Presenting the Good News—Pursuit of Maturity
1 Have you considered that your regularly conducting a Bible study could contribute greatly to your pursuit of maturity? It can. To conduct the study well, there is a need for you to prepare your lesson ahead of time, and to pay particular attention to how the scriptures cited or quoted can prove the points under consideration. When you ask the householder the reason why he believes a certain answer is correct, you too must search your mind for a reason why the answer is correct. When the householder asks a question, if you do not have the answer in mind or at hand, you will have to do research in the Society’s publications and in the Bible to find the Scriptural answer to the question. Yes, it has always been true that the one conducting the study benefits in many ways. There are times when he learns more than the student does.
2 In calling back on individuals who received copies of the Evolution book, will you endeavor to get studies started in this publication? The last four chapters of the publication lend themselves well to Bible study. You can make up your own questions if you would like. Or, you can read a few paragraphs together, perhaps covering a full subheading at a time, and then discuss it together, or ask some questions to see if they get the point of the information. It may be that, after a few calls, you will want to offer the Truth book and help them further by studying with them in this publication. If you would like help in getting a home Bible study started, we feel sure that the Bible study servant in your congregation, your book study servant, or another mature brother or sister will be glad to help you.
3 In our pursuit of maturity there is a need for all of us to be regular in personal study and Bible reading too. Do you set aside some time regularly for personal reading of the Bible and the Society’s publications? Many individuals and families do this in connection with their discussion of the day’s text at mealtime or another convenient time. If you are a parent, are you regularly conducting a family study for your benefit and the benefit of the members of your family?
4 Regular meeting attendance is also an important factor in our pursuit of maturity. The Scriptures counsel us to be careful not to forsake meeting together regularly and making public declaration of our faith, which we can do by having a part in the meetings and commenting when it is appropriate.
5 Remember the counsel of the apostle Paul at Hebrews 5:12-14: “You ought to be teachers in view of the time . . . solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained.” Yes, in our pursuit of maturity we should USE the knowledge we are regularly taking in. We should use it in making necessary changes in our lives, use it in teaching the members of our families, use it in teaching others in the Bible study work, and use it in commenting at meetings. Our following such a course will undoubtedly contribute much to our pursuit of maturity.