PUSH TOWARD A 10-PERCENT INCREASE!

¹ It was foretold for the last days. What? That people from all nations would exalt Jehovah’s worship above the mountains. They do this by coming to the symbolic mountain of Jehovah, the Kingdom arrangement under Christ with the new system of things now being set up on earth. The prophecy foretold: “Many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah.” No selfish flight is this. As they go up to the symbolic mountain, the people say, “Come ye.”—Isa. 2: 3.

• ² With “many peoples” saying “Come ye,” Jehovah’s organization is certain to increase. Kingdom ministers have worked hard. Last year’s report shows it: we had a four-percent increase, and more than a hundred new congregations were formed. This is commendable.

• ³ Now the Society bears in mind your loving labor to forge forward to one of our new service year goals —the 10-percent increase by December’s end. The goal is in sight.

• ⁴ What progress have we made? Good progress. September’s report showed more than 174,000 publishers in the field and 176,470 in October. To reach our 10-percent goal we need 186,819 publishers. That means we need about 12,000 more reporting by December’s end. Is the potential there? Indeed it is.

• ⁵ Where is it to be found? In the many home Bible studies we are conducting. Many good-will persons are sufficiently advanced to be willing to take up the invitation, “Come ye.” By assisting those who have advanced in Kingdom study to be Kingdom ministers this month, we shall push toward our goal.

• ⁶ But not just Bible studies furnish the potential for reaching the goal. There is another source. What about those baptized in the last two years? Are all of them busy ministers in your congregation? During 1955 and 1956 there were 32,878 persons baptized. What was the publisher increase during this same period? We should expect it to be about 32,000. But was it? No, it was just 15,866. What happened to the other 17,000?

• ⁷ The criticalness of the matter is intensified bj this fact: of the 15,866 publisher increase, only 6,960 can be credited to the 1956 service year. Yet during 1956 there were 18,968 baptized. Nearly 12,000 are missing. Here alone, among dedicated persons, is the potential for attaining our goal I

• ⁸ In two years’ time, then, some 32,000 persons have symbolized their dedication by water immersion. Remember, too, that many persons are publishers now but who are not yet baptized. However, from service reports it appears that 17,000 baptized or unbaptized ones are missing. How can we account for this? Have these sheep strayed? Where have they

| OFFER FOR DECEMBER | I Any bound book and booklet for 50c. I I THEME FOR DECEMBER I j Exalting Jehovah’s Worship Above the J | Mountains.—Isaiah 2:2, 3, AS. |

gone? Are some associated with your congregation? If so, what is being done to help them?

Search for the Straying Sheep

• ⁹ What shall we do? In a parable Jesus told of a man who had a hundred sheep; one of them strayed. So he “set out on a search for the one that is straying.” Is this not what we should do? The reason for our concern and earnest endeavor to search for them is, as Jesus said: “It is not a desirable thing with my Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.”—Matt. 18:12-14.

• ¹⁰ We ourselves do not want any of Jehovah’s sheep to perish with the world. So theocratic undershepherds of Jehovah’s Right Shepherd will be alert to “pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock.” All Kingdom ministers, remember that the apostle admonished “keeping an eye, not in personal interest upon just your own matters, but also in personal interest upon those of others.” Take a personal interest in helping the recently dedicated to live up to their vow.—Phil. 2:4.

• ¹¹ Here, then, is our plan of action: Determine yourself to be in the field early this month. Then aid others. Let the assistant congregation servants provide study conductors with a list on the first and the fifteenth of the month. Also this month a special list of those not reporting by December 23 will be given study conductors. Make every effort to help these the last week of December.

• ¹² A good day to put forth special efforts to aid others in Kingdom service will be on Christendom’s Christmas. Each congregation will make this day a special Magazine Day. Have not past results been outstandingly good? This is a time when people, in a festive mood, will often more readily listen to Christ’s kingdom message. And Magazine Day brings results. (See the Yearbook, pp. 95, 96.) Congregations having outstanding results and experiences should report them to the Society.

