February

Meetings for Field Service

JANUARY 28–FEBRUARY 3

When offering subscriptions

1. What article from The Watchtower would you highlight?

2. How would you tie in the subscription offer with the Topic for Conversation?

FEBRUARY 4-10

Point out what you can highlight when offering brochures

1. Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Twentieth Century.

2. Enjoy Life on Earth Forever!

3. The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever.

FEBRUARY 11-17

In cold or rainy weather, how can you

1. Share in house-to-house work?

2. Get invited in?

FEBRUARY 18-24

When offering literature

1. How will you present the current offer?

2. When might it be best to offer only the magazines?

FEBRUARY 25–MARCH 3

Topic for Conversation

1. How do you introduce it?

2. What news items can be tied in with it?

Topic for Conversation

Are We Facing Armageddon?

Rev. 16:14, 16​—Armageddon—​God’s war, not man’s.

Rev. 21:1, 4​—A trouble-free “new earth” to follow.

Help Students to Share “Healthful Words”

¹ The apostle Paul wrote words containing wise and beneficial counsel for the blessing of God’s people in the first century. These are part of the inspired Word of God, and they greatly benefit the Christian congregation today. Paul knew that what he wrote had the direction of God’s holy spirit and would be helpful to those reading and applying the counsel. To Timothy, he said: “Keep holding the pattern of healthful words that you heard from me with the faith and love that are in connection with Christ Jesus.”​—2 Tim. 1:13.

² How was Timothy able to do that? For one thing he was advised by Paul: “You, however, continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe, knowing from what persons you learned them.” (2 Tim. 3:14) Paul and others nurtured young Timothy in the way of the truth. He grew up to become a fine minister of the good news, a close companion of Paul, one that could be relied upon to assist others also to “keep holding the pattern of healthful words.” Do you think Timothy would have been the outstanding Christian man he proved to be if he had not listened, learned, and then practiced such things that make up the Christian personality? Hardly! So what does that tell us today about our responsibility to teach healthful words to others?

³ We should make every effort to sound down the truth into the hearts of Bible students. If we accomplish that, their motivation for doing Jehovah’s will can be based on the right desire, to please Jehovah and to make known to others the wonderful promises of his Word. To sound down the truth into the hearts of others demands that we ourselves be firmly grounded in the truth. Are we? The fine example we set by our conduct is an evidence of our firm foundation. (1 Tim. 4:12) If our language is pure and our attitude toward our brothers is exemplary, we reflect the new personality and give further evidence that the truth is in our hearts. (Eph. 4:29, 31, 32) Having put on such new personality, we are able to recommend the Christian way of life to others.

DIRECT INTEREST TO THE ORGANIZATION

⁴ Do you have a program of assistance for your Bible students? Once you have started a Bible study do you direct the interested ones to the organization on a regular basis? There are a number of ways to do this. You can inform them of the meetings at the Kingdom Hall and explain their purpose. Progressively you can outline the reasons for such meetings​—the Public Meeting one week, the Watchtower Study another, and so on—​whetting their appetite for further Bible knowledge. As time passes you can emphasize that we do not want to be content with just learning the good news ourselves, but we want to share it with others. Encourage Bible students to talk to their neighbors, relatives, friends, and others. Prepare them for the day when they too will engage in the house-to-house ministry. Show that coming to know the truth is only the beginning. Others need to hear this good news of the Kingdom too.​—Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20.

⁵ From now on, it would be appropriate to invite Bible students and interested ones to the Memorial celebration. Just think, last year the Memorial attendance in this country alone came to 1,611,310! That gives evidence that many are responding to the invitation to come and drink the water of life.​—Rev. 22:17.

⁶ Of course, what is said about helping Bible students applies with equal force to helping our children. We want to build up in them a heartfelt appreciation for Jehovah, his Word, and his organization so that they too will “keep holding the pattern of healthful words.”

⁷ Although February is a short month, and may bring inclement weather in some places, good work can be done even as in past years. Recognizing our responsibilities and trusting in Jehovah, we can be sure his blessing will be with our efforts. In February we continue offering the Watchtower subscription for a contribution of $4.00. The Watchtower contains healthful words leading us to the Bible for direction, and we can rest assured that others of honest heart will hear and will want to join us in the all-important Kingdom work.

