1, 2. (a) What experience shows the value of asking the right questions? (See opening picture.) (b) Why do we not need to be afraid of difficult subjects?

A CHRISTIAN sister was discussing the Bible with her husband, who was not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He said that he believed in the Trinity. However, she realized that he might not know what his church actually taught about the Trinity. So she tactfully asked, “Do you believe that God is God, that Jesus is God, and that the holy spirit is God; yet, there are not three Gods but one God?” Surprised, the husband said, “No, I don’t believe that!” As a result, they had an enthusiastic conversation about who God really is.

² What can we learn from this experience? Asking the right questions in a tactful way can be very valuable. We also learn that we do not need to be afraid to discuss difficult subjects, such as the Trinity, hellfire, or the existence of a Creator. If we rely on Jehovah and on the training he gives us, we can teach in a way that will reach the heart of our listeners. (Colossians 4:6) In this article, we will discuss how to teach more effectively by (1) asking questions so that the person will express himself, (2) reasoning on what the Scriptures say, and (3) using illustrations to make the point clear.

ASK QUESTIONS SO THAT THE LISTENER WILL EXPRESS HIMSELF

3, 4. Why is it important that we use questions to learn what a person believes? Give an example.

³ Questions can help us to learn what a person believes. Why is that important? Proverbs 18:13 says: “When anyone replies to a matter before he hears the facts, it is foolish and humiliating.” So we first need to find out what our listener really believes. If we do not do this, we could spend a lot of time trying to prove that an idea is wrong and then learn that the person does not believe that anyway.​—1 Corinthians 9:26.

⁴ For example, we may be discussing the subject of hell with someone. Some believe that hell is a place where bad people are tortured with fire. Others believe that being in hell simply means not having God’s friendship. So maybe we could say something like this, “Since people have different ideas about hell, may I ask what you believe?” After listening to the person, we will be able to help him understand what the Bible teaches.

5. How can questions help us to find out why a person believes as he does?

⁵ Tactful questions can also help us to find out why a person believes what he does. For example, what if someone we meet in the ministry says that he does not believe in God? We might assume that the person does not believe that we were created. (Psalm 10:4) Some people, though, have lost their faith in God because they have seen others suffer or they personally have suffered so much. They cannot believe that a loving Creator would allow such suffering. Therefore, if a householder says, “I do not believe in God,” we could ask, “Have you always felt that way?” If the person says no, we might ask if something happened that caused him to doubt that God exists. His answer may help us find the best way to assist him.​—Read Proverbs 20:5.

6. What should we do after asking a question?

⁶ After asking a question, we really need to listen to the person’s answer and let him know that we respect how he feels. For example, because of some tragedy, he may say that he doubts that a loving Creator exists. First, we should let him know that it is not wrong to wonder why we suffer. (Habakkuk 1:2, 3) Then, we can explain how we know that God does exist. If we are patient and loving, he may want to learn more.a​—See footnote.

REASON ON WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY

7. What must we do to be effective in our ministry?

⁷ The Bible is our most important tool in the ministry. It helps us to be “fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) To be effective in the ministry, we must do more than just read many scriptures. We need to know how to reason on what the scriptures say and how to explain them. (Read Acts 17:2, 3.) To illustrate, let us discuss three examples.

8, 9. (a) What is one way to reason with someone who believes that Jesus is equal to God? (b) How have you helped people to reason on this subject?

⁸ Example 1: In our ministry, we meet someone who believes that Jesus is equal to God. What scriptures could we use to reason with the householder? We might ask him to read Jesus’ words at John 6:38: “I have come down from heaven to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” After reading that verse, we could ask the person: “If Jesus is God, who sent him down from heaven? Would that One not be greater than Jesus? After all, the sender is superior to the one who is sent.”

⁹ We could also read Philippians 2:9, where the apostle Paul describes what God did after Jesus died and was resurrected. The verse says that God assigned Jesus “to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name.” To help the person reason on that scripture, we might ask: “If Jesus was equal to God before he died and God later assigned him to a higher position, would that not put Jesus above God? Yet, how could anyone become superior to God?” This kind of reasoning may help sincere people who respect God’s Word to want to learn more.​—Acts 17:11.

10. (a) How might we reason with someone who believes in hellfire? (b) How have you helped people to reason on this subject?

¹⁰ Example 2: A householder finds it hard to believe that bad people will not be tortured forever in hellfire. He may believe in hellfire because he wants wicked people to be punished for the bad things they did. How might we reason with someone who feels that way? First, we could assure him that the wicked ones will be punished. (2 Thessalonians 1:9) Then, we could have him read Genesis 2:16, 17, which shows that the punishment for sin is death. We might explain that as a result of Adam’s sin, all humans are sinners. (Romans 5:12) We can mention that God did not say anything about being punished in hellfire. We could then read Genesis 3:19. In that scripture, God told Adam that the punishment for his sin was that he would go back to the dust. We might ask, “Would it have been fair to tell Adam that he would go back to the ground if he was really going to a fiery hell?” Such a question may help a sincere person to reason on this subject.

11. (a) What is one way to reason with someone who believes that all good people go to heaven? (b) How have you helped people to reason on this subject?

¹¹ Example 3: In our ministry, we meet someone who believes that all good people go to heaven. This idea will affect how the householder understands the Bible. For example, if we were to read Revelation 21:4, the person might assume that this verse describes life in heaven. (Read.) How could you reason with him? Instead of using more scriptures, we could focus on a phrase in Revelation 21:4. It says that “death will be no more.” So we could ask, “Do you agree that for something to be no more, it must have been there in the first place?” He will probably say yes. Then we could say that there is no death in heaven. People die only here on earth. It is logical, then, that Revelation 21:4 is describing blessings here on earth.​—Psalm 37:29.

