I Was a Teenage Door Knocker: A story about a teenage Jehovah's Witness

by Jonathan Burger

Imagine you're a teenager and forced to knock on doors when you'd rather be watching cartoons or playing with friends. Now. Imagine it's a classmate who answers the door, and you have to tell them about Jehovah with your Mom standing behind you. In this funny coming-of-age story you'll get a first hand account of what being a teenage Jehovah's Witness is like.

Jonathan is 17 and just like any other teenager, except for one he's forced to be a Jehovah's Witness. Follow Jonathan on his journey as he deals with religious leaders, an overzealous Mom, puberty, and his first crush. Set in the 90s, Jonathan and his best friend scheme to have fun and go to a No Doubt concert before the Summer ends. However, they'll have to deal with a religion and adults who are out to stop them.

No AI was used in the writing of this book!

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 28, 2024

Reviews

[Masha Milutinovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a charming and unexpectedly insightful read. The story captures the voice of a Jehovah’s Witness teenager with so much wit, warmth, and honesty that it’s hard to stop reading. It manages to be genuinely funny while also offering a thoughtful glimpse into what it might feel like to grow up within that world, balancing faith, curiosity, and the universal awkwardness of being a teenager.

What I appreciated most was how wholesome and human the story felt. The humor never felt mean-spirited; instead, it highlighted the character’s innocence, self-reflection, and gradual understanding of the world around them. It’s both lighthearted and quietly meaningful.

A really enjoyable read that left me smiling, and a refreshing perspective on a life experience many readers may not be familiar with.

[Staci Grimes]

Literary quality: not excellent

Relatability for anyone raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses: EXCELLENT

Simple storytelling through the lens of a JW teen living out a summer while grappling with the tensions inherent in developing reason and individuality alongside maintaining status quo in a family adhering to the rigid framework of this religion.

I'm going to recommend that everyone in my life who wants to better understand my beginnings read this book. How so many of us could have experienced such a cookie cutter existence is probably a tribute to the amount of control this organization has over its members.

Want to define the lingo? Read this book. Want to know why I was never around in the evenings? Read this book. Want to develop empathy for the teenage door knockers who visit your house while you're running to close blinds and turn off the TV? Read this book.

[SummerLilyEve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book explaining what it’s like to grow up as a Jehovahs Witness. Highly recommend!!!

[Hayley Shuttleworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew that I would relate to this book, having also been a teenage door knocker, but Jonathan writes it in a way that anyone that reads it will understand and empathise with the teenager that's struggling with balancing expectations from his parents and congregation against enjoying time with his friends and girlfriend. There were moments that made me laugh, that made me sad, that gave me extreme second hand embarrasment, but more than anything made me so glad that I no longer have to go knocking on doors.

[Katia Lebeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who was also a teenage Jehovah’s Witness in the 1990s, the author captured the strange, often isolating duality of growing up in a world that looked normal on the outside but had such rigid spiritual expectations behind closed doors. The long summer days, the awkwardness of trying to balance teenage feelings with the quiet rebellion that simmers beneath the surface, all of it rang true. If you were ever a JW teen, or just want to understand what that life was like from the inside, this book is honest, and deeply nostalgic in the most bittersweet way.

[Samuel Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought back so many memories, some bad, some good. It goes into detail about what a real teenager that is forced to be a Jehovah’s Witness goes through on a daily basis. Really good read. I enjoyed it a lot. Recommend if you are interested in wanting to know more about what a teenager goes through as a Jehovah’s witness. He had many experiences that I had while door knocking. Being afraid running into your school mates while knocking on doors. Really good read.

[Juan Venegas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always loved coming-of-age stories and young people figuring themselves out as they step into adulthood. What I hadn’t seen so far was a take of Jehova’s Witness teenagers. This novel gives you a great glimpse of the community: the rituals, the teachings, and the journey witnesses go through. This is balanced with some fun crazy teenagers who try to honour their own feelings and wishes. An endearing, compelling story!

[Correen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting look into what it was like growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness. The story is told with humor and honesty, and you can tell the author put a lot of heart into it. The scene about trying to go to a No Doubt concert really captured the tension between wanting freedom and living under strict rules.