Our Kingdom Ministry

July 2004                         For United States of America km-E Us 7/04 Vol. 47, No. 7

• ¹ “Jehovah is a lover of justice.” (Ps. 37:28) Thus, although he has decreed that this unrighteous world be destroyed, he has arranged for a warning to be sounded first. (Mark 13:10) This affords people the opportunity to repent and be saved. (2 Pet. 3:9) Do we strive to imitate Jehovah’s justice? Does the misery and suffering of the human family move us to share the Kingdom hope with others? (Prov. 3:27) Love of justice will impel us to have an active share in preaching.

• ² Preach With Impartiality: By declaring God’s purpose to everyone without partiality, we “exercise justice.” (Mic. 6:8) We must resist the imperfect inclination to prejudge others based on their outward appearance. (Jas. 2:1-4, 9) Jehovah’s “will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4) God’s word of truth can cause remarkable changes in the lives of people. (Heb. 4: 12) Appreciating this fact can move us to approach individuals with confidence, even those who may have turned a deaf ear in the past.

• ³ One sister working in a store was somewhat frightened by the physical appearance of a regular customer. Nevertheless, when the appropriate occasion arose, she tried to witness to him about God’s promised Paradise. He brusquely replied that he did not believe in fairy tales and that he was a hippie and drug addict. But she did not give up. One day he asked her what she thought about his long hair, so she tactfully explained what the Bible says on the matter. (1 Cor. 11:14) To her pleasant surprise, the next day he was cleanshaven and had short hair! He asked for a Bible study, which a brother was happy to conduct, and progressed to dedication and baptism. Like this man, many who are serving Jehovah today are grateful for the impartial, persistent efforts of those who brought them the Kingdom message.

• ⁴ Jehovah will soon wipe unrighteousness from the face of the earth. (2 Pet. 3:10,13) In the limited time remaining, may we imitate Jehovah’s justice by giving all an opportunity to escape the coming destruction of Satan’s unrighteous world. —1 John 2:17.

  Conducting Progressive Bible Studies Part 1: What Is a Bible Study?

  
  

• ¹ Worldwide, about six million Bible studies are being conducted by God’s people each month. By using good teaching methods, we can help these Bible students progress to the point of dedication and baptism and become “adequately qualified to teach others.” (2 Tim. 2:2) Would you like to help your student to make such progress? Starting with this issue, Our Kingdom Ministry will feature a series of articles that will explain basic aspects of conducting progressive Bible studies.

• ² When to Report a Bible Study: If you regularly and systematically have Bible discussions, though brief, using the Bible along with one of the recommended publications, you are conducting a Bible study. This is true even if the study takes place on the doorstep or over the telephone. The study may be reported when it has been conducted two times after the study arrangement is demonstrated and if there is reason to believe that the study will continue.

• ³ The Require brochure and the Knowledge book are publications used for conducting many Bible studies. After they have been completed, if it is evident that a person is making progress, even slowly, and that he is developing appreciation for what he is learning, then the study may be continued in the Worship God book. The brochure You Can Be God’s Friend! may be used to study with people who have limited education or reading ability.

• ⁴ The Bible study work has been effective in assisting millions to become true disciples of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28:19, 20) By applying the suggestions offered in upcoming articles of this series, you can conduct a progressive Bible study.

Week Starting July 12

Song 108

12 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Using the suggestions on page 4, demonstrate how to present the July 15 Watchtower and the July 22 Awake! In one presentation, demonstrate offering a magazine to someone on the street who does not speak your language well.

18 min: “Imitate Jehovah’s Justice.”* As time permits, invite audience to comment on the cited scriptures.

15 min: The Bible—A Book of Reliable Predictions. Talk and audience discussion based on the brochure A Book for All People, pages 27-9. In our ministry, we often meet people who are interested in the future. The Bible provides reliable information outlining a bright future for obedient mankind. Consider some Bible prophecies that promote confidence in future Bible predictions. Have a publisher briefly demonstrate how Bible events can be used to help an interested person build his confidence in the Bible.

Song 16 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 19

Song 83

10 min: Local announcements. Discuss the importance of maintaining a regular program of daily Bible reading, even when summer activities take us out of our normal routine. Include comments on the August 15, 2000, Watchtower, page 32.

15 min: Local needs.

20 min: “Conducting Progressive Bible Studies—Part 1.” A talk to be handled by the service overseer. Allow the audience to comment on material in the Pro-claimers book, pages 572-4, outlining the development of the Bible study work in modern times. Build enthusiasm for the upcoming series of articles. Among the topics that will be considered are how to prepare to conduct the study, how to help the student to prepare, how much material to cover, how to use scriptures effectively, how to handle questions raised by the student, how to introduce prayer, and how to direct the student to the organization. Encourage all to apply the suggestions provided and to keep these articles for future reference.

