Our kingdom ministry

MAY2013

WEEK STARTING MAY 13

Song 4 and Prayer

Q Congregation Bible Study:

jr chap. 9 V8-13 (30 min.)

Q Theocratic Ministry School:

Bible reading: John 5-7 (10 min.)

No. 1: John 6:22-40 (4 min. or less)

No. 2: Why Was It Necessary for the Ransom to Be Provided in the Manner That It Was?—rs p. 306 fl6-p. 307 ^2 (5 min.)

No. 3: How Can We Apply the Principle Behind What Is Written in Numbers 15:3740? (5 min.)

Q Service Meeting:

Song 126

10 min: The Literature Offer for May and June. Talk. Briefly relate why the tracts being offered will have appeal in your territory. Have one or two demonstrations showing how the tracts may be offered in the house-to-house ministry.

10 min: What Do We Learn? Discussion. Have Matthew 5:11,12 and Matthew 11:1619 read. Consider how these accounts can help us in our ministry.

10 min: “What Motivates Us to Preach?” Questions and answers.

Song 91 and Prayer

What Motivates Us to Preach?

¹ Preaching the good news of God’ s Kingdom is the most meaningful work that we can do today. Indeed, with this one activity, we demonstrate obedience to the two greatest commandments, namely, to love Jehovah and to love our neighbor. (Mark 12:29-31) Love is a powerful motivating force that can stir us to be zealous ministers.—1 John 5:3.

• 1. What is the relationship between love and our ministry?

• ² Love for Jehovah: Love for our dearest Friend, Jehovah, moves us to speak up in his behalf. For some 6,000 years, he has been slandered by Satan. (2 Cor. 4: 3, 4) Therefore, people believe that God torments sinners in a burning hell, that he is a mysterious Trinity, and that he is disinterested in humans. Many have even come to the conclusion that he does not exist. How we long for people to know the truth about our heavenly Father! Our diligent efforts to be God’s witnesses bring him great pleasure and frustrate Satan. —Prov. 27:11; Heb. 13:15, 16.

• ³ Love for Neighbor: Each time we give a witness to someone, we demonstrate love for him. People desperately need to hear the good news during these critical times. Many are like the Ninevites in Jonah’s day who did “not at all know the difference between their right hand and their left.” (Jonah 4:11) Our ministry teaches people how to live happy, successful lives. (Isa. 48:17-19) It gives them hope. (Rom. 15:4) If they listen and act on what they learn, they “will be saved.” —Rom. 10:13, 14.

• ⁴ Good children do not demonstrate love for their parents only on scheduled occasions. They strive to be loving all the time. Similarly, strong love for God and for neighbor will motivate us to be alert for opportunities to witness all the time, not just during scheduled witnessing periods. We will preach without letup. (Acts 5:42) Such love will never be forgotten by Jehovah.—Heb. 6:10.

• 2. How does our preaching demonstrate love for Jehovah?

• 3. In what way does our ministry show love for neighbor?

• 4. What will never be forgotten by Jehovah?

WEEK STARTING MAY 20

Song 70 and Prayer

Q Congregation Bible Study:

jr chap. 9 ^14-19 (30 min.)

Q Theocratic Ministry School:

Bible reading: John 8-11 (10 min.)

No. 1: John 8:12-30 (4 min. or less)

No. 2: What Steps Can We Take to Protect Ourselves From False Teachers?—Rom. 16:17;

2 John 9-11 (5 min.)

No. 3: Why Did God Not Simply Decree That All Who Would Obey Could Live Forever?—rs p. 307 ^3-p. 308 fl1 (5 min.)

Q Service Meeting:

Song 96

10 min: Ways to Expand Your Ministry —Part 3. Discussion based on the Organized book, page 116, paragraph 1, to page 117, paragraph 1. Briefly interview a publisher who assists the Regional Building Committee.

10 min: Jehovah Helps Us Fulfill Our Assignments. (Ex. 4:10-12; Phil. 4:13) Discussion based on the 2013 Yearbook, page 101, paragraph 3; and page 111, paragraph 3, to page 112, paragraph 2. Invite audience to comment on the lessons learned.

10 min: “Who Would Be Interested in This?” Questions and answers. Invite audience to name some of the businesses and local government agencies in the congregation’s territory that may be interested in a particular subject discussed in our magazines. Song 92 and Prayer

Who Would Be Interested in This?