• ¹³ The holiday season will give many of us opportunity to devote more time than usual in the field. Many young Kingdom ministers will be able to vacation pioneer for two weeks of their school vacation. For house-to-house witnessing during the holiday season the Kingdom sermon, which goes into the matter of Christ and his kingdom, will be most apt.

• ¹⁴ Push, then, toward our goal. We can do it four ways : (1) Arrange to be in field service early in the month; (2) assist newly interested to say, “Come ye” ; (3) give full support to the special Christmas Magazine Day, and (4) set out on. a search for the 17,000 missing sheep. Doing this, we shall forge forward to our goal.

  * Isaiah said: “Here am I; send me.” Do you say that? *

  
  
  
  
  

  Jehovah’s witnesses must be spiritually strong to do spiritual work, and it is spiritual food that will give the strength for the work. The service meeting will be a source of spiritual food if those on the program prepare well. It is not for speakers to exert pressure to get others to preach, but to provide an incentive so that they will want to preach. Be kind. Be under

  
  

  standing. Be tactful. Servants and speakers must be these things if they are going to be truly helpful. Help those at the meeting to get the truth of God in their hearts, then they will be eager to let it come out their mouth in the preaching work. So speakers should use well the time assigned to them, but not use the time assigned to others. Do not go overtime.

  
  

FIRST MEETING IN DECEMBER Theme: Exalting Jehovah’s Worship Above the Mountains.

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on “Exalting Jehovah’s Worship Above the Mountains.” (See “Watchtower,” 12/1/56, p. 720, and 11/15/55, p. 688.)

10 min: Back-call to present material in “Make Sure of All Things”, Judgment Days, p. 219, to Acts 13: 45-48 on p. 221.

15 min: Question-and-answer coverage of “Push Toward a 10-Percent Increase!”

10 min: Service talk outlining ways to reach the 10-percent increase.

10 min: Arrange locally. (Read the letter on pioneering sent with this issue of “Kingdom Ministry.” Also, call attention to the report “We Were Awake During October’”)

SECOND MEETING IN DECEMBER

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk bringing out the points of the pioneer letter read during the previous service meeting.

10 min: Question-and-answer coverage of “Congregation Organization: Better Meeting Attendance.”

25 min: Demonstration: How to improve meeting attendance.

CHAIRMAN (2 min.) Meeting attendance a major weakness. When publisher responsibility and appreciation for attendance is lacking, congregation suffers. Good-will spiritual welfare endangered by publisher’s indifferent attitude toward meeting attendance.

SCENE I (5 min.) Pantomime. At completion of home Bible study. Final paragraph read, prayer offered, publisher leaves in hurry, waving good-by.

Chairman: Have audience pick out weak points and tell how they can be remedied. (Lesson 55 in “Qualified to Be Ministers”)

SCENES II & III (10 min.) Not pantomime. Stranger walks into Kingdom Hall before meeting and asks for “Mr. Promise.” Publisher kindly explains that Br. Promise has not yet arrived. Stranger insists that he promised he would be present, that it was very important. Publisher tries to explain tactfully that something unforeseen may have come up, etc., and invites stranger to a seat. Stranger hesitates, disappointed and obviously dissatisfied, leaves.

Pantomime. New person walks into hall, publishers glance at him, give halfhearted smile and continue private discussion while stranger finds a seat. Nobody speaks to him, many stare though.

Chairman: Have audience pick out weakness in both scenes and tell how they can be overcome. Be ready to fill in if publishers fail to see weak points, such as, introduce self, explaining chart, meeting other friends, show library, explain yeartext, etc.

SCENE IV (2 min.) Publisher with irregular publisher completes work in the field. Publisher agrees to take report slip to Kingdom Hall for irregular publisher. Departs without a word of meeting-attendance encouragement.

