Questions to reflect on

- What is a shepherding visit?

- Who makes such a visit?

- How often does that happen?

- Why would an elder want to know how you’re doing?

- Can little participation in the field ministry be a reason for a conversation?

- Can a visit take place because an elder has heard something about you?

- Do you always know in advance why elders are coming?

- Are you supposed to follow their counsel?

- What happens to the personal information you share?

- How much room do you have to come to a different conclusion yourself?

Familiar questions

    What is a shepherding visit?

    A shepherding visit within Jehovah’s Witnesses is a conversation in which elders give personal spiritual attention to a member of the congregation or a family.
    The term refers to the Biblical image of elders as shepherds caring for the flock. According to Jehovah’s Witnesses, the purpose is to encourage congregation members, strengthen them, and, where needed, provide spiritual help or counsel.
    So such a visit does not automatically mean that someone has done something wrong. An elder may simply say:
    ‘We’d like to know how you’re doing.’
    And that can genuinely be the reason.

    Who looks after the people in a field service group?

    A congregation is divided for preaching into field service groups. Such a group is normally assigned an elder as group overseer.
    His responsibility goes beyond organizing the preaching. He is expected to take an interest in the spiritual and practical needs of the people in his group, try to get to know them, work with them in the preaching, and offer spiritual support where needed.
    Personal help and encouragement are therefore part of his shepherding responsibility.

    How often does a shepherding visit happen?

    There is no simple rule such as:
    ‘Every congregation member must be visited exactly once a year.’
    A group overseer is expected to show regular interest in the people in his group and to arrange periodic shepherding care.
    The main principle is therefore ongoing attention and extra care when there seems to be a need for it.

    Group overseer and service overseer are not the same

    These roles are easily confused.
    The group overseer pays particular attention to the people assigned to his own field service group.
    The service overseer has broader responsibility for the preaching in the whole congregation and visits different field service groups.
    A visit from the service overseer to a field service group is therefore not the same as a personal shepherding visit to a congregation member or family.

    What can a shepherding visit be about?

    The subjects can vary greatly. Someone may be ill, have lost a loved one, be experiencing problems in their marriage, be discouraged, attend fewer meetings, take little part in the preaching, or have doubts about their faith.
    Sometimes the congregation member asks for help. Sometimes elders notice something and take the initiative.
    A shepherding visit can therefore be supportive, preventive, or corrective, depending on the situation.

    The field service can also be a reason

    A group overseer also has responsibility for the people in his group with regard to the preaching.
    When someone hardly participates in the field ministry anymore, that may come up in a conversation. Maybe illness, fatigue, work, family, uncertainty, mental health issues, or doubts of faith are involved.
    From the elder’s perspective, the thought may be:
    ‘We’re seeing you less in the field ministry. Are you doing okay, and can we help you with anything?’
    For the congregation member, the same conversation may feel like:
    ‘Apparently it’s being noticed that I’m less active.’
    Both experiences can exist at the same time.
    Since November 2023, regular publishers no longer report how many hours they preach. In principle, they indicate whether they participated in preaching that month. Elders can therefore no longer simply see from an hours report that someone is putting in fewer hours, but of course they can still notice that someone hardly goes out anymore or has been less active for a long time. Pasted markdown

    Care, encouragement, and oversight can overlap

    Within the structure of Jehovah’s Witnesses, interest in a person’s spiritual activity is part of shepherding care.
    An elder may be genuinely concerned and want to help. At the same time, a congregation member may feel that what is also being looked at is how active they still are and what choices they are making.
    That does not have to be an accusation against the elder.
    It does explain why the same visit can be experienced differently by two people.

    A visit can also have a specific reason

    An elder may have seen or heard something that caused him concern.
    That does not immediately have to be about a serious sin. It may also involve conduct he thinks is unwise, does not set a good example, or may not align with Bible principles.
    For the congregation member, it can be surprising when only during the visit it becomes clear that behind:
    ‘How are you all doing?’
    there is also a specific reason.

