Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Year Without Knocking on Doors

It’s been one year since Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide adjusted their hallmark methods of sharing comfort and hope from the scriptures due to the pandemic.

For many, the change from ringing doorbells and knocking on doors to making phone calls and writing letters expanded and invigorated their ministry.

“Witnesses have embraced this change, finding the good in these difficult times,” said David Shipley, who helps organize the preaching activity in the northern and central regions of Delaware, and parts of eastern Maryland. “In fact, I hear many saying that they are able to do more.”

In March 2020, the some 1.3 million Witnesses in the United States suspended their door-to-door and face-to-face forms of public ministry and moved congregation meetings to videoconferencing.

“It has been a very deliberate decision based on two principles: our respect for life and love of neighbor,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “But we are still witnesses and, as such, we must testify about our faith. So it was inevitable that we would find a way to continue our work.”

Doris Shephard, 73, of Wilmington, Delaware, recalls fond memories of witnessing to people in-person. “I enjoyed having Bible discussions with people in their homes, on the train, and in busy metropolitan areas, so it was a challenge to adjust when the pandemic hit.”

With the help of her grandchildren to learn new technology, Shephard soon found herself welcoming the pivot to witnessing by telephone and letter writing. “It’s also been easier to have discussions with people over the phone because many are shut in from the pandemic restrictions.”

Shephard recalls, “One lady who was suffering from depression asked if I could call her twice a week to share a comforting scripture.” As a result of her efforts, Shephard, who has preached for over 60 years, received three new requests for Bible studies since the pandemic began, and now conducts a total of five Bible studies every week using video conferencing.

Nearly 51,000 people in the United States last year made a request for a Witness to contact them, either through a local congregation or jw.org, the organization’s official website, according to Hendriks. Since the outbreak, the Witnesses have followed up on these requests via letters and phone calls instead of in-person visits.

“Our love for our neighbors is stronger than ever,” said Hendriks. “In fact, I think we have needed each other more than ever. We are finding that people are perplexed, stressed, and feeling isolated. Our work has helped many regain a sense of footing – even normalcy – at a very unsettled time.”

In the past, the Klein family enjoyed visiting the residents of one nursing home in Newark, Delaware. However, when the pandemic brought visitation to a halt, the Klein’s turned to a new way of sharing comfort and hope. “My children have found joy in drawing pictures and sending cards with scriptures to the residents,” related Kristin Klein, of Middletown, Delaware. “It’s helped them to focus on the needs of others and they feel like they’re really making a difference.”

Klein said that one 73-year-old resident, who regularly corresponds with the children through letters, is now attending virtual meetings with a local congregation.

Activities Director Shelly Funk said on citing the impact of their efforts, “Thank you and all the Kingdom Hall friends for your ministry through these times. The residents love getting your cards and letters and it makes them feel loved.”

It was 50 years ago that Nick Lambros, a resident of Frankford, Delaware, started preaching as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Recalling the first door that he and a fellow believer knocked on in 1971, he said, “We spoke with a young mother of several children who was really struggling, and I thought to myself, ‘The Bible can really help you and your family.’ Ever since then, I’ve felt compelled to share Bible truths with people.”

Before the pandemic, Lambros also shared in witnessing by using mobile displays that were set up near the boardwalk entrance to Bethany Beach. “We had some pleasant conversations with the tourists and local residents who walked by,” he said. “It was a very enjoyable ministry to share in.”

Lambros, a widower for the past 12 years, admits the pandemic’s sudden halt to his once active in-person ministry presented a real challenge. But soon, he found the void was filled by writing letters and making phone calls. “When you call someone who is willing to listen, your spirit goes sky high,” he said. “It’s so uplifting.”

Lambros now regularly spends three days a week joining virtual ministry groups over Zoom. Reflecting on the productiveness of the new form of preaching, Lambros said, “We’re now reaching more people in a day than we could before, especially at the peak of summer when beach traffic is heaviest. There were times we were stuck in traffic for up to 45 minutes.”

Witnesses have also made a concerted effort to check on distant friends and family—sometimes texting links to Bible-based articles on jw.org that cover timely topics, such as isolation, depression, and how to beat pandemic fatigue.

“Former Bible students have started studying again,” said Tony Fowler, who helps organize the ministry in the northern portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

“Colleagues at work have now started to show interest. Some have started Bible studies with family members who showed very little interest before the pandemic.”

Joseph Castano has been reaching out to individuals in the regions of northern Virginia and nearby parts of West Virginia who had stopped associating with fellow Witnesses. “The pandemic has reignited their spirituality,” he said, adding that many are attending virtual meetings with some sharing in telephone witnessing and letter writing even after decades of inactivity. “It’s been pretty outstanding,” he said.

Shipley, Fowler, and Castano report about a 20 percent increase in online meeting attendance. But perhaps the most significant growth is in an area that cannot be measured by numbers.

“I think we’ve grown as a people,” Fowler said. “We’ve grown in appreciation for other avenues of the ministry, our love for our neighbor, and love for one another. We’re a stronger people because of all of this, and that’s a beautiful thing to see.”

For more information on the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses, visit their website jw.org, with content available in over 1,000 languages.