Our Kingdom Ministry

July 2001                           For United States of America km-E Us 7/01 Vol. 44, No. 7

Don’t Hold Back!

• ¹ When we get ready to go preaching from door to door, the most challenging door we encounter may be our own. Feelings of inadequacy may hold us back from getting out to speak the truth to “all sorts of men.” (1 Tim. 2:4) But we should not feel hesitant to preach the good news. Why not?

• ² It Is Jehovah’s Message: Jehovah has communicated his word through the Bible. When we take this message to others, we are conveying his thoughts, not ours. (Rom. 10:13-15) When individuals reject the Kingdom message, they are really rejecting Jehovah. Yet, we are not discouraged. We are confident that this message will strike a responsive chord in the hearts of those who long for a change in world conditions and who are conscious of their spiritual need.—Ezek. 9:4; Matt. 5:3, 6.

• ³ Jehovah Draws the People: A person who refused to listen to us in the past may now be receptive because his circumstances have changed and his heart condition has softened. Jehovah may now express his goodwill toward that one and ‘draw him.’ (John 6:44, 65) When this happens, we want to be ready to be used by Jehovah and yield to angelic direction in finding such ones.—Rev. 14:6.

• ⁴ God Gives Us His Spirit: Holy spirit enables us to speak “with boldness by the authority of Jehovah.” (Acts 14:1-3) Remembering that we have this powerful backing in our ministry, we will not be reluctant to speak the truth to neighbors, workmates, classmates, relatives, or well-educated or wealthy people.

• ⁵ Jesus Taught Us How: Jesus used thought-provoking questions, down-to-earth illustrations, and Scriptural reasoning. He explained the truth in a simple, appealing way, from his heart. These are still the best methods today. (1 Cor. 4:17) The settings in which we preach may vary, but the powerful Kingdom message remains the same.

• ⁶ We are privileged to be used by Jehovah to help people in a unique and vital way. Let us not hold back! May we be courageous and allow Jehovah to “open a door of utterance to us” so that we can speak the good news to others.—Col. 4:2-4.

  Get Ready to Study Isaiah’s Prophecy!

  
  

• ¹ “Faithful worshipers can be confident that Jehovah . . . will not allow Satan’s world to exist for one day longer than justice requires.” What an encouraging statement! From where was it quoted? Isaiah’s Prophecy —Light for All Mankind I. Does the prophecy of Isaiah give us reason to draw such a heartening conclusion? Yes! In that Bible book, the theme of salvation comes through loud and clear. (Isa. 25:9) That is why it will be of great encouragement for us to study this portion of God’s Word at the Congregation Book Study. Will we be there to enjoy it every week? Why should we?

• ² At Isaiah 30:20, Jehovah is called our “Grand Instructor.” Each Christian should listen carefully as Jehovah speaks to us through the pages of his Word and through Bible-based publications provided by “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45; Isa. 48:17, 18) This certainly is true of the Isaiah’s Prophecy I book. How can you get the most out of studying it?

• ³ Prepare to Participate: Set aside ample time each week to prepare for the book study. Read the assigned material paragraph by paragraph. Think about each of the printed questions. Mark the answers in your book. Verses quoted from Isaiah are printed in bold type. Read them carefully. As for the other scriptures that are cited, look them up to see how they relate to the material. Meditate on what you are learning. Then share the results of your preparation with your book study group.

• ⁴ The brother who conducts the book study should help all in attendance to make good use of the Bible and to appreciate the practical value of the material being covered. If you are called on first to comment, give a simple, direct answer. If someone has already done that, you can build on the point under discussion. Perhaps you could show how a key scripture supports the theme. Try to comment in your own words, and enjoy the pleasure of participating in the discussion.

• ⁵ Let us eagerly examine together the precious message in the book of Isaiah. It will encourage us to live each day in joyful expectation of Jehovah’s salvation!—Isa. 30:18.

  SERFJCE MEETING SCHEDULE

  
  

Week Starting July 9

“Song 4

8 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry.

17 min: April Service Report. Talk and interviews to be handled by the service overseer. Highlight the April field service report for the country and for the local congregation. Interview a variety of publishers who put forth an extra effort in the ministry that month. Have them tell about the joy they experienced from having a full share and what they are doing to stay busy in the ministry—See March 2001 Our Kingdom Ministry insert, paragraphs 28-30.