Chairman (6 min.) What should publisher have done? (Have audience answer.) In conclusion emphasize need for keener appreciation.—Mal. 1:12; Matt. 18: 20; Acts 2: 42; Heb. 10: 24, 25. 10 min: Arrange locally. (Suggestion: discuss the slogan at the bottom of page 4.)

THIRD MEETING IN DECEMBER 5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on “Yearbook” material on Children Can Praise Jehovah!

The holiday season in December will especially give all youthful ministers many added opportunities to praise Jehovah.

The “Yearbook” tells of a Gold Coast schoolteacher witnessing to more than 80 pupils, over half of whom, in turn, witness to their families and friends. (158) See also report on Dominican Republic about a boy of 15 years who took his stand despite opposition. (131)

That youthful ministers can preach eifectively is seen from two Bermuda lads who placed more than 50 magazines each in a short time on Magazine Day. (73) From Brazil comes the report of two children who are among those giving the best doorstep sermons. (95) And that the witnessing of youthful ministers gets results is to be seen from the report on Peru. (241)

So, you youthful ministers, do not wait to be urged to preach but eagerly make the most of your opportunities. Be like the ten-year-old in Netherlands Antilles, who, of his own accord, went in the magazine work and placed 28 magazines. (214)

15 min: Talk on “Presenting the Good News,” with speaker asking for additional suggestions on introductions from the audience.

20 mln: Demonstration encouraging greater regularity in field.

CHAIRMAN (3 min.) Regular preaching essential to salvation. (Rom. 10:10) Regularity expected of dedicated slaves of Jehovah. His will should occupy first place in their lives. (1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Matt. 6: 33) But what do records show? This: About 75 percent of all publishers are dedicated, but only 65 percent are regular publishers. How can these irregular publishers (35 percent) be helped into service during December and succeeding months? Servants should make definite calls on them. Brothers should be prepared to discuss service obligations from Scriptural viewpoint, pointing out how apostles preached daily, without letup. (Acts 5: 42) Surely one hour a month not too great a burden on an appreciative witness!

SCENE I (6 min.) Sister “Always Busy” at home. Pantomime showing her cleaning house, entertaining company, fussing with children, etc.; but no time left over for service when asked to go. Chairman comments on this activity as pantomime goes on.

. Chairman comments on the Scriptural narrative about Mary and Martha (Luke 10: 38-42) between scene change.

SCENE II (4 min.) A brother who never feels good is called on. Always something wrong with him. Publisher points out he will feel bad whether he stays at home or is out in service. His illness does not keep him away from secular work, why stay away from heavenly Father’s work? Timothy was sick, yet Paul counseled him to be regular in the ministry.—1 Tim. 5:23; 4: 12-14; 2 Tim. 2: 15.

Chairman, while scenes are changing, comments on 2 Timothy 4: 2, preaching “in troublesome season,” illness, etc.

SCENE III (4 min.) Brother or sister “Work Overtime and Too Hard” is next called on. Publisher points out proper to care for family, but devoting all time to old world and none for life not wise. (John 6: 27) Rich young ruler had old-world goods but lost out. —1 John 2: 15-17.

CHAIRMAN (3 min.) Regularity keeps us from becoming inactive or unfruitful; leads to life.—2 Pet. 1: 5-11. 10 min: Arrange locally. (Suggestion: discuss slogan on bottom of page 1.)

FOURTH MEETING IN DECEMBER

5 min: Welcome, text, comments.

10 min: Talk on the Christian requirement of baptism, supporting this theme with “Yearbook” experiences.

There are many publishers who have not as yet symbolized their dedication by water immersion. Why? To all such we say, as did Ananias to Saul of Tarsus: “Why are you delaying? Rise, get baptized.”