¹ The Watchtower and Awake! are prepared with the worldwide field in mind. Therefore, the articles deal with a wide variety of topics. As we read each article in our personal copy, we should consider whom in particular it may interest, and then make it a point to offer it to that person.

• 1. When we read our copy of The Watchtower or Awake! what should we consider, and why?

• ² Does the current Watchtower discuss a Bible topic that you and a workmate previously talked about? Is there an article on family life that would be of help to a relative? Do you have an acquaintance who is planning a trip to a land that has been featured in Awake!? Would one of the magazines appeal to certain businesses or local government agencies in your territory? For example, a magazine that highlights challenges facing the elderly may be of particular interest at nursing homes. Law enforcement agencies may be interested in a magazine on the subject of crime.

• ³ Results: After receiving the October 2011 Awake! on “How to Raise Responsible Children,” a couple in South Africa phoned 25 schools in their congregation’s territory. Twenty-two accepted copies and distributed them to their students. Another couple in that country had the same idea and placed copies at schools in their territory. Teachers at one of the schools decided to use the magazine in their weekly orientation and reading program. The couple shared their experience with a circuit overseer. He then encouraged congregations in his circuit to approach schools in their territories. The branch office received so many requests for additional magazines that this issue had to be reprinted!

• ⁴ Our magazines discuss the real meaning behind current events and direct attention to the Bible and God’s Kingdom. They are the only magazines on earth that are “publishing salvation.” (Isa. 52:7) Therefore, we want to give them wide distribution. A good way to do that is by asking yourself, ‘Who would be interested in this?’

• 2. What topics covered in our magazines may be of particular interest to others?

• 3. Relate an experience that illustrates the value of offering specific issues of the magazines to those who we feel may be interested in their contents.

• 4. Why do we want to give the magazines wide distribution?

  © 2013 Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. All rights reserved. Our Kingdom Ministry is printed monthly by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain, The Ridgeway, London NW7 1RN (Registered in England as a Charity).

  
  

WEEK STARTING MAY 27

Song 6 and Prayer

Q Congregation Bible Study:

jr chap. 10 fl1-7 (30 min.)

Q Theocratic Ministry School:

Bible reading: John 12-16 (10 min.) No. 1: John 12:20-36 (4 min. or less)

No. 2: To Whom First Was the Merit of Jesus’ Sacrifice Applied, and With What Objective?—rs p. 308 ^2-3 (5 min.)

No. 3: Why Is It Appropriate That Jehovah Is Called “the God Who Gives Peace”?

—Rom. 15:33 (5 min.)

Q Service Meeting:

Song 98

5 min: Start a Bible Study on the First Saturday. Talk. Demonstrate how a study may be started on the first Saturday in June, using the back cover of The Watchtower. Encourage all to have a share.

15 min: Watering the Seeds That We Plant. (1 Cor. 3:6-9) Discussion based on the following questions: (1) What do you enjoy about the return visit work? (2) What do some find challenging about making return visits? (3) How can these challenges be overcome? (4) How can we obtain assistance if return visits are difficult for us? (5) What system do you have for keeping track of someone who showed interest and for noting the subject you discussed, the literature you left, and other details? (6) How do you prepare for your return visits? (7) Why is it good to schedule time each week for making return visits?

10 min: “Use Videos in Your Teaching.” Discussion. Invite audience to relate how they benefited from viewing our videos before they became Witnesses.

Song 101 and Prayer

Use Videos in Your Teaching

When Jehovah conveyed important information to Abraham and Jeremiah, he did so not only by telling them but also by showing them. (Gen. 15:5; Jer. 18:1-6) We can help our students to grasp and appreciate Bible truths by making good use of visual aids, such as our videos. The following are ideas as to when some of the videos could be shown. Keep in mind that these are just suggestions, since every student is different.

Bible Teach book

• □ Chapter 1: After paragraph 17, view The Wonders of Creation Reveal God’s Glory

• □ Chapter 2: At the end, view The

Bible—Mankind’s Oldest Modern Book

• □ Chapter 9: After paragraph 14, view Jehovah’s Witnesses—Organized to Share the Good News

• □ Chapter 14: At the end, view The Bible —Its Power in Your Life

• □ Chapter 15: After paragraph 10, view Our Whole Association of Brothers

“God’s Love” book

• □ Chapter 3: After paragraph 15, view

Young People Ask—How Can I Make Real Friends?

