Why do Jehovah's Witnesses recruit?

Answer 1

Short AnswerMatthew 28: 18 -20 "And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

John 17:3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

All work is done on a voluntary basis. There is no charge for any literature in most of the Western world. There are no collections taken at meetings.

Answer

My mother was a Jehovah witness from the late 1950s until her current senility.

I was under the impression that the religion was benign and not financially threatening. That is until my mother started to show signs of senility. Then the hierarchical construct of elders and the insulating quality of shunning anyone that questions them became crystal clear. Elders suddenly started showing up and actively and blatantly started trying to manipulate my mother in not only giving up her entire bank account but they even tried to get her to sign over her will along with power of attorney.

The IRS is well aware of the billions that come into the New York office and have been trying for decades to get this cult moved from a religious status to cult status so that they can see the books and tax them.

AnswerJehovah's Witnesses operate in the same way as big business. The organisation even has a Governing Body. Their voluntary workers are basically door-to-door sales people advertising the Governing Body's Propaganda publications, The WatchTower and Awake Magazines. The more vulnerable people they can recruit with their flawed teachings the more money falls into the offering boxes in their many Kingdom Halls. Like big business the Jehovah's Witness organisation needs money - lots of it and it's the people at the top who benefit the most.

I have personally visited the headquarters and know two of the "people at the top". They live very modestly, and the donations made by people go to furthering the work, and for relief efforts. Many people make this accusation, but no one has ever presented and proof -- like financial records or photos of the "people at the top" indulging in a Vatican like fortune.

AnswerThe above is an insightful view, but I would think that the average Jehovah's Witness on the street would not be aware of this and would not see it that way. They would sincerely believe they are on a 'mission from God,' to convert any and all who will listen to their view and that they are serving God by 'recruiting.'

ANSWER FROM AN ACTUAL JW

The above answers are neither insightful nor accurate. Firstly, the entire organization from the Governing Body on is voluntary. We have no paid members as such. However, travelling overseers and Bethel members get their lodging and food paid for. Travelling overseers also have their cars paid for. All receive a small stipend each month also. Unlike other religions, Jehovah's Witnesses have no paid clergy although they receive as stated above. To assert otherwise is a lie. I have been associated with the organization for most of my life, and some of family members are in positions of leadership in the organization. Non receive any kind monetary compensation. I myself voluntarily give of my time and resources to further our preaching work. We even travel to other areas voluntarily, using our own finances to help rebuild when disasters strike.

As far as recruiting, we are involved in a world-wide preaching commission that Jesus himself commanded his true followers to do. At Matthew 28:19,20, he said to "go and make disciples." At Matthew 24:14, he indicated that the preaching work would be one of the features of the sign that he gave indicating that we are in the last days of this world. If you read all of chapter 24 of Matthew, you will see other things mentioned that match the time we are now living in.

Our preaching work centers on God's kingdom. The very kingdom that Jesus taught us to pray for in Matthew 6:9,10. The reason that we are concerned with that kingdom, is that the Bible indicates that we are living deep into the time in which God will soon bring about that kingdom. (See also Luke Chapter 21 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Our work is not so much "recruiting" as it is an educational work concerning that kingdom message of the Bible. If people decide to join us, then that is the decision they make on their own, and joining us they are. On a worldwide scale, Jehovah's Witnesses are present in over 235 lands with close to 7 million active ministers.

Of course such a work takes monetary funds. But since we have no paid clergy, we can operate much more efficiently than other religions. Unlike most churches, there are no collections, tithes, fund raisers, or any other activities to make money. There is never a collection plate passed at any meeting. All contributions are done by members on their own, by their own choice, and also done by people in our ministry who wish to help as well.

I would also like to further add one of my own personal experiences to this answer. When my wife and I were married in a Kingdom Hall, we were not charged for the use of the Hall, for the services of the minister, or anything else. The facilities and everyone concerned were made available to us without any mention of money. JW's do not ask return payment for the use of our facilities or the services of our elders (congregation ministers) for any weddings, funerals, or otherwise, even though the electricity costs money, and the minsters use their gasoline and time. Other religions charge large sums for such things. The organization of Jehovah's Witnesses are not big business as was asserted. We have a Governing Body, because we need direction. To be a legal corporation, we have to have a president, secretary, and so forth, but they are not paid. This is in accordance with Jesus words, "received free, give free."-Matthew 10:8

Answer

To quote the above "We have a Governing Body, because we need direction." But what does the Bible say? "I praise the Lord, because HE guides me, and in the night my conscience warns me. I am always aware of the Lord's presence; he is near, and nothing can shake me." "You will show me the path that leads to life." (Psalms 16: 7, 8 and 11). Scriptures taken from the 'Sunrise Good News Bible'

Answer

How are we shown "the path that leads to life"? Is it miraculously? We certainly do not think so. Jehovah's Witnesses interpret that reality as an exhortation to proceed according to the information found in the Scriptures and in harmony with the direction of God's holy spirit (2 Tim. 3:16). So leadership of God's people on earth has always been delegated to humans on a congregational basis. Subsequent to Adam's abdication we can think of the patriarchs, judges, kings and priests who took the lead in Jehovah's name (Gen. 12:1-3; Judges 21:25;1 Samuel 8:7-9;De 17:8, 9).

The first century Christian congregation, following that pattern - uninterrupted by the appearance of the Messiah - was headed by a governing body based in Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 12:28). Jehovah's Witnesses today follow the same pattern. Being a Witness myself for the past 19 years has done nothing in this regard but to convince me as to the importance of this arrangement in maintaining Theocratic order.

Answer

Jesus Christ is our leader (Listen to the old song Jesus Christ our leader is in full control, he equips the soldiers that he does enroll. But the Bible doesn't always give us crystal clear answers. Read Matthew 7:7,8 . It says " Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking, it will be opened." New World Translation. Our Governing Body helps us understand these scriptures better, and to show us how they apply to us today. Even though we have the Governing Body, Jehovah's Witnesses are encouraged to study and make the truth our own.

What did Jesus do? He preached to people. Since we follow Christ's example, we preach door-to-door. I like to answer questions with other questions. If our what we preach is so flawed and untruthful, why our the amount of baptised, active Jehovah's Witness keep increasing? When Jehovah's Witnesses were being brutally persecuted, and still are, why did we stick to our faith? If it was so false, we would have given up on it. Instead, Jehovah's Witnesses stick up for what we know is right. With our gas prices going up rapidly, why are paying the money to teach lies? We pay the money for the gas and donate to our organization to help people worldwide. I am only 13 years old, but I know that this is the only true religion. Sure, I was raised in the truth, and my parents have brought me up going to meetings and learning about our religion, but I know what I'm hearing is true. It all makes perfect sense to me, as does it to many others of different nationalities, ages, colors, languages and personalities. I'm 100% sure this is the truth.

I am a witness and we preach to others because it was a commandment from Jesus himself and that's exactly what he did here on earth so we as true christians are followers of christ so we follow his example.

ANSWERIn our Kingdom Halls there are donation boxes and they are located in the lobby of the hall so no one is forced to put money in them. And the money in them is used to print our publications that we offer people like the first person to comment to help them. No one is paid to work for the governing body, it is all volunteer. FURTHERThe whole money issue.... it's all donations. No one is forced or looked down upon if they give nothing. Not like in other churches where they hold people until a certain amount is raised or they have to give up a certain amount of their income...