Jehovah's Witnesses Continues Their Ministry Virtually, Everywhere
Samuel Williams Jr. Public Information Desk
Published: March 8, 2022
Ademola Adekola Jr. from the Chicago suburb of South Holland has been knocking on doors and studying the Bible with people as part of his volunteer ministry for years. “Before COVID, I loved going door to door. I did,” he said. “But my favorite thing was to teach people the Bible directly in their homes.”
That abruptly changed in the spring of 2020 when Jehovah’s Witnesses suspended their in-person public ministry, meetings and large conventions.
Two years later, Adekola is busier than ever. “I still enjoy conducting Bible studies, but now I do them over Zoom,” he explained. “And I reach out to people by telephone and letter writing, as well. But my favorite form of the ministry is still teaching people the Bible. And I’ve had a blast doing it through Zoom. It’s been very fun.”
With this historic change the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses grew 3% in the United States in 2021 alone, matching the most significant increase for the organization over the past decade and the second-largest percentage increase since 1990.
“Staying active in our ministry while remaining safe has had a powerful preserving effect on our congregants and communities,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “The wise decision not to prematurely resume in-person activities has united us and protected lives while comforting many people in great need. The results speak for themselves.”
Last year, the international organization reported all-time peaks in the number of people participating in their volunteer preaching work, increased attendance in Zoom meetings and more than 171,000 new believers baptized. In the past two years, more than 400,000 have been baptized worldwide.
Some whose ministry or attendance at religious services had slowed because of age and poor health said they feel reenergized with the convenience of virtual meetings and a home-based ministry. For example, Sarah Fuoco, 88, and her 81-year-old husband, Joseph, have been given the nickname “the dynamic duo.”
The Fuocos use Zoom to worship twice a week with their Hollis, New Hampshire, congregation and regularly join online ministry groups to comfort neighbors and family through phone calls, letters, texts and email.
“What could have been quite a disadvantage, we’ve made into an advantage,” Joseph Fuoco said. “The fact that we can work right from home is a great advantage”
The official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, jw.org, has also added to the outreach of the organization. It’s available in more than 1,000 languages.
After starting a free self-paced Bible course on jw.org in December 2019, Lisa Owen of Moriarty, New Mexico, requested a free, interactive Bible study over Zoom. She was one of nearly 20,000 baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses last year in the United States in private settings, including backyard swimming pools, tubs and even rivers.
“JW.ORG gave me somewhere to learn, somewhere to land, and to start living the way God wants me to. It taught me so much,” Owen said.
Adekola also suggests that his Bible students become familiar with the website to find research aids and to download a new Bible-discussion guide, “Enjoy Life Forever!” The scriptures and videos within the guide weave Bible principles, history and modern examples throughout in an easy-to-understand and logical way.
One college student Adekola studies with has made notable improvements in his life as a result of his Bible study. The young man’s twin brother recently said, “He seems much happier, and the bad things he used to do he’s not doing.”
“That was a really spectacular moment,” Adekola said about that conversation. Soon afterward, the twin began his own personal Bible study with Adekola.
“I feel so grateful that I’ve had this privilege to do this during this dark time when things seem so bleak and hopeless,” said Adekola. “The ministry keeps us happy, and it keeps our hearts full of joy.”
To start an online Bible study course, receive a call or attend a virtual meeting locally, visit jw.org.
Posted in City of Chicago, Education Initiatives