July

How Fine It Is to Be Always in Attendance!

¹ For decades in Eastern Europe, many of our dear brothers were banned from meeting publicly. Imagine their joy when the bans were lifted and they could meet together in freedom!

² Concerning his visit to one such congregation, a circuit overseer wrote: “On Tuesday evening, right at the beginning of my visit, the heating system broke down. Outside, the temperature hovered around freezing, and inside, it was only about 40 degrees Fahrenheit [5° C.]. The brothers sat wearing their coats, scarves, gloves, caps, and boots. No one could follow along in the Bible, since it was impossible to turn the pages. Standing on the platform in my suit, I was frozen solid, and every time I spoke, I could see my breath. But what impressed me was that I heard not a single word of complaint. All the brothers said how pleasant and fine it had been to be in attendance!” Those brothers did not even think of missing that meeting!

³ Is That How We Feel? Do we cherish the opportunity to gather freely at our weekly meetings? Or do we take the meetings for granted when circumstances are favorable? Regularly attending meetings may not be easy, and there may be times when we have a legitimate reason for not attending. Never forget, though, that there are those among us who despite advancing age, severe health problems, physical handicaps, strenuous work schedules, and other serious responsibilities see the importance of meetings and are almost always in attendance. What fine examples for us to imitate!​—Compare Luke 2:37.

⁴ Let us make it our custom to support true worship by attending all our Christian meetings, from a small book study group to a large convention. Why should we take attending these gatherings so seriously? Because it is a divine injunction that we gather together. But there are other important reasons. All of us need the benefits of divine instruction and the help of holy spirit, which are received at meetings. (Matt. 18:20) We are built up by an interchange of encouragement when fellowshipping with our brothers.​—Heb. 10:24, 25.

⁵ At the transfiguration, Peter said, “Instructor, it is fine for us to be here.” (Luke 9:33) We should feel the same about all our Christian meetings. Indeed, how fine it is to be always in attendance!

A Visit That Can Be a Blessing

¹ It was with rejoicing that Zacchaeus received Jesus as a guest in his home. And what a blessing that visit turned out to be!​—Luke 19:2-9.

² Today, as Head of the congregation, Jesus Christ directs the elders to “shepherd the flock of God.” (1 Pet. 5:2, 3; John 21:15-17) In addition to teaching at meetings and taking the lead in field service, the overseers of the congregation provide loving, personal assistance to individual members of the congregation. From time to time, therefore, you may look forward to receiving personal attention from the elders, either at your home, at the Kingdom Hall, while together in field service, or on other occasions. Should you feel apprehensive about the elders’ visits? Not at all. Their calling on you does not mean that you are falling short in some way. What, then, is the purpose of a shepherding call?

³ Paul said he wanted to visit the brothers ‘to see how they were.’ (Acts 15:36) Yes, as loving shepherds, the elders are very much interested in how you are. They want to offer spiritual assistance that may be helpful and upbuilding to you. Such personal care is what our loving Shepherd Jehovah desires each of us to have.​—Ezek. 34:11.

⁴ Welcome the Elders’ Visits: Paul’s goal in visiting his brothers was to ‘impart some spiritual gift to them in order for them to be made firm, and that there might be an interchange of encouragement.’ (Rom. 1:11, 12) All of us are in need of spiritual encouragement in these difficult last days, and we need help to continue firm in the faith. Your positive response to a shepherding visit will undoubtedly result in a fine interchange of encouragement.

⁵ Appreciate the many benefits to be derived from the elders’ shepherding work. If there is some matter or a question about which you are concerned, remember that the elders are there in the congregation to help. Do not hesitate to discuss with them any matters that might be affecting your spiritual well-being. Appreciate this loving arrangement by Jehovah, and rejoice in the blessings that such a visit can bring.

Service Meetings for July

Week Starting July 6

Song 110

10 min: Local announcements. Selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry. Comment on April field service report for the country and the local congregation. Theocratic News.

