Theocratic School Schedule for 1977
INSTRUCTIONS
During 1977 the School schedule should be conducted in all congregations as follows:
TEXTBOOKS: The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, The Watchtower [w], Awake! [g], Sermon Outlines [so], and the books Aid to Bible Understanding [ad], Good News to Make You Happy [gh], Theocratic Ministry School Guidebook [sg] and Your Youth—Getting the Best out of It [yy] will be the basis for assignments.
INSTRUCTION TALK: No. 1: 15 minutes. This should not be just a summary of the assigned material. It should be a well-developed talk on a chosen theme, assigned to an elder if possible, or, when necessary, to a qualified ministerial servant. The coverage should not be superficial but should provide a presentation that is truly informative and helpful to the congregation.
ORAL REVIEW: 5 minutes. This will immediately follow the No. 1 talk, and will be conducted by the same brother who gave the talk. The review will be conducted, not the following week, but on the same night that the talk is given. The questions asked should help the audience to see clearly the main points covered.
TALK NO. 2: 6 minutes. This is a Bible reading of the assigned material. The reading assignments are short enough to permit the student to present explanatory information in his opening and concluding remarks, and even at fitting intermediate points. Historical background, prophetic or doctrinal significance, application of principles and expressions of appreciation for the wisdom reflected in the text may be included. The talk should be planned in a way that allows for all the assigned verses actually to be read. The allotted time should be fully utilized. The material may be presented as a talk to the congregation, or a boy may read it to his father or to another qualified older brother seated on the platform. The father or other older brother may then use questions to draw from the boy comments on the value of the material or he may offer suggestions with a view to helping him to improve his reading.
TALKS NOS. 3 AND 4: 6 minutes each. These talks are assigned to sisters whenever possible. When delivering one of these talks, the student may be either seated or standing. Although using mainly notes and the Bible, the students, when appropriate, may read excerpts or quotations from the assigned material. One assistant will be scheduled by the school overseer, but additional assistants may be used. Settings could include situations arising at home, in the field service, the congregation or elsewhere; at times the presentation may simply be informative conversation between family members or others. The sister giving the talk may either initiate the conversation to establish the setting or have her assistant(s) do so. Not the setting, but the material should be given prime consideration.
TALK NO. 5: 6 minutes. Assigned preferably to a brother with some experience, it should be a talk to the entire audience. While giving his talk from notes, the speaker, when fitting, may read quotations or pointed excerpts from the assigned material. It will usually be best for the speaker to prepare his talk with the Kingdom Hall audience in mind, so that it will be truly informative and beneficial to those who actually hear it. However, if the material especially lends itself to another practical and suitable setting, the speaker may choose to develop his talk accordingly.
PREPARING TALKS: Where the material makes it possible, talks should follow a well-developed theme. Choose a theme that will allow for the best coverage of the material in the allotted time. Prepare all talks with the points in mind to be considered next on the Speech Counsel slip. When a setting is selected, endeavor to choose one that will show practical use of the material assigned, where that is appropriate.
COUNSEL: Specific counsel on each student talk will be given, following the program of progressive counsel outlined at the bottom of the Speech Counsel slip. Appreciative comments on important points covered by speakers, whether stated by the counselor or elicited from the audience by means of review questions, can help to keep the attention of all focused primarily on the Scriptural information presented. Be careful to use no more than two minutes for counseling each student talk.
TIMING: No talk should go overtime; neither should the counsel. Talks Nos. 2 through 5 will be stopped if necessary when the time is up.
WRITTEN REVIEWS: Periodically a written review will be given. In preparation, review principally the material in ad, gh, sg and yy and complete the assignment of personal Bible reading. Only the Bible may be used during this thirty-minute review. The balance of the hour will be devoted to a discussion of the questions and answers. Each student will check his own paper and, in reading off the answers, the school overseer will concentrate on the more difficult questions, stressing the matter of accurate knowledge and letting the audience turn to the textbooks where the answers may be checked. If, for some reason, local circumstances make it necessary, the written review may be used a week later than what is shown on the schedule.