USE ILLUSTRATIONS TO MAKE THE POINT CLEAR

12. Why did Jesus use illustrations?

¹² Jesus used illustrations when he preached. (Read Matthew 13:34, 35.) These illustrations helped to show whether his listeners were sincere and really wanted to serve Jehovah. (Matthew 13:10-15) Jesus also used illustrations so that people could remember what he taught and would enjoy listening to him. How can we use illustrations when we teach?

13. What illustration could you use to teach that God is superior to Jesus?

¹³ It is best to use simple illustrations. For example, if we want to teach that God is superior to Jesus, we can try this illustration: First, we can mention that both God and Jesus compared their relationship to that of a Father and a Son. (Luke 3:21, 22; John 14:28) Next, we can ask: “What type of family relationship would you use to show that two people are the same, that they are equal?” The householder may mention brothers or twins. Then, we can say: “That is a very good illustration. So if we could come up with this illustration so easily, why would Jesus, who is the Great Teacher, not use the same illustration? Instead, he said that God is his Father. By doing this, Jesus helped us picture God as being older and having more authority than he had.”

14. What illustration shows that it would not be logical for God to use the Devil to torture people in hellfire?

¹⁴ Let us discuss another example. Some believe that God has put Satan in charge of hell. How can we help a parent see that it would not be logical for God to use the Devil to torture people in hellfire? We could ask, “What would you do if your child became very rebellious and was doing many bad things?” The parent would probably say that he would correct his child. He might try again and again to help the child stop doing what is bad. (Proverbs 22:15) We might ask, “What would you do if your child refused to change?” Most parents would say that eventually they would have to punish the child. Then we could ask, “What if you found out that an evil person was influencing your child to do bad things?” No doubt, the parent would be angry with such a person. Finally, to make the point of the illustration clear, we might ask, “Knowing that an evil person had influenced your child, would you ask that person to punish your child for you?” The answer, of course, would be no. Satan is the one who influences people to do bad things. So, clearly, God would not use Satan to punish these people.

BE BALANCED

15, 16. (a) Why should we not expect that everyone will accept the Kingdom message? (b) Do you need to be an extraordinary teacher to be able to teach effectively? Explain. (See also the box “A Tool to Help Us Give an Answer.”)

¹⁵ Even if we ask the right questions, reason in the best way, and use good illustrations, not everyone will accept the Kingdom message. (Matthew 10:11-14) Only a few accepted Jesus’ teachings even though he was the greatest Teacher who ever lived on earth!​—John 6:66; 7:45-48.

¹⁶ What if we feel that we are not extraordinary teachers? Even so, we can be effective when we preach. (Read Acts 4:13.) The Bible assures us that “all those . . . rightly disposed for everlasting life” will accept the good news. (Acts 13:48) So let us be balanced. We should try to improve our teaching but should not get discouraged when those we talk to do not accept the good news. If we rely on Jehovah and the training he gives us, we will become better teachers, and this will benefit both us and those who listen to us. (1 Timothy 4:16) Jehovah can help us to “answer each person.” In the next article, we will learn how to be successful in our ministry by following what is often called the Golden Rule.

1. Does it matter how we treat people when we talk to them? Give an example. (See opening picture.)

A COUPLE were preaching in Fiji, inviting people to the Memorial of Christ’s death. They were speaking to a woman outside her home when it began to rain. The brother and his wife gave the woman one of their umbrellas to use. The woman was so impressed that she decided to attend the Memorial. She later said that she did not remember much of what the couple told her, but she did remember the kind way they treated her. The couple had followed what is often called the Golden Rule.

2. What is the Golden Rule, and how can we follow it?

² What is the Golden Rule? It is the counsel Jesus gave when he said: “All things . . . that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.” (Matthew 7:12) How can we do that? First, ask yourself, ‘If I were the other person, how would I want to be treated?’ Second, do your best to treat the other person that way.​—1 Corinthians 10:24.

3, 4. (a) Explain why the Golden Rule applies to the way we treat everybody. (b) What will we discuss in this article?

³ Was Jesus saying that we should follow the Golden Rule only with others in the congregation? No, he was talking about how we should treat everybody, including our enemies. (Read Luke 6:27, 28, 31, 35.) So it is also very important to follow the rule when we preach to people, because many of them may respond well to the good news and gain “everlasting life”!​—Acts 13:48.

⁴ We will now discuss four questions to keep in mind when we are in the ministry. Who is the person I am talking to? Where am I talking to people? When is the best time to talk to them? How should I talk to them? As we will see, these questions can help us to understand how people would like to be treated. Then we will know the best way to talk to each person.​—1 Corinthians 9:19-23.

WHO IS THE PERSON I AM TALKING TO?

5. What questions could we ask ourselves?

⁵ Every person we meet in our ministry is an individual and has his or her own background and problems. (2 Chronicles 6:29) When you talk to someone, ask yourself: ‘If I were the other person, how would I want to be treated? Would I want someone to jump to conclusions about me or judge me before he even knew me? Or would I want him to get to know me as a person?’ These questions can help us to follow the Golden Rule and treat each person as an individual.

6, 7. What should we do if someone we meet in the ministry seems to be angry or rude?

⁶ For example, Christians do their best to apply the Bible’s counsel to speak always in a kind and polite way. (Colossians 4:6) But we are imperfect. Maybe we are having a bad day and we say something that we later regret. (James 3:2) When that happens, we hope the other person will understand that we are not usually like that. We would not want him to describe us as a rude person. Remembering this helps us to understand that people who are rude to us may also later regret what they say to us.