15 min: “How Fine It Is to Be Always in Attendance!” Questions and answers. Include comments on June 8, 1988, Awake!, pages 19-21, to encourage young people to attend meetings regularly.

20 min: “Our Neighbors Need to Hear the Good News.” Arrange for two or three capable publishers to review the suggestions for presenting a few of the brochures that the congregation has in stock. Explain why they may be effective in local territory. Emphasize the goal of starting Bible studies in the Require brochure or the Knowledge book. Demonstrate an initial presentation followed by a return visit and the offer of a study. Remember to mention the donation arrangement.

Song 73 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 13

Song 116

10 min: Local announcements. Accounts report. Encourage all to give serious consideration to enrolling as auxiliary pioneers during August, when there will be five full weekends.

15 min: Local needs.

20 min: Is the Spirit of the World Poisoning You? Talk by an elder based on October 1, 1997, Watchtower, pages 25-9.

Song 182 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 20

Song 18

8 min: Local announcements. Review the box entitled “One Million!”

12 min: “A Visit That Can Be a Blessing.” Discussion between two elders. Explain objectives of the shepherding work as reviewed in the September 15, 1993, Watchtower, pages 20-3. Warmly encourage the congregation to look forward to the elders’ visits.

25 min: “Pioneer Service​—Is It for You?” (Paragraphs 1-14) Service overseer gives brief opening remarks, encouraging all to think seriously about regular pioneering. Then he discusses question 1, including comments on “Enthusiastic Pioneer Spirit” in the 1998 Yearbook, pages 104-5. Two or three members of the congregation who have pioneering experience join him on stage to discuss question 2. They share a practical, realistic view of how it is possible to get along materially as pioneers. Then two parents join the group to discuss question 3. They give positive reasons why youths should seriously consider a career in full-time service. Encourage all to attend next week’s Service Meeting, when the remaining questions will be considered.

Song 80 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 27

Song 155

15 min: Local announcements. Remind all to turn in field service reports for July. Announce service arrangements for the first weekend in August, and encourage all to participate. Review “New Circuit Assembly Program.”

30 min: “Pioneer Service​—Is It for You?” (Paragraphs 15-25) Talk and discussion conducted by an elder. Arrange ahead of time for the pioneers and those who pioneered in the past to share heartfelt expressions in answer to questions 4-5. They stress the need for a good schedule and sticking to it, giving examples of practical weekly service schedules that really work. The elder concludes with a motivating talk that answers question 6. The start of the service year on September 1 is a fine time for new pioneers to begin their full-time service. Applications can be obtained from any member of the Congregation Service Committee.

Song 51 and concluding prayer.

Theocratic News

◼ The West African countries of Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria all reached new publisher peaks in February.

◼ Many refugees have been returning to Liberia, and there is a real hunger for the truth in that land. Their February peak of 2,286 publishers reported 6,277 home Bible studies.

◼ Macao had a publisher increase of 16 percent over last year’s average, with 135 reporting in February.

◼ From the South Pacific​—Fiji, Solomon Islands, and Tahiti all reported new publisher peaks in February.

◼ The island of Madagascar reached a new peak of 9,484 publishers, which was a 14-percent increase over last year’s average. They also reported over 20,000 home Bible studies in February.

Congregation Book Study

Schedule for congregation studies in the book The Bible​—God’s Word or Man’s?

July 6: Pages 87-95*

July 13: Pages 95*-106*

July 20: Pages 106*-116

July 27: Pages 117-125*

* To or from subheading.

April Service Report

Av. Av. Av. Av.

Number of: Hrs. Mags. R.V. Bi.St.

Sp’l Pios. 177 123.0 102.3 54.3 4.3

Pios. 70,432 80.8 56.0 25.6 1.8

Aux.Pios. 89,515 57.1 44.6 13.6 0.8

Pubs. 784,735 9.5 8.1 3.4 0.3

TOTAL 944,859 Baptized: 2,642

Pioneer Service​—Is It for You?

