Increase in Bible Studies - not a good indicator of growth

by truthseeker 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  czarofmischief

  I'm afraid the prohibitions on masturbation, marijuana, and Merry Xmas would "stumble" me. And yet, sayeth not the good book, "If your right eye maketh you stumble, tear it out! If your ganja maketh you stumble, pass it over!"

  CZAR
• 

  Lady Lee

  I would have to wonder how many of those studies are their children. And the family study. If there are 2 kids the father could conceivable count 3 studies very easily and they would go on forever not 6 months or even a year
• 

  Allinclusive

  Lady Lee but that is not allowed! The family study isn't counted at all; and with the kids the WTS says 1 study per month 1 RV & 1 Hour per week regardless how many of them.

  I guess that's why the pioniers often do the study with the kids - than it is a normal one
• 

  freedom96

  I think a large portion of the counted studies are indeed with kids. I don't think that should count.

  There are also many studies that are "comfortable" for the witness. They have been going back to the bible study for years, and though the study has not made any progress, the witness hangs on, hoping for a change on the students part, when in reality it is just easy and familiar to go back to.

  Real, progressing bible studies are few.
• 

  metatron

  In recent years, the standard for Bible Studies has fallen. Books like "Let God Be True" and "Things in Which It Is Impossible to Lie"

  are long gone replaced by paperback books that soft pedal blood and holidays ( Knowledge and new Worship book)

  If you carefully analyse the ratio between Bible Studies and Baptisms, you find trouble. It used to take maybe 7 studies

  to result in one baptised publisher, then 10, then 13, and so on. The internet is helping to warn innocent people about what

  awaits them if they get baptized. In more upscale areas, it can be devastating to growth.

  metatron
• 

  RunningMan

  I just wanted to point out that family studies are indeed counted, as long as there is at least one unbaptized person present.

  Also, if there are 5.7 million studies being conducted, but only about a quarter million are baptized, that means that one one study in 23 results in a conversion. That's a pretty pathetic conversion rate.

  Then, deduct the Witness children from the baptisms, because they are not actual outside conversions, and you can really see just how useless this activity is.