A Mini-Survey
Many of us who are, or have been active Jehovah’s Witnesses, have spent hundreds of hours in various forms of field service. Besides going door-to-door, there have been many other methods of fulfilling our preaching obligations. Some of these include:
- Street corner preaching (handbills, magazines, sandwich boards)
- Park and beach preaching (handbills and magazines)
- Leaving magazines and handbills in laundromats, waiting rooms, and other public places
- Telephone and email witnessing (not normally recommended except for shut-ins)
- Sharing the good news during family and group outings.
We’ve designed the following survey to cover the entire spectrum of possible results that could be expected from Jehovah’s Witness preaching activities. Please choose the most appropriate answer that describes your personal witnessing successes.
[poll id=”19″]
OK. I’ve started this thread. I personally only participated in the conversion of my first wife (she was born a Catholic). She was active during the pre-1975 period when everyone was under extreme pressure to convert as many people as possible. She has not been a JW for many years. In spite of my being a very active child Witness and vacation pioneering every summer while I was in high school and for a couple years after, all I can claim is a lot of literature placements and a very few actual in-home Bible studies. None ever came close to converting. What is your experience?
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No choice for studying with workmates and their spouses and converting them.
Studied with spouse…came in due to my reluctance
Got someone out
Studied with people from door to door..none baptized
Studied with family…what a disaster that was…contaminated the congregation more than it already was
I requested a bible study for my live-in boyfriend because I knew one day when I managed to quit smoking I would become a jw and I wanted him to know what they were all about before we got married.
However, we split up and he moved out but continued to study through to baptism. He is now on his 4th marriage to a sister he met on a jw dating site.
A couple of years later I met an older man with grown-up children from a previous relationship. I became best friends with his daughter and we stayed friends even when my relationship with her father ended. After being best friends for 6 years I eventually got baptised and 6 months later J**** did too. She now shuns me.
Went out door-to-door a LOT but never had a Bible study that way. Did inherit 1 Bible study from a brother who wanted to turn that woman over to a female publisher, but the lady never progressed to baptism. Had another Bible study for awhile, me & another sister, with a guy at work but we eventually turned him over to the brothers & he eventually DID get baptized… too bad! A lot of RVs & ongoing discussions but zilch commitments from householders, ditto any/all family. So in 11 years as a JW (past tense), only that 1 guy actually “joined the ranks.”
I tried, but I could never get into speaking at doors. I did good if I could manage to hand a tract to a householder. I feel so quilt-free…lol. Now, knowing the real truth…so happy I never opened up another human being to that total mind and heart control. I went out pretty regular, but everyone knew that I could NOT speak at the doors. I seriously clammed up…like serious ‘stage-fright.’ It was just not in me to do this. In the 15 years I was in, I can only remember one Bible study that I had with a friend who was in a religion called Bahi. She was a genuine peace loving hippie. I am glad that it faded out and we moved away.
This isn’t on your list that I can see, but I began a study with a young lady who continued her study with two others and got baptised.
I have been successful at getting many to go to a few meetings. I got my good friend to be a publisher for a few years ,but he never got baptized and no longer attends.I also snagged a study that I let an elder conduct,though I sat in and helped many times. I even got friends and my mother to go to the memorial with me several times even though I am disfellowshipped, as I still am now for 14 years almost. People had a bewildered look on their face like “how the heck does he do it” it seems LOL. I believe the wrong approach is used. Mostly you go to them on their terms, not our flashy dress and bookbag salespitch look. Trenchcoats and hats like a detective come on man !! LOL The huge problem is no one wants so much control over their personal lives as the governing body has been doing to everyone it seems :beating the fellow slaves… Its bad enough to get people to just give up sinful behavior, let along all this ninnying nit picking pharasidical bologna . Strain the knat but gulp down the camel I see it as .Unscriptually Disfellowship people over small things, while pedo’s go loose on a free for all. Insanity is all I can say. Just like ancient times, a complete disaster.
I also think that whatever means you can use to preach the message, do it. It should not be a stiffnecked door to door thing, or a formal dressed event. The internet is good,or just casual whenever it’s appropriet . If you want to go door to door, fine, just do not force me to do it, and because if I don’t: they may say I do not have a meaningful share in the ministry??Define meaningful… If I got many people to go, I would say its meaningful, and not one was from going door to door. Counting hours and all that garbage??, its not healthy. The person/persons compiling those numbers could be doing something more useful.
Funny. . . . .Rutherford never spent a day in the door to door ministry.
I have never had a study progress to baptism. But i do feel that is not all there is to it i go in the ministry because of my love for jehovah and people in the ministry. I love talking to people of all faiths and learning their backgrounds while sharing bible truths. As far ad thisr that would rather use alternatives to door to door. I say go for it whatever is easy for you the morr you enjoy it the more you will preach.
I must have been the only regular pioneer, RBC worker, International Volunteer, and bethelite to NOT progress a study to baptism… AND NOBODY QUESTION THIS. LOL.
I studied with many people, but I couldn’t bring the urgency needed to ‘scare’ them into the flock. In my heart it felt wrong to do it. So I presented “the Truth” as it was… for real and let each of them make their own decision. Inevitably they would stop studying.
Each time I thought “lucky bastard.”
My heart was never in it. I found the Ministry a chore. I was often secretly delighted when ever the door slammed closed in my face…:) Hurray for poor preparation!!!
Look people let’s be honest with each other, for the most all this door to door stuff has really achieved is to make the JWs the butt of much ridicule in the media, especially on TV.
Imagine a sit com, a family at home enjoying an evening meal, the door bell goes. None at the table are expecting anyone, they all look at each other and one exclaims…must be the JWs, they all go back to eating!
There must be a better way to glorified our Lord!
Every day I pray and give thanks, every day I think of The Ransom Sacrifice.
Every day I become more discontented with the actives of the Governing Body’s abuses!
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