Interesting points below...
http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/viewtopic.php?t=1194&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=0
Hi Everybody,
We have now received the 2004 service year report in Feb 1st 2005 Watchtower.
There have been good things happening over the year.
For example, the highest number of Bible studies worldwide are being conducted in the history of the Watchtower : 6,085,387.
Hence, we see a noteable number responding to the truths of God's Word.
Of course, more disciples can be found, reflected in the number attending the memorial : 16,760,607.
Undoubtedly, the prospective 'great crowd' continues to grow.
However, on the surface these figures are impressive. But to get the full picture of what all these statistics mean, let us take a closer look.
Increase this year was very modest at 2%.
When we review statistics for countries, we find generally throughout the West, US and Western Europe growth is stagnant, zero!
Even westernised Japan, once the prime example of Watchtower zeal shows no growth.
This is disturbing. Why? We are told that in Western Europe the foreign field is ripe for harvesting and there is much potential growth to be found. It has to be admitted too, foreign speaking congregations are growing, (this is factual in London) and many displaced refugees are responding to Bible truth. If this is the situation, why is this not reflected in the figures? Where is this growth? For example, Britain had zero growth this year, and we still have not met the highest recorded peak of publishers of 132,000 obtained back in 1995.
The only major growth being recorded is occuring within South America and parts of Africa, no doubt due to the hard work of our missionaries.
In spite of this, even though $93 million dollars has been spent in caring for those in full-time service, and new presses are being installed at Bethels for greater literature production, it would be fair to say, all this effort seems to be producing little results in the worldwide field. While most of us live within an apathetic, secular society, is it possible that some have lost, not confidence in God, but in the Watchtower Society, owing to its questionable conduct in recent years?
What is this report really telling us? When we examine closely all the figures, there is one conclusion I can convey:
The brotherhood is haemorrhaging from within!
It becomes clear that there are many more leaving the brotherhood or becoming inactive than are actually joining it, and it has been this way for a number of years now. There are a variety of reasons no doubt, which include brothers being expelled unlovingly as they mention differences with Watchtower dogma, the NGO affair, and the general impression that the Watchtower must wake up from its spiritual drunkenness and arrogance.
Its interesting too, the number of anointed ones partaking at the Memorial has increased from the previous year. My! there must be quite a number of anointed ones losing their heavenly calling, or is the 1935 'shut door' policy farcical?
Just a few of my thoughts. Any others?
With brotherly affection to all, Alex.