⁷ If someone you meet seems to be angry or is rude to you, can you try to understand why he is acting like that? Could it be that he is under pressure at work or at school? Does he have a serious health problem? Many people who were upset when the Witnesses first met them have responded well when treated with mildness and respect.​—Proverbs 15:1; 1 Peter 3:15.

8. Why should we preach the Kingdom message to “people of all sorts”?

⁸ We preach to all sorts of individuals. In the past few years, over 60 experiences have been published in the Watchtower series “The Bible Changes Lives.” These articles talk about people who used to be thieves, drunkards, gang members, or drug addicts. Others were politicians, religious leaders, or individuals who were only interested in their careers. Some were very immoral. But all of them heard the good news, accepted a Bible study, made changes in their lives, and came into the truth. So we should not think that people like these will never accept the Kingdom message. (Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.) “People of all sorts” can come into the truth.​—1 Corinthians 9:22.

WHERE AM I TALKING TO PEOPLE?

9. Why should we show respect for the homes of others?

⁹ We often preach to people when they are at their home. (Matthew 10:11-13) Our home is important to us, so we like it when others show respect for our home and personal property. We want our home to be a place where we can feel safe and have privacy. When we are talking to people, we should show the same respect for their home.​—Acts 5:42.

10. How can we avoid upsetting others when we are preaching?

¹⁰ We live in a world full of crime, and many householders are suspicious of strangers. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) We should not do anything that makes people suspicious of us. For example, you knock on the front door of a house. If no one answers, you could be tempted to look through the window or walk around the property, searching for the householder. You may do this because you want to find as many people as possible when you are preaching. (Acts 10:42) You sincerely want to help people to learn the truth about God. (Romans 1:14, 15) But in your territory, would that upset the householder? What might his neighbors think? We need to be wise and avoid doing anything that may upset people in our territory. The apostle Paul wrote: “In no way are we giving any cause for stumbling, so that no fault may be found with our ministry.” (2 Corinthians 6:3) People in our territory may be attracted to the truth when we show respect for their home and property.​—Read 1 Peter 2:12.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TALK TO PEOPLE?

11. Why do we like it when others respect our time?

¹¹ Most of us are very busy. To get everything done, we need to plan ahead and schedule our time carefully. (Ephesians 5:16; Philippians 1:10) If something unexpected changes our schedule, we may feel frustrated. Therefore, we like it when others respect our time and also understand that we may not have much time to spend with them. How can the Golden Rule help us to show that we respect other people’s time?

12. How can we decide when is the best time to talk to people in our territory?

¹² When is the best time to talk to people? Ask yourself: ‘In my territory, when are people usually at home? When will they have time to listen?’ It would be good to adjust our schedule to talk to them at those times. In some parts of the world, it is best to go from house to house in the late afternoon or early evening. If that is true where you live, could you plan to talk to people during that time of the day? (Read 1 Corinthians 10:24.) Jehovah will bless any sacrifices we make so that we can preach to people at a time that is best for them.

13. How can we show respect for the householder?

¹³ How else can we show that we respect the householder? When we find someone who listens to our message, we should give a good witness but we should not talk with him for too long. The householder may have planned to do something else that is important to him. If he says that he is busy, we can say that we will not take a lot of his time. Then we should do what we say and be brief. (Matthew 5:37) When we end our conversation, it would be good to ask when would be the best time for us to visit again. Some publishers say: “I would enjoy visiting you again. Would it be best if I telephone or send you a text message before I come?” When we respect that people are busy and have their own plans, we are following Paul’s example. He did not do what was best for him, but he did what was best for “the many, so that they may be saved.”​—1 Corinthians 10:33.

HOW SHOULD I TALK TO PEOPLE?

14-16. (a) Why should we clearly tell the householder the reason for our visit? Give an example. (b) What has one traveling overseer found to be effective?

¹⁴ Imagine that somebody phones you but you do not recognize the caller’s voice. He is a stranger, but he asks you what type of food you like. You wonder who the caller is and what he really wants. You do not want to be rude, so you may talk to him for a short time, but then you would likely end the conversation. Now imagine the same call but the caller tells you who he is and that his job is to help people to eat healthy food. He kindly tells you that he has some information that may help you. You would probably want to listen to him. In fact, we like it when people do not hide who they are when they speak to us. How can we show the same respect for people we meet?

¹⁵ In many territories, we should clearly tell the householder the reason for our visit. It is true that we have valuable information that the householder needs. But imagine that we do not say who we are and why we are there but just start our presentation with a question like this: “If you could solve any problem in the world, what would it be?” We ask the question to find out what the person is thinking so that we can use the Bible in our conversation. However, the householder might wonder: ‘Who is this stranger, and why is he asking me this question? What is this all about?’ We want the householder to enjoy talking with us. (Philippians 2:3, 4) So how can we do this?

¹⁶ One traveling overseer does the following: After greeting the householder, he gives him a copy of the tract Would You Like to Know the Truth? and says: “We’re giving one of these to everyone in the area today. It discusses six questions that many people ask. Here is your copy.” The brother says that when they know why he is visiting them, most people seem to relax and it is easier to continue the conversation. The brother then asks the person: “Have you ever thought about any of these questions?” If the householder chooses one, the brother opens the tract and discusses what the Bible says about that question. If not, the brother selects a question and continues the conversation without embarrassing the householder. Of course, there are many ways to start a conversation. In some places, we need to follow certain customs when we greet people before we tell them why we are there. We need to understand that it is important to adjust our presentation so that people will want to listen to our message.

FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE WHEN YOU PREACH

17. What are some ways in which we can follow the Golden Rule when we preach?

¹⁷ What have we learned that can help us to follow the Golden Rule when we preach? We treat each person as an individual. We show respect for the householder’s home and personal property. We do our best to preach when people are at home and may have some time to listen to us. We introduce our message in a way that makes people in our territory want to listen.