Spring​—A Season for Extra Effort

¹ Most of us look forward to spring. Springtime is a season of refreshing changes. The coldness of winter surrenders to the warm air of spring. We delight to see renewed life and longer days. Yet a greater reason to look forward to spring is that it opens the way for many of us to put forth a greater effort in the ministry.

² In the past, the months of March, April, and May have been especially good months for many publishers to serve as auxiliary pioneers. This year, those that have full-time secular jobs may find that March, which has five weekends, will be particularly suitable for them to devote 60 hours or more in the ministry. Can you do so? If so, blessings await you.

³ One brother with a full-time job determined that he could auxiliary pioneer by starting to witness in the business section of the territory early in the morning. This brother enjoyed many fine experiences including the starting of a new Bible study that he conducted during the morning before starting his secular work. Another brother who has to work full time decided he would auxiliary pioneer. Having this added motivation, he mustered up courage to do informal witnessing at his place of work. What joy he had in obtaining nine subscriptions from his fellow workers!

SPECIAL ACTIVITY IN APRIL

⁴ April has proved to be a special month for the auxiliary pioneer service. April 1983 saw 84,285 of us in the auxiliary pioneer work. That was an increase of 8,747 over April 1982. Could we reach that peak again? In April 1984 this peak was surpassed by 9,705 with a total of 93,990 auxiliary pioneers. This means that last April, on the average, each congregation in the United States had over 11 auxiliary pioneers. Also, almost 5.5 million hours in the ministry came from this group alone! What will happen this April?

⁵ Faith is what makes extraordinary things happen. Hebrews chapter 11 relates what marvelous things God’s servants accomplished because of faith. Without a doubt the “faithful work” of Jehovah’s people in modern times is likewise blessed! (1 Thess. 1:3) Will you too be moved by faith to join in the special effort that will be put forth this April? Of course, if you physically or circumstantially cannot be an auxiliary pioneer, you can demonstrate your faith by doing just as much as you can, and you can likewise expect Jehovah’s approval and blessing.​—Heb. 11:6.

⁶ Publishers in need of suggestions on how they can work things out in a practical way so as to auxiliary pioneer might talk to the service overseer or another elder. Elders can take the initiative to speak to certain ones they know qualify and who would enjoy this added privilege of service. A few kind words of encouragement or practical suggestions may be just what is needed. (Prov. 25:11) Also, in view of longer days and the increased field activity, it would be well for the elders to make arrangements for evening witnessing.

⁷ Let us pray for Jehovah’s blessing on our united efforts this spring so that many more thousands of people will come to enjoy “seasons of refreshing” through gaining a good relationship with our Heavenly Father.​—Acts 3:19.

Meetings to Help Us Make Disciples

WEEK STARTING FEBRUARY 3

Song 28

7 min: Local announcements. Encourage magazine activity second Saturday of the month. Suggest presentations of current magazines.

10 min: “Helping to Meet Some Critical Kingdom Hall Needs.” Question-and-answer coverage. Include comments on how local congregation is cooperating with this arrangement and commend brothers for their good support.

18 min: “Presenting the Good News​—By Offering Subscriptions on Return Visits.” Question-and-answer coverage. Also demonstrate two of the points covered in paragraphs 2-6, in two separate brief demonstrations. Select the two that would be the most common situations in your territory.

10 min: Subscription experiences. Check ahead of time with the brother handling subscriptions to find out who have obtained subscriptions, and interview some as to how they obtained them. It would be good if some who obtained them in ways outlined in previous part could be included.

Song 181 and concluding prayer.

WEEK STARTING FEBRUARY 10

Song 72

8 min: Local announcements and Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry that apply to the congregation.

17 min: “Help Students to Share ‘Healthful Words.’” Question-and-answer coverage. On paragraph 4 have demonstration of how one could progressively inform Bible students of congregation’s meeting program.

20 min: “Teaching on Return Visits.” Audience discussion of article. Demonstrate how one can use questions effectively to stimulate thinking of householder on return visits.

