How Successful Is Your Door To Door Ministry?

[Kenneth]

How successful is the door to door ministry?

I have been going from door to door for the past twenty years, and even though I have some great discussions I have to question its success. On reflection most of those who get baptized either are internal candidate (from families of JWs) or have been a result of informal witnessing, it appears very few are baptized as a consequence of first call.

How many of us walk around wring down endless not-at-homes that are rarely called back on? How many people are only called on once in a blue moon, how many in the 'West' have never been contacted, and many have no idea what a Watchtower looks like? There never appears to be a change of direction in it, we just all seem to meet, go out, then spend longer chatting among ourselves in the local café.

There appears to be a perception that the good news has been preached. I'm not trying to decry the effort that the brothers make as I have great admiration for their zeal, but I find the approach at times often futile. Some argue that even though there are many NH we are calling Satan a liar just by being out. So many also get disheartened by the apathy that maybe its time for JWs to enter the 21^st century. People are just NH so we need to get out where they are i.e. on the streets, even though this is practiced this it's on a low scale and done by the minority.

So what are some suggestion on new ways to preach that are practical and workable?

<span style="font-family:Verdana">Kenneth



</span><span style="color:#0000ff">"When I hear a man preach, I like to see him act as if he were fighting bees." </span>

[eyes&ears]

Hi Ken,

Welllllllllll, in all honesty, I do not like going door to door, never ever have. It gives me the HEEBIE JEEBIES.

Especially early in the morning.

Now, with that said I would like to just do street work and informal talking to others about Jehovah and his promises.

I would keep sound records, of course, and return if that was what was agreed upon.

I would like to discuss the Bible only, no publications or placing magazines or any of that stuff, no coutning minutes or hours. That has always made me feel extremely uncomfortable. Now I know why after all these years.

I am of the opinion now that half of the things we have collected spiritually over the years as JW&#39;s will not make a bit of difference to Jehovah in regards to whether he finds us worthy to inherit his Kingdom either as anointed or living right here on his earth forever.

In my opinion I do not feel Jehovah is one bit interested in 15 minutes or 100 hours. When we start focusing on all the pressures in the field ministry as it is conducted today, attention is taken off what is important and we are focusing more on making time than finding those of interest and focusing on a quality witness/fs ministry.

However, I never want to belittle the efforts or the success the WTBTS has had in bringing in those who are now JW&#39;s. I just don&#39;t feel comfortable with it. So it is my problem and those are my issues (ho hum)

Oh well beginning to rant.

We missed ya on board Kenneth, glad you stopped by.

Best to you and your family.

Eyes & Ears

[Jeshurun]

Hi Kenneth

I have long felt that the door-to-door work was very ineffective, especially when most of it occurs on weekends before 12 noon. Many people are either at church or sleeping after being out late. Or they are trying to catch up on their home and yard work after working all week. As far as all those NH&#39;s, you&#39;d be surprised how many people see the Witnesses coming and PRETEND to not be home. I&#39;ve done it myself lol.

I&#39;m in a position where my business affords me the opportunity to witness incidentally to customers who bring their dogs to my shop to be groomed, or they may just be shopping, or buying a puppy. Many in the past have been turned off by the 1914 rant, but now many are showing an interest in this dynamic information we have now that directly relates to world events, and some are even visiting e-Watchman.

Things are so much different today because of the internet. People can learn all they want in the comfort of their own homes, at their own pace. So for that reason I feel that the internet is very effective. If someone doesn&#39;t like what they see they can move on in a flash, and if they want to do it at 3 am, they can.

My wife has been working a home based business and she uses several different methods of networking and following leads, and I think the same type of thing can be applied to the ministry. Since we are no longer restricted by the Watchtower, I think that even a personal website would be very effective, maybe even having something at Myspace.com. Anything that would bring in search results to someone looking for answers.

[Berean]

Yeah, the door-to-door work does seem a bit ineffective. I wonder how many of those &#39;1 billion hours spent talking to others about God&#39; are actually spent talking to each other about cars, sports, and television.

As for how to improve, I think it&#39;s best if you let someone else take the initiative to talk to you. That is, there are bound to be people who know you&#39;re a Witness (and if they don&#39;t, it&#39;ll probably come up around the holidays), and inevitably some of them will start asking you questions. And not just in real life, but also on the Internet, through instant messaging or e-mail, for instance. Internet witnessing was actually named from the podium (by our PO, no less) not long ago as a way to improve your ministry, and I very much agree - was a bit surprised to hear it actually, since normally Internet use seems to be discouraged.

