Our Kingdom Uli •

J Many people have sincere questions about the value of the Bible. If men wrote it, how can it be called God’s Word? What reasons are there for trusting it to direct my steps? If I read and study the Bible, how will my time and effort be rewarded? Which Bible translation should I use? These are some of the questions that are answered in the November special issue of Awake! entitled “Can You Trust the Bible?”

• ² We will want to give this special issue of Awake! wide distribution in our territory. If possible, share in the house-to-house ministry with the congregation each Saturday during the month of November. Show this issue of Awake! to your relatives, neighbors, workmates, teachers, schoolmates, and return visits. Carry copies with you when shopping and traveling. The elders have requested extra copies so that the congregation will have a sufficient supply.

• ³ Start a Bible Study: If you place the magazine, you can lay the groundwork for a Bible study before concluding your conversation. For example, you might say, “Next time, I would like to show you the Bible’s answer to this question, ‘What is God’s purpose for the earth?’” Then return with the Bible Teach book and show the householder pages 4-5, or consider paragraphs 1-3 of chapter 3. Another option is to say, “Next time, I would like to discuss a Bible prophecy that is being fulfilled right now.” When you return, show the householder chapter 9 of the book and consider together paragraphs 1-3. Or you might simply tell the householder: “Many find it difficult to understand what they read in the Bible. Next time, I would like to show you how you can understand your Bible better.” On the return visit, introduce the Bible Teach book, and demonstrate a study.

• ⁴ Only the Bible contains “holy writings,” which are able to make us “wise for salvation.” (2 Tim. 3:15) Therefore, all of us will want to have a zealous share in distributing this special issue of Awake! to help people develop trust in the Bible!

  Offer Hope to the Poor

  
  

• ¹ Jesus took a special interest in those who were impoverished. There were occasions when he miraculously provided material assistance and healed the sick, but his focus was on declaring “good news” to the poor. (Matt. 11:5) The Christian ministry today continues to benefit the poor as well as others. —Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20.

• ² Real Hope; Christendom's ministers often promise the poor that they will prosper if they give generously to the church. However, the Bible teaches that only God’s Kingdom will end poverty and solve all of mankind’s problems. (Ps. 9:18; 145:16; Isa. 65:21-23) By showing the poor what the Bible really teaches, we impart hope and help them to satisfy their spiritual need.—Matt. 5:3.

• ³ The Pharisees of Jesus’ day looked down on the poor, contemptuously calling them ‘am-ha-’a'rets, or “people of the land.” However, Jesus viewed “their blood,” or their life, as “precious.” (Ps. 72:13,14) We can imitate Jesus and ‘show favor’ to such poor ones by being kind and sympathetic. (Prov. 14:31) Never would we want to speak disparagingly about people living in poor neighborhoods or show a reluctance to witness to them. Many who are responding to the Kingdom message are of humble means.

• ⁴ Help Now: Our teaching Bible principles to poor ones in the territory also helps them to mitigate the effects of poverty right now. For example, the Bible condemns drunkenness, gambling, laziness, the use of tobacco, and other practices that contribute to poverty. (Prov. 6:10, 11; 23:21; 2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:5) The Scriptures encourage honesty and working “whole-souled,” qualities looked for in employees. (Col. 3:22, 23; Heb. 13:18) In fact, in one survey the majority of employers ranked honesty and Integrity as qualities that impress them most in job candidates.

• ⁵ Jehovah is not insensitive to the sufferings of the poor. Soon Jesus Christ will deliver “the poor one crying for help.” (Ps. 72:12) Until then, we have the privilege of comforting others, including the poor, with the Bible’s message of hope.

  Service Meeting Schedule

  
  

Week Starting October 8

Song 56

10 min: Local announcements. Using the suggestions on page 8 or other presentations appropriate for your territory, demonstrate how to offer the October 15 Watchtower and the October Awake! In each case the magazines should be offered as a set even though only one magazine is featured.

20 min: Stay Close to Jehovah’s Organization. Talk and audience discussion based on chapter 17 of Organised to Do Jehovah’s Will.

15 min: “Special Issue of Awake! to Be Offered Dur- . ing November¹.”¹ Briefly review the contents of the November Awake! Then proceed with a question-and-answer discussion of the article. When considering paragraph 3, demonstrate how to offer the November Awake! using the suggestion on page 8 or another presentation appropriate for your territory. Lay the groundwork for the next visit before concluding the demonstration.

