BREAKING NEWS | Adjustments to Field Service Reporting

[Tortuga]

October

Wife: "How much time did we get in today?"

Me: "I'm counting two hours"

 

November

Wife: "How much time did we get in today?"

Me: "I don't know, I wasn't counting"

 

[Pau19]

wow. this is huge!!

[Dustparticle]

4 hours ago, jwhess said:

The Yearly Report will no longer give totals of Hours Spent in the ministry.

 

 

Since the 2023 Field Service is over, then I would assume they would post the Field Service Report.

[justenoire]

This breaking news made me think of two experiences from my past.

 

First, there was a time when I was very barely active. I had a lot of mental, emotional, and physical struggles (at the time I didn't realize I was physically sick as well and just thought I was a weak person). The one thing that stuck with me was that a servant of Jehovah wouldn't go more than a month never speaking of him to anyone absent extraordinary circumstances. That principle kept me spiritually active even though I wasn't always turning in time because I wasn't going to the meetings and didn't even know the brothers. I still didn't forget my God and that's what mattered to me most.

 

The other experience was later when I was more connected to the congregation but still not well. One month I didn't get more than an hour or so. We had to hand our reports to our group overseer as we weren't using the boxes anymore. Oh how I loved using the boxes since I almost felt anonymous. I was embarrassed to hand my report to him, and then he unfolded it and looked at it right in front of me! He didn't say anything or make any negative face but I felt bad. I made myself feel bad and added a layer of shame to my service to Jehovah which shouldn't be. I had a pattern of being driven by shame to "do more". Well, that doesn't last and doesn't help you feel the love you're supposed to feel! It's not what Jehovah wants.

 

Today I am a regular auxiliary pioneer so I'll still be counting hours (though no more worrying over counting my tracts before campaigns so I know how many I placed). I am grateful for our organization's progress. I believe we are simply moving from copper to gold, yet copper was also good, because it was once wood (Isaiah 60:17).

[hatcheckgirl]

I think this is the benefit of having a schedule and a goal that fits with our circumstances. That way, we can stay “regular” without having a numerical outcome attached. As others have said, it relieves us of the “hours” mindset, and we become focused on just the work Jehovah wants us to do, with joy and not the anxiety.

 

And if our circumstances allow less, our habit of speaking from the heart (and not because we have to count the time in minutes) will make our hearts soar - yes, we are still serving Jehovah obediently, Satan hasn’t won this month -tick ✅

 

It's an amazing development!

[Stormswift]

10 hours ago, Ishaya said:

I am also going to miss the urgency to start a conversation in the field service so as to start recording time,

 

Honesty with this new adjustment it may take some time to keep up with the urgency to start a conversation in field service since I no longer have to worry about recording time.

We talk about Jehovah because it burns in our hearts to.

Honestly, I don't record all my time because I may speak about him a minute here, five minutes there and it  gets frustrating trying to remember or record all the little increments of time. 

While I'm personally still submitting time ... it's a feeling of freedom to speak and not worry about whether we've spoken to that person before then recording it ... so if I finish pioneering... I'll have to work out a new routine that's all.

[bagwell1987]

Years ago I did a test. I was pioneering, I decided to not add up my time until the end of the month to see how much time I spent by just doing what I could do. I ended up with 119 hours! I was shocked. 

It'll take a bit to get used to not adding it up huh? 

[Stormswift]

6 minutes ago, bagwell1987 said:

Years ago I did a test. I was pioneering, I decided to not add up my time until the end of the month to see how much time I spent by just doing what I could do. I ended up with 119 hours! I was shocked. 

It'll take a bit to get used to not adding it up huh? 

Like someone said you could still add it up. We just don't need to submit it. Pioneers still submit time at this point. 

Personally I think we need these changes as we move into the New World.

And if there's any laxity ... then they were giving only token service prior anyway.

[DancesWithWife]

I was talking with some of the pioneers before and after the meeting about the change in reporting time. The one thing I assured them of was that they are still going to be supported as nothing will change in that area. 

Edited October 8, 2023 by DancesWithWife
Deleted the word after as it was a mistake

[Marlo]

I like this change! We are tempted to preach for fellow witnesses to see us in a good light, but whats truely valuable to Jehovah is what is unseen by others! He wants our heart!

[Loopy]

41 minutes ago, DancesWithWife said:

I was talking with some of the pioneers before and after the meeting about the change in reporting time. The one thing I assured them of was that they are still going to be supported as nothing will change in that area. 

I love supporting pioneers. Especially a couple (husband/wife) that although young have certain disabilities. The brother manages to go face to face (don’t remember the correct wording 🤣🤣) but his wife has fibromyalgia and other issues so right now she’s been continuing on Zoom/letter writing so I’ve been enjoying supporting her and even a younger sister (publisher) when she’s up to joining us.
 

But whether pioneers or not, giving support, commendation, association, especially encouragement is always important. All the friends need to know they are not only part of their congregation but loved as well.

 

Sorry I’ll get off the soap box now 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Doug]

The announcement was that the publishers won't be reporting hours or placements, but nothing about the reason for the adjustment.