    An example: something a child said

    A sister in a congregation had a seven-year-old son. An elder had gone out in the field service with him. During a conversation, the child spontaneously mentioned that his parents’ friends sometimes stayed the night with them.
    The elder asked whether these friends were married to each other. They were not. Incidentally, they were also not living together.
    Later, the same elder visited the family at home. He had gathered information and Bible texts and prepared about two pages of advice about the example parents set for their children.
    What the couple understood from the conversation was that letting an unmarried couple stay overnight would not be a good example for their children.
    The friends lived about two hundred kilometers away. After the conversation, the parents decided they could no longer sleep over at their home, and from then on the friends booked a bed and breakfast. Marked markdown

    The same event from two perspectives

    From the elder’s perspective, his thought may have been:
    ‘These parents may not realize what example this sets for their children. I want to help them with that from the Bible.’
    For the woman, the same conversation meant:
    ‘Something my seven-year-old son said spontaneously during field service led to advice about what we adults could allow friends in our own home.’
    Both perspectives can coexist.
    That is why it is useful to distinguish between the purpose of the counsel and its effect on the person receiving it.

    Children can also receive personal attention

    Elders can show interest in the spiritual development of children and young people.
    That can be experienced very positively. A child giving a first talk, accompanying others in the preaching work, or becoming an unbaptized publisher can receive compliments and personal encouragement.
    In the same family, for example, the children received cards from the elder when they made spiritual progress. These might say that a child was becoming a ‘fine brother’.
    For a child, such recognition can mean a lot:
    a respected adult sees me and is pleased with what I do.

    Encouragement also gives direction

    Positive attention is not automatically pressure or manipulation.
    However, children develop partly through appreciation, examples, expectations, and social affirmation.
    When a child receives praise for preaching, giving a talk, or becoming an unbaptized publisher, that can strengthen their religious development.
    From a faith perspective, that is positive: adults are helping a young person build a good relationship with Jehovah.
    Psychologically, one can also ask how much room the child feels they have later if they want to make a different faith choice.
    Genuine encouragement can be meant lovingly and at the same time influence the direction in which someone develops.

    Giving counsel is part of shepherding care

    A shepherding visit is not only about listening. Elders may read Bible texts, discuss publications, encourage someone, or give concrete counsel.
    For an active congregation member, that counsel may be very welcome. Perhaps they had specifically asked for help in understanding what Jehovah expects of them.
    Someone else may experience the same counsel as intrusive when it concerns family, friends, clothing, recreation, relationships, or religious activity.
    The question is therefore not only:
    ‘Was the elder kind?’
    but also:
    ‘What meaning and weight does his counsel have for the person receiving it?’

    Rule, directive, or advice?

    That distinction is important.
    An elder may discuss a clear rule that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe comes directly from the Bible. He may also discuss an organizational guideline or advise how he believes a Bible principle should best be applied.
    Those are not necessarily the same thing.
    So you can ask:
    ‘Is this a clear Bible rule, a guideline from the organization, or your advice on how I should best apply this principle?’
    That question does not have to be a rejection of spiritual guidance. It can actually make clear how much room there is for personal decision-making.

    How free does advice feel?

    Something can formally be advice and still carry a lot of weight because it comes from an elder with spiritual responsibility.
    A congregation member may think:
    ‘If I don’t follow this advice, will the elders still consider me spiritually strong?’
    or:
    ‘Will this affect what responsibilities I’m allowed to have in the congregation?’
    That does not mean every piece of counsel is a hidden obligation.
    It does show that advice from someone with religious authority can feel different from advice from an ordinary acquaintance.

    How confidential is a shepherding conversation?

    Elders are expected to handle personal information carefully.
    But confidential within a religious congregation does not automatically mean that everything you tell one elder will, under all circumstances, stay only between the two of you.
    When information comes up about, for example, serious sin or a matter for which other elders have responsibility, that information may be discussed further according to the applicable procedures.
    So you can ask in advance:
    ‘Will what I tell you stay between us? And when would you need to discuss this with other elders?’
    That way you’ll better understand the boundaries of the conversation. Pasted markdown

    What if a child says something?