LARGE AND SMALL CONGREGATIONS: Congregations with a school enrollment of fifty or more students should arrange for additional groups of students to deliver the scheduled talks before other elders, if possible. Rotate the students to the various halls. Where it seems advisable, sisters may take any talk, presenting it to someone else, as outlined for Talks Nos. 3 and 4.
ABSENTEEISM: If a student is not present when scheduled, a volunteer may take the assignment, making whatever application he feels qualified to make on such short notice. Or the school overseer may cover the material with appropriate audience participation.
SCHEDULE
Jan. 2 Bible reading: Genesis 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 642 ¶9 to p. 644 ¶6. “Genesis, Book of.”
No. 2: Genesis 2:7-9, 18-25
No. 3: gh pp. 5-9 “Where Can You Find Good News Today?”
No. 4: so 1A “What Will Armageddon Accomplish?”
No. 5: yy chapter 1
Jan. 9 Bible reading: Genesis 5 to 9
No. 1: sg Study No. 1
No. 2: Genesis 6:9-22
No. 3: gh pp. 10-13 “When and by Whom Was the Bible Recorded?”
No. 4: so 3B “Why Do We Need Help to Understand the Bible?”
No. 5: yy chapter 2
Jan. 16 Bible reading: Genesis 10 to 14
No. 1: sg Study No. 2
No. 2: Genesis 13:5-18
No. 3: gh pp. 13, 14 “How Could Imperfect Men Produce God’s Perfect Message?”
No. 4: so 4A “Why Do Christians Not Take Blood Transfusions?”
No. 5: yy chapter 3
Jan. 23 Bible reading: Genesis 15 to 18
No. 1: sg Study No. 3
No. 2: Genesis 17:1-12, 15-17
No. 3: gh pp. 15-18 “Why Can We Be Certain the Bible’s Record Is Accurate?”
No. 4: so 5A “When Did the Times of the Gentiles End?”
No. 5: yy chapter 4
Jan. 30 Bible reading: Genesis 19 to 22
No. 1: sg Study No. 4
No. 2: Genesis 22:1, 2, 6-18
No. 3: gh pp. 19, 20 “What Is the Pentateuch All About?”
No. 4: so 7A “What Are the Bible’s Moral Standards?”
No. 5: yy chapter 5
Feb. 6 Bible reading: Genesis 23 to 26
No. 1: sg Study No. 5
No. 2: Genesis 24:1-10, 15-19
No. 3: gh pp. 20-24 “What Kinds of Books Comprise the Hebrew Scriptures?”
No. 4: so 8A “How the Bible Agrees with Proved Science”
No. 5: yy chapter 6
Feb. 13 Bible reading: Genesis 27 to 30
No. 1: sg Study No. 6
No. 2: Genesis 28:2, 10-22
No. 3: gh pp. 24-28 “What Are the Highlights of the Christian Greek Scriptures?”
No. 4: so 10B “Just What Is the Condition of the Dead?”
No. 5: yy chapter 7
Feb. 20 Bible reading: Genesis 31 to 34
No. 1: sg Study No. 7
No. 2: Genesis 34:1-7, 25-31
No. 3: gh pp. 29-34 “How Does the Bible Help to Solve Problems?”
No. 4: so 12A “How Bible Training Prevents Juvenile Delinquency”
No. 5: yy chapter 8
Feb. 27 Written Review. Complete Genesis 1 to 34
Mar. 6 Bible reading: Genesis 35 to 38
No. 1: sg Study No. 8, p. 39 ¶1 to p. 41 ¶11
No. 2: Genesis 35:2-15
No. 3: gh pp. 34-38 “How Can We Show True Neighbor Love?”
No. 4: so 13B “Who Is the Invisible Ruler of This World?”
No. 5: yy chapter 9
Mar. 13 Bible reading: Genesis 39 to 42
No. 1: sg Study No. 8, p. 41 ¶12 to p. 43 ¶18
No. 2: Genesis 39:7-13, 17-23
No. 3: gh pp. 39-44 “How Was the Good News Preserved?”
No. 4: so 15D “Why Will the Earth Last Forever?”
No. 5: yy chapter 10
Mar. 20 Bible reading: Genesis 43 to 46
No. 1: sg Study No. 9
No. 2: Genesis 44:18-34
No. 3: gh pp. 44-47 “How Has Opposition to Bible Translation Failed?”
