Presenting the Good News—The Value of Subscriptions
1 The Society annually sets aside the month of October for obtaining subscriptions. Why? Because of the abundance of spiritual food that can be dispensed to interested persons in this way. Subscriptions greatly aid us in our work of Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making.—Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20.
2 The Awake! magazine stirs up thinking on matters that directly concern people. Even persons who at first are not particularly interested in the Bible enjoy Awake! As they read Awake! their attention is directed to what the Bible says, and gradually their spiritual appetite grows. How often this has happened!
3 ‘But,’ you might say, ‘cannot the same thing be accomplished by the distribution of individual copies of the magazines?’ Not really. It is true that many people are willing to accept the individual copies, and they do give a fine witness. However, when a householder has a subscription, the magazines come into the home twenty-four times during the year, and each issue affords a fresh opportunity to get him started to think seriously about the truth. Of course, others in the home may pick up the magazines and read them too.
4 But, would not the same results be accomplished if we were personally to deliver the magazines to a householder? Truthfully, how many people are there to whom we actually do deliver every issue? We may deliver them often; but sometimes they are not at home, or we may be the ones who are ill, or at an assembly, and so are not able to make the delivery. The issues that we may not get to them may have the very articles that they need, and to which they would respond. How much better to be certain that they get every issue by having them on the subscription list. We encourage you to urge all persons, including those you have on your magazine routes, to subscribe.
5 Perhaps you are thinking: ‘Is it not more work for the Society when people subscribe?’ The brothers and sisters at Bethel are here to serve you and be of service to interested persons, and they are grateful when they have the opportunity to render such service. To them, handling subscriptions is not viewed as “extra work,” but as a privilege of service, and they rejoice when they see that there are many persons who can be helped in this way.
6 Those of us who regularly attend Kingdom Hall meetings and who will be sure that we obtain every issue can beneficially get our magazines there. But what about persons who are just beginning to attend the meetings, or who simply show a degree of interest when we call at their homes? It would be most beneficial for them to subscribe for The Watchtower and Awake! So, let us ask ourselves right now: ‘Whom is there that I know who really would more fully benefit by being a subscriber? Then do not delay in extending a warm invitation to subscribe, now! And, during the October campaign, let’s really be wholehearted in offering subscriptions to everyone we meet in our field ministry.