Song 211 and concluding prayer.

WEEK STARTING FEBRUARY 17

Song 52

8 min: Local announcements and accounts report. Remind congregation to bring December 15, 1984, Watchtower to next Service Meeting to discuss “Do You Remember?”

12 min: Benefiting From the Daily Text. Group of three or four publishers discuss with elder why and how they have benefited from regularly reading and thinking on the day’s text. Include discussion of text for the day.

10 min: “Studying the Divine Name Brochure.” Study conductor discusses points with a brother from his group who inquires about how it will be handled.

15 min: “Spring​—A Season for Extra Effort.” Question-and-answer coverage. Relate last year’s figures on auxiliary pioneers in local congregation. Briefly interview one or two who served as auxiliary pioneers in the past and who plan to do so this spring.

Song 119 and concluding prayer.

WEEK STARTING FEBRUARY 24

Song 134

5 min: Local announcements.

15 min: Experiences from 1985 Yearbook. Two families enthusiastically discuss experiences found on pages 194-7 (from Zimbabwe, “Tie Him to a Tree and Let Him Die” and “Jehovah . . . Is Always With You”); pages 103-5 (from Jamaica, “Cautious as Serpents” and “Neutral Stand Respected”); and pages 238, 248-9 (from Bahamas, “Increase Despite Clergy Reaction” and “Another Contract Worker Learns the Truth”). Discuss benefits one receives by reading experiences and how we can use such to strengthen our family’s faith.

10 min: Use for local needs, or talk on “The Bible​—A Book to Be Read,” from the January 15, 1985, Watchtower, pages 30 and 31.

15 min: Conduct review of “Do You Remember?” in the December 15, 1984, issue of The Watchtower. Give preference to questions that are field oriented. Cover by audience participation.

Song 78 and concluding prayer.

Announcements

● Literature offer for February: Subscription for The Watchtower for one year, for a contribution of $4.00. Six-month subscriptions, $2.00 each. Awake! subscription may be offered on same basis. Both subscriptions may be offered for contribution of $8.00. March and April: Any of the older pocket-size books for a contribution of $1.00. (See December km for titles.) May and June: Live Forever book for a contribution of $2.50. Both the large and the small editions will be used during the campaign. The smaller book is offered for $1.25.

● On Saturday, April 20, 1985, the Brooklyn Bethel home and factory and Watchtower Farms buildings will be closed for spring cleaning, so there will be no arrangements for tours on that day.

● There will be no Service Meeting for the week of March 31, and it is suggested that congregations cancel the Theocratic Ministry School for that week. This will allow everyone to focus primary attention on the Memorial celebration, Thursday, April 4. The Congregation Book Study for that week may be conducted.

● New Publications Available:

Aid to Bible Understanding, Volume 4 (Ha-Jo)​—French

You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth​—Reduced size (congregation and public: $1.25; pioneers: 65¢)​—English

You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth​—Tahitian

In Search of a Father​—French, Italian

● New Cassette Recordings Available:

The First of Samuel (set of two; congregation and public: $3.00; pioneers: $2.50)​—English

● Out of Stock in U.S.A.:

“The Word”​—Who is He? According to John​—English, Spanish

● As of January 1985 The Watchtower in Russian is a semimonthly publication, and Awake! in Russian is published monthly.

Congregation Book Study

Schedule for congregation studies in the book Making Your Family Life Happy:

February 3: Pages 168* to 177*

February 10: Pages 177* to 184*

February 17: Pages 184* to end

February 24: Review chapters 11-14

* To or from subheading.

November Service Report

Av. Av. Av. Av.

Pubs. Hrs. Mags. R.V. Bi.St.

Sp’l Pios. 318 129.9 89.5 53.6 5.7

Pios. 35,574 84.0 47.1 30.8 3.3

Aux. Pios. 29,783 59.4 33.4 17.9 1.6

Pubs. 599,230 8.9 6.9 3.6 0.5

TOTAL 664,905

Newly Dedicated Ones Baptized: 2,815

The total number of regular pioneers is the third consecutive peak this service year.