 

So, I'm thinking there's more to this announcement.  Come November 6, we will all be invited to hear the confidential side of the AM.  Perhaps then this adjustment will make total sense and we will all see the wisdom behind it.  Perhaps the ministry itself will be changing.

 

 

[jwhess]

4 minutes ago, Doug said:

The announcement was that the publishers won't be reporting hours or placements, but nothing about the reason for the adjustment.

 

So, I'm thinking there's more to this announcement.  Come November 6, we will all be invited to hear the confidential side of the AM.  Perhaps then this adjustment will make total sense and we will all see the wisdom behind it.  Perhaps the ministry itself will be changing.

 

 

Thank you for your patience.  We have translating and other concerns right now.  This will be world-wide in multiple languages.  Yesterday it was discussed in English.

[Luisabola]

34 minutes ago, jwhess said:

Thank you for your patience.  We have translating and other concerns right now.  This will be world-wide in multiple languages.  Yesterday it was discussed in English.

I didn’t think of the translating. What a mammoth task for all those dear brothers and sisters on the 100’s of translation teams to translate it in such a short period of time. I know who I’ll be praying for over the next few weeks. 

[Eejay]

On 10/7/2023 at 11:05 PM, Ishaya said:

So what about brothers reaching out for privileges,

usually the amount of hours spent in field service is what the Elders use to assess seriousness (at least in my locality).

 

With this adjustment now,I'm not sure what the Elders will do.

 

Well, they will look long and hard to find a quota of hours as a criteria for a theocratic appointment. 

 

Instead, they will need to apply the extended principle in Proverbs 27:23 and make their recommendations based on the scriptural qualifications. These will be more easily discerned if they have applied the counsel from the WT Feb 22 Study article 8 para 15 which says "Elders should do their best to develop close friendships with their brothers...."

Edited October 8, 2023 by Eejay

[Eejay]

15 hours ago, Ishaya said:

I am also going to miss the urgency to start a conversation in the field service so as to start recording time,

 

Honesty with this new adjustment it may take some time to keep up with the urgency to start a conversation in field service since I no longer have to worry about recording time.

This sounds like an honest self appraisal here. Perhaps using the coming weeks before November to develop the kind of urgency recommended by Paul  at 1Cor.9:16 "Really woe to me if I do not declare the good news!" or at Rom.1:14 "Both to Greeks and to foreigners I am a debtor", will help with making this adjustment to properly motivated ministry.

Edited October 8, 2023 by Eejay

[Eejay]

10 hours ago, Ishaya said:

Honestly with this new arrangement  field service performance will seriously seriously reduce,a lot of brothers will not participate very much in field service again because laziness will set in.

 

Oh dear! Will this be in your case as well? Perhaps it is a good thing that Jehovah is giving lazy ones and those serving electronic devices an opportunity to shake themselves up and abandon bad traits and practices so that their worship and service can be stirred up with proper zeal. This will benefit both the individuals and the people in the territory.

 

Lets hope you are just adjusting to a new approach. After all, a number questioned the result of furnishing literature without cost all those years ago, and more recently the establishment of new arrangements for the managing of Kingdom Halls. But fears of negative results have proved unfounded. Remember what Jesus said about those who criticised his different way of doing things: "All the same, wisdom is proved righteous by its works". Matt 11:19 😊

[runner92]

On 10/7/2023 at 2:31 PM, TheKid23 said:

Yep 

 

 

Wow!

[SteveAus]

For me, it's business as usual. I've never worried about hours (unless Aux pioneering), I do what I can, and I feel comfortable within myself. I certainly never compare myself to others. And I have nothing but admiration for those that extend themselves in preaching and conducting Bible studies.

Yes, I could do more, and when I can, I try, but that's just between me and Jehovah, and no-one else.

Edited October 9, 2023 by SteveAus

[shali]

I trust Jehovah. He is doing this for a reason(s) and at this point in time, it's the right thing to do or we wouldn't be doing it this way. Don't bog yourselves down with the "what if's", just make a resolve that despite this change it won't diminish the zeal you have to help others. We don't need to worry about what someone else does or does not do in the ministry from this point on. I know plenty of older ones who only get in maybe an hour at the most a month but they're the most faithful coming to in-person meetings and commenting. That one hour is a 100 in Jehovah's eyes. 

[Stormswift]

Remember, we have been told that we will be asked to do things we may not understand or seems unusual. We have to keep up with the chariot ... with smiles! It means our lives.

[Tortuga]

2 minutes ago, Stormswift said:

Remember, we have been told that we will be asked to do things we may not understand or seems unusual. We have to keep up with the chariot ... with smiles! It means our lives.

At least we aren't shaving our heads and laying in the street for 390 days...

[Stormswift]

Maybe instead of sticks we can use lego!

Hubby doesn't  need to shave. Maybe they will ask all brothers with mustaches to shave.

Edited October 9, 2023 by Stormswift

[Stormswift]

Remember too guys Tom and I got this huge table for you all to come to NZ in the New World. It's OK Turtle you have centuries to get here... we will just use GPS to track your sloooowwww progress.

[DancesWithWife]

6 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

At least we aren't shaving our heads

Well, some of us are.