Our kingdom ministry

OCTOBER 2015

MONTHLY THEME: Become “rooted” and “stabilized in the faith.”—Col. 2:6, 7.

WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 12

Song 135 and Prayer

Q Congregation Bible Study:

cl chap. 31 ^21-23, box on p. 319 (30 min.)

Q Theocratic Ministry School:

Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 5-7 (8 min.) No. 1: 1 Chronicles 6:48-60 (3 min. or less) No. 2: What Is Apostasy?—Glossary, nwt p. 1693 (5 min.)

No. 3: Elihu (No. 1)—Theme: True Friends Speak the Truth—it-1 p. 710 (5 min.)

Q Service Meeting:

Song 117

10 min: Become “Rooted” and “Stabilized in the Faith.” Talk based on the monthly theme. What does it mean to become “rooted” and “stabilized in the faith,” and how can we accomplish this? (See The Watchtower, June 1, 1998, pp. 1012.) Read and apply Colossians 2:6, 7; Hebrews 6:1; and Jude 20, 21. Preview some of the Service Meeting parts for the month, and discuss how they relate to the theme.

20 min: “Improving Our Skills in the Ministry —Training Bible Students to Develop Good Study Habits.” Discussion. Include a demonstration of an experienced publisher showing a Bible student how to use Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY to answer a Bible question.

Song 116 and Prayer

Improving Our Skills in the Ministry—Training Bible Students to Develop Good Study Habits

Why Important: In order to progress to spiritual maturity, Bible students must nourish their minds and hearts with more than the basic teachings of God’s Word. (Heb. 5:12-6:1) Study requires effort. It includes relating new information to what we already know and discerning its practical value. (Prov. 2:1-6) Learning to do personal research will enable students to answer Bible questions using our Christian publications. The earnest effort that they put forth to apply what they learn will equip them to withstand trials they will face as Christians. —Luke 6:47, 48.

How to Do It:

• • Emphasize the importance of seeking Jehovah’s help in prayer prior to each study session.—John 14:26; 1 Cor. 2:10.

• • From the outset, encourage your student to prepare in advance for his Bible study. Show him your study copy, and teach him how to underline or highlight only key words or phrases.

• • Have your student answer the questions in his own words. Avoid turning the study into a dry question-and-answer session in which the student simply reads answers directly from the book.

• • Encourage your student to read a portion of God’s Word daily. Show him the Bible reading schedule on jw.org, which outlines a practical way he can do this. Developing the habit of reading the Bible daily will require determination, but the effort will be worthwhile.—Ps. 1:2, 3.

• • Show your student how he can find answers to Bible questions using Watchtower Library or Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY. Help him identify the mnemonic symbols for publications commonly used at congregation meetings.

Try This During the Month:

• • At the end of a subheading or a chapter, ask your Bible student to summarize in a few sentences what he has just learned. If you do not have a student, practice summarizing a passage from the Bible or a paragraph from The Watchtower in a few sentences to improve your own reading comprehension.

WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 19

Song 54 and Prayer

Q Congregation Bible Study:

ia pp. 2-3 and intro. ^1-15 (30 min.)

Q Theocratic Ministry School:

Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 8-11 (8 min.) No. 1: 1 Chronicles 11:15-25 (3 min. or less) No. 2: Elijah (No. 1)—Theme: Never Underestimate the Power of Prayer—it-1 pp. 710713 (5 min.)

No. 3: Who Is the Archangel?—Glossary, nwt p. 1693 (5 min.)

Q Service Meeting:

Song 83

20 min: “How to Reach the Heart of Those We Teach.” Questions and answers. Present two contrasting demonstrations. A householder says that her child has died and is now in heaven. In the first demonstration, the publisher responds by reading Ecclesiastes 9:5 regarding the condition of the dead. The householder is not comforted by the verse and responds negatively. In the second demonstration, the publisher tactfully directs attention to the resurrection hope by reading John 5:28, 29 and receives a much better response from the householder.

10 min: Whether Young or Old, Be a Good Example for Others. (Phil. 3:17; 1 Tim. 4:12) Discussion based on the 2015 Yearbook, page 71, paragraph 2, to page 72, paragraph 4; and pages 76-77. Invite audience to comment on the lessons learned.