Teaching on Return Visits

¹ As ministers of our God Jehovah, we are faced with a challenge. That challenge is clearly stated at Matthew 28:19, 20, where Jesus commands us to teach and make disciples. While many of us may find teaching a difficult task, it is an art we want to cultivate. (2 Tim. 4:2) How can we meet that challenge and be successful in our ministry?

² To be a skilled teacher requires more than placing literature. Our goal is to make disciples. To aid in achieving this goal, Jehovah’s organization has provided helpful tools in the form of literature and suggested Scriptural presentations. Once we have found a listening ear, or placed magazines or other literature, our desire to make a disciple and to teach the interested person the truth should move us to make return visits and cultivate the interest shown.

³ The month of February can provide us with excellent opportunities to develop our teaching skills. In some areas the colder, more inclement weather may cause more people to stay at home. Where this is the case, making return visits during the month of February could prove to be very successful.

⁴ A good teaching technique of our Exemplar, Jesus Christ, was the use of questions. Questions stimulate thinking, helping the householders to reason and examine themselves in the light of what they have learned. This method can be used when making return visits on people with whom we regularly place magazines. Asking a question and highlighting an article that will answer it is a good way to whet the person’s appetite for reading the magazine. This also lays a foundation for our next visit.

⁵ When we return, we can build our discussion around a scripture found in the article. Encourage the householder to look up scriptures in his own Bible, even if they are quoted in the magazines. By having the householder do this and by asking questions, we will be teaching him to reason on material presented and to get answers for himself. This lays a fine foundation for a Bible study.

CONDUCTING STUDIES

⁶ The use of leading questions is an excellent way to develop the thinking ability of our students. Christ Jesus did this on many occasions. (Matt. 22:41-46) Leading questions help students arrive at proper conclusions, using Scriptural truths they have acquired.

⁷ By our having a brief review at the conclusion of our return visit or Bible study, we will impress on the student’s mind the new things learned. Doing this, we will be building a desire for more Bible truths.​—1 Pet. 2:2.

Studying the Divine Name Brochure

¹ “Give thanks to Jehovah, you people! Call upon his name. . . . Make mention that his name is put on high.” (Isa. 12:4) This is what all of us want to do, and it is one of the reasons why the brochure The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever was published. Since its release at the conventions last summer, this brochure has helped us fulfill this command even more effectively. Doubtless, most of us have read the brochure by now.

² To be certain that all are fully conversant with its contents, the Society has arranged for it to be studied at the Congregation Book Study during March and April. We will all want to gain the most from these studies. How can we do that?

PREPARATION

³ The key is preparation. The brochure will be studied in the usual way, with paragraphs being read and cited scriptures looked up as time permits. But since the Society has not supplied questions for the paragraphs, how can we prepare in advance? In the same way we prepare to comment on articles in Our Kingdom Ministry. Read each paragraph carefully, check cited scriptures, and then underline the main thoughts.

⁴ There is an extra step for the study conductor. When he finds the main point in the paragraph, he will formulate a question to highlight that point. For example, in the first paragraph on page 3, the Lord’s Prayer is discussed, particularly the first words of it. Hence, the conductor may wish to ask: “What prayer is familiar to most religious persons? How does that prayer begin?” The second paragraph shows what is implied by the order of subjects in the Lord’s Prayer. So the conductor could ask: “What is the most important thing that we can pray for? This is more important than what other things?” Questions should be short, clear, and to the point. Usually questions should be asked one at a time.

⁵ The large boxes contain important information that should be discussed right after the paragraph to which they most closely relate. For example, the box on page 7 may be discussed after paragraph 2 on page 11. The large box on page 21 may be discussed when the assigned portion for that week has been covered. And the box on page 25 may be discussed after paragraph 4 on page 25.

⁶ In some cases the study conductor may prefer to have all the paragraphs in the box read at one time and then discuss the box as a whole, rather than paragraph by paragraph. (There is no need to read the contents of the box on page 8.) Those in attendance can comment on the smaller boxes and illustrations. If they fail to do so, the conductor should draw attention to the information when appropriate.

