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This seems to be breaking news on their official web-site, here: https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/#newsAlerts It simply says

"BREAKING NEWS - House-to-House Preaching will resume on September 1st 2022 - The Governing Body is pleased to announce that the house-to-house preaching work of Jehovah's Witnesses will resume on September 1st 2022. We pray for Jehovah's rich blessing to be with us as we resume or house-to-house ministry!"

In view of the fact that there has been about one-and-a-half year's without any of their door-to-door calls, will they receive instructions about what to say now, in view of world troubles, or will it be just the same call to start home book studies with them as before?

It seems that their letter-writing during the Covid lock-downs was just a very brief word about worsening world condition and with encouragement to log on to their official site to learn more about their particular beliefs. When they speak personally to people now, will they be doing just the same as with letter-writing? Or will they now be trained to show from the Bible that the gospel of Christ is to turn only to Christ for forgiveness of sins and to repent in his name (no web-sites required)?

This question is related to one asked six months previously: Have Jehovah's Witnesses stopped public preaching until the end of the world? (The answer to that was 'No' but this question is interested in what the preaching will be once it resumes in just under a month's time.)

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  • Since this is a recent announcement, no answer can be given. Once more direction is given as Sept. 1 nears then a more reliable answer can be given. Following Jesus' words in Matt 24:14, the purpose of our ministry has always been to declare the "good news of the Kingdom". The worsening world conditions are evidence of biblical prophecy (see Matt 24:4-12, 1 Tim 3:1-5). Directing individuals to the website (as well as letter writing and phone witnessing) was a way for people to get information while maintaining social distancing guidelines.
    – agarza
    Commented Aug 6, 2022 at 18:33
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    @agarza In that case, I shall keep the question open for a while and hope that an answer can be given in about 3 weeks' time. I do agree with you that worsening world conditions authenticate Bible prophecy.
    – Anne
    Commented Aug 6, 2022 at 19:07
  • What world events are different from before?
    – curiousdannii
    Commented Aug 7, 2022 at 2:04
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    The expression being used here is "WORSENING world conditions" as opposed to DIFFERENT. Jesus prophesied wars, pestilences, famines, earthquakes etc., etc., as signs to mark the "last days" and those have been happening since his death and resurrection. Jesus likened them to "birth pangs,. The global scale of wars, pestilences, famines, earthquakes etc., etc., has certainly worsened. As birth pangs increase in intensity and rapidly, so too are the signs of the end of the age increasing in intensity and rapidity. They are no different, but they are worsening. I think that's what is meant.
    – Lesley
    Commented Aug 7, 2022 at 13:33

2 Answers 2

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The official website of Jehovah's Witnesses has posted the following news article:

Jehovah’s Witnesses Resume House-to-House Ministry

With eager anticipation, Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world resumed their hallmark house-to-house ministry on September 1, 2022. A special campaign to offer Bible studies during the month is adding to the excitement. For some of our brothers and sisters, this was a return to a familiar and cherished form of the ministry. For others, it was the first time visiting their neighbors in person with the Bible’s message. The following are some experiences from around the world that exemplify this momentous beginning to the 2023 service year.

As mentioned, the article also contains several accounts of the house-to-house ministry in Germany, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the United States (including some photos).

As a regular attendant to the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, there have been no announcements of changing the message we deliver during our ministry. As mentioned in the article above, there has been a special campaign to offer Bible studies, but these campaigns occur at different times within the year and with different goals.

If any new information or announcement is made during one of the meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, I will update accordingly.

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    A local church elder told me of 2 JWs ladies calling at his home last week, only to offer a study course. They had no 'message' as such. But your answer makes clear that they should soon resume giving a doorstep message and JWs have had no announcements yet of changing their message. I would appreciate any updates if new information comes your way. Answer accepted, with thanks.
    – Anne
    Commented Sep 15, 2022 at 17:07
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Up until now, “the good news of the Kingdom” has been the primary focus of the preaching work. For over 100 years, Witnesses have been proclaiming that Jesus Christ began ruling in heaven from October 1914 and after Armageddon survivors (and virtually everyone who will be resurrected with a physical body) have the prospect of living forever on a paradise earth. More recently, the focus has been on the impending tribulation, persecution and the destruction of false religion.

During October 2019 various Watchtower articles explored the book of Revelation and how to remain faithful during the coming Great Tribulation. Study article 41, paragraph 3, focused on the destruction of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, including Christendom. * The footnote explained that Christendom is made up of religions that claim to be Christian but that do not teach people to worship Jehovah according to his standards.

The following extracts are about future changes to the message that Jehovah’s Witnesses will proclaim during the Great Tribulation and how that will result in persecution:

8 During the great tribulation, the message that we proclaim will likely change. Currently, we are preaching the good news of the Kingdom and we are endeavoring to make disciples. But at that time, we may well deliver a message as hard-hitting as hailstones. (Rev. 16:21) We may proclaim the impending doom of Satan’s world. In time, we will find out exactly what our message will be and how we will deliver it. Will we use the same methods we have used for over a hundred years to accomplish our ministry? Or will we use some other methods? We will have to wait and see. In any case, it seems that we will have the privilege of boldly proclaiming Jehovah’s judgment message!

9 Quite likely, our message will provoke the nations into trying to silence us once and for all. Just as we rely on Jehovah for support in our ministry now, we will need his support then. We can be sure that our God will fill us with power to accomplish his will.

