There was a time when you would see a field service group out witnessing whenever you drove around your neighborhood. This is certainly not the case in recent times. My neighbors tell me that they've been called on once in 5 years! No tracts left in the mailbox at all.
Door to door work really being done?
by freedom96 37 Replies latest jw friends
-
TheOldHippie
While subscribing wholeheartedly to what was being said as to the elders' running away to studies or sheperding or other business, leaving the flock to do the work, I still think the experiences you give are way too geographically limited to be extended to be given a nationwide importance. It is more like this news report I juststumbled across, I guess:
Being unemployed takes work to master
Katherine Bolt - For the Journal-Constitution
Thursday, January 9, 2003
My name is Katherine. I am an unemployed telecommunications worker. I have been unemployed for several months.I thought that the newly unemployed and the soon-to-be unemployed would appreciate some tips. You should know how to act when you're unemployed.
> When the phone rings, it's not the company that you e-mailed your resume to five minutes ago.
> When someone comes to your door, it is not a representative of a firm who just couldn't wait to meet you in person after receiving your resume. It is more likely the local Jehovah's Witness, an elementary school child selling band gift wrap, or someone wanting to clean your gutters because there is a tree growing out of them.
..........
I think we're pretty well known all around.
-
Prisca
While subscribing wholeheartedly to what was being said as to the elders' running away to studies or sheperding or other business, leaving the flock to do the work, I still think the experiences you give are way too geographically limited to be extended to be given a nationwide importance.
Hmmmm, what about INTERNATIONAL importance?
All of what's been said so far is something I can agree with. In the 5 years that I've been living at my place, I've only had JWs knock on my door twice, and one of those times was because the JW knew where I lived. I'm home most Saturday mornings, and Sundays too, yet they are the only times I've seen JWs in my area.
For the amount of time that JWs spend in the witnessing work, very little comes out of it. I was born a JW and left when I was 30. I was a regualr publisher, yet I never had a Bible Study, let alone see someone come into the BOrg, as a result of my door-to-door work.
Or are we apostates all miserable failures? LOL
-
enjoy
Your right, I really hadn't thought about it but noone has come to my or my mother's door in 5 or 6 years. When I was active we would cover the entire town every 6 months and I would cover every house. Seems like they are SLACKERS now...
-
Simon
They want to knock on doors and count time, not talk to people.
How many times do they walk past people in the street then up to an empty house to knock on the door? It's like they don't know how to start a conversation unless the person is in a door from (coming soon ... lightweight door frames for informal witnessing )
-
goldfish
I know two pioneers who just slowly walk around the area, talking to each
other and don`t knock on doors! Just out counting the time......
Why not just stay at home and watch a good video?!
They can fool the Watchtower.....but they can`t fool me (-:
-
Darkhorse
The JW's from the cong down the street from me had not done door-to-door work in quite a while about 10 years at least (I am not a JW). Instead, they would mail a "handwritten" letter inviting us to their services and inquired about a "free bible study".
When I saw the post about the door to door work I remembered the Saturday after Xmas. I had come home from the gym and was taking a shower (it was around 11:00 am). While I was in the shower, I could hear the door bell ringing, and I said to myself, "Who the h*a@ is this?" I happened to be finishing up so I looked outside my upstairs window and saw a mini-van parked at the end of my driveway with a few people in it. Walking down the driveway away from my house was two women in flowery, long dresses. I thought, "Hmmm, looks like JW's to me, but they haven't come around in a long time." Also, they had a little girl walking between them, she was also dressed in a flowery dress. I watched them drive to the house next door, the women and the little girl got out and walked down the driveway. The neighbor must have told them "Not interested (they are Catholic)", because the women left very soon.
When I got dressed and went down stairs, I looked on my front porch. Yep, it was JW's - they had left their magazine, and a schedule of their public services. What threw me at first was the little girl (she couldn't have been much older than two or three). I never have seen the JW's go door to door with a kid - unless they thought if they had a young child, the home owner would be more sympathetic and would let them in to do their speil (it is very cold here in New England).
Guess they are getting more desperate if they are using kids for bait.
-
benext
Most here have given up on going from door to door. When it's warm out they populate the benches and wave magazines at the passerbys. When it's cold they do RV's or telephone witnessing. Mostly they just walk slow and ask people "Would you like some good news to read this morning?" I used to see a group of 4-6 at 6 AM walking down deserted streets talking to each other and counting their time.
-
NameWithheld
In the past five years I have yet to see ONE JW group in door to door. By this I mean at my door or when I'm out driving around. I live 3 mins from a KH too (they don't know who I am either). I have had one tract in the door in that time, so I did miss one call.
-
LB
In Oregon there are a hell of a lot of JW's and while most do very little door to door work I spot a car group almost every day. They focus on the little town of 412 just up the hill from me. People in this town are pretty friendly and they'll talk to just about anyone about anything. But they aren't getting any bible studies, trust me. I know them all and I've told my story many times.