Song 10 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 26

Song 216

12 min: Local announcements. Accounts report. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for July. Using the suggestions on page 4, demonstrate how to present the August 1 Watchtower and the August 8 Awake! In each case, show a different way to handle the conversation stopper “Why do you people call so often?”—See Reasoning book, page 20.

8 min: Question Box. To be handled by an elder. Read and discuss entire article.

25 min: “How to Preach in Business Territory.”* Mention local arrangements for working businesses. Briefly demonstrate the two presentations in paragraphs 4-5 or another approach that has been effective locally. As time permits, invite audience to share positive experiences they have had working business territory.

Song 173 and concluding prayer.

Song 60

8 min: Local announcements. 22 min: Do You Give Reasons? Talk and discussion based on the Ministry School book, page 254, paragraphs 1-2. When we explain and apply scriptures in the field ministry and from the platform, our teaching will be more effective if we give reasons for what we say instead of simply asserting that it is so. Using examples from the Reasoning book or others that are appropriate for the local territory, show how to (1) isolate and explain key expressions in a scripture text, (2) present supporting evidence from the context or from another scripture that deals with the subject, (3) use an illustration to show the reasonableness of what you have said, and (4) use questions to help the listeners reason on the matter. Highlight the benefits of using a reasoning approach.

15 min: Local experiences. Invite audience to relate some upbuilding experiences in connection with attending the district convention, auxiliary pioneering, or sharing in other spiritual activities thus far during the summer.

Song 32 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.

Sp’l Pios 199 99.0 105.3 47.3 4.6

Pios 91,839 67.3 44.9 22.4 2.1

Aux.PioS. 80,041 48.5 36.6 12.3 0.9

Pubs 835,695 9.6   8.3 3.6 0.3

TOTAL 1,007,774 Baptized: 2,583

Announcements

■ Literature offer for July and August: Offer the Knowledge book or the Require brochure. When householders already have these publications, use another appropriate brochure that the congregation has in stock. September: Is There a Creator Who Cares About You? As an alternative offer, you may feature Life-How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? October: The Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Where interest is shown, offer the Require brochure, making a special effort to start Bible studies.

■ Since October will have five full weekends, it would be an excellent month to auxiliary pioneer.

■ Starting in September, circuit overseers will give the public talk entitled “Facing the Future With Faith and Courage.”

■ Congregation secretaries should maintain an adequate supply of the forms Application for Regular Pioneer Service (S-205) and Application for Auxiliary Pioneer Service (S-205b). These can be ordered on the Literature Request Form (S-14). Maintain at least a one-year supply. ■ Before submitting applications for regular pioneer service to the branch office, the congregation secretary should review the forms to make sure they are complete. If applicants cannot recall the exact date of their baptism, they should estimate the date and keep a record of it. The secretary should note this date on the Congregation’s Publisher Record card.

■ Whenever personal travel plans include attending congregation meetings, an assembly, or a district convention in another land, your request for information regarding dates, times, and locations must be directed to the branch office that oversees the work in that land. Addresses of branch offices are listed on the last page of the current Yearbook.

■ Because of the transfer of printing operations to Wallkill, New York, and the sale of the 360 Furman Street building, the following tour changes will take effect at the branch facilities in Brooklyn, New York. Tours of 117 Adams Street will be suspended on July 31, 2004, until further notice. Tours of 360 Furman Street will be discontinued as of October 6, 2004. Tours of the residential building at 90 Sands Street and the 25-30 Columbia Heights office complex will continue to be available to visitors.

■ On August 27 and 28, 2004, an inventory will be taken of all literature on hand at Brooklyn Bethel. Because of this, no congregation literature requests will be processed for pickup during those days.

■ If it is necessary to correspond with the branch office regarding congregation literature requests, including Braille, please use the following address or telephone number as of September 1, 2004: Watchtower, 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill, NY, 12589-3299, telephone (845) 744-6000. Literature Request Forms (S-14) should be mailed to the above address or faxed to (845) 744-9000.

Question box

■ How should personal copies of The Watchtower and Awake! be obtained?

Since the subscription arrangement for both the printed and audiocassette editions of The Watchtower and Awake! in all languages was discontinued some time ago, all publishers should obtain their magazines, audiocassettes, and MP3 CD’s through the local congregation. The exception would be Braille magazines and audiocassettes that are mailed as free matter for those who qualify. Please note that congregations may request magazines on audiocassette or MP3 CD’s on a Congregation Requests (M-202) form. Foreign-language and large-print editions should likewise be requested using this form.

