has anyone noticed lately the emphasis on elders..

by surferdude 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  surferdude

  and servants.? in particular it seems like every wt for the past year or so has a section or a paragraph pumping up the elders. or talking about them being "gifts in men"? or like the part on the service meeting this week, interviewing an elder and making him seem better or different from the rest of the cong. BTW another thing i hate is the "pioneer dinner", do other areas have this event. a dinner for our "hardworking-fabulous pioneers" and their spouses, but it just so happens that the elders and the ms's (and wives)are invited also, very convenient. i wonder what would happen if i threw a Publishers only party? ? ?

  sd
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  logansrun

  Hehe...Yeah, we had "pioneer luncheons" here in Chicago too. Funny thing is, one year the elders got together and decided to invite the whole congregation to a barbecue after the Pioneer meeting. I was an MS at the time and was at the elder/servant meeting when this event was planned. One of the elders, a longtime brother who was in charge of the event, planned to serve all the elders, servants and pioneers steaks and the rest of the congregation hot dogs! I'm laughing as I'm writing this because it is such a hilarious memory, but it's true. The other elders decided not to do that BTW.

  Bradley (still laughing)
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  jimbob

  Yes, I have seen these pioneer "only" dinners or "get-togethers". I was even part of a pioneer "weekend" once back in the late '80's. I've also seen the "elder only" dinners. All it did was make the publishers upset because you only got to go to these functions if you were of the elite. Whenever the Society would say how servants and elders are only there to serve and not have a lofty position, it always made me laugh, because the opposite was true. These were positions of authority that you had to work your way up to, just like any other corporation.

  Being made a pioneer or servant was a "promotion", and many of these ones thrived on the fact that they had authority or that they were looked up to. Heaven forbid they ever become just a lowly publisher ever again. The Watchtower Society is truly a corporation in every sense of the word. This is one corporation you WANT to get fired from...........
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  A Paduan

  you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, "Have a seat here, please," while you say to the poor man, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
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  Blueblades

  LUKE 14:12-14
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  nelly1

  amen to that A paduan, here here, when are they gonna wake up?????????
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  blondie

  A paduan, I love it, a scripture well placed. I have been at both ends of the spectrum, the invited and the uninvited. As a pioneer when I went and realized how exclusive the roster was, I excused myself to the host/ess and told the PO that I was appalled at the favoritism and then left. As an eldress, I told my husband that I would go but did not approve. During the event, I said I was surprised that none of the older ones had been invited. Silence! Then the subject was changed. By this time the other elders knew better than saying anything to me (they really couldn't since I had a head, my husband). No longer an eldress, I was not invited this year, but one sister had to tell me what a wonderful event it was. I asked her, "And which older ones did you invite?" End of conversation.

  You can't put Christ into people.

  Blondie
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  waiting

  The latest Watchtower I just received has beckoned back to Previous New Light and is now saying........again........that

  "elders are appointed by holy spirit."

  For several years, it was said (to my knowledge) that new elders were "recommended" by existing elders who reviewed their Spiritual Qualifications based upon the Bible......and then Bethel approved on their recommendation. And that elders "hoped" and "thought" they had holy spirit.....which is unprovable, btw.

  waiting
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  Makena1

  Yes - several of the congs I associated with did special lunches for pioneers. In one congregation, most of the pioneers were older sisters- some with "unbelieving mates", so it seemed like a kindness at the time.

  waiting wrote: "elders are appointed by holy spirit." is again in print in a recent WT.

  My question - (keeping in mind JR Brown's comment about the elders) - "So the Holy Spirit appoints untrained volunteers?"

  Mak

  very underwhelmed
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  waiting

  Howdy Mak,

  JR Brown - "Elders are untrained volunteers."

  Also the WT attorneys stated during the Jimmy Swaggart "Friend of the Court" document that elders were "itinerate preachers."

  Sooooooooooo, according to the WTBTS' .......elders are "untrained volunteers" who wander around being "preachers".......chosen by holy spirit.

  Lol. Something all men should "reach out for," eh?

  Going further..........does this mean that holy spirit choses, WT appoints, -but no one trains- these elder/preachers? .......according to JR Brown & Watchtower mag?