If attending meetings: Are brothers still "reaching out" ?

by truthseeker 21 Replies latest jw friends

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  truthseeker

  It's been a while since I read any figures on the number of elders and ministerial servants in the United States. I can't remember who said it, but one poster said a CO commented that "there are more elders than ministerial servants."

  Is this true? Does anyone have figures for the number of elders and servants?

  Are the brothers reaching out in your congregation? Or is their a lack of zeal and more of a contentment just to put in token service?

  Do you think that since we passed the year 2001, that many non-appointed brothers have developed a "I don't care attitude" about reaching out?
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  metatron

  This is just my observation but yes, there are more elders than MS's in any congregation

  I know. In addition, I think that standards for appointing elders have dropped and

  I see a lot of older guys runnin' the mikes 'cause the kids don't want to.

  metatron
• 

  XQsThaiPoes

  Yes nobody is reaching out. If you are over 25 are regular and aux pioneer a few times a year they are now hunting you down and giving you a battle feild promotion. It had gotten so bad the wts said the borthers have to do background checks at your previous halls and get co's approval before you are recomended for elder to the wts. Because the WTs is so holed up in brooklyn they have no way of checking.

  If you actually behave like the wts claim jws should and devout as much time as the wts suggest you can make ms in 6 to 18 months. The only thing that hold you back is reputation and looks like reputation is erased by how much work you do.
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  gumby

  TS,

  Are the brothers reaching out in your congregation? Or is their a lack of zeal and more of a contentment just to put in token service?

  I've been out for 9 years or so but my wife is still in and so I know of my congregations status to some degree. 4 elders have stepped down just in the last couple of years. For a dub nowadays, life is just plain too tuff to have the hobby and time to be a brownnoser for the Organisation.......plus it's as boring as a sumbitch!

  Apathy has set in heavily upon JW's in the last decade with many hopes that once entertained a soon to be realised dream come true, was explained away in a paragraph like so many other failed promises and doctrinal changes.

  Gumby
• 

  truthseeker

  The eldes approached me about getting "qualified" as a servant many times. Increase your hours, be more regular at meetings.

  Then one elder approached me and said that , "The circuit overseer won't look at any one whose hours are below 10."

  Is this true? Another unwritten rule? You have to do 10 hours a month to have your report card seriously looked at by a circuit overseer?

  What happened to the qualifications in the book of Timothy, husband of one wife, moderate in habits?
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  XQsThaiPoes

  I here even bethel is feeling the crunch. Now they are encouraging tourist to do 2 week vacation stays.

  You exes may not believe me but this is becoming a social club for house wives, a dating service for teenagers, and an insurance plan for senior citizens. The adult male population of JWs is nominal at best. As you know to be indoctrinated you have to particpate. It is the difference between active duty and reserves.

  JWs will fall apart unless it allows for female elders and MSes. THe men just dont have time for it unles they are on some type of governtment assitances. Most of the regular elders I know are retired, disabled, or independantly wealthy/ financially secure. Everyone else is working overtime or taking classes to keep food on the table. They always defer the task in the hall to the ill, well off, or retired brothers. The ill brothers can barely work so that leaves people that dont need jws or are afraid they are going to die to carry the burden.

  This is causing corruption by necessity in some places. Being extra lax just to keep the hall running.
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  blondie

  That might have been me who said that. In this area there are 4 elders to every MS and there are few prospects coming up the ranks with young men who grew up going to the KH leaving when they are 18 or 19 and few people coming in as adults. There are not even enough brothers to do the things that don't require you to be an MS, such as mikes and sound.

  I can't speak for the whole US but that is what was seen in the circuit and still is. Sisters were even being considered for mikes but the CO said no, absolutely no. If there is no brother to do it, then the elders had to do the mikes and sound themselves.

  Blondie
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  truthseeker

  Yes Blondie, I think it was you who said that now I come to think of it.

  What's so bad about sisters doing the mikes? It's not a teaching post after all is it?

  At one time I wanted to be a ministerial servant, while I was still blinded by their blinding flashes of light. (present truth)

  Now, I just don't care anymore.

  I mean, how could I be appointed and actually do service meeting parts, "Part 3 - What is a Bible study?" and try not to laugh?!
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  truthseeker

  By the way, for those who used to be or are servants, how long was it till you gave your first service meeting part after being appointed?

  Did you get help?
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  blondie

  truthseeker, think about it; doing mikes is a visible task. It would indicate that the elders could not motivate/encourage men in the congregation to reach out for such "privileges" and it would look like the congregation was not prospering. I do know of some congregations that had sisters doing the mikes but they were small congregations in a low population area of the state. I visited a congregation where a sister handled the magazines and literature as well as the accounts. But it was a congregation of 25 people with only 2 elders.

  He was very firm that only brothers handle the mikes and sound. I know it is not a teaching position but since when did their directives have to be founded in logic.

  Some elders found it hard to let a sister read at the book study when no qualified brother was present. They would rather use a brother who could barely read so that the book study went over time regularly. Once this elder tried to have an unbaptized brother read, but the sisters complained vociferously about that.

  Blondie