The Report of Those Sent to Harvest
1. Even though the harvesttime may be nearing its completion, what have Jehovah’s witnesses continued doing?
IT MAY be we are getting near the end of the harvest years, but while there is yet time we should all work zealously. Jehovah’s witnesses around the world have worked diligently during the 1966 service year. They spent millions of hours trying to make disciples of men and women of all nations, peoples and tongues, and with good success. Those who studied the truth in home Bible studies for a period of time, even several years, and who finally appreciated the wonderful work that Jehovah wants done in the earth in these “last days” have expressed their willingness to share in the work Jehovah’s witnesses are doing. They have declared themselves publicly as wanting to be harvesters, working under the Master, Christ Jesus.
2. How many were baptized during the past year, and what will they now be doing?
2 In the 199 lands where Jehovah’s witnesses have been preaching during the past service year, 58,904 individuals have dedicated their lives to the doing of Jehovah’s will and symbolized this dedication by water immersion. It is true, there were 5,489 fewer individuals who dedicated their lives to Jehovah in 1966 than the year before, but when one stops to think that 58,904 persons made the big step in their lives, it is marvelous. From now on they, too, will be ministers going from house to house preaching that the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near, just as Jesus did. They will also be giving the warning concerning the destruction of this devilish world and of the incoming new order of things under Christ Jesus. What an opportunity is theirs of now teaching the truth to others concerning everlasting life gained through the merits of Christ’s sacrifice! These new Christian ministers have now joined the many other harvesters so that the last great gathering of people who are seeking meekness and righteousness might take place. Remember, Noah gathered his family into the ark, and they were saved. Do you want to be saved?
3. (a) What interesting questions are asked of Jehovah’s witnesses about their ministerial activity? (b) What sobering conclusion is reached with regard to some who have put their ‘hand to the plow’?
3 Were you one of the more than a million Christian witnesses of Jehovah who devoted his time and energies to the preaching of this good news? How many of the 170,664,897 hours devoted to preaching last year did you devote to the spreading of the good news by going from house to house and conducting Bible studies in the homes of the people? Or, were you one of those who, after putting his hand to the plow, ‘looked back at the things behind’? Or, did you find some excuse for not being one of Jesus’ disciples? It is evident from the year’s report that a number of persons who used to be Jehovah’s witnesses found reasons sufficient to convince themselves that they need no longer worship and serve Jehovah and attend meetings at the house of their God. Such ones drifted away. However, there is still an opportunity before one dies to ask for forgiveness and share in God’s goodness by returning to the ministry.
4. While 58,904 were baptized, what facts are brought to our attention?
4 If all those who dedicated their lives to the Most High God Jehovah in former years had stayed in his organization right up to and during the year 1966, there would have been a greater increase in the number of regular publishers than we have had. While the annual report shows there were 1,058,675 regular Kingdom publishers engaging in the field ministry each month of the past service year, still this is an increase of only 24,407 over last year. But 58,904 were baptized. Where were the other 34,497 that cannot be accounted for? Allowing for one percent of the population dying in a year’s time would mean a drop of about 10,000 persons. But where are the others? Has materialism attracted them? Has the loose living and immoral conduct of the world ensnared some of them? Where is that love for Jehovah’s organization and his service that they once had?
5. (a) Just because some countries report no increase, are we to conclude that the harvest is finished in such places, and why? (b) What has been happening in some countries, showing that the harvest still continues at a rapid pace?
5 As we analyze the report for the world, as set forth in the chart on pages 24-27, you will see that some countries had no increase at all. Are we to believe that the harvest is over in such countries? No! Because there were some persons being baptized. Even if that baptism were not the case, Jehovah’s witnesses cannot stop preaching, because Christ Jesus said: “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.” (Matt. 24:14) This means we are not done yet with the preaching work, and, furthermore, in many nations there is still a tremendous ingathering going on. Check the report on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Congo (Kinshasa), Dominican Republic, Japan, Nicaragua, Portugal, Puerto Rico and Spain. Even some of the countries behind the Iron Curtain had 3-or 4-percent increases. Of course, we have not published the figures of how many publishers are in these nations, due to the heavy hand of persecution upon Jehovah’s witnesses there. But the ingathering is on and the harvest must continue. It is not yet completed.
6. What shows that Jehovah’s people world wide have a great interest in the harvest work?
6 Because Jehovah’s people believe the harvesttime continues everywhere they have devoted 170,664,897 hours to the field service, preaching to as many persons as possible, and with good success. In fact, people are so interested in their message that it was necessary for 60,902,000 back-calls, or return visits, to be made to help those who wanted to know more about the Bible. There were 802,473 regular Bible studies conducted in the homes of the people each week. This means that there were over 31,000 more Bible studies conducted in 1966 than during the previous year. What are Jehovah’s witnesses going to do with all the people attending these 802,473 Bible studies?