No. 4: so 21C “What Are God’s Requirements for Heavenly Life?”
No. 5: yy chapter 11
Mar. 27 Bible reading: Genesis 47 to 50
No. 1: sg Study No. 10
No. 2: Genesis 50:1-3, 12-21
No. 3: gh pp. 48-53 “What Are Some of God’s Qualities and Why Should We Seek After Him?”
No. 4: so 38A “What Does the Lord’s Evening Meal Commemorate and Who May Partake?”
No. 5: yy chapter 12
Apr. 3 Bible reading: Exodus 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 547 ¶8 to p. 548 ¶7. “Exodus, Book of.”
No. 2: Exodus 3:6-10, 13-17
No. 3: gh pp. 53, 54 “What Can We Learn from God’s Created Works?”
No. 4: so 20C “What Is the Bible’s View Regarding Modern Faith Healing?”
No. 5: yy chapter 13
Apr. 10 Bible reading: Exodus 5 to 8
No. 1: sg Study No. 11
No. 2: Exodus 6:1-13
No. 3: gh pp. 54-57 “What Does the Bible Tell Us About God’s Name?”
No. 4: so 18C “What Attitude Must Christians Maintain Toward World Affairs?”
No. 5: yy chapter 14
Apr. 17 Bible reading: Exodus 9 to 12
No. 1: sg Study No. 12
No. 2: Exodus 12:1-14
No. 3: gh pp. 58, 59 “How Does Creation Display Jehovah’s Wisdom?”
No. 4: so 22C “In the Scriptures, of What Is Fire a Symbol?”
No. 5: yy chapter 15
Apr. 24 Written Review. Complete Genesis 35-50 to Exodus 1-12
May 1 Bible reading: Exodus 13 to 16
No. 1: sg Study No. 13
No. 2: Exodus 15:1-18
No. 3: gh p. 60 “What Indicates the Length of the Creative Days?”
No. 4: so 24A “Why Is the Use of Images in Worship Displeasing to God?”
No. 5: yy chapter 16
May 8 Bible reading: Exodus 17 to 20
No. 1: sg Study No. 14
No. 2: Exodus 20:1-17
No. 3: gh pp. 61-65 “By What Steps Did God Prepare the Earth for Living Creatures?”
No. 4: so 25A “Why Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Not Practice Interfaith?”
No. 5: yy chapter 17
May 15 Bible reading: Exodus 21 to 24
No. 1: sg Study No. 15
No. 2: Exodus 24:3-18
No. 3: gh pp. 66-70 “In What Order Did God Create Earth’s Living Creatures?”
No. 4: so 26A “To Whom Only Does Bible Interpretation Belong and Why?”
No. 5: yy chapter 18
May 22 Bible reading: Exodus 25 to 28
No. 1: sg Study No. 16
No. 2: Exodus 27:1-19
No. 3: gh pp. 71-74 “What Reasons Have We for Thanking Our Creator?”
No. 4: so 27C “How Does God Testify to His Existence?”
No. 5: yy chapter 19
May 29 Bible reading: Exodus 29 to 32
No. 1: sg Study No. 17
No. 2: Exodus 32:1-4, 7-14
No. 3: gh pp. 75-78 “What Caused Mankind to Lose Its Happiness?”
No. 4: so 27D “What Are Jehovah’s Cardinal Attributes?”
No. 5: yy chapter 20
June 5 Bible reading: Exodus 33 to 36
No. 1: sg Study No. 18
No. 2: Exodus 34:1-10
No. 3: gh pp. 78-80 “What Is the Difference Between Willful and Inherited Sin?”
No. 4: so 28A “What Is the Origin of Jehovah’s Witnesses?”
No. 5: yy chapter 21
June 12 Bible reading: Exodus 37 to 40
No. 1: sg Study No. 19
No. 2: Exodus 40:1-16
No. 3: gh pp. 81-84 “How Did God End a Wicked World in Noah’s Day?”
No. 4: so 29D “How Important Is Belief in Jesus Christ?”
No. 5: yy chapter 22
June 19 Bible reading: Leviticus 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 1058 ¶10 to p. 1059 ¶22. “Leviticus, Book of.”