20 min: “Can You Serve Where There Is a Greater Need?”* Include encouraging experiences that local publishers have had in isolated or seldom-worked territory.—See Our Ministry book, pages 112-13.

Song 42 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 16

Song 10

10 min: Local announcements. Accounts report.

15 min: Youths—Calculate the Cost of Your Career. A father and his teenage son or daughter approach an elder who has practical experience in secular employment. After reflecting on the Service Meeting part two weeks ago about choosing a career, the youth is thinking seriously about entering the regular pioneer service but is uncertain about how to care for his or her material needs. Elder stresses the need for a balanced view. (September 1,1999, Watchtower, page 11, paragraph 13) It is wise to seek some type of training so as to be equipped to provide for oneself. Many have done well simply by learning basic skills that require a minimum investment of time and money. (February 1,1996, Watchtower, page 14; Young People Ask, page 178) Together they discuss the March 8, 1996, Awake!, pages 9-11, and some practical suggestions on finding or creating suitable secular work.

20 min: Jehovah’s Witnesses—Who Are They? What Do They Believe? Audience discussion and demonstration. Examine this, brochure, and discuss how it can be used to inform others about us and our work. It identifies who we are (pages 3-5), highlights some of our modern history and activities (pages 6-11), lists beliefs that distinguish us from other religions (pages 12-14), explains the good news that we preach and how we preach it (pages 15-21), shows how our work benefits the community (pages 22-4), gives the international scope of our organization (pages 25-6), and answers questions commonly asked about us (pages 27-31). Demonstrate a publisher using the brochure to answer one of the questions on page 29 that is asked by a curious householder, after which the publisher extends the invitation on the back cover. Encourage all to use the brochure to familiarize nonWitness relatives about us, to develop interest on return visits, and to direct Bible students to the organization. Song 50 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 23

Song 19

10 min: Local announcements.

15 min: Local needs.

20 min: “Get Ready to Study Isaiah’s Prophecy!”* Briefly comment on how we stand to benefit from studying the book of Isaiah. (See chapter 1, paragraphs 10-12, in Isaiah’s Prophecy I.) Encourage all to attend the Congregation Book Study regularly.

Song 53 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 30

Song 22

10 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for July.

20 min: Youths—Be Discerning in Planning Your Education. An elder talks to some parents and their teenage children about supplementary education. The elder takes the lead in discussing the September 1, 1999, Watchtower, pages 16-17, paragraphs 11-13, emphasizing the reasons why the full-time ministry should be high on their list of priorities. (December 1, 1996, Watchtower, pages 18-19, paragraphs 13-15) The group then reviews the counsel in the March 8,1998, Awake!, pages 20-1, stressing the need to exercise discernment in weighing the benefits and the drawbacks of supplementary education and limiting it to what is needed to support oneself while zealously pursuing the ministry. All agree that they should be guided by Jesus’ admonition to put Kingdom interests first.—Matt. 6:33.

15 min: Good News for All Nations. Audience discussion and demonstration. An increasing percentage of the population in this country consists of people who speak a foreign language. Show how we can witness to such ones using the booklet Good News for All Nations. Summarize “Use of This Booklet,” on page 2, and read the presentation that appears in the language of your congregation. Demonstrate what to do when a person who speaks another language comes to the door. Relate any good experiences of how this has been done in your territory.—See February 1998 Our Kingdom Ministry insert, paragraphs 9-10. Song 57 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting August 6

Song 25

15 min: Local announcements. Invite audience to relate experiences of witnessing informally -while traveling to the district convention, vacationing, or visiting non-Witness relatives.

10 min: “New Circuit Assembly Program.” A talk. Announce date of the next circuit assembly. All should make a special effort to invite Bible students. Encourage unbaptized publishers to think seriously about symbolizing their dedication to Jehovah at the next assembly. Urge all to attend both sessions each day.

20 min: “Don’t Hold Back!”* As time permits, relate experiences from the December 15, 1999, Watchtower, page 25.

Song 63 and concluding prayer.