¹ “I can’t imagine doing anything else. I certainly can’t imagine anything that would bring the same joy.” Who said this? One of hundreds of thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses who have made the full-time ministry their joyous career in life. Have you prayerfully considered whether the pioneer service is for you? Having made an unreserved dedication of ourselves to Jehovah, we certainly ought to consider whether we might have a fuller share in spreading the good news of the Kingdom. To that end, please consider some questions that many ask about the pioneer service.

QUESTION 1: “Some say pioneering is not for everyone. How do I know if it is for me?”

² The answer depends upon your circumstances and Scriptural obligations. There are many whose health or current situation in life does not allow them to devote 90 hours a month to the ministry. Take as one example the many faithful sisters who are Christian wives and mothers. They share in the ministry as often as they can to the extent that their circumstances permit. As opportunity affords, they auxiliary pioneer a month or more each year, reaping the joys that come from enlarging their share in the service. (Gal. 6:9) Although their circumstances may not permit them to serve as full-time pioneers at present, they promote the pioneer spirit and are a blessing to the congregation as zealous publishers of the good news.

³ On the other hand, many brothers and sisters who are relatively free of obligations have made room for the pioneer service by adjusting their priorities. What about you? Are you a youth who has completed your secular schooling? Are you a wife whose husband is able to provide adequately for the family? Are you married with no dependent children? Have you retired from your secular occupation? To pioneer or not to pioneer is a decision each person must make for himself. The question is, Can you make room in your life for pioneering?

⁴ Satan uses his worldly system of things to fill our lives with distractions and to engulf us in a selfish way of life. If we are determined to remain no part of the world, Jehovah will help us to keep Kingdom interests first and to reach out and embrace all the privileges of theocratic service that are available to us. If you can adjust your circumstances so as to serve as a pioneer, why not do so?

QUESTION 2: “How can I be sure that I will be able to get along financially in full-time service?”

⁵ It is true that in many lands the hours of secular work required each week to obtain what are viewed as the necessities of life have increased over the years. Nevertheless, many have pioneered for decades, and Jehovah continues to sustain them. To succeed as a pioneer, faith and the spirit of self-sacrifice are needed. (Matt. 17:20) We have the assurance at Psalm 34:10 that ‘those seeking Jehovah will not lack anything good.’ Anyone entering pioneer service should do so with full confidence that Jehovah will provide for him. He is doing just that for faithful pioneers everywhere! (Ps. 37:25) Of course, in harmony with the principles in 2 Thessalonians 3:8, 10, and 1 Timothy 5:8, pioneers do not expect others to support them financially.

⁶ Anyone contemplating pioneer service should do as Jesus stated: “First sit down and calculate the expense.” (Luke 14:28) Doing this shows practical wisdom. Talk to those who have pioneered successfully for a number of years. Ask how Jehovah has sustained them. Your circuit overseer is an experienced pioneer who will be happy to offer suggestions on how to succeed in the full-time ministry.

⁷ A person may never fully experience the truthfulness of Jesus’ promise at Matthew 6:33 until he puts himself in Jehovah’s hands. A faithful pioneer related: “When my partner and I arrived in a new assignment as pioneers, we had only a few vegetables, a packet of margarine, and no money. We finished up the food for supper and said, ‘Now we have nothing for tomorrow.’ We prayed about it, and went to bed. Early next morning a local Witness called and introduced herself, saying, ‘I prayed that Jehovah would send pioneers. Now I can accompany you most of the day, but since I live out in the country, I will have to eat lunch with you, so I have brought this food along for all of us.’ It was a large quantity of beef and vegetables.” No wonder Jesus assured us that we could ‘stop being anxious about our souls’! He then added: “Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span?”​—Matt. 6:25, 27.

⁸ The world around us is becoming more and more materialistic. Increasing pressure is being brought to bear on us to conform. However, having a humble appreciation for the full-time ministry makes us content with less materially. (1 Tim. 6:8) Pioneers who keep their lives simple and uncluttered have more time for the service and gain greater joy and spiritual strength from teaching others the truth. Although not trying to live an ascetic life, their balanced approach to their economic situation has enabled them to enjoy the blessings of pioneering.