    Children sometimes spontaneously tell adults things without realizing what significance adults may attach to them.
    An elder who hears something may, based on his responsibility, decide to discuss it with the parents later.
    That does not mean children should be afraid to speak with elders.
    Still, it is good to remember that an elder remains an elder even in informal contact and may view information from that position of responsibility. Pasted markdown

    A shepherding visit is not a professional counseling session

    Elders receive Bible-based, shepherding, and organizational training.
    However, being an elder does not automatically make someone a psychologist, therapist, doctor, or social worker.
    An elder can listen sincerely, offer practical support, and provide valuable help from a faith-based perspective.
    When problems are mainly psychological, medical, or legal, professional help may also be needed.
    Spiritual and professional support can exist alongside each other.

    It is a responsibility for elders too

    Many elders combine their congregation duties with work, a spouse, children, their own preaching, meetings, and other responsibilities.
    In addition, a group overseer tries to know the people in his group and to notice when someone may need extra help.
    A good shepherding conversation requires preparation and time. Sometimes one conversation is not enough.
    That does not mean a busy elder is less careful, but it does mean that his time and capacity are limited too.

    What if the visit turns out to have a different reason?

    If you thought the elders were only coming to ask how you are doing and during the conversation it turns out there is a specific concern, you can ask:
    ‘Is there a specific reason for this visit?’
    ‘Have you heard something you want to talk to me about?’
    ‘Is this about something you believe is not allowed, or are you giving me advice?’
    ‘Is my participation in field service being discussed because you’re concerned?’
    ‘What exactly do you expect from me?’
    ‘What happens if I come to a different conclusion myself?’
    That makes it clearer what kind of conversation you are having and what weight the counsel given has.

    Shepherding care from two perspectives

    An active congregation member may experience a shepherding visit as something valuable:
    ‘These elders know me, notice when I’m having a hard time, and take the time to help me.’
    Someone else may experience the same form of care differently:
    ‘They’re not only asking how I’m doing, they’re also looking at my choices and my spiritual activity.’
    And someone may feel both at once:
    ‘I know he cares about me, but I also feel pressure to meet certain expectations.’
    Those experiences are not mutually exclusive.

    Questions to think about

    • Do I know why the elders want to visit me?

    • Is this general encouragement, or is there a specific reason?

    • Is my participation in field service being discussed, and why?

    • Am I asked first why I’m less active before conclusions are drawn?

    • Do I experience the interest as support, as expectation, or as both?

    • Is the counsel based on a Bible principle, an organizational guideline, or a personal application?

    • How much freedom do I feel I have to arrive at a different application myself?

    • Do I know what happens to personal information I share?

    • Can I ask why a certain topic is relevant?

    • If my child tells an elder something, do I understand what may happen with that information?

    • Can I recognize an elder’s good intentions and still think differently about his advice?

    Summary

    A shepherding visit among Jehovah’s Witnesses is intended as personal spiritual care. It may be about illness, grief, discouragement, family situations, questions of faith, or simply interest.
    Less participation in the ministry can also be a reason to ask how someone is doing.
    At the same time, there may be a specific reason. An elder may have heard or seen something he wants to talk about or may want to give Bible-based counsel.
    From the elder’s perspective, care, spiritual responsibility, and upholding religious standards can go together. For the congregation member, support, counsel, expectation, and perceived social pressure can sometimes be harder to distinguish from one another.
    That is why one simple question at the start can bring a lot of clarity:
    ‘It’s nice that you’re showing interest. Is there a specific reason for this visit, or do you just want to hear how we’re doing?’

    Sources and further reading

    Shepherd the Flock of God. Guidelines on group overseers, shepherding care, and field service groups.
    Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will. About elders, field service groups, and shepherding care.
    Jehovah’s Witnesses – How Do Elders Help the Congregation? About the role of elders as spiritual shepherds.
    Watchtower Online Library – publications about shepherding visits and spiritual encouragement. Background on personal spiritual care.
    Jehovah’s Witnesses – information on the change in field service reporting from November 2023. About the current way publishers report participation in the preaching work.
    New World Translation – Acts 20:28; Galatians 6:1; James 5:14, 15; 1 Peter 5:2, 3. Bible texts about shepherding care, help, and responsibility.

    Read also

    Body of elders – When is a serious matter handled by multiple elders?
    Elder – What role, training, and responsibility does an elder have?
    Field service – What place does preaching have in a Jehovah’s Witness’s life?
    Field service group – How is a field service group organized?
    Publisher – What does it mean to be a publisher?
    Confidentiality – What happens to personal information you share with an elder?