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The Jehovah's Witnesses Revival Movement

After the period called the “Great Lutheran Reformation,” believers who rejected the dogma of the Trinity as unbiblical and other basic Catholic teachings that proved to be unbiblical were called under the generic term “Anabaptists.” They were severely persecuted by both Catholics and Protestants and put to death because they rejected dogmas such as the Trinity, infant baptism, the worship of saints, and the immortality of the soul. They later split into several branches, one of which was called the “Old Baptists.” Over time, they formed themselves under the name of the “Christian Connection.” A leading member of their group, a former officer in the United States Army named William Miller, launched the movement that came to be called “Adventism” (meaning “waiting”). They later split into several branches, one of which was called the Advent Christian Church.

After the Advent Christian Church split into several branches, a former pastor of this church, Charles Taze Russell, founded with his Adventist Christian associates the "Heralds of the Millennial Dawn" movement, which later took the name "International Bible Students". After Pastor Russell's death, the movement split into several branches, one of which took the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" in 1931. Since the International Bible Students Movement also had teachings of Masonic origins, the president of the new movement, Joseph Franklin Rutherford, advised by Roy Goodrich, purged the movement of all these elements. When World War II broke out, the Witnesses believed that Nazi Germany and its allies would win the war, followed by terrible persecution and then Armageddon. Because of this, they advised the youth not to get married until after Armageddon, but to devote all their energy to Jehovah’s work and to exposing false religion.

As history shows, this has never happened before, which has led to some questions: “Where did we go wrong in interpreting the prophecies?”

Brother Roy Goodrich, who was the "right hand" of Brother Rutherford, and Jesse Hemery, who was the vice president of the Watch Tower Society, proposed drastic changes in their interpretation, to which the president of the WBTS, Nathan Knorr, opposed, changing only the chronology, which now led to the year 1975. As tensions between the leaders increased, Knorr made the radical decision to excommunicate all those who opposed him and their new vision of the year 1975. Thus, the leaders who wanted the change were no longer allowed to speak at the conventions and were even rudely thrown out, being rudely mocked and having their luggage thrown after them. After this event, the brothers who were expelled held separate conventions in different countries, not wanting to participate in the 1975 adventure. Then Knorr, being a good organizer and flattered by his international achievements, misadvised by Frederick Franz, made the unwise decision to launch the 1975 campaign publicly, which cost him his health after this resounding failure (having a stroke after 1975).

After the failure of 1975 passed, some of the leaders, such as Ed Dunlop and others, embraced the proposals made by leaders Roy Goodrich and Jesse Hemery, but were excluded by Frederick Franz, who became the head of STV. To avoid the same fate, some of the leaders had to work cautiously, creating the "Jehovah's Witnesses Revival Movement", at that time with at least one very elderly member of the Governing Body.

The Jehovah's Witnesses Revival Movement

Fundamental Beliefs and Differences from the Current Watchtower Line

The fundamental beliefs are essentially the same (no Trinity, no hell, importance of Jehovah's Name, earthly paradise), but we reject:

We believe that each congregation should be able to elect its own elders, rejecting central control.

We reject the claim that in 1919 Christ chose the governing body as His "special" spokesman (or that C.T. Russell was some kind of conduit).

Respecting (and encouraging) the heavenly calling for all who want it, without making them a “superior class” over those who desire an earthly hope. God will actually choose to put each one in his proper place. Regardless of calling, all have one law now, the law of the Christ, and each is obligated to observe it, this being the requirement of a new life, from Jehovah God.

We reject certain doctrines and embrace only those that align with Scripture.

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The echo of this movement has also reached Eastern Europe, after the opening in 1989, and now many brothers and sisters sympathize with this movement of spiritual renewal, waiting for things to be better organized.

Br. Dinu, Holland, dinorarenovatie@gmail.com

For Romanians and Hungarians

Br. Jani, debuzaprojects@yahoo.com

0748073132

https://www.facebook.com/janos.takacs.16547008