Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christians best known for their
distinctive type of missionary activity.
All Witnesses are ordained as ministers at baptism, an event
accompanied by a formal ceremony. They thereafter minister to
family, friends and community by preaching under the direction of
their local congregations.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christians best known for their distinctive type of missionary activity. All Witnesses are ordained as ministers at baptism, an event accompanied by a formal ceremony. They thereafter minister to family, friends and community by preaching under the direction of their local congregations.
Every weekend thousands of them forego leisure time to walk door-to-door, sharing with neighbors their understanding of the Bible. They also distribute copies of two free magazines, “The Watchtower” (focusing on Bible study and doctrine in 158 languages) and “Awake” (with general interest articles on topics related to society, science and nature in 81 languages).
Each summer Jehovah’s Witnesses attend regional assemblies called District Conventions. Nearly 300 are held in 75 different cities in the United States alone.
Seventy-five thousand Central California Witnesses are expected to attend eight three-day sessions held at the Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva Ave., San Francisco. South County congregations will be attending July 27–29.
The public is invited to attend any portion of the program, which begins at 9:20am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This year’s theme is “Follow the Christ,” and will provide information about how to improve family life, deal with life’s problems, draw closer to God, oppose the devil and gain everlasting life. There is no admission charge and no collection is ever taken. Here are some highlights of this year’s convention:
– “God’s Word Is Alive and Exerts Power:” A sound drama on Friday afternoon, based on Mark chapters 4 and 5.
– “Husbands, Wives, Parents, Children – Follow the Model:” On Saturday afternoon, a talk highlighting the role of each family member, based on 1 Peter 2:21.
– “Precious Gems from the Sermon on the Mount:” A fast-moving symposium covering Matthew 5-7 on Sunday morning.
– “Who are the Real Followers of Christ?:” A thought-provoking public talk on Sunday morning.
– “Full-Costume Bible Drama:” A cast of 25 will present a play on Sunday afternoon.
A crew of more than 500 volunteers work behind the scenes of the convention to make sure those in attendance have access to refreshments during breaks in the program.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses, officially known as the Watchtower Society, have come a long way since a modest beginning in 1879. Charles Taze Russell, founder of the group, envisioned a return to the primitive origins of Christianity. The church grew slowly because of persecution in this country and abroad over its vigorous stand for Christian neutrality in government affairs and prohibition of military service.
Today there are more than 6.7 million witnesses in 223 countries, organized into more than 100,000 congregations, all of which are under the direction of a central Governing Body located in Brooklyn, New York.
For more details about the conventions see the church’s Web site at www.watchtower.org. This location has a wealth of information in 12 languages about the organization’s beliefs, practices and publications. It also gives access to a free online Bible study.
For more information about Jehovah’s Witnesses in Morgan Hill, call (408) 779-5739 or Gilroy, call (408) 842-0519.