No. 2: Leviticus 2:1-13
No. 3: gh pp. 85-94 “What Happens to Us When We Die?”
No. 4: so 30C “On What Basis Are People Judged Today?”
No. 5: yy chapter 23
June 26 Written Review. Complete Exodus 13-40 to Leviticus 1-4
July 3 Bible reading: Leviticus 5 to 8
No. 1: w73 pp. 533-535; g70 1/8 pp. 12-14
No. 2: Leviticus 8:1-13
No. 3: gh p. 95 “Why Would God Not Torment Creatures?”
No. 4: so 31E “What Kind of Government Is God’s Kingdom?”
No. 5: yy chapter 24
July 10 Bible reading: Leviticus 9 to 12
No. 1: sg Study No. 20
No. 2: Leviticus 10:1-11
No. 3: gh pp. 96-99 “What Is the Origin of the Hell Torment Teaching?”
No. 4: so 32A “What Is Meant by ‘the End of the World’?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 478, 479, Questions from Readers
July 17 Bible reading: Leviticus 13 to 16
No. 1: sg Study No. 21
No. 2: Leviticus 16:3-16
No. 3: gh pp. 100-105 “What Is the Bible’s Position on Torment?”
No. 4: so 34B “To Whom Does God Promise Everlasting Life?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 483-486
July 24 Bible reading: Leviticus 17 to 20
No. 1: sg Study No. 22
No. 2: Leviticus 17:3-14
No. 3: gh pp. 106, 107 “Why Can We Be Certain Unhappiness Will Not Always Continue?”
No. 4: so 36E “Whom Only Should Christians Marry?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 511, 512
July 31 Bible reading: Leviticus 21 to 24
No. 1: sg Study No. 23
No. 2: Leviticus 24:10-23
No. 3: gh pp. 107-109 “What Issue Was Raised in the Garden of Eden?”
No. 4: so 19E “How Can We Best Serve Community Interests?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 515, 516
Aug. 7 Bible reading: Leviticus 25 to 27
No. 1: sg Study No. 24
No. 2: Leviticus 25:1-13
No. 3: gh pp. 110-115 “Who Were Some Outstanding Keepers of Integrity?”
No. 4: so 41A “What Accounts for Christians Being Persecuted?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 517, 518
Aug. 14 Bible reading: Numbers 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 1235 ¶2-8. “Numbers, Book of.”
No. 2: Numbers 3:39-51
No. 3: gh pp. 116-121 “Why Did God Send His Son to Earth?”
No. 4: so 43C “What Are God’s Conditions for Hearing Prayer?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 536-538
Aug. 21 Bible reading: Numbers 5 to 8
No. 1: sg Study No. 25
No. 2: Numbers 6:1-8, 21-27
No. 3: gh pp. 121-123 “Who Benefit from Christ’s Sacrifice and What Are Their Destinies?”
No. 4: so 44A “What Obligations Rest Upon All Christians?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 556-559
Aug. 28 Written Review. Complete Leviticus 5-27 to Numbers 1-8
Sept. 4 Bible reading: Numbers 9 to 12
No. 1: sg Study No. 26
No. 2: Numbers 12:1-15
No. 3: gh pp. 124-126 “What Kind of Worship Does God Approve?”
No. 4: so 46A “Why Is There No Excuse for Racial Prejudice?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 579-581
Sept. 11 Bible reading: Numbers 13 to 16
No. 1: sg Study No. 27
No. 2: Numbers 14:11-25
No. 3: gh pp. 126-129 “What Kind of Worship Does God Not Approve?”
No. 4: so 47A “Of What Benefit Is Christ’s Sacrifice?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 581-584
Sept. 18 Bible reading: Numbers 17 to 20
No. 1: sg Study No. 28
No. 2: Numbers 17:1-11
No. 3: gh pp. 129-132 “In What Activities Will True Worshipers Share?”
No. 4: so 48B “How Can the True Religion Be Identified?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 584-588
Sept. 25 Bible reading: Numbers 21 to 24
No. 1: sg Study No. 29
No. 2: Numbers 22:20-34
No. 3: gh pp. 133, 134 “How Can Superstitions Lead to Unhappiness?”
