Promoting Accurate Knowledge in Ministers

“BE FILLED with the accurate knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual discernment, in order to walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him.” All Christians desire to please Jehovah, both because they love him and because pleasing him means everlasting life. They will therefore take this admonition to heart, and especially during May, which has as its theme this text.—Col. 1:9, 10.a

Why is accurate knowledge so essential? Because it serves as a light to our path. Know]edge of God’s Word is indispensable to our keeping balanced and making right decisions. And what decisions we are called upon to make almost daily! Decisions affecting our ministry and eternal life, our families, our secular occupation, our neighbors and suchlike. At times we are required to make decisions suddenly; and unless we have fully equipped ourselves with accurate knowledge, our imperfect flesh may cause us to make serious mistakes, harming not only our own spiritual interests but those of our associates.

If we would promote accurate knowledge of God’s will we must study diligently. Study requires time, and so we should set aside time for individual study, not waiting until we have spare time, for such may never be. Buy out time for study. Take it away from watching television shows and movies, attending dances and parties, and other forms of entertainment, from reading newspapers and worldly magazines. Not that these are wrong in themselves, but the amount of time spent on them must yield to the more important thing—promoting accurate knowledge in ministers.

We must not only buy out time for study but we must also make that time count by quality study. We must concentrate, apply ourselves to the subject at hand, dismissing distracting thoughts and not letting our minds wander. As we read, let us ask ourselves such questions as: Why is that? How is this so? In this way we will make sure of all things and fix firmly in our minds that which is right.

To help us remember we must train our process of memory and recall by reviewing. After reading a paragraph endeavor to recollect its main thoughts. Upon completing a section of material do the same, and then upon finishing an entire article or chapter try to recollect the theme, the high lights, the main arguments and the leading proof texts used. And as we study let us not overlook prayer. Thank God for providing this information and ask for his help in understanding and appreciating it. In all such ways we will be promoting accurate knowledge in ourselves.

Of course, in view of our ministerial commission and the command to love our neighbor as ourselves, we must also seek to promote accurate knowledge in other ministers. One of the ways we can do this is by thoroughly preparing our study lessons and then making able public declaration at the congregation meetings. Those with whom we work in the training program we likewise can help; and, in particular, all those who have the privilege of presiding over study meetings have the obligation to promote accurate knowledge in ministers by capably conducting such studies. If each one prepared for each meeting as if he himself had to conduct it, what lively, interesting and upbuilding meetings we would have!

During May, then, let us all be ‘promoting accurate knowledge in ministers,’ in ourselves and in fellow ministers, so that we will walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him.

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