The “Yearbook” shows that zeal for service and promptness in getting baptized go hand in hand. Thus a Guatemalan was baptized after studying only one month. (166) In Turkey fifteen were baptized after they had studied only from four to ten months. (163)

You have opposition? It can be overcome, as three sisters in Ecuador showed. (134) Parents can prepare their children for this step by having them hear baptismal talks and observe the immersion, as did an Aruban mother. (215) Baptismal ceremonies also serve as a real witness, as seen in French Equatorial Africa, where the baptism of 46 was witnessed by 1,153, mostly outsiders. (74) And bear this in mind: It might be said that one is not truly a brother until he has been baptized, as noted in the report from El Salvador. (139)

10 min: Audience to ask questions that can be answered with scriptures in “Make Sure of All Things”, and group of three or four persons on platform are to answer with the right scriptures. The material to be covered is p. 221, “Christ Jesus Thoroughly Qualified as Judge,” to James 2: 13 on p. 223. However, questions should not require as an answer scriptures cited but not quoted.

10 min: Question-and-answer coverage of “Can You Serve Where the Need Is Great?”

15 min: Talk by school servant on the 1957 ministry school schedule and instruction sheet and “New Reviews for Ministry School.”

10 min; Arrange locally.

CONGREGATION

Better Meeting Attendance

• ¹ Our second goal for 1957 is better meeting attendance. That it can and should be better than it was during 1956 is clear from the records: Only 62 percent of publishers attended the theocratic ministry school; 63 percent the service meeting; 68 percent the congregational book study and 72 percent the Watchtower study.

• ² So again it is fitting that we call attention to Hebrews 10:25. And note, “all the more so as you behold the day drawing near.” If that was true in Paul’s day, how much more force does it have in our day!

• ³ Paul’s argument at 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, is also very much to the point. “The head cannot say to the feet: ‘I have no need of you.’ ” If we neglect meeting attendance we are actually saying in our hearts, “I have no need of my brothers.”

• ⁴ How can we realize our goal of better meeting attendance for 1957? First of all, by each one of us reminding himself of the importance of attending our meetings. Secondly, by budgeting our time to make room in our busy schedules for all congregational meetings, and then by following through, not allowing minor circumstances to make exceptions. Seldom is the weather so severe as to

Special Venue Memorandum

For congregation files there accompanies this Kingdom Ministry a printed Special Venue Memorandum. Each publisher with a draft classification of 1-0 may obtain a copy by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope to Hayden C. Covington, 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn 1, N.Y.

Publications Now Available

“Let God Be True” (2d Ed.)

—Pampango

Basis for Belief in a New World —Portuguese

Service Report Revised

Please note that the monthly service report has been revised, starting with this issue of Kingdom Ministry. A new column has been added to show the average placement of magazines by congregation publishers and pioneers. The new Yearbook shows a big increase in magazine distribution during the past year, and it is expected that the year ahead will have an even bigger increase. The new factory is ready to produce more. Are you ready to place more? The magazine quota for congregation publishers is nine a month, for regular and vacation pioneers it is ninety a month, and for special pioneers it is 110 a month.

ORGANIZATION

make it impossible for us to attend, yet bad weather nearly always does cut down meeting attendance.

• ⁵ Work hard at making meeting attendance a regular habit and you will just take it for granted that on meeting nights you go to the meetings ! Have the mental attitude David had when he said: “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go unto the house of Jehovah.”—Ps. 122:1, AS.

• ⁶ Then by words and by setting a good example we should encourage others also to be regular in meeting attendance. The servants have a special obligation to be in their seats during the meetings, not caring for their duties in the back of the hall or in the next room.

• ⁷ Paul wrote the Roman Christians that he longed to see them so “that there may be an interchange of encouragement among you, by each one through the other’s faith, both yours and mine.” (Rom. 1:11, 12) In addition to making public declaration we can encourage one another simply by a warm, friendly and loving attitude, making them glad they came and that we were present. By all such means we can realize our second goal for 1957, bettek meeting ATTENDANCE.