* Limit introductory comments to less than a minute, and follow with a question-and-answer discussion.

April Service Report

Av. Av. Av. Av.

Number of:            Hrs. Mags. R.V. Bi.St.

Pubs.   746,199   9.6   8.7 3.3 0.3

TOTAL 958,589          Baptized: 2,119

■ Literature offer for July and August: Any of the following 32-page brochures may be used: Does God Really Care About Us?, Enjoy Life on Earth Forever!, “Look! I Am Making All Things New,” Should You Believe in the Trinity?, The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever, The Government That Will Bring Paradise, What Happens to Us When We Die?, What Is the Purpose of Life—How Can You Find It?, and When Someone You Love Dies. The brochures A Book for All People, Our Problems—Who Will Help Us Solve Them?, Spirits of the Dead—Can They Help You or Harm You? Do They Really Exist?, and Will There Ever Be a World Without War? may be offered where appropriate. September: Life —How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? October: The Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Where interest is found on return visits, subscriptions may be offered.

□ Starting in September, circuit overseers will give the public talk entitled

“How True Christians Adorn Divine Teaching.”

■ Since the annual meeting of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania will be held on Saturday, October 6, 2001, no tours will be conducted that day at the branch office facilities at Brooklyn, Patterson, and Wallkill, New York. Any who have planned to visit on that Saturday should reschedule their visit to another convenient time. No congregation literature requests will be processed for shipment or for pickup that day.

• ■ Beginning with the July 15,2001, issue, The Watchtower will be available in Sango as a semimonthly edition.

• ■ New Publications Available:

Does Fate Rule Our Lives?—Or Does God Hold Us Responsible? (for Muslims) (Tract No. 71)   —Portuguese

Does God Really Care About Us?

—Assyrian Hellfire—Is It Part of Divine Justice? (for Muslims) (Tract No. 74) —English, Portuguese

Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind I        —Cebuano, Turkish

Is There a Creator Who Cares About You?             —Macedonian

Jehovah’s Witnesses—Who Are They? What Do They Believe? —Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Japanese, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu

Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life —Monokutuba, Welsh, Zande

Lasting Peace and Happiness—How to Find Them         —Vietnamese

New World Translation of the Christian - Greek Scriptures    —Macedonian

New World Translation of the Holy

Scriptures *     —Iloko, Tagalog

New World Translation of the Holy

Scriptures (Large size)   —Korean

The Greatest Name (for Muslims)

(Tract No. 72) —English, Macedonian, Portuguese

Watch Tower Publications Index 1999

—Portuguese

Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses? (for Muslims) (Tract No. 73) —English, Portuguese, Sinhala

■ New Audiocassettes Available:

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived (eight cassettes in an album)

—Spanish

One definition of fear is “profound reverence and awe, especially toward God.” This describes the healthy fear referred to in the Scriptures as “the beginning of wisdom.” (Ps. 111:10) In contrast, another kind of fear dominates Satan’s world around us. How can we avoid that unwholesome feeling while developing a reverential fear of Jehovah? The new circuit assembly program for the 2002 service year addresses this question. The theme is “Fear God and Give Him Glory.” (Rev. 14:7) We will come to appreciate the many ways that fear of Jehovah benefits us as individuals and as an organization.

Although fear may imply anxiety or loss of courage and reluctance to face difficult situations, the Bible states: “Happy is everyone fearing Jehovah.” (Ps. 128:1) The assembly program will show us how we can successfully meet the challenges to true worship. We will see how to help new ones cultivate such wholesome fear of God, which will actually motivate them to want to serve him with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:30) The first day concludes with the district overseer’s talk “Draw Ever Closer to Those You Love.” He will explain how we can stay alert to the devilish effort to turn us away from Jehovah, our family, and our Christian brothers.

“Fear Jehovah, Not Men” is the theme of a four-part symposium on the second day. It will explain why and how we must overcome any fear that hinders us from fully accomplishing our ministry or maintaining our integrity and good conscience at school and in the workplace. The public address “Fear God and Keep His Commandments” is based on the chain of events described in Revelation chapter 14. The circuit assembly will conclude with positive direction to “Keep On Walking in the Fear of Jehovah.”

