New ministry, you don’t give a witness

by Mikejw 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Mikejw

  There are assignments on the life and ministry school now where they are suggested to just talk to people without giving a witness.

  they are supposed to practice starting conversations with strangers and listening to them to talk about whatever they want to talk about

  there is an assignment this week where the conversation ends without giving a witness

  JWs don’t look like JWs anymore and now they don’t actually preach.

  you could get bearded men with sweaters or other such tops and women in pants or slacks coming upto you in the park or on the street and starting a conversation with you.

  then you hear them listening to you and talking about whatever they think that you wanted to talk about

  you wouldn’t even know they were JWs.

  what would be hilarious is if JWs from different congregations actually did this new informal approach on each other in parks or on the streets and they both didn’t know they were JWs😂

  so JWs still meet for ministry groups and these days stay for a long time at the place where they meet, it’s almost a case of having a coffee break together before they go out.

  then they do about ten mins or so door to door taking no more not at homes because they don’t write anything down anymore, then they go and do informal witnessing and many skip the ten mins door to door.

  informal witnessing is not actually witnessing now it’s just talking to people about whatever is in their mind

  then back to someone’s home for coffee break and everyone brings homemade food.

  it’s now just a social club for lonely people with empty lives. The Bible is a self help book that is an excuse for the social club and there is hope that the Bibles promises of God setting up a kingdom that will wipe out every tear in their eyes, and no more pain or suffering.

  this is just an excuse for the social club to have a common interest.

  the ministry groups every day are just the social club activities so that you feel you have purpose and feel useful like you are doing something
• 

  Mikejw

  its much better to be part of a larger community than trying to be a lone wolf. If not JWs then someone else but it really is best to be part of something
  
• 

  Phizzy

  SO ! the Org. has finally caught up with me ! I used to do this kind of "ministry" 30 years or so ago. I would be conscientious and move the conversation in to talking about the Bible, which I doubt many J.W's today will bother to do, but I used to prefer to work alone, as I knew other J.W's would frown upon my method. And now it is Official Policy !

  I remember one lady I called on, I had called there before, and when the conversation came to a close, she said to me "I don't mind you coming around and talking to me about the Bible, but I can't stand those Jehovah's Witnesses !".

  This is great news, as although the Org's intention of keeping J.W's busy, and thinking they are doing something productive will be accomplished, hardly any Converts will be made.

  Above you said " you wouldn’t even know they were JWs." I bet I would ! having been "in" for all of those bloody wasted decades, I can spot 'em no trouble.

  This is good news though, as again we can clearly see in this the desperation of the Org. to make new converts, and yet everything they are trying will not get any dramatic , or possibly even measurable, results.

  J.W Org. is moribund, really "The End" cannot be that many years away, but it will not be the End of the World, but the End of the Org.

  I hope I live long enough to see it !
• 

  no-zombie

  Of course you are right Mikejw, but I think that this spirit of one's service, is now only formalized. Our pioneers were effectively behaving that way for years. Yet I must confess that as we get older, the people we've known in the past, move out from the circle of our lives. And so to remain mentally healthy, we must maintain being socially connected.

  However seeing our 'friends' at the meeting or in the letter writing groups may seem like we are satisfying this need, we all know of the superficiality and pressures that still exist in the congregations. On the other hand, if you joined a community knitting, chess or some kind of sporting club you might find people with less of an agenda, than those at the Kingdom Hall. Plus you might actually learn, that most worldly people aren't the violent, immoral individuals we were lead to believe.
  
• 

  Phizzy

  THIS !! :

  "...if you joined a community knitting, chess or some kind of sporting club you might find people with less of an agenda, than those at the Kingdom Hall. Plus you might actually learn, that most worldly people aren't the violent, immoral individuals we were lead to believe."
  
• 

  Ron.W.

  Fascinating Mikejw!

  Wonder, if like in the old days, we'll get interested ones progressing so far and then saying;

  " I know it's the truth, but I just couldn't face the ministry where I'd have to have a friendly chat with someone in the park without preaching - I'd be far too nervous!"
• 

  BluesBrother

  I just had to have a look at this… here is the assignment from the workbook for w/e May 5.

  APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY

  4. Starting a Conversation

  (2 min.) INFORMAL WITNESSING. The conversation concludes before you can give a witness. (lmd lesson 1 point 4)
• 

  jhine

  Yes no zombie , it is good to be part of a group / community. As a Christian l am biased of course , and would say don't be scared of joining a church group . But even so l would say exercise caution and really find out about the group that you are thinking about joining .

  Jan from Tam
• 

  TonusOH

  Sounds like they want to become more like a typical church. And informal witnessing is good, it means you have conversations with people and get to know them, instead of just throwing a sales pitch at them early on a weekend morning. This also means getting to know people outside of the congregation bubble, and maybe developing healthy friendships with "worldly" people and realizing that it's really nice to be able to act like a normal person.
• 

  carla

  I don't get it. You mean they will try and strike up a conversation about whatever I am interested in? So I want to talk recipes or politics or how about these weird cases around the world involving jw's? can we talk about that?

  How does this work in other countries where it is considered impolite to even talk to strangers on the street?