Witnesses Knocking on Doors Again

Jehovah’s Witnesses will resume their trademark door-to-door ministry beginning September 1 when a two-and-half-year suspension of the work is officially lifted, just in time to begin a global campaign featuring a new interactive Bible study program.

The decision to resume their door-to-door ministry marks the complete restoration of all pre-pandemic in-person activities for the 1.3 million Jehovah’s Witnesses in the 13,000 congregations in the United States. Houses of worship (called Kingdom Halls) were reopened April 1, witnessing in public places resumed May 31 and in-person conventions are once again being planned for 2023.

“I can’t wait!” said Chase Gardner of Louisville, Kentucky, who will be returning to the door-to-door ministry in September. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 months, so to get back makes us all very excited. The reason we go door-to-door is because we love people, and we want to help them. People want some comfort.”

“I feel the same way,” said his wife, Megan. “It’s been so long, but it’s going to be exciting to talk with people face-to-face again. We’re able to get to know our community better and understand what they’re going through.”

The suspension of the public ministry was a proactive response by the organization to keep communities and congregants safe. The move was also unprecedented. Jehovah’s Witnesses had been preaching from house to house without interruption for more than 100 years through an economic depression, two world wars and global unrest. But COVID-19 demanded a different response.

“We believe that the early decision to shut down all in-person activities for more than two years has saved many lives,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “We’re now ready and eager to reconnect with our neighbors once again – person to person, face to face. It’s not the only way that we preach, but it has historically been the most effective way to deliver our message of comfort and hope.”

The move coincides with a global campaign to distribute a new interactive Bible study program available in hundreds of languages at no cost. The program comes in the form of a book, online publication or as an embedded feature within the organization’s free mobile application, JW Library. Released in late 2020, the interactive study platform combines text, video, illustrations and digital worksheets to help learners of all ages.

“This new study program is designed to match the learning needs of the 21st-century student,” said Hendriks. “We’re excited to begin sharing it with our neighbors as we return to making personal visits.”

The pandemic forced Jehovah’s Witnesses to quickly pivot to virtual meetings and conventions, while conducting their ministry exclusively through letters, phone calls and virtual Bible studies. This has led to growth in meeting attendance and the number of congregants, with more than 400,000 newly baptized witnesses joining the ranks of 120,000 congregations globally in just the first two years of the pandemic.

During the pandemic, Chase and Megan were working at their family's business. “One day a woman came in to buy some things for a Memorial Garden for her husband who had passed away,” Megan said. Feeling sympathy for her customer, Megan briefly mentioned that the Bible gives comfort and shared the free website jw.org.

“The woman said she had recently received a letter from Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Chase added, “She was so excited that someone took the time to write to her…I can’t believe how many people have shown appreciation for our virtual ministry.”

For more information about Jehovah’s Witnesses, their history, beliefs and activities, visit their official website, jw.org, with content available in more than 1,000 languages.