Have You Offered to Conduct a Bible Study?
1 Would you like to conduct a Bible study? All of us should, inasmuch as giving is a vital part of Christianity, and what better way is there to give? A Bible study is the means by which most people learn the truth.—Ps. 145:15b; Acts 20:35.
2 You may be one who does not conduct a Bible study. Perhaps you started in field service offering the tracts and are branching out into using the Bible from house to house, and you now wonder, “How can I start a home Bible study?” Well, few people ask us to conduct Bible studies with them. You will usually have to take the initiative and offer to conduct it. But with whom?
MANY OPPORTUNITIES
3 How about your friends and relatives? Could it be that some of them would study the Bible with you rather than with a stranger? Have you asked them? Also, many congregations are having more than a 100-percent attendance at their Kingdom Hall meetings. Who are these additional people? Have they all had the benefit of a home Bible study? If you have reason to feel that some haven’t, why not talk to them? Many fine studies have had their origin right in the Kingdom Hall in this way. There may be those in the congregation who have more Bible studies and prospective studies than they themselves can handle. Perhaps there are publishers like this in your congregation who would be pleased to help you start a home Bible study of your own. Why not try asking? You could ask any in the congregation who seem to be having good success in this work.
4 You could also talk to the Bible study overseer so that he will have in mind your desire to be useful in this way. Sometimes studies are referred to him by other publishers or through the Society, and he may be able to assist you. Why not ask? Of course, if the name of an interested person is given to you, you will want to remember that it is a serious responsibility that you now have. To a great extent that person’s opportunity for life has been put into your hands. Follow through with diligence so as really to develop that interest.
5 Another source of Bible studies that continues to be fruitful is the contacts we make through our regular preaching work. But here again, in order to start a study we usually have to take the initiative. One sister had this drawn to her attention when making one of her regular magazine route calls. The woman was always friendly and took the magazines, but a Bible study was never mentioned. One day when making the call the sister discovered after knocking on the door that she didn’t have any magazines left. As the door opened, she could think of only one thing to do—offer the woman a home Bible study. The householder readily accepted and a fine study resulted.
6 Conducting Bible studies is a joyful work. It does take a little organizing, however, setting aside time in our schedule each week. But the rewards make the effort worth while. Why not experience this joy for yourself? Equipped as we are with the Bible and other publications, it is not difficult. During this month we will place subscriptions and we have a golden opportunity to start studies using the booklets. Select the booklet you will use and plan what you will say. Good suggestions appeared in the January 1976 Our Kingdom Service. We do not have to use the word “study,” but we can enter into a discussion using the booklet and in this way help someone to learn what is in the Bible.