The. Theocratic Ministry School, model Service Meeting, baptism talk, and summary of the Watchtower Study are additional highlights of the program that you will not want to miss. Invite your Bible students to attend with you. Any who wish to be baptized should tell the presiding overseer as soon as possible. All of us will want to demonstrate our wholesome fear of Jehovah and ascribe glory to him by not missing any part of this outstanding program!

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• ¹ Have you ever contemplated moving to where there is a need for more Kingdom proclaim ers? If invited to “step over . . . and help,” would you respond as did the apostle Paul? (Acts 16:9, 10) In many congregations, there is a need for spiritually mature families, pioneers to help cover the territory, or qualified elders and ministerial servants to help take the lead. The territory may be made up of small isolated towns scattered throughout large rural areas. The nearest Kingdom Hall might be many miles away. Secular work may be limited. The weather may not always be ideal. Would you be willing to take on such a challenge? How is it possible to make a success of it?

• ² Faith and Trust Needed: At God’s direction, Abram left his hometown of Ur and traveled 600 miles to Haran along with his wife, nephew, and aged father, Terah. (Gen. 11:31, 32; Neh. 9:7) After Terah died, Jehovah commanded Abram, now 75 years old, to leave Haran and his relatives and travel to a country that God would show him. Abram, Sarai, and Lot “got on their way.” (Gen. 12:1, 4, 5) Of course, Abram did not move in order to serve where there was a greater need for ministers. But his move required something. What?

• ³ It took faith and trust for Abram to attempt such an undertaking. His thinking and way of living had to change. He had to leave the security of his relatives. But he trusted Jehovah to look after him and his household. Many today have manifested their trust in Jehovah in a similar way.

• ⁴ Short-Term Assignments: Have you ever enjoyed the rich blessings that come from working unassigned territory? Last year in the 48 contiguous states, 5,699 publishers covered 163 out of 174 unassigned territories. Another 5,676 publishers assisted 380 congregations to cover seldom-worked territory.' For some, this involved traveling great distances. Was it worth the effort?

• ⁵ A brother from California who went to Utah wrote: “When I was first approached with the idea of taking a group out in seldom-worked territory, I was hesitant. But I decided to accept the assignment. Not only have I never regretted it but it has changed my life. I thank Jehovah every day for the privilege of being a part of this trip.” A brother from Florida who went to Tennessee said that it was the most memorable experience of his 20 years in the truth! A teenager from Connecticut who went to West Virginia said: “This was the best experience of my life!” Most publishers agree that serving for even a short time where the need is greater has deepened their appreciation for the ministry. Talk to those who have done it. You will find that they were uplifted spiritually and would likely do it again if given the opportunity.

• ⁶ Accepting a temporary assignment to serve where the need is greater can serve another purpose. Those doing so can acquire useful information to help them “calculate the expense” of relocating to another part of the country.—Luke 14:28.

• ⁷ Jehovah is determined to have the good news declared “in all the inhabited earth” before the end comes. (Matt. 24: 14) Knowing this, if you are able, would you be willing to move to where the need is greater? The need exists in many areas.

• ⁸ Moving Where the Need Is Greater: Are you retired? Do you have a steady income? If not, can you arrange for selfemployment? Are you able to make a living from any location by means of the telephone or the computer? If you cannot move, could you assist a family member to serve elsewhere?

• ⁹ If after prayerful consideration you feel equal to the challenge of relocating to where the need is greater, discuss the mqtter with your family and the elders in your congregation. Then, prepare a letter and give it to the elders so that they may include their observations and recommendations before sending it to the branch office.

• ¹⁰ What should you include in your letter? Your age, date of baptism, responsibilities in the congregation, marital status, and whether you have minor children. Name the states in which you prefer to serve, according to your personal needs. For instance, can you live where it is hot and humid? Can you endure cold winters? Are you able to live at high altitudes? Do you speak any foreign languages?

• ¹¹ Do you have zeal and initiative? Do your circumstances permit you to serve where the need is greater? If so, then observe how Jehovah continuously pours out rich blessings upon those who trust in him as they display the spirit of selfsacrifice!—Ps. 34:8; Mal. 3:10.

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