What a Lack of Increase Really Means for the LC

[Freedom]

Just as another example, with the recent pandemic, basically all churches have had to start live-streaming their services so that anyone can watch regardless of location (and I think a lot of them had already been doing that previously). But by contrast, I've seen LC members talking on FB about having meetings on zoom. Everything is password protected (invite only). Anyone who isn't already affiliated with the LC wouldn't even have the ability to know about or participate in their meetings.

It's actually a bit striking to think about that. Of course, the LC has never really been the type of place where there are a lot of visitors at random, but more and more, it seems that the environment has become such that they don't want that at all. They don't want anything to be introduced into the environment that would throw off their formula.

[Sons to Glory!]

Hmmm, that's interesting. Wonder if that's the reason for it, that is, that they don't want anyone outside viewing the messages. Doing it on Zoom might also allow some interaction. There's a Tuesday Zoom Bible study I've been on that allows some interaction

[Freedom]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

Hmmm, that's interesting. Wonder if that's the reason for it, that is, that they don't want anyone outside viewing the messages. Doing it on Zoom might also allow some interaction. There's a Tuesday Zoom Bible study I've been on that allows some interaction

I think that it is standard practice for video conferencing to be password protected or require a link. But in the case of the LC, what I find to be interesting is the choice to hold their primary meetings in that format. I don't have any problem with them wanting their meetings to be 'mutual', but that type of format can only accommodate so many people and depending on the number of people involved, what might be perceived to be 'mutual' isn't actually mutual.

I am a "church kid" and grew up in the 90's, so I can still remember a time when the LC recorded tapes of every meeting. That was before there were prophesying meetings and they had one or two brothers speaking. When people missed a meeting they would be sure to listen to the tapes afterwards. But nowadays, if someone misses an LC meeting, what is there to catch up on? Did they really miss anything? Everyone just reads and recites/parrots the same HWMR booklet, so there's really nothing to miss.

So what that translates to is in their meetings, there is really nothing for newcomers to hear or even participate in unless they know what's going on already. It's really sad.

[Trapped]

I have looked at a few prominent localities websites recently to see what they do. While on some of them there is mention of coronavirus and an exhortation to join the virtual meetings (others had no mention), there were no links to those meetings or instructions how to join zoom gatherings. Since they don't stream their meetings or have them up for watching later on, it means there is literally no way to check them out online before contacting them. The local churches have so few people walking in off the street they don't even consider newcomers or outsiders when their entire meeting format changes. They often are only concerned with sending out the internal announcements to the existing saints and have literally zero thought about how to make sure outsiders who may be interested in the church could find out about how to join in. It's quite telling.

Talk about keeping your "light" under a bushel.

The church in NYC website did have a video for the opening word, and this is not to knock the brother sharing, but he was pretty robotic and cardboard. I'm sure he's a dear brother and all, but he looked like he was just channeling his FTTA training in how to inflect his voice to sound deep. He reminded me of numerous other brothers his age who speak just the same way. And it's not a style of speaking that draws you in, that's for sure.

[Freedom]

It is telling indeed. For so long the LC has been blaming their lack of increase on whatever excuse they can come up with. With this current situation, their actions tell the real story. It's not much different than the exclusive brethren not wanting to have windows in their meeting halls so as to prevent anyone from the outside from looking in.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Trapped

I have looked at a few prominent localities websites recently to see what they do. While on some of them there is mention of coronavirus and an exhortation to join the virtual meetings (others had no mention), there were no links to those meetings or instructions how to join zoom gatherings.

I saw this recent E-meeting from the former LC in Toronto.

During the Midwest quarantines, Toronto separated itself from both Anaheim and Cleveland, having endured lawsuits and all manners of evil along the way. This is a message a decade after their exodus was completed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDwC1kwRzxc