Whatever happened to the pioneer-assist program?

by Goldminer 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Goldminer

  I remember about 5 or 6 years ago,they introduced the pioneer-assist program at one of the service meetings.The purpose of of this program was for the spiritually-strong pioneers to go out in service with an r&f member on a weekly basis for about 6 months to help build up others in the congregation.part of this was because in the mid to late 90's a large number of people had become jw's and they wanted to make good publishers with them.

  Anyways,my wife was quickly signed up as was another young sister down the road.My wife was excited about it and was really hoping to benefit spiritually.Within a few weeks though,her pioneer partner started making up excuses why she couldn't go out with my wife until eventually their arrangement just petered out.The young sister down the road was also quickly ditched;the pioneer saying she had to care for her elderly mother(she didn't stop pioneering though).Before long the pioneer clique was back to normal and the spiritually-strong pioneers were again going out in service with other spiritually-strong pioneers.I don't recall any updates or the program itself ever mentioned again at the kingdom hall,like it was just a bad experiment or a major burden on the pioneers.

  Does anyone have any experiences with the pioneer-assist program?
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  ezekiel3

  The program is still in effect but no one I know signs up for it.

  The "weak" would rather not go out anyway and you quickly learn that service is futile even if you are working with a pioneer. IMO the 'assist' program was a corporate wet-dream that went nowhere.
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  Blueblades

  The service committee assigns which pioneer works with weak publisher. Pioneers like to hang out with each other, and don't really support this program. The elders won't force the issue, so as not to discourage the pioneers.

  No one wants to be burdened down with responsibilities anymore, the fire , the zeal is all gone. The coffee breaks are longer and longer, the real work is no longer getting done, it's all a facade.
• 

  Scully

  This program - in theory - actually sounds progressive to me. However, I doubt things have changed much since the time I asked the elders for some help to get back out in service regularly. I had been sick with postpartum depression and had panic attacks going door-to-door, so I asked the congregation secretary to see if I could go on a study with one of the pioneers. In less than a week, the rumour-mill was going at full tilt that "Sister Scully doesn't want to go door-to-door anymore." Plus, a pioneer sister came up to me at the next meeting and told me that I 'should get my own damn Bible study.'

  By this all will know that you are my disciples if you have love among yourselves.

  Love, Scully
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  Neo

  That "pioneer-assist" program was a complete joke that only existed in the minds of a few Bethel heavies. It doesn't work; most of the new publishers get apathetic quickly, pioneers don't wanna have another chore and the elders are so busy with WT stuff that they don't even want to remind themselves that such "arrangement" exists.

  The organization is dry and sterile. New ideas are extremely hard to implement within such a sluggish environment; 'training new publishers' may spring from good intentions, but the dubs don't have any enthusiasm to make it work out. The times are long gone when "special arrangements" would boost the publishers' zeal.

  Thanks for bringing this up. It's good to be reminded that this loving arrangement from Jehovah has been fading into obscurity.

  I had been sick with postpartum depression and had panic attacks going door-to-door, so asked the congregation secretary to see if I could go on a study with one of the pioneers. In less than a week, the rumour-mill was going at full tilt that "Sister Scully doesn't want to go door-to-door anymore." Plus, a pioneer sister came up to me at the next meeting and told me that I 'should get my own damn Bible study.'

  Reading this makes me sick. People really can distort what you say!

  Neo
• 

  Oroborus21

  Greetings Goldminer,

  The program may still exist in theory but I have never seen an active program that worked. Actually, and remarkably it seemed not to work from the very beginning.

  Why?

  The answer is contained concisely in your own post. The situation and experience that you described with your wife is EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED everywhere else!

  Disinterest, apathy, resistance on the part of the Pioneer-mentors. Mixed with,

  Frustration and lack of empowerment on the part of the Assistee (to both select a pioneer-mentor and to demand and enforce the program) Combined with,.

  General incompentence on the part of the Elders.

  Finally adding to this is the TIMING of the general state and developments within and without the Organization. The PAO program came at the heels of the major change and disgarding of the Generation Doctrine at a time when the friend's attitude towards preaching about the end of this system of things was sinking very fast. In a way, it was a desperate attempt to bolster the overall service and morale of everyone. Note, when the PAO program failed, almost immediately, the Society instead tried adjusting the REQUIREMENTS for being a Pioneer and reporting time in 15 minute increments to at least try and boost membership in the core preaching cadre of the Society.

  All of these efforts are just treading water. The Organization is on a course toward dissolution that will only be avoided by the Revolution

  -Eduardo
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  pennycandy

  This was one of the few things that made me out and out angry. The way it was put to me was that the pioneers needed my help. I was a humble little sister who never questioned anything but it only took a couple of sentences to see that the title Pioneer Assistance Program was just a front to guilt low-hour publishers into doing more.

  If you think I need encouraging to go out in service more, just say it. Don't try to trick me into it. It made me feel like such a child. A child who couldn't say "don't treat me like a child".

  The pioneer assigned to me happened to be the one lady in the congragation I just didn't like, and I would bet the feeling was mutual. She cancelled on me once, I cancelled on her once, and that was all she wrote.
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  blindersoff

  so I asked the congregation secretary to see if I could go on a study with one of the pioneers. In less than a week, the rumour-mill was going at full tilt that "Sister Scully doesn't want to go door-to-door anymore." Plus, a pioneer sister came up to me at the next meeting and told me that I 'should get my own damn Bible study.'

  My heart goes out to you.

  Here's a hug

  B
• 

  Odrade

  a pioneer sister came up to me at the next meeting and told me that I 'should get my own damn Bible study.'

  Holy crapamoly! What a bitch.
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  blondie

  The Pioneer Assist Program started in part because the book study conductors (now overseers) were not fulfilling this assignment.

  ***

  km 10/02 p. 8 How Congregation Book Study Overseers Show Personal Interest ***

  In

  the Field Ministry: One of the principal responsibilities of the book study overseer is to take the lead in evangelizing. (Num. 27:16, 17) He makes practical arrangements for group witnessing and strives to help all in the group find joy in their ministry. (Eph. 4:11, 12) To accomplish this, he makes it a goal to work in service with each member of the group.

  Since most of those needing "help" were sisters and the pioneers are mostly sisters, why waste the time of the book study overseer?