18. Why is it good to treat those in our territory as we would like to be treated?

¹⁸ When we treat those in our territory in a kind way and think about how they feel, we show that we apply Bible principles, which gives glory to our heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:16) More people may want to learn the truth when we treat them with respect. (1 Timothy 4:16) No matter how people respond to the Kingdom message, we will know that we have done our best in our ministry. (2 Timothy 4:5) Let us imitate the apostle Paul, who wrote: “I do all things for the sake of the good news, in order to share it with others.” (1 Corinthians 9:23) May all of us follow the Golden Rule when we talk to others.

1, 2. (a) Whom did God create first, and how did Jehovah use him? (b) How do we know that the angels are organized?

OUR Creator, Jehovah, does everything in an organized way. First, he created his Son, Jesus. The Bible calls Jesus “the Word” because he is God’s most important representative. It says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” He has served Jehovah in heaven for millions of years. The Bible also says about Jesus: “All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.” More than 2,000 years ago, Jehovah sent the Word to the earth as the perfect man Jesus Christ. Jesus faithfully did everything his Father asked him to do.​—John 1:1-3, 14.

² Before he came to the earth, Jesus served loyally as God’s “master worker.” (Proverbs 8:30) By means of Jesus, Jehovah created millions of angels in heaven. (Colossians 1:16) The Bible tells us that Jehovah has well-organized armies of angels. It says: “A thousand thousands kept ministering to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.”​—Daniel 7:10; Psalm 103:21.

3. How many stars are there? How are the stars and planets organized?

³ When Jehovah created the universe, he created so many stars and planets that you could never count them all. How many stars are there? One newspaper, the Houston, Texas, Chronicle, reported that after a recent study, scientists now think that there are 300 sextillion stars in the universe. That is a 3 followed by 23 zeros! Are these stars and planets organized? Yes, groups of stars are organized into galaxies. Each galaxy contains many planets and billions or even trillions of stars. Most galaxies are then organized into groups called clusters, and these clusters are organized into larger groups called superclusters.

4. Why is it reasonable to think that God’s servants on earth would be organized?

⁴ The angels in heaven and the stars and planets in the universe are organized in an amazing way. (Isaiah 40:26) So we can believe that our Creator also organizes his servants on earth. It is vital for them to be well-organized because they have so much important work to do. For thousands of years, Jehovah has organized his people so that they could worship him faithfully. There are many examples that prove that he has been with them and that he is “a God not of disorder but of peace.”​—Read 1 Corinthians 14:33, 40.

GOD ORGANIZED HIS PEOPLE IN ANCIENT TIMES

5. How was God’s purpose for the earth interrupted?

⁵ When Jehovah created the first humans, he told them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) Jehovah did not create millions of people all at once. Adam and Eve would have children, and their children would have children, until the human family was spread throughout the earth. God’s purpose was for them to make the whole earth into a paradise. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, this purpose was interrupted for a while. (Genesis 3:1-6) Most of Adam and Eve’s children did not serve Jehovah, and after some time, “Jehovah saw that man’s wickedness was great on the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time.” Because of all this wickedness, “the earth had become ruined,” and it “was filled with violence.” Therefore, God decided to destroy all the wicked and bring a flood upon the whole earth.​—Genesis 6:5, 11-13, 17.

6, 7. (a) Why did Jehovah save Noah? (See opening picture.) (b) What happened to all the people who refused to listen to Noah?

⁶ Not everybody was destroyed in the Flood. Noah “found favor in the eyes of Jehovah” because he “was a righteous man” who “walked with the true God.” Jehovah commanded Noah to build a huge ark and gave him all the instructions he needed to do it. (Genesis 6:8, 9, 14-16) The ark was designed to float on water so that people and animals inside it would survive the Flood. Noah and his family did exactly what Jehovah had commanded them to do. After they brought the animals into the ark, “Jehovah shut the door.”​—Genesis 7:5, 16.

⁷ Noah warned people about the Flood, but most of them refused to listen. (2 Peter 2:5) In the year 2370 before Christ, the Flood began. Jehovah destroyed “every living thing,” but he kept faithful Noah, his sons, and their wives safe in the ark. (Genesis 7:23) Everybody on earth today comes from faithful Noah and his family. But none of the people who refused to listen to Noah’s warnings survived the Flood.

8. How did God organize his people when he commanded the Israelites to enter the Promised Land?

⁸ More than 800 years after the Flood, God organized the Israelites into a nation. He organized every aspect of their lives, especially how they should worship him. For example, he assigned some of them to be priests and Levites. He also organized some women “to serve at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” (Exodus 38:8) Jehovah later commanded the nation to go and live in Canaan. But most of the Israelites were afraid and refused to go, so he told them: “None of you will enter into the land that I swore to have you reside in except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.” Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who had brought back a good report after spying out the Promised Land. (Numbers 14:30, 37, 38) Later, Jehovah assigned Joshua to lead the Israelites. (Numbers 27:18-23) Just before Joshua led them into Canaan, Jehovah told him: “Be courageous and strong. Do not be struck with terror or fear, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go.”​—Joshua 1:9.

9. How did Rahab feel about Jehovah and his people?

⁹ Jehovah God was with Joshua wherever he went. For example, in the year 1473 before Christ, the Israelites were camped near the Canaanite city of Jericho. Joshua sent two men to spy out Jericho, where they met the prostitute Rahab. Men in the city tried to capture the spies, but Rahab hid them on the roof of her house. She told the Israelite spies: “I do know that Jehovah will give you the land . . . , for we heard how Jehovah dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you . . . and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites.” She added: “Jehovah your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:9-11) Rahab and her family supported Jehovah’s chosen people. Later, when the Israelites conquered Jericho, Jehovah made sure that Rahab and her family survived. (Joshua 6:25) Faithful Rahab deeply respected Jehovah and his organization.