Song 90 and Prayer

How to Reach the Heart of

Those We Teach

¹ Jesus Christ reached the heart of his listeners. On at least one occasion, the hearts of his disciples were “burning” after he clearly explained the Scriptures to them. (Luke 24:32) Since obedience to God must come from the heart, how can we stir the emotions of those whom we teach in order to prompt them to make changes in their life?—Rom. 6:17.

• 1. What effect did Jesus’ teaching have on the hearts of his listeners?

• ² Use Tact and Discernment: For many people, simply telling them what is right and what is wrong will not move them to action. In fact, attacking their religious beliefs with a barrage of scriptures may even push them away. To motivate a person, we must first discern the reasons why he believes and acts as he does. Tactful, well-chosen viewpoint questions will encourage him to express his innermost thoughts. (Prov. 20:5) Only then can we select information from God’s Word that may touch his heart. Therefore, we must show personal interest and be patient. (Prov. 25:15) Remember that individuals make spiritual progress at different rates. Allow time for Jehovah’s holy spirit to influence their thinking and ac-tions.—Mark 4:26-29.

• ³ Help Them Cultivate Positive Qualities: Bible passages that illustrate Jehovah’s goodness and love can help those we teach to cultivate positive qualities. We can use such scriptures as Psalm 139:1-4 or Luke 12:6, 7 to show the degree of God’s personal interest in each of us. When individuals develop heart appreciation for Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, their love and godly devotion will grow. (Rom. 5:6-8; 1 John 4:19) Also, when they learn that their conduct affects Jehovah personally, they may be motivated to act in a way that will please and honor him.—Ps. 78:40, 41; Prov. 23:15.

• ⁴ Jehovah does not force anyone to obey his commands. Rather, he appeals to individuals by showing them the wisdom of following his advice. (Isa. 48:17, 18) We imitate Jehovah when we teach in a manner that helps people to reach their own conclusions. When individuals convince themselves of the need to make changes in their life, the results are long-lasting. (Rom. 12:2) It also draws them ever closer to “the examiner of hearts,” Jehovah. —Prov. 17:3.

• 2. What role do tact and discernment play in reaching a person’s heart?

• 3. How can we help those whom we teach to cultivate positive qualities?

• 4. When teaching individuals in our ministry, how can we show respect for a person’s freedom of choice?

  © 2015 Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. 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 OCTOBER 26

Song 15 and Prayer

Q Congregation Bible Study:

ia chap. 1 ^1-13 (30 min.)

Q Theocratic Ministry School:

Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 12-15 (8 min.)

Theocratic Ministry School Review (20 min.)

Q Service Meeting:

Song 120

10 min: Literature Offer for November. Discussion. Generate enthusiasm for offering the tracts and the Bible Teach book. Briefly consider pertinent points from the April 2014 Our Kingdom Ministry article “Exciting Design for New Tracts!” Include a demonstration appropriate for your territory.

20 min: “Does God’s Word Have Power in Your Daily Life?” Talk. After a brief introduction, play the dramatic Bible reading from jw.org entitled “Do Not Give Out When Corrected by Jehovah!” Emphasize how meditating on God’s Word can help us to isolate principles for personal application. Conclude by encouraging all to benefit from the dramatic Bible readings on jw.org.

Song 113 and Prayer

Theocratic Ministry School

Review

The following questions will be considered at the Theocratic Ministry School during the week beginning October 26, 2015.

• 1. How does the account at 2 Kings 13:18, 19 illustrate the importance of being zealous and wholehearted in serving God? [Sept. 7, w10 4/15 p. 26 par. 11]

• 2. Who was reigning in Israel when Jonah served as a prophet, and what can we appreciate about Jonah’s ministry in view of what is recorded at 2 Kings 14:23-25? [Sept. 7, w09 1/1 p. 25 par. 4]

• 3. How did Ahaz demonstrate his lack of trust in God’s word spoken through the prophet Isaiah, and what question might we ask ourselves when making important decisions? (2 Ki. 16:7) [Sept. 14, w13 11/15 p. 17 par. 5]

• 4. What tactic used by the Rabshakeh is being used by opposers of God’s people today, and what quality can help us to reject the false reasoning of opposers? (2 Ki. 18:22, 25) [Sept. 14, w10 7/15 p. 13 pars. 3-4]