⁷ Our studying the brochure The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever will help us to think upon Jehovah’s name. (Mal. 3:16) If we prepare conscientiously and are present at each study, we will be qualified to help others also to think upon Jehovah’s name.

Presenting the Good News​—By Offering Subscriptions on Return Visits

¹ While it is true that many subscriptions are obtained as we offer them in our house-to-house ministry, many publishers have been very successful in obtaining subscriptions on return visits. These calls may be on people who promised to subscribe, those who indicate they might subscribe, persons for whom we have expiring-subscription slips, individuals we have on our magazine route, or people we have studied with in the past. How can we follow through on such calls?

² If someone indicates he wants to subscribe but does not have the funds at the time, we can fill out the subscription slip and have him tell us when he wants us to call back to pick up the contribution for the subscription. Of course, we would not turn in the subscription until the person contributes for it. But many have found that by filling out the slip on the first call and then returning at the time the householder suggests, they are able to obtain subscriptions.

³ If someone wants to read a single copy before deciding whether to subscribe, we can place the current issues and arrange to call back. When we return, we can remind the householder of what we talked about before and share some additional thoughts with him. Then we can mention that he said he might subscribe after having had the opportunity to read the current issue. Subscriptions have often been obtained on such calls.

⁴ The Society sends notification to the congregation when subscriptions are nearing expiration. The brother who handles subscriptions in the congregation checks to see who obtained the expiring subscriptions and gives the slips to those individuals. If the publisher has moved away, you might be asked to call on a person from whom someone else obtained the subscription. When making such calls, we can highlight some beneficial point that was covered recently in the magazine and then encourage the subscriber to renew right away so he does not miss any issues.

⁵ There may be persons on our magazine route who are not always at home when we call. Or it may be that we have much territory to cover and we are not able to get to these individuals every time we have new issues of the magazines. We can tell them that by having the subscriptions they would never miss an issue of the magazines, and in this way we might be able to obtain subscriptions.

⁶ Then there are those who used to study but who stopped for one reason or another. The Society has suggested that we get in touch with such individuals occasionally to see if their interest can be aroused again. We could call and give them the opportunity to subscribe if they are not already doing so. Perhaps something they read in one of the magazines will rekindle their interest in again studying the Bible with us.

⁷ We have the best magazines in the world, and we certainly want to do all we can to help others to benefit from them too. When a person subscribes, everyone in that household will have the opportunity to read the Bible-based information in The Watchtower and Awake! and may be helped on the road to eternal life.​—1 Tim. 4:16.

Helping to Meet Some Critical Kingdom Hall Needs

¹ The formation of 159 new congregations during the past service year and the continued growth in meeting attendance have resulted in a need for hundreds of new and expanded Kingdom Halls. Although the increased price of property and the ever-increasing cost of building materials have made it impossible for many congregations to build a new hall on their own, our unified efforts in combining contributions from all congregations into the Society’s Kingdom Hall Fund have made it possible for all to share in meeting some of the most critical needs. For example, three congregations were meeting in a building that was to be torn down to make way for a new highway interchange. Another congregation was meeting in the basement room of a brother who had to move.

² The purpose of the fund is to help congregations that have a pressing need for a Kingdom Hall. If congregations wish to remodel an existing hall just for appearance’ sake or to replace an adequate Kingdom Hall with a more modern one, they should plan on financing their own project without assistance from the Society’s fund. The decision to do that would be made locally by the bodies of elders and the congregations. It is not appropriate for congregations to solicit contributions for Kingdom Halls from other congregations or ask them to provide food for workers on such a project. Of course, some nearby congregations may wish to be of help and volunteer such assistance, but this would be for them to decide.

³ On a local level, congregations contemplating building or remodeling in the future may have a local Building Fund contribution box, in addition to the box for the Society’s Kingdom Hall Fund. This will allow publishers to be of assistance in meeting their own local needs in addition to having a share in helping others.

⁴ Much still remains to be done. Congregations that have their Kingdom Halls paid for are generously contributing each month, thus helping others enjoy the blessing of having adequate Kingdom Halls, so that more individuals can gather with us, all to Jehovah’s praise.​—Heb. 10:24, 25.