THE FIRST CHRISTIANS WERE ORGANIZED

10. What did Jesus tell the Jewish religious leaders, and why did he tell them that?

¹⁰ While faithful Joshua was their leader, the Israelites were successful and conquered the land of Canaan, one city after the other. But later, over a period of about 1,500 years, the Israelites were unfaithful again and again. When Jesus came to the earth, the Israelites had become so disobedient to Jehovah and his prophets that Jesus called the Israelites living in Jerusalem “the killer of the prophets.” (Read Matthew 23:37, 38.) Jehovah rejected the Jewish religious leaders because of their disobedience. Jesus told them: “The Kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.”​—Matthew 21:43.

11, 12. (a) What proves that Jehovah began to favor a new organization instead of the nation of Israel? (b) Who became part of this new organization?

¹¹ Not long after Jesus came to the earth, Jehovah rejected the nation of Israel. But he would still have an organization of faithful servants on earth who obeyed Christ and his teachings. On the day of Pentecost in the year 33, Jehovah began to favor a new organization instead of the nation of Israel. About 120 disciples of Jesus were gathered together when “suddenly there was a noise from heaven, just like that of a rushing, stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house.” Then “tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed, and one came to rest on each one of them, and they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak in different languages.” (Acts 2:1-4) This amazing event showed without a doubt that Jehovah was supporting this new organization of Christ’s disciples.

¹² On that same day, about 3,000 people joined Jehovah’s new organization. The Bible also says that “Jehovah continued to add to them daily those being saved.” (Acts 2:41, 47) Jesus’ disciples were so successful in their preaching work that the Bible says: “The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples kept multiplying very much in Jerusalem.” Many sincere people, including many priests, accepted Christ’s teachings. (Acts 6:7) Later, when Jehovah brought people who were not Jews into the Christian congregation, it was further evidence that he supported the new organization.​—Read Acts 10:44, 45.

13. What work did God give his new organization?

¹³ There was no doubt what work God had given Christ’s followers to do. While on earth, Jesus had set the example for them. Soon after his baptism, Jesus began preaching about “the Kingdom of the heavens.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus taught his disciples to do the same work. He also told them that they would be witnesses of him “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Did Jesus’ disciples understand what they were supposed to do? Yes! On one occasion, Paul and Barnabas told the Jews that Jesus’ disciples would now preach to people of other nations. Paul and Barnabas said: “Jehovah has commanded us in these words: ‘I have appointed you as a light of nations, for you to be a salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:14, 45-47) Since the first century, God’s organization has been telling others about what Jehovah has done to save mankind.

GOD’S SERVANTS SURVIVE

14. What happened to Jerusalem in the first century, but who survived?

¹⁴ Most Jews did not accept the good news about Jesus, and they did not listen when Jesus told them about a disaster that would happen to Jerusalem. He had warned his disciples: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her.” (Luke 21:20, 21) Exactly as Jesus had foretold, Jerusalem was destroyed. The Jews rebelled against the Romans, and in the year 66, Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem and were just about to destroy it. But the armies suddenly left, and that gave Jesus’ followers an opportunity to leave Jerusalem and Judea. Many fled across the Jordan River and went up into the mountains. In the year 70, the Roman armies came back and destroyed Jerusalem. What happened to the Christians? They survived because they listened to Jesus’ warning.

15. Why did many people join the Christian congregation?

¹⁵ In the first century, Christians were persecuted and their faith was tested. Despite this, many more people became Christians. (Acts 11:19-21; 19:1, 19, 20) Why did that happen? Because the Christian congregation had God’s favor.​—Proverbs 10:22.

16. What did all Christians have to do to keep their faith strong?

¹⁶ To keep their faith strong and to stay united, all Christians had to make personal effort. They had to study the Scriptures, regularly attend meetings, and be zealous in the ministry. The congregations were well-organized. They had elders and ministerial servants who were willing to help them, and the congregations benefited from the hard work of these brothers. (Philippians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:1-4) Also, they enjoyed visits of traveling overseers, such as Paul. (Acts 15:36, 40, 41) It is amazing to see how similar our worship today is to that of the first-century Christians. We are so grateful that Jehovah has always organized his servants!a​—See footnote.

17. What will be discussed in the next article?

¹⁷ We are living in the last days, and Satan’s world will soon be destroyed. Even so, the earthly part of God’s organization is moving ahead faster than ever before. Are you moving ahead with Jehovah’s organization? The next article will show how you can do this.

1. What organization replaced the nation of Israel as God’s chosen people? (See opening picture.)

JEHOVAH’S people on earth today worship him in a way that pleases him. In the past, the members of the nation of Israel were God’s chosen people. But they became apostate. Jehovah then created a new nation made up of Christ’s followers. They became an organization that represented Jehovah. Even though Jerusalem was destroyed in the year 70, that organization was not destroyed. (Luke 21:20, 21) In these last days, the new nation is organized to represent Jehovah. It will not be destroyed when Satan’s world is permanently removed. (2 Timothy 3:1) How can we be sure?

2. How did Jesus describe the “great tribulation”? How will it start?

² Jesus foretold what would happen in the last days: “There will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matthew 24:3, 21) This tribulation will start when Jehovah destroys “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion. He will use human governments to do this. (Revelation 17:3-5, 16) What will come next?

