly becomes more "switched on". So, even if there is growth potential in Africa at the moment, it is a fairly limited window of opportunity as the continent gradually becomes more integrated with the information age.

Those are just my thoughts.

Cedars

maisha

Cedars, You are quite right, Actually the biggest growth in africa is the Pentecostal Healing and saved in te name of jesus types.

JW's are not doing really well in comparision.

The money is in healing and expelling demons.

BUt in africa there is a strong kind of emotions for god.

People have the need to worship and they have been used and abused by the politicians and the religions.

Africa is strong growth for JW's, but just not as much as others.

The knowledge in africa by JW's is so limited it makes you cry. Background informations about the organisation is so limited.

Naturally i help a lot in that regard.