Your Service Meetings
WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 31
10 min: Song 40. Outline field service arrangements for month of November. Remind brothers to bring Good News book to hall for special talks during month. Any local or other announcements; also Question Box.
20 min: “Presenting the Good News—With the Youth Book.” Discuss points in article with congregation and demonstrate several suggestions. Mention that other presentations may be used and other books may also be offered during the month. Presentations should lead to Bible discussions where possible.
15 min: Question-and-answer discussion of article on tract, “Showing that We Care.” Encourage all, young, old, new, to participate in tract work. Include brief demonstration of tract presentation. Make note of those who show interest and call back with Youth book to see if a study or Bible discussion can be started.
15 min: Talk on August 15 Watchtower article, “Mildness—Strength or Weakness?” As time allows have audience look up scriptures cited but not quoted in article. Show why mildness in field service is beneficial. Song 14.
WEEK STARTING NOVEMBER 7
15 min: Song 36. Accounts report and any local announcements. Discuss Branch Letter. Invite two or more teen-age publishers (selected in advance) to tell how they like Youth book.
17 min: Discussion of article “We Have What We Need!” with questions and answers. Encourage publishers to consider all avenues for getting Youth book into hands of people who need it.
17 min: Demonstration: Preparing for Field Service—As a Family. Our work for this week is putting out Kingdom News, and we want to work with those until they are all distributed. But after that we want to be ready to put out the Youth book. Show father discussing Youth book with children. Asks how they have enjoyed it. They briefly express themselves and mention points they like. Father then takes opportunity to gather entire family together so they can prepare for field service, know what they will do during month. Father asks children to repeat what they like about book, and they do, providing more details this time. Father shows how their thoughts can be incorporated into a fine presentation at the door. One child then asked to make simple presentation, using such ideas. Father and mother also discuss scriptures they will use in their presentation, perhaps using suggestions from “Presenting the Good News” article. All see need to prepare for field service as a family and then work together in field. (Chairman could suggest that youths also work along with circuit overseer or his wife if they will be visiting soon.)
11 min: Cover material in “1977 School Schedule.” Song 39.
WEEK STARTING NOVEMBER 14
11 min: Song 62. Announcements (If there are any Kingdom News left over they should be put out as quickly as possible). Discuss need for Christian parents to appreciate responsibility to train children. Worldly parents often sidestep such responsibility by shifting it to teachers, school counselors, older relatives, etc. Not so with Christian parents. Children an inheritance from Jehovah. (Ps. 127:3-5) How do you handle an inheritance from the Sovereign of the universe? Sincere Christians would handle such wisely, with extreme care. So children should be handled in this way. Parents themselves have responsibility to train children. (Deut. 6:6, 7) How?
22 min: Demonstrate how a family can have upbuilding discussions on Youth book. Many chapters provide basis. Select chapter; note that paragraphs usually are grouped. Read section first, then take up questions. All in family discussing subject in own words, not just reading answers. Invite opinions and experiences on subject. Through communication, learn what is in the heart. (If possible, use family who have done this with Youth book.)
5 min: Discuss with congregation points in “New Study Program.”
22 min: Talk on October 1 Watchtower article “Let the Bible Speak.” May include demonstrations as desired, slanted toward local application. Song 112.
WEEK STARTING NOVEMBER 21
12 min: Song 95. Local announcements and Theocratic News. Then cover following: We live in special period of human history. Chapter of man’s life on earth while trying to be independent of God about to end. New chapter under righteous Kingdom rule about to begin. What are we to do? We face difficult times now and in future. Yet Jesus showed we should not be discouraged but should take heart. Deliverance is near. (Luke 21:25-28) In the meantime we have work to do—preaching of Kingdom in all the earth and making disciples. (Matt. 28:19, 20) Work still continues and has success. If people are to hear God’s voice, important we continue this work.
15 min: Youths—Are You Communicating? (Discussion and demonstration by young publishers who are good examples in field service.)
