2025 Service Year Report of Jehovah’s Witnesses Worldwide

[Parale]

21 hours ago, dljbsp said:

A third thing that caught my attention was where Bible studies grew faster than publishers. In some countries, the number of Bible studies increased at a higher rate than the number of publishers. That tells me groundwork is being laid. It may not show immediate publisher growth yet, but it points to future growth already in progress.

 

Which lands caught your attention? It's an interesting statistic, which I hadn't thought of before .... three lands that caught my attention where São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan ....

 

[Parale]

25 minutes ago, Sepie93 said:

I have no idea what happend in Moldova, but it seems like that Transnistria might be separated from Moldova in our report, and could be added as the +1 other lands?

 

16 minutes ago, Jan Brad said:

Other lands av. Pub 2024: 210,500

Other lands av. Pub 2025 : 222,500

 

There was a 1.6% increase in 2025 which would bring it to 213,900.

Add Belarus: 213,900+6000 = 219,900

If we add part of Moldova's 22% decrease which had to do with transnistria then we arrive at the figure displayed in the report: 222,500.

 

Yes, looks very possible - even adding annual percentage increase, plus Belarus, would still leave a significant difference of around 3,000, ie way too large for a completely new land, so you're really looking for an existing listed land, or part off. And it would help to also explain the drop in Moldova's numbers 🤔

 

Previously, when the GB Update 2025 #7 was being discussed, there was another suggestion 🤷‍♂️ ....

  

On 12/16/2025 at 6:54 PM, SteEis said:

Bougainville will have to be added at some point. The population voted for independence in a referendum. At the latest, Bougainville should appear in the report once the state is founded. (Bougainville was already listed as a territory in the report from 1969 to 1975).

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_Region_of_Bougainville

[Isaac Lupupa]

Here are brief, clear comparison comments and demographic trends drawn directly from the 2024–2025 Zambia Service Year Reports.

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1. Overall Growth Trend

Zambia experienced strong, accelerated theocratic growth in 2025 compared to 2024.

• Average publishers rose from 228,281 to 253,206 — an increase of 24,925 publishers.
• Percentage increase improved from 8% (2024) to 11% (2025), showing faster growth momentum.

Comment: Jehovah is clearly blessing the preaching work with increasing responsiveness, not just steady growth.

---

2. Population Coverage & Field Effectiveness

• Population slightly declined from 21.315 million to 21.177 million.
• Publisher-to-population ratio improved from 1:93 to 1:84.

Comment: Despite a stable population, the message is reaching more people per publisher, indicating better coverage and effectiveness in the field.

---

3. Baptisms & Spiritual Progress

• Baptisms increased from 18,073 (2024) to 20,634 (2025).
• This reflects a 14% rise in baptisms, outpacing population change.

Comment: Not only are more people studying, but a higher proportion are making dedication and baptism, showing depth, not just interest.

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4. Pioneer Strength & Workforce Maturity

• Average pioneer publishers rose from 23,330 to 27,548.
• That is an increase of 4,218 pioneers in one year.

Comment: The growth is being supported by a stronger core of full-time ministers, which stabilizes congregations and fuels further expansion.

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5. Congregational Expansion

• Congregations increased from 3,654 to 3,908 (+254 congregations).

Comment: Organizational growth is keeping pace with publisher increase, preventing overcrowding and improving shepherding care.

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6. Bible Studies vs. Memorial Attendance

• Average Bible studies rose from 421,860 to 450,950.
• Memorial attendance decreased slightly from 1,085,831 to 1,046,891.

Comment: While Memorial attendance dipped slightly, the increase in ongoing Bible studies shows more sustained, long-term interest, not just seasonal attendance.

---

7. Demographic & Social Trends Reflected

• Zambia continues to have a young, receptive population, especially in urban and peri-urban areas.
• Growth in pioneers and baptisms suggests:
  • Strong youth engagement
  • Family-based studies
  • Increased retention from Bible study to baptism

Comment: The work in Zambia is shifting from broad interest to disciple-making, reflecting spiritual maturity in the field.

---

Summary Comment (One-Sentence)

The 2025 service year shows that despite stable population figures, Zambia is experiencing accelerated spiritual growth marked by stronger field coverage, increased baptisms, more pioneers, and expanding congregational structure—clear evidence of Jehovah’s blessing on the work.

[Parale]

On 12/30/2025 at 4:17 AM, bystander said:

Another big increase in partakers.🍷 

 

The 2025 figure is 24,576, which means it is the highest since 1949 which had 24,312

 

 

 

 

19 hours ago, Dustparticle said:

Here is the plus and minus compare to 2024 Year Report. Any corrections, please do.

• Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 24,576  +1,364 *

* Past 1942 Memorial Partakers

 

Can you check your numbers please? I have 24,312 partakers listed for 1949?

 

There was a significant bump in number of partakers immediately after the Second World War - presumably due to more complete reports coming in from Germany which we know had a very high percentage of anointed (For context, Pennsylvania has a very strong secular connection with Germany, and we know that "of the 83,941 persons worldwide who partook of the Lord’s Evening Meal in 1933, nearly 30 percent lived in Germany."

