Presenting the Good News—With Awake!
1 Take a good look at the October 8 Awake! You will notice that the cover does not say “You Can Live Forever.” It does not even ask the question “Can You Live Forever?” Why not? Because in many areas this sort of approach would simply bring a negative response. Lacking genuine faith in God and his Word, many people would turn away before you could get them to reason on the matter. So, the cover of this special issue has been laid out in a way that will help to overcome that obstacle.
2 You can make good use of that cover when offering the magazine. You might say: “Hello. I’m glad-to find you at home. The other day I read something very interesting, and I would like to share it with you. It is in this special issue of Awake! [Show cover.] Did you know that, while man lives only 70 or 80 years, some turtles live 150 years, and there are trees that live 3,000 years? Why is man’s life-span so short? Will it ever be different? This magazine answers these questions with facts that are important to all of us. You may have this copy, along with The Watchtower, for just 10c.” As you can see, most of the presentation is right on the magazine cover.
3 When talking to householders from the Bible and making the subscription offer, you might use an approach such as this: “Hello. My name is ———. I am making just a brief call because of something that is of keen interest to all of us, and that is life. Possibly you have asked yourself whether you are really getting what you want out of life. [Open special Awake! to pages 4-5.] One of the chief problems is time. There just is not time to do all the things that we would really like to do, isn’t that so? [Let householder express self.] In this regard, the Bible says something very interesting. [Read John 17:3.] Is it really possible to live forever? Interestingly, man has learned that our brain has the capacity to serve for a billion times as long as we now use it. But the Bible is the only source that tells us how it is possible to live that long, and, not only to live, but to enjoy life. Isn’t such a prospect certainly worthy of our investigation? It is valuable information such as this that is published in Awake! The magazine is sent to subscribers by mail twice a month. A one-year subscription for Awake! is only $1.”
4 Of course, if you are talking to someone who shows respect for the Bible, you might be even more pointed in what you say about living forever. You could ask the householder what “everlasting life” means? In some cases, you may find that he has missed the point, concluding that it refers simply to future life in heaven. If so, help him to reason on the matter, showing that this will certainly be true as regards those who attain to heavenly life, but it will also be true here on earth, as shown at Revelation 21:1-4. He may have viewed heaven largely as representing an escape from the problems of life in the present system of things. But when he learns what God has in store for those who dwell on earth, the reasonableness of the matter may stimulate his interest.
5 In some places there is an increasing number of persons who have lost all enthusiasm for life. Living without regard for godly principles, they find themselves frustrated. Family problems burden them down. Economic difficulties and injustice result in discouragement, even a feeling of bitterness. These are the ones that may tell you that they don’t want to live forever. But if you can draw them out and find out why they feel this way, it may be that you can use the Bible to rekindle in them a desire for life. Then urge them to become readers of Awake! it will help them with their family problems. It offers suggestions on how to deal with economic pressures as well as the injustices of the world. Gradually it can help them to realize that eternal life is not only possible, but most desirable.
[Blurb on page 4]
Use “Awake!” to help others to choose life.