If someone in your territory requests regular magazine delivery, please be sure to follow through promptly so that not even one issue is missed. Disfellowshipped persons may obtain the magazines or other literature for their personal use at the magazine and literature counter at the Kingdom Hall. Disfellowshipped persons should not be included on a personal magazine route.

The only subscriptions that the United States branch will maintain on file are for those who cannot be served by a congregation publisher through a magazine route. If the Congregation Service Committee submits a request for subscriptions for someone who cannot otherwise obtain them, the secretary should include a brief note verifying that this subscription request has been reviewed and approved by the Congregation Service Committee.

This means that publishers should not write to the branch office to request personal subscriptions. Any such requests for subscriptions made by publishers or by interested persons will be referred back to the congregation.

■ How can a prison inmate obtain personal copies of the magazines?

If the congregation caring for the preaching work at a penal institution can supply the magazines to inmates confined there, then an inmate should obtain his personal copies of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines through the visiting publishers. When this is not possible, the inmate may personally request subscriptions by writing to the branch office. Please note that disfellowshipped inmates may likewise obtain personal copies of the magazines as outlined in this paragraph.

How to Preach in Business Territory

• ¹ Would you like to preach in territory where people generally welcome visitors and where not-at-homes are rare? You may be able to do so right in your congregation territory. How? By calling on the businesses found there. Publishers witnessing from store to store often enjoy good results.

• ² Some congregations have business districts as part of their assigned territory. The brother caring for the territory may prepare special map cards of these heavily concentrated business sections. Any residential territory map cards that overlap them should clearly indicate that the businesses are not to be worked as part of the territory. In other territories, businesses can be worked along with the residences. If you have never done business witnessing, start by trying a few smaller stores.

• ³ Use a Simple Approach: When witnessing from store to store, it is important to dress as you would for a meeting at the Kingdom Hall. It is also good to choose a time when the store is not busy. If possible, enter when there are no customers waiting to be served. Ask to speak to the manager or the person in charge. Be brief and to the point. What might you say?

• ⁴ When speaking with a store-

1. What are some advantages of witnessing in business territory? 2. How can business witnessing be organized?

3. What will help us to be effective when witnessing from store to store?

4-6. What can we say when witnessing to a storekeeper or manager?

keeper or manager, you might say something like this: “Business people have such full schedules that we rarely find them at home, so we are visiting you at your workplace. Our magazines give a global perspective on current events.” Then feature one brief point from one magazine.

• ⁵ Or you might try this simple approach: “Many people would like to know more about the Bible but have very little time. This tract explains a free study program that is available to help you find answers to your Bible questions.” Then point out pages 4-5 of the tract Would You Like to Know More About the Bible?

• ⁶ If the person in charge seems to be busy, you might just offer a tract and say: “I will stop by again when you are not so busy. I would like to know what you think of this tract.”

• ⁷ Cultivating Interest Shown: You may even be able to conduct a Bible study in business territory. A special pioneer regularly delivered the magazines to a businessman. When the man expressed appreciation for what he was reading, the pioneer demonstrated the Bible study arrangement, using the Require brochure. A study was established right there at the man’s place of work. Taking into account the circumstances, the pioneer limited it to 10 or 15 minutes each time. May we, likewise, continue to search for deserving ones by witnessing in business territory.

7. How can we cultivate the interest we find in business territory?

-Watchtower July 15 Announcing Jehovah'S Kingdom

“If an event such as this [what is illustrated on the cover] was reported in the news nowadays, most people would probably be skeptical. What do you think? [Allow for response. Then read Mark 4:39.] What evidence is there that the miracles performed by Jesus were authentic? This issue of The Watchtower examines this question.”

Awake! July 22

“In today’s world, criminals are constantly devising new schemes to defraud unsuspecting people. Does this concern you? [Allow for response.] This issue of Awake! discusses a few basic precautions that can help us to protect ourselves against fraud.” Read Proverbs 22:3.

'Watchtower Aug. 1 ANNOUNCING JEHOVAH'S KINGDOM

“With mankind so divided, some feel that the only way to achieve world peace is by means of a world government. Do you think such a thing is possible? [Allow for response. Then read Daniel 2:44.] This magazine considers what God’s Kingdom is accomplishing now and how it will soon bring about world peace.”

Awake! Aug. 8

“All of us are saddened when we hear of the exploitation of children. Perhaps you have wondered, ‘Does God really care?’ [Allow for response. Then read Psalm 72:12-14.] This article discusses how God feels about children and how he will soon bring permanent relief to all who suffer mistreatment.”

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