I'm an outsider who was once told by someone at the local KH that the whole cong. was abuzz with activity because the CO was there to visit that particular week. The whole meeting schedule was changed for the week, people were putting extra hours in service, etc. I asked why, but really didn't get much of an answer other than the CO was there to help people.??? It was my impression that the big boss was coming and everyone was out to impress him by looking extra busy. Was the congregation actually doing extra service hours and jumping through hoops just to impress him? What is the significance of a CO visit and what is its purpose? What does the local congregation aim to accomplish during his stay? Thanks for any additional insight into the inner workings of the borg.
CO visit: what's the big deal?
by M.J. 30 Replies latest jw friends
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Elsewhere
Ok... what am I missing? How does this mean that JWs are supposed to turn in reports for their time?
He said that here in the U.S. 10% (approx 100,000) of the publishers are not turning in their "field service" time.
He then said that the "apostates" tell the elders that turning in time is not scriptural. (We know that it is not scriptural).
He then said that he was going to read 3 scriptures and told the audience to "Connect the Dots."Brace yourself for this:
First he read Proverbs 25:25 which says: Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.
Then Matthew 10:42: And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.
Lastly Matthew 25:34,35: Then the king will say to those on his right, come you who are blessed by my father, take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.He then went on to say that these scriptures represent the command to turn in "field service" time. If you don't, then you are like the apostates.
They truly are desperate to keep people following their stupid little man made rules and they continue to use the word apostate to try and scare people to death. -
teejay
Take good care not to practice YOUR righteousness in front of men in order to be observed by them; otherwise YOU will have no reward with YOUR Father who is in the heavens. Hence when you go making gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, just as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to YOU, They are having their reward in full. But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, that your gifts of mercy may be in secret; then your Father who is looking on in secret will repay you. ? Matthew 6:1 ? 4
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Satanus
It was my impression that the big boss was coming and everyone was out to impress him by looking extra busy. Was the congregation actually doing extra service hours and jumping through hoops just to impress him?
Exactly. He has the power to give and remove favor/power from the locals. Hence, all the buzzing of the drones. I guess that makes him the queen bee.
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Soledad
this topic brings back memories. I remember the whole congregation trying so hard to impress this one schmuck. friends who could barely afford to feed themselves would put out these very elaborate, fancy dishes out for the CO. unbelievable! My mother would be "extra nervous" when he was around. there were many conversation topics that, while ok during other times, were not ok while the CO was around, even if he was not within earshot. everyone was "extra spiritual" during the COs visit. gag.
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M.J.
Hmmm. It seems my suspicions are confirmed. Especially in light of the great verses quoted by teejay, I can't see how they would consider brown-nosing a spiritual pursuit. I wonder how a JW would rationalize this in his mind. Their actions suggest that they figure the higher up someone is in the org, the closer that person is to God. Funny but I've heard JWs criticize the heck out of Catholics for the reverance they give to the Pope.
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candidlynuts
an elder once told my husband and i that the co was gonna replace the entire body of elders if the congregation time average didnt improve to the national average his next visit..
so i think he's like in sales.......a district manager. SELL SELL SELL
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jws
Take good care not to practice YOUR righteousness in front of men in order to be observed by them; otherwise YOU will have no reward with YOUR Father who is in the heavens.
I have a JW who stops by every now and then. He doesn't know my background. He does not turn in time at all for this very reason, though he does go out in field service.
But, if you think a Circuit Overseer visit is big, imagine a District Overseer visit. We once had both the CO and DO visiting the same week. I remember everyone being so nervous. It was like Memorial Time. Everything around that week was focused on being to meeting as early as possible and getting out in field service on the weekends.
The funny thing is, it's mostly for show. If you haven't been putting in field service time, it's going to be on your past reports. The extra time you put in while the CO is there isn't going to show up until the following month's time sheet.
Sometimes the CO was a more polished speaker. He had the chance to work on his talks and give them over and over, week after week. And that was part of his job, so a few of them got good at that part of it.
Mostly they're there to check up on the congregation and either scold it for not getting in enough field service or to come and disseminate some new Society policy.
For the congregation, it's a time to kiss some major A--. A CO or DO is like a movie star. The signup sheet to feed him got posted at one of my halls. It filled up immediately with people jockeying for their one-on-one time with him. Sometimes there were even fights over it. The field service meeting fills up with people both to show off and act like this is a normal occurance, and for some, the hope of working with him. For all those that showed up, only a car group or two is actually going to be working with him.
I sometimes enjoyed the nicer ones or the better speakers, but dreaded the others. All it meant to me was more boring meeting time.
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blondie
CO Visit
While elders look carefully (haha) at the qualifications of every baptized male in the congregation, being prepared to make recommendations to the CO for submission to Bethel. Many elders give the likely brothers a headsup to be sure to be on their good behavior during that week, making sure they volunteer to be seen in field service more, volunteer to work with the CO, have the CO and his wife over for dinner. It looks good if they take off that week from work and go in the ministry every morning and afternoon. Many even auxiliary pioneer that month. Wives may do so also.
The elders want to be known by the CO so they can progress as department heads, be given parts on the circuit assembly and district conventions. It also helps to undermine the competition as well.
The CO tends to be a more polished speaker than the elders/MS in the circuit and can be mor entertaining. In later years though their talks tend to be more designed by Bethel than the CO and repetitious. The CO used to lay out the flaws of the congregation during the meeting on Thursday night. But now he chews the elders' asses privately.
The elders are busy trying to make their numbers look more like they are doing their job. The CO checks wo see how many became inactive and irregular during the last 6 months, have they called on the DF'd and DA'd, have they made their shepherding calls on a regular basis, has anyone new been baptized, DF'd, or DA'd. Many check to see who are holding family studies or not. The CO also checks the financial status of the congregation. The elders have quite a lot of CYAing to do before he comes.
The quality of COs is dropping. The last one we heard about went over 45 minutes for each of his talks....hmmm.
We have seen a wholesale sweep removiong of longtime elders (30 to 40 years experience) because of defying a CO directive (don't know exactly what though). Have others seen the same?
Blondie (on the road)