• 5. How can Josiah’s example of humility help us to benefit more fully from our Bible reading and study? (2 Ki. 22:19, 20, ftn.) [Sept. 21, w00 3/1 p. 30 par. 2]

• 6. How has archaeology confirmed the existence of the two kings mentioned at 2 Kings 25:27-30? [Sept. 28, w12 6/1 p. 5 pars. 2-3]

• 7. What three requests did Jabez make of Jehovah, and what does this teach us about prayer? (1 Chron. 4:9, 10) [Oct. 5, w10 10/1 p. 23]

• 8. How can the outcome of the war described at 1 Chronicles 5:18-22 strengthen us to carry on our spiritual warfare courageously? [Oct. 12, w05 10/1 p. 9 par. 7]

• 9. Why was David able to understand and respect the spirit of Jehovah’s law on the sanctity of blood, and what should David’s example move us to do? (1 Chron. 11:17-19) [Oct. 19, w12 11/15 pp. 6-7 pars. 12-14]

• 10. What did David neglect to do when he attempted to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, and what vital lesson can we learn from this account? (1 Chron. 15: 13) [Oct. 26, w03 5/1 pp. 10-11 pars. 11-13]

Does God’s Word Have Power in Your Daily Life?

Daily Bible reading can help us to become “rooted” and “stabilized in the faith.” (Col. 2:6, 7) However, for Jehovah’s Word to have power in our lives, we must ponder over and apply its principles. (Heb. 4:12; Jas. 1:22-25) Joshua 1:8 presents an effective three-step reading process: (1) Read God’s Word “day and night.” (2) Read it “in an undertone,” which suggests reading at a pace that allows you to meditate and to imagine the setting and the circumstances. (3) Earnestly apply “all that is written in it.” Putting into practice these suggestions will enable us to “be successful” and “act wisely” in our daily life.

WEEK STARTING NOVEMBER 2

Song 52 and Prayer

Q Congregation Bible Study:

ia chap. 1 ^14-27, review on p. 16 (30 min.)

Q Theocratic Ministry School:

Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 16-20 (8 min.) No. 1: 1 Chronicles 17:15-27 (3 min. or less) No. 2: What Was the Ark of the Covenant?

—Glossary, nwt p. 1693 (5 min.)

No. 3: Eliphaz (No. 2)—Theme: Jehovah Hates

a False Tongue—it-1 pp. 713-714 (5 min.)

Q Service Meeting:

Song 91

10 min: Offer the Magazines During November. Discussion. Start by having each of the sample presentations demonstrated. Then analyze each presentation from beginning to end.

10 min: Local Needs.

10 min: How Did We Do? Discussion. Invite publishers to comment on how they benefited by applying points from the article “Improving Our Skills in the Ministry—Training Bible Students to Develop Good Study Habits.” Ask the audience to relate positive experiences.

Song 140 and Prayer

Reminder: Please play the music through once, and then the congregation should sing the new song.

Sample Presentations

“34HTO6E7® November 1

Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom

“Whenever war breaks out, both sides believe that they have God’s backing. Do you think that God approves of war? [Allow for response.] This issue of The Watchtower discusses why God waged war in the past and how he will soon end war once and for all.” Read Psalm 46:9 and offer the magazines.

!"#$ November

“Millions of people around the world are disturbed by the hypocrisy and hurtful teachings of various religions. What do you think the future of religion is? [Allow for response.] This magazine highlights a remarkable prophecy in the Bible book of Revelation that foretold not only the modern-day exodus from false religion but also its ultimate destruction.”

Announcements

■ Literature offer for October: The Watchtower and Awake! magazines. November and December: What Does the Bible Really Teach? or one of the following tracts: (T-31) How Do You View the Future?, (T-32) What Is the Key to Happy Family Life?, or (T-36) What Is the Kingdom of God? January: Good News From God!, Listen to God, or Was Life Created?

Field Service Highlights

We are pleased to report that on April 3, the Memorial was attended by 249,574 in the Britain branch te rri tory, in obedience to Jesus’ command. (Luke 22:19) May we be motivated by Christ’s love to follow up on interest generated by this special event.—2 Cor. 5:14.

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