July

“Happy Is the Man That Keeps On Enduring Trial”

¹ All Christians have to face trials. (2 Tim. 3:12) Trials may come in the form of ill health, economic hardship, temptation, persecution, or in many other ways. Trials imposed by Satan are designed to slow us down, to cause us to neglect our Christian ministry, or even to stop us from serving God. (Job 1:9-11) How does enduring trials lead to happiness?​—2 Pet. 2:9.

² Prepare for Trials: Jehovah has provided his Word of truth, including a record of Jesus’ life and teachings. By hearing Jesus’ sayings and doing them, we lay a solid foundation and thus prepare for adversity. (Luke 6:47-49) We also draw strength from other provisions​—our Christian brothers, congregation meetings, and Bible-based publications from the faithful and discreet slave class. We make liberal use of God’s gift of prayer.​—Matt. 6:13.

³ Jehovah has also given us a hope. When we build strong faith in Jehovah’s promises, our hope becomes “an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm.” (Heb. 6:19) In Bible times, ships never left port without an anchor, even in good weather. If a storm suddenly came up, dropping the anchor could prevent the ship from being blown against a rocky shore. Similarly, building faith in God’s promises now will stabilize us when storms of trouble occur. Difficulties can arise very suddenly. Though the preaching activity of Paul and Barnabas was initially well-received in Lystra, the situation changed quickly when Jewish opposers arrived.​—Acts 14:8-19.

⁴ Endurance Results in Happiness: Remaining steadfast in the ministry despite opposition gives us peace of mind. We rejoice when we are counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of Christ. (Acts 5:40, 41) Enduring trials helps us to develop the qualities of humility, obedience, and endurance more fully. (Deut. 8:16; Heb. 5:8; Jas. 1:2, 3) It teaches us to rely on Jehovah, to trust in his promises, and to take refuge in him.​—Prov. 18:10.

⁵ We know that trials are temporary. (2 Cor. 4:17, 18) Trials provide us with opportunities to demonstrate the depth of our love for Jehovah. By enduring them, we can provide an answer to Satan’s accusations. Therefore, we do not give up! “Happy is the man that keeps on enduring trial, because on becoming approved he will receive the crown of life.”​—Jas. 1:12.

Exciting Changes for The Watchtower!

¹ Earlier this year, congregations received a thrilling announcement: Starting in January 2008, The Watchtower will have two different editions, one for the public and the other for our Christian brotherhood! Perhaps you have been wondering: ‘How will the two magazines be different? What are the advantages of having separate editions? Are there any new features to look forward to?’

² The Differences: The issue dated the first of the month will be known as the Public Edition. All the articles in this issue will be prepared with the public in mind. The issue dated the 15th of the month will be known as the Study Edition and will not be offered in field service. It will contain all the study articles needed for one month as well as secondary articles that are of particular interest to dedicated Christians. The Public Edition of The Watchtower not only will appeal to Witnesses but will especially appeal to non-Witnesses who may accept the Bible. Awake!, on the other hand, will still be aimed at a broader audience, including skeptics and those who profess a non-Christian religion.

³ The Advantages: In the Study Edition, it will no longer be necessary to explain terms like “pioneer” in ways that non-Witnesses can grasp. This edition can also contain pointed information prepared especially for Jehovah’s Witnesses and Bible students who are making spiritual progress. What about the Public Edition? Since the subjects and the style of writing will be directed toward the public, a non-Witness should enjoy reading the magazine from cover to cover. Of course, every Witness of Jehovah will benefit from reading each issue. Because we will be offering just one Watchtower with one Awake! in the field ministry each month, we will have an entire month to develop effective presentations.

⁴ New Features: Some exciting new features are planned for the Public Edition of The Watchtower. One feature will discuss basic Scriptural teachings in a very simple format. Another will show how the Bible can help families. Bible study projects will be outlined for young people. Each issue will have an article highlighting specific Bible passages that teach us about Jehovah as a person.

⁵ We pray that Jehovah will bless this new arrangement for The Watchtower. May that journal, along with Awake!, reach many more deserving ones with the good news.​—Matt. 10:11.

Service Meeting Schedule

Week Starting July 9

Song 4

10 min: Local announcements. Using the suggestions on page 4 or other presentations appropriate for your territory, demonstrate how to offer the July 15 Watchtower and the July Awake!

15 min: What Brings True Happiness? Talk and audience discussion based on the May 15, 2006, Watchtower, pages 28-9, paragraphs 11-12. Briefly interview someone who has chosen to center his life on the ministry rather than to pursue pleasures or a secular career. What caused him to pursue spiritual goals? How has this brought happiness?

