Stupid question, maybe, but do JWs make a lot of converts with the door to door stuff?

Question

Is that their primary way of making converts?

I guess I just hear people talk so much about how they hate JWs knocking on their doors that I wondered if it's successful at all, and if it is, is it the primary way that converts are made?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I was raised as one - so all I can give you my experience.
I talked to a ton of people - a *few* showed interest. I started bible studies with a couple of them, but no one ended up converting as a result of my preaching. That seemed to be the pattern to me - plenty of people would agree to study the bible with the jw's but many of them decided not to convert. But that is their main method of converting - oh, that and their propaganda magazines :)

Answer 2

Hard to tell since "a lot" is a relative number. But quite frankly I do admire the tenacity of JWs [and Mormons] in their concerted effort to "sell their product" door to door because of the extremely high rejection factor. And I'm quite sure that it's much harder than peddling vacuum cleaners, pots and pans, or Tupperware since it's something that every household already has. Religion, that is.

But like any other typical marketing campaign, having a 5% positive response rate would be acceptable, and to even close [or convert] a "sale" of 1% out of that figure would be considered a good day's work.

That is, if you look at it from a business standpoint... which it really is, bottom line. They happen to be in the printing industry and their labor costs are kept at a minimum.

Enough said.

Peace be with you.

Answer 3

I truly doubt that they get many converts that way. However, I'm sure they are opening some peoples' eyes with their pamphlets. The important thing is that they are doing what they feel is a service and it doesn't hurt anyone. Yes, it can be a slight inconvenience but I've never had one at my door that didn't respect the fact that I didn't have the time (nor inclination) to speak with them. I've found that the Mormons, on the other hand, tend to be much pushier. I don't think the JWs are really looking for converts as much as they are just spreading God's word.

Answer 4

Yes!!!
https://watch002.securesites.net/contact/submit.htm

Answer 5

Probably not many because people often times hide from them to avoid the door step study that they try to do when they come in contact with others. So I wouldn't think very many convert to their ways and doctrine!

Answer 6

Yes, but door to door ministry is not intended primarily to seek converts.

A common misconception is that Jehovah's Witnesses go from door-to-door because they feel it is their duty to "recruit" a householder, or get him to "convert". In fact, Jehovah's Witnesses would go from door-to-door even if there were no hope that anyone would change their religion, or even if no one would listen to them!

That is because Jesus Christ specifically assigned the house-to-house ministry to the Christian congregation, with no regard for specific results.

(Luke 10:1,2) After these things the Lord designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of him into every city and place to which he himself was going to come. 2 Then he began to say to them: “The harvest, indeed, is great, but the workers are few. Therefore beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

Jehovah's Witnesses are trained to direct attention to the bible, and move on when their message is unwanted. Since each congregation in the United States tries to call at every home in its territory at least twice each year, there is strong motivation for them to move on where little interest is shown. Also, the Scriptures help the Witnesses to expect little interest from most:

(2 Timothy 4:3-5) For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching ...and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/
http://jw-media.org/people/ministry.htm

Answer 7

They are considerably effective. The majority of their converts are through door to door campaigns. They are one of the few people who ever have done door to door with any success.

Answer 8

I don't know if that's their primary way, but they must get some converts to keep on doing it. I don't usually talk to them, though, because I'm so busy that if they do catch me at home, I'm trying to get something accomplished.

Answer 9

I don't know how well that works for Jehovah's Witnesses, but I am a latter-day saint (mormon) and I feel that it works really well. We have over 300,000 new members a year and about 1 million new members every three years. I don't necessarily think it's the approach, but the spirit people have with them.

Answer 10

I sure hope not. But then again their churches are big so people are converting somehow. And this is of course all the schemes of the devil, to lure people into this false doctrine they spread....
They are like wolves in sheeps clothing that Jesus warns us about in the Bible.
Matthew 7:15
[ A Tree and Its Fruit ] "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.