Letters on Pioneering

For each month from December through April the Society will send a special letter on pioneering to the congregations. These letters will be scheduled for both reading and discussing on service meetings. It is hoped that by the end of April many congregation publishers will have joined the pioneer ranks.

Income Tax Deductions

For congregation files and for the use of all publishers in the congregation who must file income tax returns there is sent with this Kingdom Ministry a memorandum by Brother Covington, together with a ruling by the federal government on income tax deductions allowed. The congregation servant should keep it as a permanent congregation record.

Can You Serve Where the Need Is Great?

• ¹ “Yes, the harvest is great,” said Jesus, “but the workers are few.” Especially is this true with many small congregations. Here the need for more harvest workers is very great. Some of these congregations have considerable territory that is not regularly worked. Other sheep are there. So like the man in the apostle’s vision, our brothers in these congregations are crying out: “Step over into Macedonia and help us.” Who can respond to the call? Who can serve where the need is great? —Acts 16:19.

• ² Pioneers—can you? Some pioneers, now serving in large cities, may be able to go to a city where the congregation needs help. But not only pioneers can respond to the call I Who else? Congregation publishers ! Some of them could work in one city as well as another. They could move to a city where the need is much greater than in the city in which they now live. Yes, many congregation publishers may be able to “step over into Macedonia,” as it were, and aid the brothers who are begging “the master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”

• ³ Where is the need greatest? Following is a list of some of the congregations: Andalusia, Ala. (colored) ; Bismarck, Ark.; Ovid, Colo.; Dublin, Ga. (colored) ; Adel, Ga. (colored); Newell, Iowa; Abilene, Kans.; Atchison, Kans.; Quenemo, Kans.; Wellington, Kans.; Cullen, La.; Marion, La.; Ruston, La. (East Unit); Sondheimer, La.; Houlton, Maine; Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Cor-, inth, Miss, (colored) ; Greenwood, Miss.; Malta, Mont.; Oxford, N.C.; Eckelson, N. Dak.; Kathryn, N. Dak.; Hamilton, N.Y.; Ardmore, Okla.; Eufaula,Okla.; Slapout, Okla.; Warner, Okla.; Lock Haven, Pa.; Towanda, Pa.; Gaffney, S.C.; Huron, S. Dak.; Rapid City, S. Dak.; Athens, Tex.; Fredericksburg, Tex.; Fort Stockton, Tex,; Hillsboro, Tex.; Delta, Utah; Rutland, Vt.; Waitsfield, Vt.; Williamson, W. Va.

• ⁴ Prayerfully consider whether you can aid these congregations, your “fellow workers for the kingdom of God.” Those brothers who go to these cities may be used in the congregation as servants as the need exists. Brothers, however, should not go with the idea of becoming congregation servant.

• ⁵ Can you serve where “the workers are few,” where the need is great? If you can, unusually rich blessings are in store for you as you push ahead in this grand work of | serving under Jehovah’s direction.

  
  
  

With Appropriate Introductions

• ¹ It might be said that the first thirty seconds we spend with the householder at the doorstep are the most crucial. It is therefore very necessary, if we would thoroughly accomplish our ministry, that we make those thirty seconds count.

• ² Those of radically different religions should be approached differently. “We are Christian ministers calling to encourage Bible study” may be fitting for Protestants but not for Jews or Catholics. “We have some very good news about the new world of righteousness long ago foretold by the Hebrew prophets” would be especially fitting for Jews. “We are bringing you and your neighbors some interesting facts regarding the kingdom that Jesus taught us to pray for” would be appropriate for Catholics. Usually a neighborhood has a preponderance of one or the other of these groups; or, then again, the name plate on the door may help one to determine the type of introduction to use.

• ³ With the holidays coming on, our introductions should take note of these. Bor example: “At the present time most people seem to be thinking about the birth of Jesus, but did you

We Were Awake During October!