20 min: Question Box. To be handled by an elder. Read and discuss entire article. Include comments on points found in the Awake! of May 22, 2005, pages 13-14, under the subheadings “The Dangers of Deception and Secrecy” and “Choosing the Real Over the Virtual.”

Song 91 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 16

Song 16

10 min: Local announcements.

20 min: Maintaining the Peace and Cleanness of the Congregation. Talk and audience discussion based on Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will, from page 144 to the subheading on page 150.

15 min: “Exciting Changes for The Watchtower!”a

Song 189 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 23

Song 133

10 min: Local announcements. Read accounts report and donation acknowledgments. Using the suggestions on page 4 or other presentations appropriate for your territory, demonstrate how to offer the August 1 Watchtower and the August Awake!

20 min: Be Hospitable to One Another. Talk based on the January 15, 2005, Watchtower, pages 21-3. Include a brief interview of one or two publishers who are known for being hospitable. How have they endeavored to show hospitality? What blessings have they and their family enjoyed as a result?

15 min: Preparing Effective Introductions. Audience discussion based on the Reasoning book, page 9, paragraphs 1-2. Include two demonstrations showing how to present the offer for August.

Song 61 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting July 30

Song 200

10 min: Local announcements. Remind publishers to turn in field service reports for July.

15 min: Self-Sacrifice Brings Jehovah’s Blessing. Talk based on the November 15, 2005, Watchtower, pages 8-9.

20 min: “Happy Is the Man That Keeps On Enduring Trial.”b When considering paragraph 3, invite the audience to comment on how strong faith helped them when a trial arose suddenly. One or two comments may be arranged in advance.

Song 13 and concluding prayer.

Week Starting August 6

Song 106

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

15 min: Local needs.

20 min: “Why We Go Back Again and Again.”c When considering paragraph 5, invite the audience to comment on what caused them to take an interest in the truth when previously they were opposed or not interested.

Song 211 and concluding prayer.

[Footnotes]

March Service Report

Av. Av. Av. Av.

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

Sp’l Pios. 434 109.2 65.1 41.3 3.8

Pios. 102,288 69.1 35.5 21.1 2.0

Aux.Pios. 68,260 50.3 28.2 11.7 0.9

Pubs. 878,204 10.6 7.5 3.6 0.3

TOTAL 1,049,186 Baptized: 2,230

Announcements

◼ Literature offer for July: Keep on the Watch! Where genuine interest is shown, offer the Bible Teach book, making a diligent effort to start Bible studies. August: Worship the Only True God. If a Bible study is started, it is recommended that the Bible Teach book be studied before the Worship God book. September: What Does the Bible Really Teach? Make a special effort to start Bible studies on the initial call. When householders already have this publication, show how they can benefit from it by briefly demonstrating a Bible study. 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.

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

◼ Starting in September, circuit overseers will give the public talk entitled “What Marks the Bible as Authentic?”

◼ It is recommended that applications for regular pioneer service be submitted to the branch office at least 30 days before the requested start date. The congregation secretary should review the forms to make sure that they are complete. If applicants cannot recall the exact date of their baptism, they should estimate the date and keep a record of it. The secretary should note this date on the Congregation’s Publisher Record (S-21) card.

◼ The annual inventory of all literature and magazines on hand should be taken on or as close to August 31, 2007, as possible. This inventory is similar to the actual count taken monthly by the literature coordinator, and the totals should be entered on the Literature Inventory (S-18) form. The total number of magazines on hand should be obtained from the magazine servant(s). The secretary of the coordinating congregation should supervise the inventory. He and the presiding overseer of the coordinating congregation will sign the form. Each coordinating congregation will receive three Literature Inventory forms. Please mail the original to the branch office no later than September 6. Keep a copy for your files. The third form may be used as a work sheet.

◼ The branch office does not fill individual publishers’ requests for literature. The presiding overseer should arrange for an announcement to be made each month before the congregation monthly request for literature is sent to the branch so that all interested in obtaining personal literature items may advise the brother handling literature. Please keep in mind which publications are special-request items.

Question Box

◼ What are the dangers of using the Internet to associate with someone we do not know?

A number of Web sites have been designed for people to meet and correspond over the Internet. Many of these sites allow individuals to create and post their own profile, which may include pictures and other personal information. People who view the profile can then make contact. Such Web sites are very popular among young people, and some youths in the congregation have used them to interact with others who claim to be Jehovah’s Witnesses.

