No more official visits to disfellowshipped & disassociated ones

by AverageJoe1 58 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  AverageJoe1

  New letter today (please visit avoidjw.org for a copy of the official letter and yes, I also noticed they got the date wrong!)

  February 28, 2017

  TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS

  Re: Visiting Disfellowshipped or Disassociated Individuals

  Dear Brothers:

  In recent years, many disfellowshipped or disassociated individuals have returned to Jehovah after having seen Jehovah’s Witnesses carrying out their ministry in public places. Others have approached the elders after reading a copy of the Return to Jehovah brochure or watching JW Broadcasting. (Luke 15:7) With such factors in mind, the Governing Body has determined that there is no longer a need for a formal arrangement to visit disfellowshipped or disassociated individuals each year.

  Rather, elders should use good judgment in determining when and how to make brief contact with disfellowshipped or disassociated individuals. For example, if a disfellowshipped individual gives some evidence of changing his ways, an elder could remind the individual of how he can return to Jehovah. Such brief contact could be made while an elder engages in the house-to-house ministry. While shopping, an elder may see a disfellowshipped person who has not been contacted in years and choose to approach him. An older or infirm elder may find it more practical to make contact by telephone.

  Elders should keep the coordinator of the body of elders updated when such contact is made. Of course, contact should not be made with active apostates, with those who are trying to lead others into sin, or with those who have made it known that they want nothing to do with the Christian congregation.

  This direction replaces what is stated in the Shepherding textbook, chapter 10, paragraph 1. Each elder should cross that paragraph out and make the following notation in the margin: “See letter dated February 28, 2017, to all bodies of elders.”

  This letter has been added to the list of policy letters cited in Index to Letters for Bodies of Elders (S-22).

  We send our warm Christian love.

  Your brothers,

  c: Circuit Overseers
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  blondie

  Maybe too many elders are going over to the darkside.
  
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  blondie

  What about inactive jws?
  
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  sir82

  In my experience, most of the time those formally mandated once-a-year visits were never made anyway.

  I always thought it was the local BOE falling down on the job, but maybe it is more universal, and the WTS just decided to go ahead and shut down the program.
  
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  AverageJoe1

  Good point Blondie and what about "inactive" apostates and "ones" who are NOT trying to lead others into sin???
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  Wasanelder Once

  How easily they admit failure by "adjustment" in policy. They are doubtless running into informed ex members who are good people and call them out on their BS.
  
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  kpop

  Maybe because the elders that made the visit suddenly started to wake up after being asked real questions... The JW cult is worse than any politicians on earth. They lie and lie and lie!
  
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  ctrwtf

  This is good news to DF'd people who are glad that the wits will never darken their door step again.
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  berrygerry

  For example, if a disfellowshipped individual gives some evidence of changing his ways, an elder could remind the individual of how he can return to Jehovah.

  Just like the prodigal's father.
  
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