11 At some point, the people whose religions were destroyed may resent the fact that Jehovah’s Witnesses keep practicing their religion. We can only imagine the uproar that this might create, including on social media. The nations and their ruler, Satan, will hate us for having the only surviving religion. They will not have attained their goal to eliminate all religion from the face of the earth. So we will become the center of their attention. At this point, the nations will take on the role of Gog of Magog. (* refers to a coalition of nations that will fight against pure worship during the great tribulation) They will band together to make a vicious, all-out attack on Jehovah’s people. Source: https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-october-2019/stay-faithful-through-great-tribulation/

The most recent Watchtower study articles focus on Revelation, and how to endure persecution during the Great Tribulation, which precedes Armageddon. The following is a brief extract from the May 2022 Watchtower study article ‘Revelation – what it means for you today’ sub-heading BE WILLING TO ENDURE PERSECUTION:

19 The good news of the Kingdom is not the only message that God’s people are to declare. They also need to support the work of the angels who are described in Revelation chapters 8 through 10. These angels announce a series of woes for those who reject God’s Kingdom. Thus, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been declaring a judgment message, likened to “hail and fire,” revealing God’s judgments on the various elements of Satan’s wicked world. (Rev. 8:7, 13) People need to know that the end is near so that they can make drastic changes in their lives and survive Jehovah’s day of anger. (Zeph. 2:2, 3) But this message is not popular. Declaring it calls for courage on our part. During the great tribulation, the final judgment message will become more hard-hitting. Source: https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-may-2022/Revelation-What-It-Means-for-You-Today/

Here is a summary of events Jehovah’s Witnesses anticipate prior to the Great Tribulation:

The precursor of the Great Tribulation will be a proclamation of peace and security. This is to be followed by the final sealing of the remnant of anointed Christians (Jehovah’s Witnesses). The Great Tribulation begins with an attack on religion by the Wild Beast of Revelation (which they say is the United Nations). Events leading up to Armageddon include celestial phenomena, pronouncement of judgment on the enemies of God’s Kingdom by the Son of Man (Jesus), the all-out attack of Gog of Magog (Satan) on Jehovah’s people and then the gathering of the anointed ones. These things happen before Armageddon, at which point the Great Tribulation ends. The grand finale of the Great Tribulation is the execution of judgment at Armageddon. Source: ‘God’s Kingdom Rules!’ 2014

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the Great Tribulation is almost upon us, and this is based on worsening global events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the threat that poses to other countries, shortage of food supplies and huge rises in the cost of oil, gas and electricity, as well as flooding, heat-waves and wild-fires throughout the world. These signs of the end of the age have been with us since the resurrection of Christ Jesus, but they are getting worse, as Jesus predicted they would (Matthew 24:8, 21).

6 Near the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus foretold certain world events that would help his followers know that he had begun ruling in heaven. Among other things, he mentioned wars, famines, and earthquakes. He also foretold that there would be pestilences, or diseases, “in one place after another”—of which the recent COVID-19 pandemic is an example. Source: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2022480

In answer to your question, it seems that Jehovah’s Witnesses have now been primed to receive a hard-hitting message of judgment against all who reject their message. This will result in the nations (under their ruler Satan) persecuting them in an all-out attack on Jehovah’s people.

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    No, I have not made any assumptions about what the message will be on 1 September. "During the great tribulation, the message that we proclaim will likely change. Currently, we are preaching the good news of the Kingdom and we are endeavoring to make disciples. But at that time, we may well deliver a message as hard-hitting as hailstones. In time, we will find out exactly what our message will be and how we will deliver it." October 2019. The Great Tribulation has not yet started, but the May 2022 Watchtower article says "the final judgment message will become more hard-hitting". We must wait.
    – Lesley
    Commented Aug 9, 2022 at 17:56
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    I beg to disagree. In chronological sequence I have spelt out the official position as of October 2019. This sets the scene. From there we go to May 2022 which spells out the current view. The O.P. is on a hiding to nothing because nothing has yet been said about 1 September. The message is that Jehovah's Witnesses have to wait. From what I can gather, the hard-hitting message of judgment comes at the start of the Great Tribulation - which is still future. Sometimes people don't get the answer they want, and the O.P. is at liberty to comment, accordingly. I'm just going by the JW web site.
    – Lesley
    Commented Aug 9, 2022 at 19:11
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    This site doesn't have a policy like sci-fi or other sites that are like "wait till the movie comes out", for questions like this, we can only operate under principles and best guesses. Obviously most of this answer is background context, I don't think it disqualifies it as an answer. It's a good guess and an explanation why the guess might be a good one.
    – Peter Turner
    Commented Aug 10, 2022 at 18:14
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    @PeterTurner - Paragraph 19 of the May 2022 Watchtower contains the most recent information: “During the great tribulation, the final judgment message will become more hard-hitting.” Those three articles were recently studied in Kingdom Halls throughout the world. Paragraph 8 of the October 2019 Watchtower is also highly relevant. The summary of events leading up to the Great Tribulation is taken from another official publication. Other insights re current expectations come from conversations I am having with a local Jehovah’s Witness in response to letters they sent to me a few months ago.
    – Lesley
    Commented Aug 11, 2022 at 7:09
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    I agree with @PeterTurner and Lesley. This is as fair an answer as can be produced at the moment and academically viable. Up-voted +1.
    – Nigel J
    Commented Aug 11, 2022 at 9:57

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