It is easy for a person whom we meet over the Internet to be deceptive about his identity, his spirituality, or his motives. (Ps. 26:4) An individual claiming to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses may actually be an unbeliever, a disfellowshipped person, or even an active apostate. (Gal. 2:4) Reportedly, many pedophiles use such Web sites to find their victims.

Even if we are convinced that those with whom we are corresponding are in good standing in the congregation, conversations in such a setting can easily drift toward unwholesome material. This is because people tend to be less inhibited with individuals they have not met personally. They may also view online communication as private and feel that whatever they say will not come to the attention of others, such as their parents or the elders. Sadly, a number of youths from Christian households have been ensnared and have become involved in obscene speech. (Eph. 5:3, 4; Col. 3:8) Others have included sexually provocative pictures of themselves, suggestive nicknames, or links to sexually explicit music videos in their computer profile.

In view of the foregoing, parents should monitor their children’s activity on the computer. (Prov. 29:15) It would be dangerous to invite a stranger into our home or to allow him to be alone with our children. Similarly, it is dangerous for us or our children to make friends with strangers over the Internet, even if they claim to be Jehovah’s Witnesses.​—Prov. 22:3.

Why We Go Back Again and Again

1. What question arises regarding our preaching work?

¹ In many places, we cover our territory quite frequently. We continue to go back to the same houses again and again, though the householder may have told us he is not interested. Why do we keep speaking to those who have not responded favorably in the past?

2. What is the primary reason we persevere in the ministry?

² Love for Jehovah and for People: The primary reason we persevere in the ministry is our love for Jehovah. Our heart moves us to continue telling others about our great God. (Luke 6:45) Our love for Jehovah impels us to obey his commands and help others to do the same. (Prov. 27:11; 1 John 5:3) Our enduring faithfully in this work does not depend upon the response of the people. Even when first-century Christians were persecuted, they continued preaching “without letup.” (Acts 5:42) When people refuse to listen, rather than allowing this to discourage us, we remain steadfast, demonstrating the depth of our love and devotion to Jehovah.

3. How will love for people help us to continue preaching?

³ We also persevere because we love our neighbor. (Luke 10:27) Jehovah does not want any to be destroyed. (2 Pet. 3:9) Even in frequently worked territory, we are still finding those who want to serve Jehovah. For example, in Guadeloupe, where 1 out of every 56 people is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 214 were baptized last year. Almost 20,000 attended the Memorial, about 1 for every 22 people in Guadeloupe!

4. In what ways do territories change?

⁴ Changes in the Territory: The makeup of our territory is constantly changing. The next time we call where there was no favorable response, a different member of the family​—perhaps one who has never heard our message—​may open the door and listen. Or we may find new occupants who are interested. Children with opposed parents grow up and leave home. Such ones may be willing to hear the Kingdom message.

5. What may cause people to become more receptive?

⁵ People also change. The apostle Paul was once “a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man.” (1 Tim. 1:13) Likewise, many who are serving Jehovah today were at one time not interested in the truth. Some may have even opposed the good news at one time. As world conditions change, some opposers or those who were indifferent may be moved to listen. Others may be more responsive after experiencing a personal tragedy, such as a death in the family, the loss of employment, a financial problem, or a health issue.

6. Why must we continue to preach with enthusiasm?

⁶ This system of things is winding down, but our work of preaching and teaching is speeding up. (Isa. 60:22) Therefore, we continue to preach with enthusiasm and strive to maintain a positive attitude. The next individual we speak with may listen. We need to keep on speaking! ‘By doing this we will save both ourselves and those who listen to us.’​—1 Tim. 4:16.

What to Say About the Magazines

The Watchtower July 15

“The death of loved ones can cause much sorrow. Do you think that a part of them continues to live on? [Allow for response.] Jesus gave this encouraging promise. [Read John 5:28, 29.] Since Jesus said that a resurrection ‘is coming,’ this magazine explains from the Bible where the dead are right now.”

Awake! July

“Many people live their life the best way they can and feel that it is important to be a good person. Is that your approach to life? [Allow for response.] Notice the danger if our definition of what is good is different from God’s. [Read Proverbs 14:12.] This article discusses what it means to be a good person in God’s eyes.” Feature the article that begins on page 20.

The Watchtower Aug. 1

“I would like to get your opinion on something that Jesus said. [Read Matthew 5:3.] Do you feel that spirituality is important for happiness? [Allow for response.] This magazine shows what the Bible says about true spirituality and how we may obtain it.”

Awake! Aug.

“Where do you think parents can find advice that will really help them? [Allow for response.] Notice this promise made in the Bible. [Read 2 Timothy 3:16.] This magazine shows just how practical the Bible can be in helping parents raise happy children.”