SATAN’S ATTACK LEADS TO ARMAGEDDON

3. After false religion is destroyed, what will happen to Jehovah’s people?

³ After false religion is destroyed, Jehovah’s Witnesses will be the only religious organization left on earth. Then Satan and his world will attack God’s servants. It will seem as if Jehovah’s peaceful people have no protection. The Bible says about “Gog of the land of Magog”: “You will come against them like a storm, and you will cover the land like clouds, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.” But that attack will be a big mistake!​—Ezekiel 38:1, 2, 9-12.

4, 5. What will Jehovah do when his people are attacked?

⁴ When Satan and his followers attack Jehovah’s people, it will be as if they were attacking Jehovah himself. (Read Zechariah 2:8.) How will Jehovah react? The Sovereign of the universe will immediately rescue his people. He will not allow them to be destroyed. After rescuing his people, Jehovah will begin the war of Armageddon and will completely destroy Satan’s world.​—Revelation 16:14, 16.

⁵ Jeremiah prophesied that Jehovah himself will fight against the nations at Armageddon: “‘He will personally pass judgment on all humans. And he will put the wicked to the sword,’ declares Jehovah. This is what Jehovah of armies says: ‘Look! A calamity is spreading from nation to nation, and a great tempest will be unleashed from the remotest parts of the earth. And those slain by Jehovah in that day will be from one end of the earth clear to the other end of the earth. They will not be mourned, nor will they be gathered up or buried. They will become like manure on the surface of the ground.’” (Jeremiah 25:31-33) Armageddon will bring an end to Satan’s world. But Jehovah’s organization will remain.

WHY JEHOVAH’S ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO GROW

6, 7. (a) Where does the “great crowd” come from? (b) What increases have there been in recent years?

⁶ Today, the earthly part of God’s organization continues to grow because it is full of righteous people who have God’s approval. The Bible says: “The eyes of Jehovah are on the righteous, and his ears listen to their supplication.” (1 Peter 3:12) These righteous ones include “a great crowd,” a very large number of people, who will survive “the great tribulation.” (Revelation 7:9, 14) Imagine how you will feel when you survive this great tribulation as a member of the great crowd!

⁷ This great crowd is made up of people from all nations. It is the preaching work that is gathering them together. Jesus foretold: “This good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) That is why the main work of God’s people is to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God. As a result, millions of people are worshipping Jehovah “with spirit and truth.” (John 4:23, 24) For example, between 2003 and 2012, more than 2,707,000 people dedicated themselves to Jehovah and were baptized. Today, there are more than 7,900,000 Witnesses, and every year millions more attend the Memorial of Christ’s death. We rejoice that the great crowd is growing quickly, and we know that Jehovah is making it grow.​—1 Corinthians 3:5-7.

8. Why is Jehovah’s organization growing so much?

⁸ Jehovah has chosen an organization to represent him. And it is expanding rapidly. (Read Isaiah 43:10-12.) Isaiah foretold about the last days: “The little one will become a thousand and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, will speed it up in its own time.” (Isaiah 60:22) The anointed remnant, “the Israel of God,” were like “the little one,” but Jehovah blessed their preaching work. Their number got bigger as other anointed ones were brought into God’s organization. (Galatians 6:16) Over the years, millions with the earthly hope have also accepted the truth.

WHAT JEHOVAH REQUIRES OF US

9. What must we do to benefit from God’s promise of a wonderful future?

⁹ Jehovah has promised a wonderful future for all of us, whether we are of the anointed or of the great crowd. To benefit from this promise, we must obey his commandments. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) For example, Jehovah required that the Israelites obey his Law. The Law would protect them and teach them how to have happy families and good friends, how to do business honestly, and how to treat others with kindness. (Exodus 20:14; Leviticus 19:18, 35-37; Deuteronomy 6:6-9) The same is true for us today. God’s commandments protect us and are good for us. They are not too difficult for us to obey. (Read 1 John 5:3.) When we obey them, our lives are happier and, more important, our faith in Jehovah grows stronger.​—Titus 1:13.

10. Why should we make sure that we regularly study the Bible and have evenings for family worship?

¹⁰ The earthly part of God’s organization is moving ahead in many ways. It helps us understand Bible truth more and more clearly. That is exactly what was promised in the Bible: “The path of the righteous is like the bright morning light that grows brighter and brighter until full daylight.” (Proverbs 4:18) But each one of us should ask: ‘Am I aware of recent changes in the way we understand certain scriptures? Do I read the Bible daily? Am I eager to read each new publication? Do I have an evening every week for family worship?’ These are not difficult things to do, but we must schedule time for them. It is very important that we continue to study God’s Word, apply it, and move ahead with God’s organization. We must do this especially now that the great tribulation is so close!

11. Why do Jehovah’s people go to meetings, assemblies, and conventions?

¹¹ Jehovah’s organization encourages us to follow Paul’s counsel: “Let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking our meeting together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24, 25) The ancient Israelites regularly gathered to worship Jehovah and be instructed by him. The celebration of the Festival of Booths in the time of Nehemiah was one of these joyful events. (Exodus 23:15, 16; Nehemiah 8:9-18) Today, we also have meetings, assemblies, and conventions. We should try to be present at all these occasions because they help us to stay close to Jehovah and to be happy in our service to him.​—Titus 2:2.

12. How should we feel about the preaching work?

¹² As members of Jehovah’s organization, we must preach the good news. This is a great honor for us. In fact, the Bible calls this work “holy,” or sacred. (Romans 15:16) When we preach, we are working with “the Holy One,” Jehovah. (1 Peter 1:15; 1 Corinthians 3:9) We also have a share in honoring Jehovah’s holy name. It brings us joy to preach “the glorious good news of the happy God.”​—1 Timothy 1:11.