No. 4: so 48G “Why Is It Not Wrong to Condemn False Doctrines?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 636-639
Oct. 2 Bible reading: Numbers 25 to 28
No. 1: sg Study No. 30
No. 2: Numbers 25:1-15
No. 3: gh pp. 135-140 “How Can We Protect Ourselves from Spiritism?”
No. 4: so 49A “What Hope Does the Bible Hold Out for the Dead?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 643-646
Oct. 9 Bible reading: Numbers 29 to 32
No. 1: sg Study No. 31
No. 2: Numbers 30:3-15
No. 3: gh pp. 141-145 “What Are Some of the Prophecies That Foretold God’s Kingdom?”
No. 4: so 50A “How Do We Know Christ’s Return or Presence Will Be Invisible?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 647, 648
Oct. 16 Bible reading: Numbers 33 to 36
No. 1: sg Study No. 32
No. 2: Numbers 35:9-25
No. 3: gh pp. 144, 146-150 “What Shows that Earth’s New King Is Invisibly Present?”
No. 4: so 51A “Why Are Christians Not Required to Keep a Sabbath Day?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 664-666
Oct. 23 Bible reading: Deuteronomy 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 444 ¶11 to p. 446 ¶2. “Deuteronomy, Book of.”
No. 2: Deuteronomy 1:6-21
No. 3: gh pp. 151-154 “What Paradise Do God’s People Enjoy Today?”
No. 4: so 52C “What Does It Mean to Be ‘Born Again’?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 675, 676
Oct. 30 Written Review. Complete Numbers 9-36 to Deuteronomy 1-4
Nov. 6 Bible reading: Deuteronomy 5 to 8
No. 1: sg Study No. 33
No. 2: Deuteronomy 6:4-19
No. 3: gh pp. 155-159 “What Paradise Awaits Obedient Mankind?”
No. 4: so 53B “Why Cannot Men Look to Science for Salvation?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 698, 699
Nov. 13 Bible reading: Deuteronomy 9 to 12
No. 1: sg Study No. 34
No. 2: Deuteronomy 10:8-19
No. 3: gh pp. 160-165 “What Is God’s Purpose Regarding Marriage?”
No. 4: so 54F “What Is Sin Against God’s Holy Spirit?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 700-702
Nov. 20 Bible reading: Deuteronomy 13 to 16
No. 1: sg Study No. 35
No. 2: Deuteronomy 13:1-16
No. 3: gh pp. 166-173 “How Can Children Be Made ‘Wise for Salvation’?”
No. 4: so 55B “What Is the Distinction Between Soul and Spirit?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 707, 708
Nov. 27 Bible reading: Deuteronomy 17 to 21
No. 1: sg Study No. 36
No. 2: Deuteronomy 18:9-22
No. 3: gh pp. 174-176 “How Does God’s Word Help Us to Realize Happiness?”
No. 4: so 56A “What Is God’s Holy Spirit or Active Force?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 709-712
Dec. 4 Bible reading: Deuteronomy 22 to 25
No. 1: sg Study No. 37, p. 181 ¶1 to p. 183 ¶14
No. 2: Deuteronomy 23:9-23
No. 3: gh pp. 177-179 “From What Things Must We Abstain?”
No. 4: so 57B “How Does the New World Translation Aid Us to Understand the Bible?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 713, 714
Dec. 11 Bible reading: Deuteronomy 26 to 29
No. 1: sg Study No. 37, p. 184 ¶15 to p. 187 ¶34
No. 2: Deuteronomy 28:1-14
No. 3: gh pp. 179-182 “What Should Love Motivate Us to Do?”
No. 4: so 58B “How Do We Know that Jesus Always Was and Always Will Be Subject to His Father?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 739, 740
Dec. 18 Bible reading: Deuteronomy 30 to 34
No. 1: sg Study No. 38
No. 2: Deuteronomy 32:1-14, 43
No. 3: gh pp. 183-190 “What Prospects Give God’s People Grounds for Joy?”
No. 4: so 59D “Why Has Jehovah Permitted Wickedness?”
No. 5: w75 pp. 741-744
Dec. 25 Written Review. Complete Deuteronomy 5 to 34