Worldwide peak publishers fell from 2,248,390 (1976 service year) to 2,223,538 (1977) and 2,182,341 (1978); the 1979 Yearbook reported an 'overall 1.4-percent decrease' in average publishers (2,086,698 v 2,117,194) and that 'others became inactive'. The 1977 Yearbook had already noted about 16,000 fewer pioneers and 23 million fewer hours than in 1975. The 1980 Yearbook reports increases in 1979 'though not large' in lands such as the United States and Great Britain, and an upswing in Nigeria and the Philippines 'after a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands'.
Claim ID claim-predictions-1976-1978-publisher-declineConcerns 1978Outcome
The organisation’s position or later explanation: The yearbooks attribute the decline to 'various factors' and to some not reporting each month; Proclaimers p.633 says 'the number who defected was relatively small'.
1977 · p.23 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“This year there was a peak of 2,248,390 Kingdom publishers ... In 1975 the peak was 2,179,256. ... the hours were fewer, namely, 359,258,019 hours, to compare with 382,296,208 ... There are not as many pioneer publishers as the year before—114,026 ... to compare with 130,225”
Notes 'some 16,000 fewer pioneers' and that 'some publishers ... did not spend as much time in the field service as formerly'.
1979 · p.23 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“There has been an overall 1.4-percent decrease in the number of Kingdom publishers. ... there were 2,086,698, on the average, who shared in making known the 'good news' compared with 2,117,194 the year before. The peak number of publishers came to 2,182,341, which is also below that of last year.”
Adds: 'a number did not share in giving a witness each month, and others became inactive.'
1980 · pp.11-12 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“After a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands, recent months have seen a definite upswing. ... It was also happifying to see increases this year, though not large, in such lands as the United States and Great Britain.”
The sentence concerns Nigeria and the Philippines ('the reports from such lands as Nigeria and the Philippines. After a few years of decreases in the number of Witnesses in these lands, recent months have seen a definite upswing'), and the following sentence concerns the United States and Great Britain; it is not a worldwide statement and the narrative gives no worldwide peak figure.
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-predictions-1976-1978-publisher-decline/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.