⁹ If you keenly sense that we are living in the last days and that time is running out for this wicked world, you will be spiritually motivated to make the sacrifices needed to preach the good news at every opportunity. By taking a fresh look at your economic situation and by placing the matter in Jehovah’s hands, you may realize that you can serve him full-time. Even if you have to forgo certain material wants in order to pioneer, you will enjoy Jehovah’s rich blessings.​—Ps. 145:16.

QUESTION 3: “As a teenager, why should I consider the pioneer service as a career choice?”

¹⁰ While finishing your last few years of schooling, you naturally think about the future. You want it to be secure, happy, and fulfilling. School guidance counselors may try to steer you into a lucrative career that requires years of college education. Your well-trained Christian conscience tells you that you should prepare to serve Jehovah as fully as possible. (Eccl. 12:1) You may also think about eventually marrying and having a family. What will you do?

¹¹ The decisions you make at this time in your life may shape your entire future. If you are already a dedicated, baptized Witness of Jehovah, you have given yourself whole-souled to Jehovah. (Heb. 10:7) The first opportunity you have, try auxiliary pioneering for one or more months. This will give you a taste of the joys and responsibilities that come with regular pioneering, and your view of what you should do with your life will no doubt become clearer. Then, rather than filling the vacuum with a full-time secular job after finishing school, why not start regular pioneering? Some who waited until later in life to enjoy the pioneer service regret that they did not start sooner.

¹² As a young person, take advantage of your opportunities to pursue singleness, and enjoy the benefits it affords in the full-time preaching activity. If it is your desire to get married someday, no better foundation for marriage could be laid than serving first in the regular pioneer work. As you grow in maturity and spirituality, you may choose to make pioneering your career with a like-minded marriage partner. Some couples who have pioneered together have gone into circuit work or the missionary field. A truly satisfying way of life!

¹³ Regardless of how long you continue pioneering, you will have rounded out your education and received invaluable training that no other occupation on earth can provide. Pioneering teaches discipline, personal organization, how to deal with people, dependence on Jehovah, and how to develop patience and kindness​—qualities that will equip you to take on greater responsibilities.

¹⁴ Life has never been more uncertain for mankind. Few things are truly permanent, aside from what Jehovah has promised. Since your future is wide open before you, what better time than now could there be to give serious thought to what you will do with your life in the coming years? Weigh carefully the privilege of pioneering. You will never regret choosing pioneer service as your career.

QUESTION 4: “Isn’t it a constant pressure to meet the hour requirement? What if I get behind in my time?”

¹⁵ When you fill out a regular pioneer application, you must answer the question: “Have you organized your personal affairs so that you can reasonably expect to reach the yearly requirement of 1,000 hours?” To reach it, you need to average about three hours a day in the service. Obviously, this requires good scheduling and self-discipline. Most pioneers develop a practical, workable routine within a few months.

¹⁶ However, Ecclesiastes 9:11 truthfully says, ‘Time and unforeseen occurrence befall us all.’ Serious illness or other unforeseen circumstances can cause a pioneer to fall behind. If the problem is not one of long duration and occurs early in the service year, a stepped-up schedule may be all that is needed to redeem the lost time. But what if a serious problem arises with only a few months left in the service year and the pioneer cannot catch up?

¹⁷ If you are temporarily ill for a few months or for some other urgent reason beyond your control you cannot meet the required hours, you can approach a member of the Congregation Service Committee and explain the problem. If these elders think that it would be advisable to allow you to continue in the pioneer service without worrying about making up the lost time, they can make that decision. The secretary will mark the Congregation’s Publisher Record card to show that you are not required to make up the lost time. This is not a leave of absence but, rather, special consideration for your circumstances.​—See August 1986 Our Kingdom Ministry insert, paragraph 18.

