What “practice” was NOT in decline after coved...? Covid stopped the whole world! But it didn’t stop it for long....once we were back at our face to face meetings again, everything got back into full swing.
During the pandemic, we still held all our meetings via zoom....we didn’t miss a thing in our weekly spiritual routine....we just had a change of venue.
We conducted our witnessing by phone or by a hand written letter...and we received some nice replies for our efforts....with people telling us that their own churches never reached out to them during the pandemic.
Bible studies were conducted via email or zoom. Nothing was going to stop the good news being preached!
Who felt pressure to do what Jesus commanded? Hopefully everyone!...it wasn’t a mere recommendation to go out to the people with Christ’s message...if you felt like it....it was a command. Obeying Jesus was part of the requirements for salvation. (Matt 28:19-20; Matt 24:14)
As Paul stated....
“It is only just that God will repay with suffering those who make you suffer and grant relief to you who are suffering, and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. He will come in blazing fire to inflict punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the penalty of eternal destruction, excluded from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on that Day when he comes to be glorified by his holy ones and to be adored by all believers, among whom you will be present since you believed the testimony we offered to you.
When was the last time a Catholic knocked on your door with the gospel message? (Acts 5:42; Acts 20:20)
I do...but apparently you like to consult anti-JW sources for your information.....it’s better to get it straight from the horse’s mouth rather than a second hand news source...or ex JW’s with an axe to grind.
Again you crack me up....tell me when God’s people were not organised for worship?
Was Israel organised for their worship? Were the first Christians not organised into congregations for worship?
Look at you beloved RCC....how organised are they, with their hierarchy....and titles and fancy dress, and synods? Are you hearing yourself? You can call it a “church” if you like but what does God call it?
You do understand what the word “church” means in Greek I hope....it’s not a building.
At a well known verse in Matt 16:18 Jesus says.....
“And I say to you: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld will not prevail against it.” (NCB)
What was the Church” that Jesus was going to build? It is his “
ekklēsia” which means ....
in a Christian sense...
- an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting.
- a company of Christian, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake.” (Strongs)
So any organised gathering of Christians is an “ekklēsia”....the Church is the people...not the building.
Did you see why they were organised? See #2.
FYI, “The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society” is a legal entity required by law for the printing and distribution of large quantities of Bible literature. There were many Bible Societies when the WT was instituted.
We are not “the Watchtower”....we are Jehovah’s Witnesses. You got that?
LOL....only if you want it to....there are two sides to every story GG...anyone who makes a judgment based on only one side of a story, are judgmental bigots. You believe the negativity because you want to.....not because what you post is actual truth. The devil loves people like you.
You fail to understand that the history of the Catholic church is actual history.....recorded, documented and verifiable by anyone. It isn’t hear-say.
It’s amazing what newspapers will do with a good story…do you believe everything you read in a newspaper...? They have sales to promote....so they never let the truth get in the way of a juicy story.
Fake news sells...or haven’t you noticed? Good editing can make a great story out of nothing.
You do not have a clue about what you are posting by parroting off what our enemies are saying.
Christ warned us about that. (Matt 5:11-12; John 15:18-21) Are you one of them....?