• ¹ The October Kinndom Ministry stressed a wide-awake approach to the Awake! campaign. We. accepted its recommendations, applied its instructions, recognized the magazine’s real purpose, made clear presentations, interested the householders and enjoyed a most successful campaign !

• ² The results of this good work were shown in the final total of 168,-286 subscriptions obtained during the month—15,256 more than last year! Special pioneers averaged nine, regular pioneers well over seven, vacation pioneers a little over six, and congregation publishers .7. These are joyful results of intensive activity.

• ³ But remember, A wake! does not replace The Watchtower or other publications. Instead, it serves as a bridge for further spiritual advancement. We must now follow up October’s activity with back-calls and Bible studies. know that the birth of his kingdom is also of great importance?” “Today we hear much about the birth of Jesus. Beautiful and thrilling as its story is did you know that the news about God’s kingdom is also beautiful and thrilling? It is his being King in that kingdom that will mean life to those that want it.” Or, “We hear much about ‘peace on earth to men of good will,’ but all nations are preparing for war. Can we know for certain when and how peace on earth will come?”

• ⁴ Both the December 15 issue of The Watchtower and the December 22 issue of Awake! will have articles relating to Christmas. In your magazine work mention these titles, tie them in to Christmas and then tell the householder you are leaving the two magazines on a small contribution of ten cents.

Hfor JanuaryI subscription for one i sooklet “What Do the; About ‘Survival After 1 s'?” for $1.            |

FOR JANUARY I i Exclusive Devotion. | lus 20:5, NW. i

REIU REVIEWS FOR

• ¹ To increase the benefit we get from the ministry school the Society is instituting a new arrangement: written reviews every five weeks. Congregation servants will turn over to the school servant, on receipt, the answer and written review sheets. These will be sent with Kingdom Ministry. Also with this issue we are sending the 1957 school schedule and instruction sheet. One copy is to be given to each publisher.

• ² The reviews will cover the instruction talk and the first two student talks. They will include both doctrinal points and ministerial activity. To prepare for them we shall have to study in advance, be present to hear the talks, volunteer answers in the oral reviews, and we may also wish to review the lessons and refresh our memories before the written review is given.

• ³ The speakers should bring out the essential points and stress the major scriptures. Thus they will cov-

NEW WORLD NEWS

Brother Knorr’s visit to Middle East changed, as armed clashes have closed some frontiers. Almost all the trip plans announced last month, however, will go through as scheduled.

1,923 assembled near Rio de Janiero pass resolution to go to Bulganin. 3,677 at public meeting' in October, during Brother Henschel’s visit. More conventions will be held in South America this month, with more countries passing the resolution.

Japan rejoices to have reported over 600 publishers. Other countries hitting new peaks of publishers are Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti, Ethiopia, Surinam and Venezuela. Surinam and Sierra Leone have passed 20-percent goal.

The first congregation has been established on Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Two pioneers and seven publishers preaching there.

Be sure to read the "Yearbook” for the following reports:

An outstanding assembly in Northern Rhodesia reported 36,000 natives in attendance. Two assemblies in Nigeria had nearly 34,000 present.

In Mexico literacy classes now serve 2,700 persons.

500 attend showing of new film on island of St. Martin, despite clergy warning to people.

Professor of philosophy in Pakistan amazed at archaeological and scientific support for Bible.

miniSTRV SCHOOL

er everything that will be asked on the review. The school servant will know what the questions will be. He will not give away the answers, but should mention in his counsel any such major point that the speaker overlooked. When written reviews fall during the week of a circuit assembly or the week of the circuit servant’s visit, the next week’s talks will be given. The week following these, congregations will have the written reviews.

• ⁴ Grades are your own business. Do not boast, shaming others. Do not inquire of others’ grades if yours might be higher. Compare your grade with the congregation’s to see how you are doing, but be in competition only with yourself, each time trying to improve on what you did before. “Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another.”—Gal. 5: 26.

* “The heart of the righteous studieth to answer.” Does yours? *

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