Song 10

Week Starting October 15

Song 67

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

20 min: Is the Truth Bearing Fruit in Those You Teach? Talk and audience discussion based on the February 1, 2005, Watchtower, pages 28-30. Include comments on how the questions in the Bible Teach book have been designed to help us discern what is in a student’s heart. Consider a few examples, such as chapter 1, paragraph 19; chapter 2, paragraph 4; chapter 3, paragraph 24; and chapter 4, paragraph 18. En

Mention the literature offer for November, and have one presentation demonstrated.

15 min: Set Spiritual Goals to Glorify Your Creator. Talk and audience discussion based on the July 15, 2004, Watchtower, pages 21-3. Invite audience to comment on the spiritual goals they have set and what they are doing to reach them. One or two comments may be arranged in advance.

20 min: “Offer Hope to the Poor.”¹ When considering paragraph 2, include comments on the September 8, 2003, Awake! pages 26-7.

Song 7

Week Starting November 5

Song 156

1O min: Local announcements. 15 min: How to Protect Your Children by Means of Godly Wisdom. Talk based on the January 1, 2005, Watchtower, pages 23-7.

20 min: “An Interchange of Encouragement for All.”¹ Invite audience to give specific comments on how they were encouraged by a traveling overseer during his visit to the congregation. One or two comments may be arranged in advance.

Song 192

© 2007 Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. All rights reserved. Our Kingdom Ministry (ISSN 1067-7259} is published monthly by Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses; Charles I. Woody, President; W H. Nonkes, Secretary-Treasurer; 2821 Route 22, Patterson, NY 12563-2237. Periodicals Postage Paid at Brooklyn, NY, and at additional mailing offices, postmaster: Send address changes to Our Kingdom Ministry, 1000 Red Mills Road, Wallkill, NY 12589-3299.                         Printed in U.S.A.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

■ Literature offer for October: The Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Where interest is shown, offer the tract Would You Like to Know More About the Bible? with the objective of starting a Bible study. November: Learn From the Great Teacher. If individuals say they have no children, offer the brochure Keep on the Watch! December: The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived. As an alternative offer, you may use Draw Close to Jehovah or The Secret of Family Happiness. January: Keep on the Watch! Congregations that do not have a supply of such brochures may offer any 192-page book printed on paper that discolors or any book published prior to 1991 with the exception of Creation, Mankind’s

Search for God, and Young People Ask.

■ Since December has five full weekends, it would be an excellent month to auxiliary pioneer.

■ The video program Transfusion-Alternative Health Care- Meeting Patient Needs and Rights will be considered at a Service Meeting in January. If needed, copies should be requested through the congregation as soon as possible.

■ The insert in this issue of Our Kingdom Ministry is the “Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 2008” and should be kept for reference throughout 2008.

■ Please note that the brother presenting the last part on the Service Meeting should Introduce the closing song. Thereafter, he or another qualified brother assigned in advance -will offer the concluding prayer.

■ The special public talk for the 2008 Memorial season will be given during the week of March 31, 2008. The subject of the talk will be announced later. Those congregations having the visit of the circuit overseer or an assembly that weekend will have the special talk the following week. No congregation should have the special talk before March 31.

■ At times, questions arise as to whether it is appropriate for the branch office or a congregation to be designated to receive donations from programs that offer to contribute to charitable organizations. The local elders can address such inquiries in accord with guidelines they have received. Publishers should obtain theocratic direction from the elders before deciding to participate in such donation programs.

THEOCRATIC MINISTRY SCHOOL REVIEW

The following questions will be considered orally at the Theocratic Ministry School during the week beginning October 29, 2007. The school overseer will conduct a 30-minute review based on material covered in assignments for the weeks of September 3 through October 29, 2007.

SPEECH QUALITIES

• 1. Why is repetition an important teaching technique? [be p. 206 pars. 12, box]

• 2. In what ways can we highlight the theme of a talk? [be p. 210, box]

• 3. What are the main points of a talk, and what guides our selection of them? [be p. 212 pars. 1-3]

• 4. Why should we not have too many main points in a talk? [be p. 213 pars. 2-4]

• 5. Why is it important that our introduction arouse interest, and how can this be done? [be p. 215 par. 1; p. 216 pars. 1-3, box]

ASSIGNMENT NO. 1

• 6. How does Psalm 119:89, 90 help us to appreciate that we can depend on God’s word? [w05 4/15 p. 15 par. 3]

• 7. What does the book of Ezekiel emphasize, and what will result to those who now sanctify Jehovah in their lives? [si p. 137 par. 33]

• 8. How can “the saying of Jehovah” guard our heart? (Ps. 18:30) [w05 9/1 p. 30 par. 2]

• 9. How is the Kingdom hope emphasized throughout the book of Daniel? [si p. 142 par. 23]

• 10. How does the book of Hosea strengthen our faith in Jehovah’s inspired prophecies? [si p. 145 par. 14]

