Jehovah's Witnesses Infrastructure
All members of Jehovah's Witnesses do "field work". Field work can be door to door, sidewalk soliciting, bible studies or other such activities. Witnesses are given the title of Publisher when they commit to an average of 1200 hours a year of fieldwork. Those who dedicate significantly more hours than 1200 can acquire the title of a Pioneer. Congregations meet in "Kingdom Halls", and leaders are called Overseers or Elders. The Presiding Overseer leads the Elders. The Service Overseer handles services within the congregation, and the Ministerial Servants act as assistants to the Elders.
Groups of 20 congregations are gathered into Circuits, Districts are organized geographically, and collections of Districts are called Branches. Collections of Branches are called Zones. Brooklyn Society Office is called the Headquarters.
Kingdom Halls have five meetings per week which all congregationalists are expected to attend, as well as a weekly Bible study - which is all in addition to each individuals field work.
Why so much?
Well, part of the answer is that each congregationalist is trained, practically verbatim, what to say and how to navigate fieldwork when talking with people. Should I dare say, no, I won't. But here are some quotes from the Watch Tower that make me cringe... Perhaps you will say it for me...
"They must adhere absolutely to the decisions and scriptural understandings of the Society because God has given it this authority over his people..." ~ The Watch Tower (May 1, 1972) pg. 272
"Avoid independent thinking... questioning the counsel that is provided by God's visible organization... fight against independent thinking."
~The Watch Tower (January 15, 1983) pg. 22,27
And if you do not do as they say....
"A disfellowshipped person is cut off from his congregation, and the congregation has nothing to do with him. Those in the congregation will not extend the hand of fellowship to this one, nor will they so much as say "hello" or "goodbye" to him... will not converse with such a one or show him recognition in any way. If the disfellowshipped person attempts to talk to others in the congregation, they should walk away from him... The disfellowshipped person who wants to do what is right should inform any approaching him that he is disfellowshipped and they should not be conversing with him." ~The Watch Tower (July 1, 1963) pg. 411-13
Jared Williams
Groups of 20 congregations are gathered into Circuits, Districts are organized geographically, and collections of Districts are called Branches. Collections of Branches are called Zones. Brooklyn Society Office is called the Headquarters.
Kingdom Halls have five meetings per week which all congregationalists are expected to attend, as well as a weekly Bible study - which is all in addition to each individuals field work.
Why so much?
Well, part of the answer is that each congregationalist is trained, practically verbatim, what to say and how to navigate fieldwork when talking with people. Should I dare say, no, I won't. But here are some quotes from the Watch Tower that make me cringe... Perhaps you will say it for me...
"They must adhere absolutely to the decisions and scriptural understandings of the Society because God has given it this authority over his people..." ~ The Watch Tower (May 1, 1972) pg. 272
"Avoid independent thinking... questioning the counsel that is provided by God's visible organization... fight against independent thinking."
~The Watch Tower (January 15, 1983) pg. 22,27
And if you do not do as they say....
"A disfellowshipped person is cut off from his congregation, and the congregation has nothing to do with him. Those in the congregation will not extend the hand of fellowship to this one, nor will they so much as say "hello" or "goodbye" to him... will not converse with such a one or show him recognition in any way. If the disfellowshipped person attempts to talk to others in the congregation, they should walk away from him... The disfellowshipped person who wants to do what is right should inform any approaching him that he is disfellowshipped and they should not be conversing with him." ~The Watch Tower (July 1, 1963) pg. 411-13
Jared Williams
