Whither the Witnesses?

A Religion at the Crossroads

As we approach a century after the date 1914, Jehovah's Witnesses find themselves standing at a crossroads in their own Organization's history.

Down one road lies a pathway to increased societal marginalization, probably a massive exodus in membership, and ultimately the collapse of the Organization, as we know it today, with only a fraction of its current membership remaining and clinging to a stale life-pattern.

Down the other road lies the path of the Revolution. The product of the Revolution will be a completely new paradigm which shapes both the Organization and how individuals relate to it.

The Future of Jehovah's Witnesses

The future of Jehovah's Witnesses is to become once again what they used to be: Bible Students.

This is not to say that they will return to all aspects of Russelism or emulate perfectly today's various groups of Bible Students in these groups' theology or culture. But like the Bible Students, Jehovah's Witnesses will value individual freedom and liberty.

Under this new paradigm the focus of Jehovah's Witnesses would not be the dissemination of literature and publications or even the prosyletization or obtainment of converts; but rather the central focus of the individual Witness' life would be to emulate the characteristics of Christ Jesus and to embrace those other ideal Judeo-Christian qualities that are contained in the Bible.

Witnesses would seek to live modest balanced lives in harmony with their conservative ethics and bible-based morals. As such, their lives would serve as attractive beacons to others who might, of their own free volition, seek them out and desire to learn how to live similarly.

Gone would be the old autocratic hierarchy of the past. Instead, the individual local congregations (ecclesias or classes) would be loosely associated with each other and with every other congregation in the world. Decision making would be vested in the local congregations whose leadership would be locally elected. Each local congregation would be self-sustaining with no obligations to any earthly central authority.

Completely discarded would be a number of detrimental and unscriptural teachings including partially: the Faithful and Discreet Slave doctrine, the ban on Blood, the practice of Disfellowshipping.

Witnesses as people would retain their conservative Christian identity and morals. Those who choose to live different lifestyles would not be Organizationally marked or scorned but each person would as their own conscience dictates determine for themselves whether such persons were good associates or not.

The role of women and youth would be much more enhanced under this new paradigm. And women, especially would enjoy greater equality with their brothers, serving in both administrative positions and perhaps in "teaching" positions. The relationship between believer and non-believer would be more harmonious. Likewise the relationship between Jehovah's Witnesses as a people and society would be less acrimonious and more accepting.

The Future of the Society

The future of the Society (the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society including all of its various corporate forms and affiliates worldwide) is to finally remove the facade and face the world in its true nature, a publishing company. Using its present vast resources, the Society would serve the congregations and Jehovah's Witnesses, not lord over them.

Publications

It will be the role of the Society to produce materials for the sale to and use of the independent local congregations. These materials might include, printed bibles, books, pamphlets, brochures, tracts, calendars, etc. Also the Society could produce multimedia such as video programs, movies, CD-ROMs/DVDs, and music.

All of these materials would be purchased at the discretion of the individual Jehovah's Witness. They would be used not for evangelizing but for personal edification and use, or if desired, in the personal ministries of individuals.

The Society would continue to publish just one periodical, "The Watchtower" magazine, probably on a monthly basis. However, unlike in the past it would serve only the goals of encouragement and upbuilding, not of prophecy nor control, nor the setting forth of theology. Nor would it be studied by mandate. Each Witness could decide for themselves whether they wished to subscribe to The Watchtower magazine.

[Incidently, Bethel Workers and Branch Workers would become paid employees with all the usual compensations and employee benefits.]

Missionary Training

The Society would use its present Gilead Ministerial Training school and facilities at Paterson, New York, to train foreign missionaries. These missionaries would be full-time, paid missionaries and employees of the Society.

A Speaker's Bureau

At Paterson, the Society would also train a cadre of Society Speakers. These well-trained and educated speakers would be available to the local congregations, at their request, to come visit and to deliver talks. The expenses of the speaker's visit would likely be shared by the Society and the local congregation.

Convention Coordination

The Society would also coordinate annual (District) conventions, using the help of the local Witnesses on a voluntary basis. The information at these conventions would be a combination of Society produced material with Society speakers and locally produced material or talks. These conventions would be entirely voluntary and not restricted or assigned to only specified congregations. All Witnesses would be able to register to attend. (Space would be limited of course.) Witnesses could read about the convention topics, review the speakers etc. ahead of time, probably online, before they registered to attend.

The Society's role again would be primarily logistical coordination, helping with hotel and facilities procurement, coordinating the administration and sponsoring the conventions.

No Hierarchy or Control

Having abandoned the Faithful and Discreet Slave Doctrine, the Society would not act as it does today.

The independent congregations would not report to the Society or engage in record keeping on its behalf. Local bodies of elders would only have their personal bible knowledge, experience and Christian consciences to guide them as they shepherd the flock; along with the holy spirit and prayer of course. These locally elected leaders would be responsible only to the Lord and to the congregations that they minister. There would be much fruitful communication among the Witnesses, between congregations and elder bodies, but each class would be responsible for its own conduct, for its own expenses and operations. The Society would have no say over these matters.

The only reports that might be made by local congregations to the Society might be letters of experiences and such things which might be shared or relayed to distant congregations by the Society.