Any news about changes in the Elder’s arrangement?

Hecce

Not based on any major reliable information, just spiritual gossip among some very spiritually weak friends.

Since the WT has made monumental changes in personnel, including Bethel and COs; some are speculating that eventually there will be a cutback in the number of Elders in a congregation and a return to the 1930-1970 Servant’s model.

I can see some good reasons for this:

Poor quality among the Elders, maybe one or two are really carrying the entire load.

The merging of the congregations will create a glut of Elders strange to each other, the more that they have the more conflicts in the making.

The duties of the Elders have been decreasing and most of the decisions are made upstairs.

The pre 1970 arrangement worked really well and it will take the WT less than 1-3 to find a Biblical basis to bring it back.

Friends, just some Saturday morning thoughts.

Thanks for reading.

stillin

I kinda doubt it. They're free, first of all. Theoretically, they have a volunteer spirit, which the organization wouldn't want to stifle and what better reward than a title?

Hecce

better reward than a title?

That is exactly the point, the majority just have a title and do very little in terms of productivity. To me it was impossible to do away with the Circuit Overseers and it happened, so I don't discounted.

Once again this are just ramblings.

DATA-DOG

It would be great if the "Elders" lost their status as "Stars" and "Dukes." Then the GB and GB Helpers could lay claim to those titles.

The former Elders could be "Congregation Servants" with various sub-categories that differentiate them from lowly MSs.

Seriously, how hard is it to repeat orders from the WTBTS and lower a projector screen. I could train a Chimp to do that.

The WTBTS will only change its policies for monetary reasons that revolve around Legal issues, or for more control of the flock. So, if you can determine what they have to gain from a particular change, then you might be able to predict their actions. But, they are so reactionary, that it's difficult. They can say "nu-light" for any reason at any time.

DD

Dreamerdude

While I agree there will likely continue to be a push to remove power from local elders, they need to provide titles to a large percentage of the brothers to keep maximum control. A brother is not fully enfranchised unless he is an elder. And he does not qualify to have sex unless he is a MS.

A few years ago I heard that elders make up 10% of all publishers in the US, and MS 7%. That leaves about 18% nonservant brothers (baptized pre teens and teens, slackers, those who stepped aside and those who were pushed aside). And 65% sisters.

Fencing

I don't see how they could do this these days. Average sized congregations with 7+ elders tend to be overworked as it is, with all the moral policing the Society requires them to do, combined with being forced to pretend to be therapists and psychologists for everyones problems. And then all the busywork of running meetings, talks, day-to-day congregation responsibilities... they're much, much busier than they were in the 60s.

Hecce

Fencing

I don't see all the elders involved in the congregation operation, normally two or three are the ones leading (this is due to experience, capacity and so on).

If they merge congregations we might see 12-15 elders together in one group and I think that will be "too many chiefs, no Indians".

Spiral

As Dreamerdude pointed out, hard to control the brothers and keep them in line if you don't offer that title as a reward. But reducing what control the local brothers have in "congregation matters" could help streamline things into the mega church they want to become. If they could make that work, they'd love it.

Hecce

Spiral

After seeing how the WT has managed to get even "Uncle Remus" into the tablet craze, I think that they can do whatever they want with the flock. Jonestown is doable.l

Any news about changes in the Elder’s arrangement?

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