How Are They Doing? Can You Help?
1 Jehovah has blessed our work with much fruitfulness. Here in the United States during the first ten months of the past service year over 24,600 additional publishers joined us in Jehovah’s service! Incomplete reports for the year indicate that over 38,000 were baptized! It may be that some of these are associated with your congregation. You may have studied with some of them, and if so, we know it has been a source of great joy to you.
2 These new ones that you have helped along in the truth to this point—how are they doing? Are they coming to meetings regularly? In many cases, no doubt, the answer is Yes. Are they having some share in commenting at the meetings? You may say, “Yes.” Are they sharing regularly in the ministry? Many of them are, and we know this brings you much joy. Are they making as much progress now as they did when they were first learning the truth and beginning to associate? In some cases, you will say, “No.” Then, what can you do to help?
3 How long has it been since you visited these new ones in their homes? When you were conducting the study you used to go faithfully each week, in foul weather and fair. Would a visit now be helpful? Undoubtedly it would be. And if you go prepared to discuss something that you know will be beneficial to them, it will undoubtedly prove to be a great aid spiritually to these new ones.
4 What might you discuss? Well, how are they doing in personal study? Are they studying as regularly now as they used to when they prepared for their Bible study each week? Or have their habits along this line been slipping? Why not discuss it with them. You could take along your “Lamp” book and go over the material on pages 67-69 and 209 together. No doubt such a discussion would make your visit spiritually refreshing, very encouraging and long appreciated. Perhaps occasionally, or regularly, you could prepare together for the Watchtower study, the book study or the ministry school, or engage in a research project on a subject that needs consideration with these comparatively new ones.
5 Do they need help to be effective in the house-to-house work, possibly assistance in preparing to work with the sermon? Do they need help to get into the back-call work, or assistance in getting a study started? Reading together and discussing appropriate material in the “Lamp” book under the headings “Preaching from House to House,” “Back-Calls” or “Home Bible Studies,” on pages 85-100, would no doubt be a source of many practical, encouraging suggestions.
6 Will some need encouragement to enroll in the ministry school, or help in preparing for a student assignment? There may be a problem that has slowed the family down and aid is needed in finding the Scriptural principles that apply.
7 To illustrate this need for assistance: With young children it usually takes a comparatively short period of time before they can understand the language of their parents and express themselves quite clearly in it. Yet it takes much longer for them to grow to maturity. Growing up takes time. Parents realize this and lovingly spend the necessary time to aid and direct their children. Similarly, many who are lovers of righteousness become acquainted with the ‘pure language’ and, in a few months, develop a good ability to express themselves in it. But there is much more to learn, and it takes time to grow spiritually and become strong in the truth. We may be able to be of considerable help to one another along this line. So, ‘as long as we have time favorable for it, let us work what is good, especially toward those related to us in the faith.’ As we continue to help one another make progress, surely Jehovah’s blessing will go with us.—Gal. 6:10; Heb. 6:10.
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Help those related to us in the faith.