[clay]

Dear DBoarders

First, all I can say about it is that, like Luke chap 10 describes, someone shared their time & resources on me and grateful am I to have learned basic Bible truths as a result of that door to door method. So I don&#39;t mind the effort in door to door ministry. Some personalities are more suited for it, maybe? Since talking comes easy for me, its easy to start conversations, then direct them to the Bible for answers. Any people anywhere any circumstances.
But its true, in my opinion, that early mornings, on any day, are not the best for finding people. Seems they are much more relaxed and congenial late afternoons & early evenings, at least in my area.
Have also found, efforts in getting to know people, showing personal attention, listening to them, (about pets, sports, tv, whatever, to start with), helping in small ways, errands, rides, showing any kindness, sharing a coffee, etc, has developed more of a relationship & that opens the doors to deeper conversations (lots of elderly in my area). We discuss anything, but there is always a way to tie in a scripture or verse. Anytime I find someone at home I make call backs, unless the 1st visit goes nowhere. Also, I try to exchange phone numbers, then make a point to call them soon, establish communication, then call occasionally just to say hello, thinking of you, etc. Believe it goes a long way in their comfort level & opens future doors. Eventually they buzz me off if they don&#39;t want to hear more of the Bible.
They also are aware that I am not trying to convert or recruit them, but the primary reason I stop is to discuss the Holy Scriptures. Most people are reasonably open to discussing the Bible, but less inclined if they think their becoming a JW is my goal. Rewarding calls are to be found at places like convalesant homes where they are house-bound, many desperately lonely & grateful for attention.

I do not like the keeping track of time, but its necessary for now. Also, find much joy going alone on these calls, but from time to time bring someone. Allows for more freeness of speech, especially with the all the new information learned here, appreciate all your thoughts.

...works for me

clay

[Kenneth]

Yeah, the door-to-door work does seem a bit ineffective. I wonder how many of those &#39;1 billion hours spent talking to others about God&#39; are actually spent talking to each other about cars, sports, and television.[/b]



I wonder have many hours were taken up knocking on empty doors :unsure:





kenneth

[Berean]

Yeah, the door-to-door work does seem a bit ineffective. I wonder how many of those &#39;1 billion hours spent talking to others about God&#39; are actually spent talking to each other about cars, sports, and television.[/b]
I wonder have many hours were taken up knocking on empty doors :unsure:
[/b]
True... and it&#39;s also funny how a five-minute walk can take half an hour if it separates the territory you&#39;re in from the one you&#39;re going to... :Yahoo_33:

[Kenneth]

I think they call it the Pioneer walk :huh:


kenneth

"The farther west he (the pioneeer) went the more he was convinced that the wise men came from the east."
Horace Greeley

[patience]

me and my family laugh because the brothers walk one step forwards and two steps back. It seem&#39;s they are more likely to get run over by passing cars than actually call on a door sometimes.

[ellieharp]

I called on a door once with another sister and it was in quite a rough estate and the house we were calling on had a rottweiler in the garden and the house looked uncared for and dirty. After we got past the dog(the sister used her inititive and gave him some sweets she had on her to prevent him eating us)we knocked on the door and it was opened by the meanest looking bloke Id ever seen; tattoos, earings, big bald, you get my drift. Anyway i was literally shaking and clutching my bible so hard it had indents cos i was sure he was going to tell us to get lost or worse but, and you probably know whats coming here, he turned out to be a really nice guy who was intelligent and really interested in the bible. We spent a good half hour chatting to him and left some magazines with him and eventually he started a study. The dog, who was called Rosie by the way, was as soft as a kitten so it taught me a lesson that day for sure. I did find door to door quite hard cos I didnt like not knowing who was going tom answer but i was pleasently suprised that day. :186:

[Berean]

After we got past the dog(the sister used her inititive and gave him some sweets she had on her to prevent him eating us)we knocked on the door and it was opened by the meanest looking bloke Id ever seen; tattoos, earings, big bald, you get my drift. Anyway i was literally shaking and clutching my bible so hard it had indents cos i was sure he was going to tell us to get lost or worse but, and you probably know whats coming here, he turned out to be a really nice guy who was intelligent and really interested in the bible. We spent a good half hour chatting to him and left some magazines with him and eventually he started a study.[/b]
Hah, thanks for sharing that nice story. :) I find that often the ones you expect to tell you off are actually quite agreeable, while it&#39;s the hoity-toity people who slam the door in your face. Just goes to show that you can&#39;t judge people by their appearance.

[whoowh]

:36: You cant judge people by their dog! :dog2: