A Letter From the Governing Body

Dear Kingdom Proclaimer:

Imagine that you are one of the apostles standing on the Mount of Olives. Jesus appears before you. Just as he is about to ascend to heaven, he says: “You will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) How would you react?

Perhaps you would feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. You may wonder, ‘How can we​—a small band of disciples—​possibly bear witness to “the most distant part of the earth”?’ You may recall the warning Jesus gave on the night before his death: “A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours. But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.” (John 15:20, 21) Reflecting on those words, you might ask yourself, ‘How can I bear thorough witness in the face of such opposition and persecution?’

Today, we face similar questions. Our commission as Jehovah’s Witnesses likewise requires that we bear thorough witness to “the most distant part of the earth,” to “people of all the nations.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) How can this work be accomplished, especially in view of the foretold opposition?

Acts of Apostles gives us a thrilling account of how the apostles and their fellow Christians in the first century C.E. were able, with Jehovah’s help, to fulfill their assignment. The publication that you are now reading is designed to help you examine that record and feel the excitement of the fast-moving events recorded therein. You will be amazed at the number of parallels that exist between God’s servants of the first century and his people today. You will see that these parallels involve not only the work we do but also the way we are organized to do that work. Reflecting on these similarities will no doubt fortify your belief that Jehovah God is continuing to direct the earthly part of his organization.

It is our hope and prayer that examining the book of Acts will strengthen your confidence that Jehovah will help you and that the power of his holy spirit will sustain you. May you thereby be encouraged to continue “bearing thorough witness” about God’s Kingdom and helping others get on the path to salvation.​—Acts 28:23; 1 Tim. 4:16.