7, 8. How important is a solid foundation in our spiritual building work, and so what do Jehovah’s witnesses want to do?
7 We do well to ask ourselves this question: ‘If we are conducting a home Bible study, with what kind of material are we building?’ In teaching the truth to these people, are we building with good solid materials, like gold, silver and precious stones? Or, are we, rather, careless, indifferent, in our teaching and are we using building materials like wood, hay or stubble? A good Christian will not build with combustible materials because then his works would go up in smoke in the day of fiery trials. Paul said: “The day will show it up, because it will be revealed by means of fire; and the fire itself will prove what sort of work each one’s is.” (1 Cor. 3:12, 13) It would be most disappointing to a harvester to see his ingathered crop going up in smoke. What kind of builder are you? Do you try to produce real Christians?
8 Jehovah’s Christian witnesses certainly want to present the truth clearly when conducting their Bible studies and show the people the responsibility that goes with being a Christian, so that, when they do dedicate their lives to God and symbolize it by water baptism, they will continue in the truth, firm to the very end. What joy this brings to faithful followers of Christ Jesus!
9. How active were Jehovah’s witnesses in distributing Bible literature?
9 The printing of the book “Things in Which It Is Impossible for God to Lie” in many languages made it possible for Jehovah’s witnesses to place 5,382,371 bound volumes. The interest Jehovah’s witnesses showed in distributing this book took away some from the time normally spent in obtaining new subscriptions for the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. So, while the distribution of bound books increased by more than 900,000 copies, the new subscriptions obtained for The Watchtower and Awake! dropped by about 140,000. However, by the end of the service year the Society found it necessary to print more copies of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines than during the previous year. The total production amounted to 230,175,323 magazines, of which 118,770,627 were copies of The Watchtower and 111,404,696 were copies of Awake!
10. (a) Outline some of the difficulties Jehovah’s witnesses have met in their worldwide preaching work. (b) What does it appear that most of the people of the world are doing as regards hearing God’s truth?
10 Jehovah’s Christian witnesses had a very delightful year in spite of the fact that it was more difficult to convince people to take a definite stand on the side of Jehovah’s kingdom and enter into the ministry. In many lands, like Cuba, Spain, Portugal and especially countries behind the Iron Curtain, the Witnesses had to put up with much persecution and harassment, but they are thankful for their opportunity to serve Jehovah God. In Burma all the missionaries were ordered to leave the country. But none of these happenings discouraged God’s servants. They have continued to press on with joy in all these lands. But it is more and more difficult to find people with ears to hear and eyes to see and with hearts that can be turned back to Jehovah. The time of decision is here and it appears that a definite decision is being made by the majority of the people world wide. Even though they have ears with which to hear, they will not do so, and though they have eyes with which to see, they refuse to see, because they do not want their own hearts to understand, and they do not want actually to turn back and get healing for themselves from Jehovah. But even though this be the attitude of mind of the majority of people who make up the many nations, tribes and tongues of the world, Jehovah’s witnesses have the responsibility of going forth as God’s workers into the harvest. They remember Jesus’ words: “Look! I am sending you forth as lambs in among wolves.” (Luke 10:3) They do not flinch and turn back. It is their prayer that during the 1967 service year they will find more persons who want to know what Jehovah’s will is concerning them and who will want to get out of this wicked system of things. Millions of people know that the situation cannot continue to exist as it is, for, if it goes on this way, mankind will destroy itself. The witnesses of Jehovah want to aid all those they can to know what the Bible has to say on the vital subjects of life and death in order to help men to choose life.
11. (a) What steps can one take to get acquainted with the Bible’s message? (b) What conclusion have Jehovah’s witnesses come to in this time of harvest?
11 Those of you who have read this report and who want to know what the Bible says about our times should feel free to write to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in your own country and ask that one of Jehovah’s witnesses be sent to talk to you about God’s Word. Or, if you know where Jehovah’s witnesses meet in your city or village, why not get acquainted with them and study the Bible? Throughout the world there are 24,910 congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses. The work being done by them in all the earth today is similar to the work that was carried on by Jesus. Jesus went about the land teaching and preaching the truth and he found disciples who wanted to learn the truth. In those days, too, many people believed what they heard but did nothing about it. What will you do? Will you investigate? The time must come in each one’s life for him to make a decision, especially after reading and studying the Holy Scriptures. When you hear the call, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men,” what will your answer be? All of Jehovah’s baptized witnesses have made this decision; they want to be fishers of men, and they will be if ‘they follow him.’—Matt. 4:19.
[Chart on page 24-27]
1966 SERVICE YEAR REPORT OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES WORLD WIDE
(See bound volume)