How Jehovah's Witnesses got street smart: Believers swap infamous doorstepping for standing outside train stations and shops



Religious movement founded in U.S. became famous for knocking on doors

They once drove cars with loudhailers and wore large sandwich boards



But now thousands of followers are taking to public 'pitches' for long shifts



Tactic launched in 13 British cities including London, Cardiff and Edinburgh

Followers admit nowadays people are rarely at home during the day

Changing times: Famous for going door-to-door, Jehovah's Witnesses have taken to the streets

It's a practice that's been the butt of jokes for decades: a pair of Jehovah's Witnesses turning up suited and booted on your doorstep.

But the days of the 140-year-old religious order's members trudging door-to-door in the rain could soon be numbered.

Thousands have switched tactics to stand on street corners in more than a dozen cities across Britain - and unusually for public preachers, they are staying almost completely silent.

Leaders believe it is a better tactic in modern Britain, where people do not like being approached directly and prefer browsing as if in a shop.

Three years after the same tactic was introduced in New York, witnesses have been standing on pavements in at least 13 cities across Britain and handing out tens of thousands of magazines.

Unl ike other evangelical preachers, they do not shout or call attention to themselves - instead standing in near-silence until someone approaches them.

'I guess that's just not our style,' said Mark O'Malley, a spokesman for the Jehovah's Witnesses at their London headquarters.

'We have used inventive approaches down the years. We used "sound cars" in the 1930s which would relay lectures in the street from megaphones on the roof.

'Radio was used a lot later on and our members wore placards and sandwich boards. But now it's more organised, particularly in larger cities where there's tremendous footfall.

'I think this method is effective because it allows individuals to take the initiative rather than us approaching them.

'People find certain approaches more appealing to them. If you go into a shop some people prefer to browse and then at the right time they'll be asked if they'd like some help.'

Jokes: There are 8million members of the movement around the world, but they often have front doors slammed in their faces. Leaders say door-to-door work will continue but people are often not at home

Grump y commuters already sp end their time batting away free newspapers, mag azines, leaflet s and charity collectors - but Mr O'Malley said: 'People tell us that for them, they prefer that approach. Other cultures are similar.'

Some former believers claim door-to-door preaching - which has been widely parodied for de cades - is unpopular with members who earn a hostile reception on the doorstep.

Former member of 14 years Scott Terry, who wrote The Truth: How a Gay Child Was Saved from Religion, said hitting the streets could be the only way to 'clock up' enough hours of service.



He said: 'Jehovah's Witnesses require a certain amount of "field service," or time spent recruiting, in order to maintain their standing in the congregation.

'Anyone who does not fulfill those requirements will receive admonishment from the elders, and could also be considered "inactive". There is a tremendous amount of pressure within the congregation to fulfill the hourly requirement.'

Print run: The organisation wants to build a new headquarters the size of seven football pitches near Chelmsford, Essex, which could print 184,000 copies an hour of magazines such as The Watchtower

Mr O' Mall ey insisted 'nothing's changed' with the movement's stance on doorstepping, which still takes place.

But he admitted: 'We find a lot of people might not be home, especially during the week.

'People we might not find door-to-door, we find in the street.'

The new recruits in the street include 1,000 in London alone, with others in Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield. There are also street 'Witnesses' in Dublin, Ireland.



Media-savvy: Leaders are now analysing which themes shift the most magazines

They come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and more are women than men, but Mr O'Malley said this was because many believers have husbands who work full-time.

The move men t was founded in the 18 7 0s by Charles Taze Russell, a Presbyterian from P ittsburgh, Pen nsylvania, and now has around 8million members.

They adopted the name Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931 to reflect the fact that they believe only in direct worship to God (Jehovah) and not the traditional Christian Trinity of 'father, son and Holy Spirit'.

Certain beliefs - including refusal to salute flags, fight in armed services or accept blood transfusions, even for children - have brought 'Witnesses' in to direct conflict with governments.

They are also not accepted as a doctrine by mainstream Christianity and former members such as Mr Terry claim they are like a 'cult'.



But the organisation presides over vast numbers of members worldwide and millions of pounds in funding.

Next month 50,000 believers will descend on Twickenham stadium in south west London for a convention in more than a dozen languages.

And in January, the global movement announced its plans to open a new British headquarters the size of seven football pitches on the outskirts of Chelmsford, Essex.

If built the centre could provide a base for 800 believers, several acres of gardens and a printing room capable of churning out 184,000 magazines every hour.

Jehovah's Witnesses - whose celebrity members include the singer Prince and tennis champion sisters Serena and Venus Williams - are also becoming more media-savvy.

Leaders say the May issue of Awake!, their main magazine alongside The Watchtower, shifted record numbers because it was themed around stress, a general topic with which everyone could connect.