13. On what does our life and our friendship with Jehovah depend?

¹³ Jehovah wants what is best for us. That is why he wants us to stay close to him and his organization. We face the same choice as the Israelites did when Moses told them: “I have put life and death before you, the blessing and the curse; and you must choose life so that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice, and by sticking to him, for he is your life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20) Choose life. Love Jehovah, and always be loyal to him and his organization.

14. How did one brother feel about God’s organization?

¹⁴ Brother Pryce Hughes, who learned the truth before 1914, remained loyal to Jehovah and His organization all his life. When he was relating his life story, he said that the most important lesson he learned was to stay close to Jehovah’s organization and not rely on human thinking. This helped him endure tests of faith throughout his life. Brother Hughes said that the only way to have Jehovah’s favor is always to follow the direction of his organization.

KEEP MOVING AHEAD WITH GOD’S ORGANIZATION

15. What Bible example teaches us how we should react when there are adjustments to our understanding?

¹⁵ Jehovah wants us to support his organization and accept adjustments in the way we understand Bible truth and in the way we preach. In the first century, some Jewish Christians still wanted to follow the Law. (Acts 21:17-20) But Paul corrected them and helped them see that it was Jesus’ sacrifice, not animal sacrifices, that made forgiveness of sins possible. (Hebrews 10:5-10) Many of these Jewish Christians accepted Paul’s counsel and changed their thinking. We can learn an important lesson from their example. We must study the Bible and our publications carefully, and when Jehovah’s organization makes adjustments, we need to accept them humbly.

16. (a) Why will life in Paradise be wonderful? (b) What do you look forward to in the new world?

¹⁶ All who remain loyal to Jehovah and his organization will receive blessings. The anointed will serve as kings with Jesus Christ in heaven. (Romans 8:16, 17) Those who hope to live on earth look forward to everlasting life in Paradise. All of Jehovah’s people around the world have the unique opportunity to tell others about this hope. (2 Peter 3:13) “The meek will possess the earth, and they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:11) People will have satisfying work. “They will build houses and live in them.” (Isaiah 65:21, 22) No one will treat others badly. No one will be poor, and everyone will have enough to eat. (Psalm 72:13-16) False religion will no longer teach lies about God, because it will be gone. (Revelation 18:8, 21) The dead will be resurrected and have the opportunity to live forever on the earth. (Isaiah 25:8; Acts 24:15) If we strengthen our relationship with Jehovah and continue to move ahead with his organization, these wonderful promises will come true for us.

17. How should we feel about Jehovah and his organization?

¹⁷ Satan’s system will soon end. To survive, we must keep our faith strong and loyally worship Jehovah with his organization. We feel as David did when he sang: “One thing I have asked from Jehovah​—it is what I will look for—​that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to gaze upon the pleasantness of Jehovah and to look with appreciation upon his temple.” (Psalm 27:4) May each one of us stay close to Jehovah and move ahead with his organization.

ACTUALLY, I did not mind that so few people came to my talk. Ever since I was a young boy, I have been very shy. I was so shy that I would hide when people came to our home, even if I knew them.

So it might surprise you to learn that in most of my assignments in Jehovah’s organization, it has been necessary for me to interact with many people, both friends and strangers. How is it possible for a shy person who is not very confident in himself to do this? It is not by my own strength. Jehovah has always helped me to do what I have been assigned to do. He has kept his promise: “I will fortify you, yes, I will help you, I will really hold on to you with my right hand of righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10) This help has often come from other Christians. Let me tell you about some of them, starting with when I was a child.

SHE USED A BIBLE AND A LITTLE BLACK BOOK

It was a sunny day in 1940 when Elsie Huntingford came to our family farm in southwestern Ontario. Because my father was shy like me, my mother answered the door. My father and I just sat inside and listened. My father thought that Sister Huntingford was selling something, and he became worried that my mother would buy it. So he went to the door to say that we were not interested. Sister Huntingford asked, “Are you people not interested in a Bible study?” Dad said, “Of course we’re interested in that.”

My parents were ready to accept the truth when Sister Huntingford visited us. They used to be very involved in the United Church of Canada. However, they had decided to leave the church. Why? Because the minister put a list of those who gave money to the church right where everyone could see it. My parents’ names were close to the end of the list, so everyone knew that they gave less money than others. Even though my parents did not have a lot of money, the church elders made them feel that they needed to give more. Another reason they left was that one minister admitted that he would lose his job if he taught what he really believed. So we left the church, but we still wanted to worship God and learn about him.

At that time, the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses was under ban in Canada, and it was not possible to preach openly. At first, Sister Huntingford taught us using only the Bible and a little black book with her notes. Later, when she realized that we would not betray her, she gave us other Bible publications. After each study we carefully hid the publications.a​—See footnote.

Sister Huntingford worked zealously in the ministry despite opposition and other problems. Her zeal made a big impression on me, and I decided to serve Jehovah. My parents were baptized in 1948. The next year, when I was 17, I was baptized in a water trough that was used for animals. After my baptism, I was determined to become a pioneer.

JEHOVAH HELPED ME TO BE COURAGEOUS

I hesitated to pioneer right away because I thought that I needed to earn some money first. So I got two jobs, one at a bank and one in an office. However, I was young and inexperienced, and I immediately spent all the money I made. A brother named Ted Sargent urged me to be courageous and put faith in Jehovah. (1 Chronicles 28:10) That kind encouragement helped me to start pioneering in 1951. I had only 40 dollars, a used bicycle, and a new book bag. But Jehovah always made sure that I had the things I really needed. I am thankful that Ted encouraged me to pioneer. Many good things resulted from that decision.

