"The Scriptural basis for these adjustments will be shared with the worldwide brotherhood in the November 2023 JW Broadcast program. We know you will want to watch that program ASAP!"
I believe the internal conversation would have gone something a little like this:
Geoffrey Jackson: We have the statistics for this year's Service Report™, and just like the last few years, growth is nowhere near where we would like it!
Mark Sanderson: We need a new way to boost growth!
David Splane: Well, we already inflate the perception of 'growth' by only counting people who preach, rather than all adherents like regular churches.
Gerrit Lösch: Right, so we need to something else to get those report numbers up!
Gage Fleegle: Obviously. But some of the brothers might be embarrassed about reporting a low number of hours, or ashamed of lying about the specific number of hours they did. Or worried that they will get a shepherding call if they aren't placing literature.
Jeffrey Winder: Right! Let's just tell the brothers they don't have to report any of that anymore... just tick a box to say they preached. Even a lot of Inactive™ brothers might be okay with just ticking a box.
Stephen Lett: The number of Active™ Witnesses will skyrocket! When the 2024 report comes out, we can say "Jehovah is speeding up the work in the final days of the last days"!
Kenneth Cook: Good... good... but we still need an incentive for the ones who want to feel better than everyone else. Let's keep the reporting rules for 'pioneers' to report hours and literature. And we can keep the perception of interest by still letting everyone report their own children as Bible Studies™.
Samuel Herd: Huh... oh... that was a lovely nap! Did I miss anything?