¹⁸ Experienced pioneers build up a reserve of hours early in the service year. Their pioneer service takes priority, so they sometimes find that it is necessary to curtail nonessential activities. If a pioneer gets behind because of a poor schedule or lack of self-discipline in sticking to it, he should feel that it is his responsibility to make up the lost time and not expect special consideration.

¹⁹ There are times when a pioneer experiences an unavoidable change in his circumstances. He may find that he cannot meet the hour requirement over a long period of time because of an ongoing health problem, increased family responsibility, and so forth. In this case, the course of wisdom would be to return to the publisher ranks and share whenever possible in the auxiliary pioneer service. There is no regular provision to allow someone to stay on the pioneer list if his circumstances no longer allow him to meet the hour requirement.

²⁰ We hope that the provision of giving special consideration to those who qualify will encourage more to enroll in the pioneer service without worrying needlessly. It should also encourage those already in full-time service to continue pioneering. We want pioneers to succeed in their full-time service.

QUESTION 5: “I want to accomplish something and be happy doing it. Will pioneer service satisfy me?”

²¹ True happiness is largely contingent upon having a close, personal relationship with Jehovah and conviction that we are serving him faithfully. Jesus endured a torture stake “for the joy that was set before him.” (Heb. 12:2) His happiness came from doing God’s will. (Ps. 40:8) In the present system of things, we can enjoy true happiness if most of our life’s activities are related to our worship of Jehovah. Spiritual pursuits give us a sense of purpose because deep down we know that we are doing what is right. Happiness comes from giving, and we know of no finer way to give of ourselves than to teach others how to gain everlasting life in God’s new world.​—Acts 20:35.

²² The pioneer quoted in the opening paragraph explained it this way: “Can there be any greater joy than seeing someone with whom you study become an active praiser of Jehovah? It is exciting and faith-strengthening to see how powerful God’s Word is in motivating people to make changes in their lives in order to please Jehovah.” (See the October 15, 1997, Watchtower, pages 18-23.) So, what brings you happiness? If, rather than the temporary enjoyment offered by the world, you value permanent, worthwhile endeavors, pioneering will give you a wonderful sense of accomplishment that will make you truly happy.

QUESTION 6: “If it’s not required for everlasting life, isn’t it my business whether I pioneer or not?”

²³ True, the decision to pioneer must be yours. Only Jehovah can judge your personal circumstances of life. (Rom. 14:4) He rightly expects you to serve him with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. (Mark 12:30; Gal. 6:4, 5) He loves a cheerful giver, one who serves him joyfully, not grudgingly or under compulsion. (2 Cor. 9:7; Col. 3:23) Your reason for serving full-time must be that you love Jehovah and the people in the territory. (Matt. 9:36-38; Mark 12:30, 31) If this is how you feel, then the pioneer service merits your serious consideration.

²⁴ We hope that what has been outlined here will help you weigh your prospects for pioneering. Can you adjust your circumstances to regular pioneer? Printed below is a calendar entitled “My Weekly Pioneer Service Schedule.” See if you can fill in a practical schedule for yourself that will allow you to average about 23 hours each week in the ministry. Then, put your full faith and trust in Jehovah. With his help you can succeed! He has promised: “I shall . . . actually empty out upon you a blessing until there is no more want.”​—Mal. 3:10.

²⁵ So we ask, “Pioneer service​—is it for you?” If you can say “Yes,” set a date to start regular pioneering soon and be assured that Jehovah will bless you with a joyful life!

[Chart on page 6]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

My Weekly Pioneer Service Schedule

MONDAY: Morning field service

TUESDAY: Morning field service

WEDNESDAY: Morning field service

THURSDAY: Morning field service

FRIDAY: Morning field service

SATURDAY: Morning field service

SUNDAY: Morning field service

MONDAY: Afternoon field service

TUESDAY: Afternoon field service

WEDNESDAY: Afternoon field service

THURSDAY: Afternoon field service

FRIDAY: Afternoon field service

SATURDAY: Afternoon field service

SUNDAY: Afternoon field service

MONDAY: Evening field service

TUESDAY: Evening field service

WEDNESDAY: Evening field service

THURSDAY: Evening field service

FRIDAY: Evening field service

SATURDAY: Evening field service

SUNDAY: Evening field service

Use pencil to record your schedule for each day of the week.

