Jehovah’s Witnesses is an example of a successful but accidental example of succession. It is stronger now and growing faster than when the founder was alive. There are 7.2 million members worldwide and growing at a rate of 2.5% annually. There are 107,000 congregations. At the annual memorial event (the Lord’s supper) there are over 18 million people attending. On the downside, they have a very low retention rate with only 37% of those raised JW’s staying when they are adults. Many people coming in and many people leaving.

It is also a good example of what is called “high demand” organizations – like the Marines or cults that require a great deal to belong. Witnesses must preach publicly, mostly door to door, 70 hours/month or 840 hours a year, to stay in good standing with the local congregation. They must file monthly “field reports” accounting for all their activity. As well, they are expected to read more than 3,000 pages of Watchtower publications every year. It is estimated that over 1.6 billion hours a year is spent in preaching by members and 740 house calls are required to recruit each of the 200,000 new members who join every year.

The roots of the movement are from the late 1800’s and a young man named Charles Taze Russell. He worked in his father’s clothing store in Pittsburgh and attended Presbyterian and Congregational churches. Like Mary Baker Eddy, he had trouble with certain doctrines – like hell and the deity of Christ. He also was heavily influenced by teaching that the world was coming to an end and believed that would happen in 1878. At 18, he started a Bible class and it became the International Bible Students in time. In 1884 he started publishing the Watchtower which grew rapidly. Today, the Society publishes 100,000 books and 800,000 copies of its two magazines every day in 80 languages in 230 countries. They have published 165 million copies of the New World Translation of the Bible.

Russell was an extraordinary entrepreneur and eventually sold a chain of his stores for the equivalent of $6,000,000 to fund the expansion of the IBS. During his lifetime it was not called Jehovah’s Witnesses but was named the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society after his death. The name Jehovah’s Witnesses comes from Isaiah 43:10-12. “But you are my witnesses…You are my handpicked servant.” In 1903 newspapers began publishing his written sermons. 4,000 syndicated papers with an estimated readership of 4 million. By 1912 he had the greatest circulation of any religious leader in the United States. He died in 1916 in Texas on the way back from preaching. At his death, the movement split over leadership issues and the authority now resides in the hands of a small group of seven men in Brooklyn, New York called the Governing Body. While they are not considered inerrant – having been wrong several times about the timing of the end of the world (1920, 1925, 1940) – they are considered the only authority for true believers. When they are baptized they vow they will be loyal to “the organization” as well as God. Joining the organization is the expression of salvation.

What do they believe?

1. There is one God – Jehovah. He dwells on a throne in Heaven but is not omnipresent.
2. There is no Trinity – only one God.
3. Holy Spirit is not personal but simply “a force”. Genesis 1:1 reads “God’s active force was moving over the surface of the waters.”
4. Jehovah’s first creation was the angel Michael. Michael took the form of Jesus and came to earth. Jesus retook the form of Michael when he went back to heaven.
5. Jesus is only a perfect man. He is not divine. He is simply the incarnation of Michael but not God in the flesh. He is “a god” but not equal to Jehovah. Their Bible translates John 1:1 to read “The Word was a god.” As well, they rephrase Colossians 1:15-17 to read that Jesus was one of the created beings.
6. Jesus did not rise from the dead with a resurrected physical body. He became a spirit that was able to materialize at will. He became the first of the 144,000 born again.
7. Jesus did not die on a cross (a pagan symbol) but on a torture stake. They replace every reference to the cross with the word “stake” or “impaled”. Jesus is the mediator between God and man but only the mediator between God and the anointed – the 144,000. The balance of those who believe are protected by living in the presence of the anointed. They will not be in heaven but on earth.
8. He returned to the earth in October 1914 as an invisible presence to begin his invisible rule. At the same time Satan was cast out of heaven to the earth to rule over the earth. That is why things have been getting worse since then. October 1, 1914 is the end of the Age of the Gentiles and the beginning of the end times. All false religions will be destroyed by the United Nations and that will signal the beginning of Armageddon.
9. The end of the world is imminent and only those who are a Witness will be saved. There are two classes of those who are saved. Those who are saved for immortal life are the anointed and there are only 144,000 who will be with Jesus in heaven. The balance of those who are saved for everlasting life will continue to live in Paradise on earth. They have resurrected physical bodies that must be maintained through eating and rest – but life is perfect for them. Those who do not believe will be annihilated as there is no hell. Only those who believe they will be immortal are allowed to take communion. Of the 18 million who attend, only 11,000 take communion.
10. They are forbidden to salute the flag, serve in the armed forces, give or receive blood, vote or celebrate holidays or birthdays. As a result, they have been persecuted. 12,000 were sent to German concentration camps and over 5,000 of them died there.
11. It is possible to lose your salvation if you do not meet the standards set by the organization. Salvation can only be attained by constant works. Witnessing, attending meetings, reading the required amount, filing reports, and keeping moral rules.
12. Scripture cannot be understood by individuals and should not be read alone or without reading Watchtower material with it. They believe the Bible is an organizational book which was addressed not to individuals but to the organization and to be interpreted only by those in authority. They are not only discouraged from independent thought but forbidden to have independent thoughts outside those of the Watchtower. Truth can only be known through the organization. No individual can come to the truth. Truth only comes through God’s appointed servants – his “faithful and discreet slave”.

Read Matthew 24:45-51. The Governing Body is the faithful slave instructed to feed the others. “The requirement of salvation is that we be associated with God’s channel, His organization. To receive everlasting life in the earthly paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it.” We are not saved individually but only by joining the organization – like Noah’s ark or what Paul calls the Body of Christ.

What kind of people join?

The majority of those joining have some previous association with Christianity. They are not unfamiliar with the Bible but have very little knowledge of it. Gaining more knowledge and knowing they will live forever is appealing.

They typically have low profile occupations and not highly educated.

They have very weak communal ties and are easily drawn into the strong bond of other members. As members they are strongly encouraged to cut off all ties with former friends and associate only with Witnesses.

They have experienced a high degree of disillusionment in their lives – either with personal relationships or discouragement about the world in general. Even before they join they are disenchanted with the world as it is and pessimistic about it.

What are the major differences?

Salvation comes through faith alone: Ephesians 2:8-10, Galatians 3:1-14
We are free from the Law and works: Romans 8:1-4
Jesus had a bodily resurrection: John 20:19 (Thomas)
John 10:30 “I and the Father are one”