Counsel and guidance

Counsel and guidance

## Personal counsel

Congregation elders may offer counsel in privileged settings, with the opportunity for the member to confess wrongdoing. If counsel is not accepted, congregational responsibilities may be withheld or restricted, and elders may present a talk to the congregation about the type of behavior, without naming the individual. This is intended to alert other members already aware of the individual's conduct to limit social interaction with that person.
*Counsel* may be given in situations involving actions that are considered inappropriate but are not considered to be of sufficient gravity to necessitate a judicial committee. Counsel may be provided by a mature Witness in addition to self-discipline and family discipline. Elders may also give recommendations or warnings to members in non-judicial situations.

### Shepherding callsedit

Personal "shepherding visits" are intended to encourage members of the congregation, though may also include counsel and correction, then or on a subsequent visit. Two elders (or an elder and a ministerial servant) may schedule and perform a particular shepherding visit on their own or at the direction of the body of elders.

### Withheld "privileges"edit

An active Jehovah's Witness may have their congregational "privileges of service" limited, even without having committed a serious sin. While Witnesses sometimes refer to field ministry, after-meeting cleanup, and other responsibilities as "privileges", the term "privileges of service" often implies a specific range of assignments assisting elders and ministerial servants with meeting demonstrations and other responsibilities. Such limitations are usually temporary.
Elders, ministerial servants, pioneers, or other appointed Witnesses can lose their "special privileges of service". For example, an elder may be removed or choose to step aside voluntarily from his position if members of his household are not in "good standing". After resignation or removal from an appointed position, an announcement is made during the congregation's Service Meeting indicating that the person is "no longer serving [in that capacity]", without elaboration.

### Withheld recommendations or assignments

The body of elders may withhold its recommendation for a member to serve in a new position of responsibility, though still permitting existing responsibilities.

### Marking

Members who persist in a course considered scripturally wrong after repeated counsel by elders, but who are not considered guilty of something for which they could be disfellowshipped, can be "marked", based on Jehovah's Witnesses' interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15 (NWT): "14 But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked and stop associating with him, so that he may become ashamed. 15 And yet do not consider him an enemy, but continue admonishing him as a brother." Actions for which an individual may be "marked" include dating a non-member, dating when not "scripturally" or legally free to marry, being lazy, critical, or dirty, meddling, taking material advantage of others or indulging in "improper" entertainment. "Marking" is indicated by means of a warning talk given to the congregation outlining the shameful course, without explicitly naming any particular individual. Members who know whose actions are being discussed may then consider the individual "marked". Though not shunned, "marked" individuals are looked upon as "bad association" and social interaction outside of formal worship settings is generally curtailed. This action is intended to "shame" the person into following a particular course of action.

### Local needs

At conventions and assemblies, and about once each month at a local midweek meeting, a short talk regarding "local needs" is presented. An elder addresses matters that are relevant to the local congregation, with instructions outlining the course of action considered appropriate. No specific individuals are identified during the talk, but the talk may relate to a matter for which a member has recently been "reproved". At times, some temporary policy may be announced that might be seen as disciplinary; for example, it may be that an additional attendant is assigned outside a Kingdom Hall to discourage children from running on the sidewalk.