Schedule a total of about 23 hours each week in field service.

Total weekly hours scheduled ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․

Announcements

◼ Literature offer for July and August: Any of the following 32-page brochures may be used: Does God Really Care About Us?, Enjoy Life on Earth Forever!, Should You Believe in the Trinity?, The Government That Will Bring Paradise, What Is the Purpose of Life​—How Can You Find It?, and When Someone You Love Dies. The brochures A Book for All People, Our Problems​—Who Will Help Us Solve Them?, Spirits of the Dead​—Can They Help You or Harm You? Do They Really Exist?, and Will There Ever Be a World Without War? may be offered where appropriate. September: Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life. October: Individual copies of The Watchtower and Awake! Where interest is found on return visits, subscriptions may be offered.

◼ With five full weekends, the month of August is a good time for many to auxiliary pioneer.

◼ Starting in September, circuit overseers will give the public talk entitled “Are You Walking With God?”

◼ New Publications Available:

Enjoy Family Life (Tract No. 21)​—Papiamento

Jehovah​—Who Is He? (Tract No. 23)​—English

Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Twentieth Century​—East Armenian

The Bible​—God’s Word or Man’s?​—Vietnamese

Watch Tower Publications Index 1997​—English

◼ New Audiocassettes Available:

Album of Hebrew Scriptures​—Volume 2; First Samuel to Psalms (21 cassettes)​—Italian

◼ New Braille Publications Available:

Beginning with the September issue, Our Kingdom Ministry will be available in grade-two English Braille. Presiding overseers should determine as soon as possible if any blind or visually impaired people associated with the congregation read grade-two English Braille and are qualified to receive a copy. Send a letter containing the names and addresses to the Society, marked ATTENTION: BRAILLE DESK.

◼ New Videocassettes Available:

Jehovah’s Witnesses Stand Firm Against Nazi Assault​—Romanian

New Circuit Assembly Program

“Keep God’s Commandments and Live” is the theme of the two-day circuit assembly program beginning in September. (Prov. 4:4) It will emphasize why obeying God’s commands is not burdensome. Furthermore, it will show how the doing of God’s will brings refreshment and true happiness as well as hope for the future.​—Matt. 11:28-30; John 13:17.

Those who in obedience to Christ’s command wish to be baptized at the assembly should speak with the presiding overseer, and he will make the necessary arrangements.​—Matt. 28:19, 20.

A symposium will explain practical ways that we can show love for God and for our brothers. (John 13:34, 35; 1 John 5:3) Heart-stirring counsel from Psalms 19 and 119 will be included in the program. Although the inspired admonition in these psalms was written thousands of years ago, we will see how it benefits us personally today.

The public talk to be given by the district overseer is entitled “Fear God and Keep His Commandments.” (Eccl. 12:13) The circuit overseer’s final talk will show how youths can get the best out of life now and why they can have confidence in an everlasting future. The district overseer concludes the program by enumerating the many benefits that come from living by “the kingly law” of love. (Jas. 2:8) Indeed, this is an assembly program that no one will want to miss!

One Million!

That is the number of publishers we would like to see reporting in the United States for August 1998. Do we have the potential to reach it? Yes, we do! Our current tally of congregations in the 48 contiguous states shows a total of 1,019,518 publishers. However, the all-time peak that reported in any one month was 975,829, in August 1996. How can we surpass that record number? It can be done if each publisher in the congregation makes definite arrangements to participate in the ministry during August and promptly reports that activity. Since the first two days of the month are a Saturday and a Sunday, why not make plans to share in the field service starting that weekend? If you will be attending a convention, you may be able to do some informal witnessing in the convention city and then share in field service with the congregation the following weekend. By getting an early start in the month, we will not fail to spend some time in the witness work during August. With united effort, we should see a new all-time peak of publishers that exceeds the 1,000,000 mark for the first time ever in the United States. What a shout of praise that will be to Jehovah!​—Ps. 47:1.