 

 

The figures I'm using for 1938 to 1958 are coming directly from the JW.org website (and FWIW the 1953 figure is an updated number from what was originally published at the time in the 1954 Watchtower)

 

https://wol.jw.org/fr/wol/d/r30/lp-f/1101959050#h=38

[Parale]

On 12/30/2025 at 4:33 AM, jwhess said:

I enjoyed reading about Cuba.  It is one of the 5 remaining communist countries in the world (and the only one in the Western Hemisphere). Still, they have 83,000 publishers and a ratio of 1 to 118 in their restricted country.  They have almost 11,000 pioneers and almost 200,000 at the Memorial.

 

Yes, always fascinating the high ratio of publishers to population in Cuba .... as is the sift in how religion was viewed under Fidel Castro

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Cuba#Leadership_of_Fidel_Castro

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Cuba#Jehovah's_Witnesses

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1999362

 

FWIW the declining population apparently is due to a mix of low birth rates, an aging population, and high emigration to the US in particular.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/10/world/americas/cuba-us-migration.html?unlocked_article_code=1.A1A.VLxU.-fd4kXPv7DTi&smid=url-share

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/world/americas/obama-us-thaw-cuba-crisis.html?unlocked_article_code=1.A1A.2TB6.6OzwyuW6eS17&smid=url-share

 

[Parale]

On 12/30/2025 at 7:53 AM, Jim Jam said:

What happened in Turkey

 

On 12/30/2025 at 8:04 AM, Sepie93 said:

It is becoming more and more difficult to get a residency over there. Many need-greaters and brothers with a another nationality are forced to leave the country.

 

Yeah, that's what I'm also hearing.

 

But interestng that Türkiye recorded it's highest number of baptisms in modern times in 2025

 

[Parale]

23 hours ago, jwhess said:

Brazil needs about 40,000 more publishers and they will be second country in the world to pass the 1 million publisher mark.

 

FWIW with an average of 930,836 publishers, Brazil will need another 70,000 publishers .... about another 3 or 4 years at current rates.

 

It is fascinating to see the growth in Brazil and Mexico over the years....

 

Brazil - in blue - has a population of some 213 million, and a ratio of 1-to-229; whereas Mexico - in orange - has a population of some 132 million, and a ratio of 1-to-150

 

The graph lines overlap in 1986, 2002, 2011, and 2018 🤔

 

[jwhess]

1 hour ago, Parale said:

 

FWIW with an average of 930,836 publishers, Brazil will need another 70,000 publishers .... about another 3 or 4 years at current rates.

 

It is fascinating to see the growth in Brazil and Mexico over the years....

 

Brazil - in blue - has a population of some 213 million, and a ratio of 1-to-229; whereas Mexico - in orange - has a population of some 132 million, and a ratio of 1-to-150

 

The graph lines overlap in 1986, 2002, 2011, and 2018 🤔

 

It was announced in the video on JW.ORG that in September they had already hit 940,000

[Parale]

22 hours ago, Dustparticle said:

Here is the plus and minus compare to 2024 Year Report.

 

Highest ever number of Lands (though a rather artifical construct 🤷‍♂️)

Biggest percentage increase in Publishers for 15 years - since 2010

Largest number of Baptisms for 26 years - since 1999

Topped Nine Million Average Publishers for first ever time

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Parale

[Parale]

14 minutes ago, jwhess said:

It was announced in the video on JW.ORG that in September they had already hit 940,000

 

Yes, though that's a peak rather than average, and is still 60,000 short ... and year-on-year the number of Bible Studies being conducted continues to fall 😞 but hopefully the growth in terms of percentage increase continues to grow with the ELF book being more conducive to conducting progressive studies that get baptised (AKA quality over quantity 🤷‍♂️ )

 

[Parale]

20 hours ago, Isaac Lupupa said:

Zambia my country is a preaching paradise, the people are warm and very receptive to the good news

 

Here's a chart for Zambia (previously known as Northern Rhodesia up to 1964)

 

Passed the quarter million mark in 2025, with an amazing publisher-to-population ratio of 1-to-84 😮

 

 

(Note: Av Pub numbers for 2017 and 2018 not available)

[Parale]

20 hours ago, Chris7 said:

Little has changed in Britain, perhaps as expected.

 

Britain Average Publishers from 1945 through to 2025 🤔 🤔

 

 

(Note: Av Pub numbers for 2017 and 2018 not available)

[Sepie93]

Just a little shout-out to the friends in Sudan.
In 2024 there were "just" 42 attending the memorial. Given the horrendous war which is going on over there, this in itself is allready something to appreciate.
How encouraging to see that this year they had a memorial attendance of 160

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-S911B met Tapatalk

[Chris7]

2 hours ago, Parale said:

Britain Average Publishers from 1945 through to 2025 🤔 🤔

(Note: Av Pub numbers for 2017 and 2018 not available)

 

Thanks Paul, that is impressive in the long term.

More recently, there have been a great increase in Pioneers in Britain, with a very slight reduction this year, but after many years of impressive increase. (Thank you Jehovah) 

Now we have average of 14 pioneers per congregation.

I am not sure if these are all Regular Pioneers or combined total with Aux. Pioneers? 

(2025 Av. Pio Pubs: 21,503  Congs: 1.565)   

 

Britain	Pioneers, last 7 years
Year	Av. Pio. Pubs.	increase
2019	14,706	2%
2020	15,180	3%
2021	16,294	7%
2022	19,696	21%
2023	20,744	5%
2024	21,632	4%
2025	21,503	-0.6%

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Chris7