WEEKLY BIBLE READING

• 11. What did the measuring of the temple in Ezekiel’s vision signify, and what assurance does this provide for us today? (Ezek. 40:2-5) [w99 3/1 p. 9 par. 6; p. 14 par. 7]

• 12. In the final fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision, who is “the chieftain”? (Ezek. 48:21) [w99 3/1 p. 16 pars. 13-15; pp. 22-3 pars. 19-20]

• 13. What is the meaning of Daniel 2:21? [w98 9/15 p. 12 par. 9]

• 14. What made Daniel “someone very desirable” in the eyes of Jehovah? (Dan. 9:23) [dp p. 185 par. 12; w04 8/1 p. 12 par. 17]

• 15. In what sense was there no “knowledge of God in the land” of Israel, and how should we personally view those words? (Hos. 4:1, 2, 6) [w05 11/15 p. 21 par. 21; jd pp. 57-8 par. 5; p. 61 par. 10]

An Interchange of Encouragement for All

• ¹ The apostle Paul wrote to the congregation in Rome: “I am longing to see you, that I may impart some spiritual gift to you in order for you to be made firm; or, rather, 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) Modern-day visits of traveling overseers provide similar opportunities for an interchange of encouragement.

• ² The Congregation: The circuit overseer’s visit is generally announced to the congregation about three months In advance. This allows time for us to adjust our schedule so as to benefit to the full. (Eph. 5:15, 16) If you work secularly, perhaps you will be able to request time off to support field service during the week. Some arrange to auxiliary pioneer during the month of the visit. If you have planned to be away, could you make adjustments in order to be present that week?

• ³ A primary purpose of the circuit overseer’s visit is to give personal encouragement and training in the field ministry. Could you ask to work with him or with his wife if he is married? The circuit overseer enjoys working with various publishers, including those who may have less experience or lack a measure of skill in the ministry. All can learn from his presentation and apply any suggestions

• 1. What special opportunities do the visits of traveling overseers provide?

• 2. Why is the circuit overseer’s visit announced in advance?

• 3. What may we personally do during the visit to obtain encouragement? that he may kindly offer. (1 Cor. 4:16, 17) Inviting him to share a meal with you will open further opportunity for encouraging fellowship. (Heb. 13:2) Since his talks are tailored to the needs of the congregation, listen carefully.

⁴ The Circuit Overseer: The apostle Paul was no different from the brothers he served in that he experienced challenges and anxieties and he appreciated encouragement. (2 Cor. 11:26-28) When the congregation in Rome learned that Paul, now a prisoner, was finally coming there, some traveled to the Marketplace of Appius to meet him—a distance of 46 miles! “Upon catching sight of them, Paul thanked God and took courage.” (Acts 28:15) You can likewise encourage your circuit overseer. Show him “double honor” by your enthusiastic support of his visit. (1 Tim. 5:17) Express and demonstrate your sincere appreciation for his efforts in your behalf. He and his wife will rejoice as they observe your faith, love, and endurance. —2 Thess. 1:3, 4.

⁵ In these “critical times hard to deal with,” who among us does not need encouragement? (2 Tim. 3:1) Decide now to share fully in the special week of activity with the circuit overseer. All of us—traveling overseers and publishers alike—can participate in a joyful interchange of encouragement. In this way we will also “keep comforting one another and building one another up.”—1 Thess. 5:11.

• 4. How may we encourage our circuit overseer?

• 5. Why do all of us need encouragement today?

“"Watchtower® oct. 15

Announcing Jehovahs Kingdom

“Many people feel that the future is so uncertain that we are better off living just for today. What do you think? [Allow for response.] Jesus made this interesting comment. [Read Matthew 6: 34.] This magazine explains how we can plan for the future but at the same time avoid being unduly anxious about it.”

Awake! Oct.

“All of us have lost loved ones in death. Do you think they are watching us from heaven? [Allow for response.] Notice what Jesus said when Lazarus died. [Read John 11:11.] This article explains whether the dead are alive somewhere or are asleep awaiting a resurrection.” Feature the article that begins on page 28.

-Watchtower. now. i

Announcing Jehovah'S Kingdom

“Do you think the world would be a better place if people demonstrated more humility? [Allow for response.] Note what Jesus said about this quality. [Read Matthew 23:12.] This article discusses the value of cultivating humility, even in this competitive world.”

Awake? Nov.

“In the past, people often looked to the Bible for guidance. But now many say they have doubts. How do you feel? [Allow for response. Then read 2 Timothy 3:16.] This special issue of Awake! gives compelling evidence that the Bible is inspired of God.”

8

¹

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