(3 min.) See there is need for all to share in preaching and teaching work if sheeplike people are to hear “voice” of Fine Shepherd. Young people need to hear, too, and our young publishers are in an excellent position to help them. How? By good communication. Young people usually know which youths are Jehovah’s Witnesses because the Witnesses communicate. New Youth book provides excellent material to use in talking to other young people. Could you read a chapter and then discuss it with others, explaining some of the main points and/or Scripture texts, without using the book? This is a fine thing to do. Note this young publisher:
(4 min.) Young publisher at school approached by new student at school. New student offers some marijuana or pills. Young publisher politely turns down offer. New student very surprised, as nearly everyone uses drugs of some form. Third student listening to conversation inquires about young publisher’s view on drugs. As new student walks away, young publisher proceeds to explain feelings to the inquiring third student and shows why he or she is not interested in drugs of any kind, covering main points in chapter on drugs in Youth book.
(4 min.) Demonstrate another young publisher speaking to schoolmate about points he has learned from Youth book. Pick a chapter that would have application in local area and have young publisher cover main points and scriptures in simple way.
(4 min.) Chairman briefly interviews two young publishers in demonstrations: Could ask these or similar questions: Do you find the Youth book is easy to understand? What helps you to remember the points well? Do you find the book helpful in talking to other young people? Do you find that other youths are interested in getting a copy of the Youth book for themselves? Conclude by showing that young publishers have a great advantage in speaking to other young people. Encourage them to use this advantage well as they talk about fine things they read in new Youth book.
20 min: Hearing the Voice of God and the Voice of Jesus. (Audience discussion using the Bible) In times past Jehovah’s voice has been audibly heard by humans. (Three occasions: [1] Jesus’ baptism. [Mark 1:11] [2] Jesus’ transfiguration. [Mark 9:7] [3] 33 C.E. shortly before Jesus’ last Passover. [John 12:28, 29]) People today can also hear God’s voice. How? Does not require Jehovah to speak in a literal, audible voice. People can hear God’s voice by recognizing and paying attention with obedience to what God has caused to be written in His Word. “Voice” used as applying to “every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.” (Matt. 4:4) Similar with voice of Jesus. Called himself the “fine shepherd” whose sheep “listen to his voice, . . . and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.” (John 10:2-5, 11) Christ’s “sheep” “know” his voice in that they recognize and acknowledge as true what Jesus said, as recorded in the Bible. They refuse to acknowledge the teaching of “strangers,” false shepherds. They obey his commands. How then will people today hear the voices of God and his Chief Shepherd? By hearing God’s commands and principles as set forth in the Scriptures. Who will tell them? Not the clergy! No, but only Jehovah’s Witnesses carry on work of preaching the good news of the Kingdom and teaching Bible truth in all the earth. Though Jesus Christ is not now speaking in person, people can ‘hear his voice’ through visible representatives, even as overseer Paul made appeal as substituting for Christ. (2 Cor. 5:20) When Paul preached in Philippi people listened. (Acts 16:14) How urgent that we carry on this same work today if people are going to hear God’s “voice”! We cannot ourselves judge if people are “sheep” or “goats.” Individuals not predestined for either class. All must hear, and we must continue to preach. (Rom. 10:14) Are there still people in your territory willing to listen? Undoubtedly there are. Continue to preach the Word and let people hear the ‘voices’ of God and of Jesus. Then they can make a decision and in time show whether they are “sheep” who will gain life, or “goats” to be judged by Jesus as worthy of destruction. (Matt. 25:31-46) All of us, whether young or old, can rejoice to share in this unique vocal work.—Matt. 11:29, 30.
13 min: Interview several young publishers who have had good success in placing the Youth book, either at school with youths or teachers, or in field, or by informal witnessing. Find out what they do and have them relate their experiences. Encourage all to use Youth book and call back to see if home Bible studies can be started with young persons in territory. Song 73.