• □ Chapter 4: At the end, view Respect Jehovah’s Authority

• □ Chapter 7: After paragraph 12, view No Blood—Medicine Meets the Challenge

• □ Chapter 9: After paragraph 6, view Warning Examples for Our Day

• □ Chapter 17: At the end, view ‘Walk by Faith, Not by Sight’

Are there other videos that one of your students would benefit from seeing? For example, individuals who are dealing with opposition might be encouraged by viewing Faithful Under Trials—Jeho-vah’s Witnesses in the Soviet Union or Jehovah’s Witnesses Stand Firm Against Nazi Assault. Youths may benefit from Pursue Goals That Honor God and Young People Ask—What Will I Do With My Life? Make notations in your copy of the Bible Teach and “God’s Love” books to remind you when you might view a video with your student or lend it to him to watch. As new videos are released, think about how you could use them to touch the heart of your Bible students.—Luke 24:32.

WEEK STARTING JUNE 3

Song 68 and Prayer

Q Congregation Bible Study:

jr chap. 10 ^8-13 (30 min.)

Q Theocratic Ministry School:

Bible reading: John 17-21 (10 min.) No. 1: John 21:15-25 (4 min. or less)

No. 2: Why Should We Not “Follow After the Crowd”?—Ex. 23:2;Prov. 1:10 (5 min.) No. 3: Who Besides Anointed Christians Are Experiencing Benefits From Jesus’ Sacrifice?—rs p. 309 ^1-3 (5 min.)

Q Service Meeting:

Song 16

10 min: Ideas for Offering the Magazines in June. Discussion. Take 30 to 60 seconds to relate why the magazines will have appeal in your territory. Then, using the cover subject of The Watchtower, invite the audience to give suggestions on an interest-arousing question to ask and then invite suggestions on a scripture to read. Do the same for Awake! and, if time allows, for one other article from either magazine. Demonstrate how each issue may be offered.

10 min: Why We Report Our Field Service. Talk by the secretary based on the Organized book, page 88, paragraph 1, to page 90, paragraph 1.

10 min: Local needs.

Song 107 and Prayer

Sample Presentations

To Start Bible Studies on the First Saturday in June

“Almost everyone we talk to wants to see peace in the world. Yet, we still have wars. In your opinion, why is world peace so elusive?” Allow for response. Then show the back of the June 1 Watchtower, and consider together the material under the first question and at least one of the cited scriptures. Offer the magazines, and arrange to return to discuss the next question.

Note: This presentation should be demonstrated during the meeting for field service on June 1.

WAT4HTO6I7 June 1

Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom *

“We are making very brief visits in the community to talk about a common problem. Most people have experienced prejudice at one time or another. Do you think that there is any place in the world where prejudice does not exist? [Allow for response.] Notice how God views all people. [Read Acts 10:34.] This magazine discusses how God will end prejudice once and for all.”

!"#$ June

“We would like to get your opinion on something. It’s natural to want a better life. Do you think we can achieve that by buying more material possessions? [Allow for response.] Notice this profound statement of Jesus. [Read Luke 12:15.] This magazine presents a balanced view of material possessions and offers helpful suggestions on how to keep our spending under control.”

Announcements

■ Literature offer for May and June: Any of the pocket-size tracts that are available or the tract Would You Like to Know the Truth? If there is interest, demonstrate a Bible study using the Bible Teach book. July and August: Good News From God!, Does God Really Care About Us?, or What Is the Purpose of Life?—How Can You Find It?

Field Service Highlights

During December, 132,214 shared in field service in Britain and 6,021 in Ireland. It is encouraging to note that the number of Bible studies is holding steady—56,708 for Britain and 3,281 for Ireland. In the first four months of this service year, 1,081 were baptized in Britain and 37 in Ireland. Much enthusiasm has been generated for public witnessing using specially-designed trolleys and display tables. Plans are under way to launch the Special Metropolitan Witnessing campaign, as recently featured on jw.org. No doubt this will result in many new Bible studies.

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