Questions I have about the "Ministry School".

by Pallbearer 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Pallbearer

  I remember that Jehovah's Witnesses used to have a 2-hour, 2-part mid-week meeting which included a 1-hour "Ministry School" followed by a 1-hour "Service Meeting". Please correct me if I am wrong in any respect but to the best of my memory the Ministry School was composed of 4 parts, as follows:

  Part 1: An "Instruction Talk". Generally given by an Elder.

  Part 2: A reading of a select portion of Scripture. Given by an enrolled brother and most often by someone young.

  Part 3: A talk given by an enrolled brother.

  Part 4: A demonstration given by an enrolled sister who is assisted by another sister.

  Now the questions I have are these:

  • Do Jehovah's Witnesses STILL have this "Ministry School"?
  • If so, has there been any changes made?
  • If not, what has the "Ministry School" been replaced with?

  Thanks for any help you can provide.

  Paul
• 

  FFGhost

  That's OLD light.

  For the past 5 - 6 years there is a "Christian Life and Ministry" meeting.

  About 45 minutes that roughly corresponds to the old "ministry school", about 15 minutes that corresponds to the old "service meeting", and 30 minutes for the "Congregation Bible Study" (what used to be called the "book study").

  There's lots of other little changes that are too boring to relate.

  Most meetings have short pre-recorded video presentations, typically 3-4 minutes in length. There's anywhere from 1 to 4 per week.

  Oh, and the "Our Kingdom Ministry" has been replaced by a "Christian Life and Ministry Workbook".

  And of course, for the past year all meetings have been conducted via Zoom videoconference.
• 

  Pallbearer

  Thanks for the information, FFG!

  I can see that I am way behind in a number of areas.

  So, would it be safe for me to assume that the structure of the present "Ministry School" is basically the same as before? That it starts off with the "Instruction Talk" and is followed by those who are enrolled in the School? Or, have some of those parts now been replaced with pre-recorded videos?
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  dozy

  Can't give you any info about the current meeting set-up ( as I have been out for quite a few years ) , but the structure of the school went through various changes - the presumption was that the title "School" was dropped because of potential liability etc issues.
• 

  road to nowhere

  Easiest way is to look at jw library, find the life and ministry and look at the meetings, everything is referenced so no thinking involved.

  The videos almost add a little pizzazz and the first part moves fairly fast depending on the material and speakers. The so called Bible study is 30 minutes to cover about 10 minutes material.

  Announcements are dead last so no more waiting for middle song, hearing them and bailing
• 

  St George of England

  Counsel is based on the booklet "Apply Yourself to Reading and Teaching". Take a look at that and you will see just how dumbed down the whole process is.

  You will probably be more conversant with "Qualified to be Ministers" or "Theocratic Ministry School Guidebook". It's a whole new game now. Anyone with an an IQ in double digits will be bored rigid.

  George
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  Overrated

  I was bored with the original school. In fact all meetings can put a thinking person to sleep. Or wake up and yell bullshit!
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  neat blue dog

  There's a talk by an elder or servant with now participation.

  Then there's the Bible highlights-like part which is mostly audience participation.

  Then there's a Bible reading with no surrounding commentary unlike before.

  Then there's several initial call, return visit or Bible study demonstrations. All can be given by either men or women, and these are sometimes replaced by prerecorded versions from HQ instead of local.

  After that is the equivalent of the service meeting and the equivalent of the book study, both of which are much shorter than before.
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  Overrated

  I wish they would of shorten the damn thing when I was "forced " to go to those meetings growing up. Real straining on a thinking brain.
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  alanv

  Overall, the time spent at meetings by 21st century JWs is much shorter than it was in the 20th century. Once a week the book study would be held at a local witnesses home for one hour. Then another meeting would consist of the Ministry School for one hour, followed by the Service Meeting for one hour. Finally that week there would be a one hour public talk, followed by one hour of the Watchtower study. Plus of course time travelling to and from all those meetings, and time spent before and after chatting with other witnesses.