One evening in August 1952, I received a phone call from Bethel in Toronto, Canada. I was invited to start work at Bethel in September. Even though I was shy and had never been to Bethel before, I was excited to work there because I had heard so many wonderful things about Bethel. When I arrived, I felt at home right away.

“SHOW THE BROTHERS THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THEM”

Two years after I arrived at Bethel, I became the congregation servant of the Shaw Unit in Toronto.b (See footnote.) I replaced Bill Yacos, who was older and more experienced. I was only 23 years old and felt like a naive farm boy. In a kind and humble way, Brother Yacos showed me what to do. Jehovah really helped me.

Brother Yacos was a stocky man with a friendly smile. He truly cared about people. He loved the brothers, and they loved him. Brother Yacos would regularly visit them in their homes and not just when they had problems. He encouraged me to do the same and to work with them in the field ministry. “Ken,” he said, “show the brothers that you care about them.”

MY WIFE IS LOYAL TO JEHOVAH AND TO ME

Jehovah has helped me in a special way since January 1957. That month I married Evelyn, who was a graduate of the 14th class of Gilead School. Before we got married, she served in the French-speaking province of Quebec. Since the Roman Catholic Church was very powerful in that area, it was difficult for Evelyn to preach there. But she was loyal to Jehovah and did not stop preaching.

Evelyn has also loyally supported me. (Ephesians 5:31) Sometimes this was hard to do. For example, just one day after we got married, the branch asked me to go to Canada Bethel for a one-week meeting. But we had planned to go to Florida, U.S.A., for our honeymoon. Because Evelyn and I wanted to do whatever Jehovah asked of us, we changed our plans. During that week, Evelyn preached near the branch. Even though the territory was very different from Quebec, she did her best.

At the end of the week, something unexpected happened. I was assigned as a circuit overseer in northern Ontario. I was a new husband, only 25 years old, and very inexperienced. But we were confident that Jehovah would help us. We took an overnight train in the middle of the cold Canadian winter. A number of experienced traveling overseers who were returning to their assignments rode the same train. They encouraged us very much! One brother did not want us to sit in an uncomfortable seat all night long. So he insisted that we take his compartment that had a bed. The next morning we visited the small group in Hornepayne, as I mentioned at the beginning of the article. It was our first assignment, and we had been married only 15 days.

A few years later, our lives changed again. In late 1960, when I was serving as a district overseer, I was invited to the 36th class of Gilead School, which started in February 1961. I was excited to have the opportunity to study the Bible for ten months. But I was also sad because Evelyn, like many other wives, was not invited to attend. She had to write a letter saying that she was willing to stay in Canada while I attended the class in Brooklyn, New York. Although she cried at the thought of being away from me for so long, we agreed that I should go to Gilead. Evelyn was happy that I would receive this valuable training.

While I was in Brooklyn, Evelyn worked at Bethel in Canada. She had the privilege of sharing a room with an anointed sister named Margaret Lovell. Of course, Evelyn and I missed each other very much. But Jehovah helped us settle into our assignments. Evelyn was willing to make sacrifices for Jehovah, and this touched me deeply.

After I had been at Gilead for only three months, I received an invitation from Brother Nathan Knorr, who was taking the lead in the worldwide preaching work. He invited me to go back to Canada to teach Kingdom Ministry School. He told me that I would likely never be invited to Gilead School again after I finished teaching the class in Canada. Brother Knorr explained that I did not have to accept the assignment. Instead, I could choose to finish Gilead School and then I would perhaps be assigned to a foreign country as a missionary. He said that I could talk to my wife and then make a decision.

I did not have to ask Evelyn, because I already knew how she felt. We have always thought that we should go wherever Jehovah’s organization assigned us to go, even if it is not our preferred assignment. So I immediately told Brother Knorr, “Whatever Jehovah’s organization wants us to do, we are happy to do.”

In April 1961, I returned to Canada to teach Kingdom Ministry School. Later, Evelyn and I were invited to work at Bethel in Canada. Then, we were very surprised when I was invited to attend the 40th class of Gilead, which would start in 1965. Once again, Evelyn needed to write a letter saying that she was willing to stay in Canada while I went to the school. However, only a few weeks after I received my invitation, Evelyn was also invited to Gilead. We were so happy!

After we arrived at Gilead School, Brother Knorr said that we would be sent to Africa with all the other students who were in the French-language class. We were surprised when we were assigned back to Canada. I was only 34 years old, and I was assigned as the branch overseer. When I reminded Brother Knorr that I was very young, he helped me to feel more confident. Right from the beginning, I tried to talk to others with more experience before making important decisions.

BETHEL IS A PLACE TO LEARN AND TO TEACH

While serving Jehovah at Bethel, I have had the wonderful opportunity to learn from others. I respect and admire the other members of the Branch Committee. I have also learned a lot from the hundreds of fine brothers and sisters, young and old, whom I have met here at the branch and in the various congregations where we have served.

At Bethel, I have also had the opportunity to teach and help others to strengthen their faith in Jehovah. The apostle Paul told Timothy: “Continue in the things that you learned.” Paul also said: “The things you heard from me that were supported by many witnesses, these things entrust to faithful men, who, in turn, will be adequately qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:2; 3:14) I have been at Bethel for 57 years now. Some have asked me what I have learned. My answer is simple: Always do what Jehovah’s organization wants you to do. And trust that Jehovah will help you.

I still clearly remember when I arrived at Bethel. I was a shy, inexperienced young man. During all these years, Jehovah has helped me. He has often used loving brothers and sisters to assist me when I needed it most. In this way, Jehovah is telling me: “Do not be afraid. I will help you.”​—Isaiah 41:13.