Our Neighbors Need to Hear the Good News

¹ It is God’s will “that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4) “All sorts of men” would include all our neighbors. Reaching them with the good news requires being versatile in our presentations and concerned about what may be of interest to each person we meet. (1 Cor. 9:19-23) Jehovah’s organization has provided tools that can help us to reach the hearts of those who are “rightly disposed for everlasting life.” (Acts 13:48) Let us see how we can use a variety of brochures during July and August to address the spiritual needs of our neighbors.

² Featured Brochures: Listed below you will find suggestions that might be useful when presenting certain brochures. Each suggestion includes (1) a thought-provoking question for starting a conversation, (2) a reference where talking points can be found in the brochure, and (3) an appropriate scripture that could be read during the discussion. You can fill in the rest of the presentation in your own words, according to the person’s response. For most of the brochures, a previous issue of Our Kingdom Ministry is cited where you will find a more detailed presentation for the brochure.

Does God Really Care About Us?

What hope do you think exists for helping people who have suffered abuse?​—Pages 27-8, paragraphs 23-7; Isa. 65:17, 18; km 7/97 p. 4.

What Is the Purpose of Life​—How Can You Find It?

Why is it that so many people today seem to be dissatisfied with their lives?​—Pages 29-30, paragraphs 2, 25-6; Ps. 145:16; km 7/96 p. 4.

Enjoy Life on Earth Forever!

Have you ever wondered what Jesus Christ is doing now?​—Pictures 41-2; Rev. 11:15; km 8/96 p. 8.

The Government That Will Bring Paradise.

Would you like to know about the Kingdom for which Jesus taught us to pray?​—Page 3; Matt. 6:9, 10; km 8/96 p. 8.

When Someone You Love Dies.

Have you ever wondered how to comfort someone who has lost a loved one in death?​—Page 26, paragraphs 2-5; John 5:28, 29; km 7/97 p. 4.

Should You Believe in the Trinity?

Is our understanding the true nature of God important for our future?​—Page 3, paragraphs 3, 7-8; John 17:3.

³ Other Brochures: The February 1998 Our Kingdom Ministry insert lists other publications, including brochures, that are specially designed for use in witnessing to Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, and Muslims. Wherever appropriate, these brochures may be offered to the people we meet. You can review the suggestions on pages 4-6 of that insert along with pages 21-4 in the Reasoning book and develop brief presentations that may arouse the interest of these people.

⁴ Another brochure has been prepared to help people who may be well educated but know little about the Bible. It is designed to move them to want to look into God’s Word. Where appropriate, you may choose to offer the following:

A Book for All People.

Would you agree that acquiring a well-rounded education includes getting some knowledge of what the Bible contains?​—Page 3, paragraphs 1-3 and page 30, paragraph 2; Eccl. 12:9, 10.

⁵ Bible Study Brochure: Our objective in the ministry should always be to start a Bible study, either on the initial call or on a subsequent return visit. To that end, we have the following easy-to-use brochure for starting and conducting home Bible studies:

What Does God Require of Us?

Did you know that in 30 minutes or less each week for 16 weeks, you can acquire a basic understanding of the Bible?​—Lesson 2, paragraph 6; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; km 3/97 p. 4.

⁶ In the illustration of the neighborly Samaritan, Jesus made it obvious that a real neighbor is one who exercises love and kindness to help another in distress. (Luke 10:27-37) Our neighbors are in spiritual distress. They need to hear the good news. Let us shoulder the responsibility to share it with them, thus proving ourselves genuine disciples of Jesus Christ.​—Matt. 24:14; Gal. 5:14.