Your Service Meetings
WEEK STARTING APRIL 3
20 min: Song 78. Local announcements, also discuss “Report Field Service Twice a Month.” Questions and answers on “Building Faith in Others.” If time permits, discuss Romans 10:11-14 in conclusion.
18 min: Faith is built on a knowledge of the Bible. (Rom. 10:17) Encourage use of Bible in the service. Our topic for conversation will help us do this.
Demonstration: (5 min.) Publisher uses as his topic the question, Will there ever be an end to violence? Refer to Psalm 37:8-11. Many feel they should take action themselves to stop evildoers. God promises to end violence himself. Explain how the April 1 Watchtower gives fine information on the subject “The Sure Promise of a Secure New Order.” Encourage householder to take subscription to build faith.
Chairman: The Watchtower will help us build interest and faith in the Bible. Discuss with audience talking points from the current magazine, emphasizing how we could show a householder that it would be of value to him. Discuss how current issue ties in with topic for conversation. Recommend that conductors review at the next meeting for field service the topic for conversation just presented.
22 min: Planting the seed of truth is only the first step. Our desire is to conduct Bible studies so the interest can be cultivated. We offer three booklets with the subscription to aid us in starting studies. Leaving magazines or even a subscription is not usually enough to help one learn the truth. It takes patience and effort. Try offering a demonstration of the study on the first call where appropriate. Select the booklet you want to use and get acquainted with it. Practice starting a study at home or with another publisher and then try it in the service. To do this successfully we need to be familiar with the material to be discussed.
(10 min.): Chairman studies with congregation material as time permits starting from beginning of booklet Is There a God Who Cares? Read paragraphs first.
Offer to demonstrate Bible study can also be made in the magazine work. It is important for us to see that the only way to help seeds planted to grow is to give continued care through return visits and Bible studies. Mention article “Following Up on Expired Gift Subscriptions.” Conclude with Romans 10:20 showing importance of our service. Song 17 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING APRIL 10
Sharing the Truth on Every Occasion
20 min: Song 117. Announcements, including report of field activity of congregation for the past month. Audience discussion of questions and answers on article “Scatter Seeds of Truth.”
25 min: Reaching People by Informal Witnessing. Chairman: We have good reason to bless Jehovah every day. (Ps. 145:2, 10) Ask audience for situations (not experiences) where a witness might be given other than in actual field activity. Many more people could be reached if each of us would take advantage of opportunities every day. Encourage the brothers to consider in which of the following situations they can see themselves giving an informal witness in view of personal circumstances.
Scene I. Brother on secular job gives witness to workmate who asked about article in Awake! he is reading during lunch period. Chairman comments on fact that many brothers make a habit of taking Society’s publications to work to read. Provides opening for informal witness. Does this give you an idea to do the same thing?
Scene II. Three sisters talk about advantages of giving informal witness. One mentions that on an evening when she cannot get out she likes to write to friends and relatives and in a casual way always makes mention of the truth. Then if she gets favorable response she may send some literature or a gift subscription. Second sister says she likes to witness to people she meets when out shopping. Third sister says she sometimes witnesses to people who come by the home. First sister asks them to show how they do this.
Scene III. While waiting in line at check-out counter in market, second sister talks to woman who complains about high food costs. Agrees it is a problem but says that a secure future is possible. Presents booklet on that subject. Chairman: By having magazines or other literature in purse or car one can always be prepared to follow up on informal witnessing.
Scene IV. Salesman calls at home of third sister, who raises question about how things are going for him. Steers conversation to Bible. Encourages person to read booklet Is There a God Who Cares?
Scene V. Teen-age Witness in school talks to friend, stating that teacher cannot convince him of evolution because it is too unreasonable from what he reads. Friend asks him what he means and he shows him picture on pages 74 and 75 of Evolution book. Schoolmate says that his parents sometimes get our literature but that he does not know what it is about. Publisher suggests that he can visit friend at home to explain more.
Chairman points out that informal witnessing is something we can all do. Many are already doing it. It is good to plan for such opportunities. By doing so we can reach many more people. Encourage congregation to see what they can do in the next few days in trying to give an informal witness.
15 min: Has informal witnessing brought results? Ask congregation for experiences. How many got interested in the truth because of informal witnessing? Have some had good results locally in doing this? (Chairman may be prepared with experiences from the publications such as those found in w71 4/1 pages 221, 222; w73 3/15 pages 187, 188.) Do brothers understand that it is appropriate to report time used that way, even if only a few minutes at a time? Stress that it is good for us to be friendly with others, as it often opens the way to a fine witness. Song 51 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING APRIL 17
18 min: Song 43. Local announcements. Helping new persons progress spiritually. In visiting the people this month we have two ways to help them. We are interested in starting Bible studies and getting subscriptions. Mention how many subscriptions have been obtained thus far. Also ask how many have been able to demonstrate or start a Bible study during the month. Jesus encouraged Bible study. (Luke 24:45; John 21:15) Are our Bible students progressing well? Do they “grasp the meaning of the Scriptures”? Discuss with questions and answers “Presenting the Good News—By Conducting a Helpful Bible Study.”
15 min: Starting and conducting interesting studies. Chairman briefly mentions need to catch interest of householder so that it is his desire to hear more. How can this be done? Notice how publisher simply uses cover of booklet Is There a God Who Cares?
Demonstration: (5 min.) In concluding discussion of Psalm 37:8-11, ask householder if he thinks there will ever be an end to crime and violence. Mention that, since there is so much of it in the world, many people wonder if God really cares. Point to the questions on the cover of the booklet. Ask householder: Do these things concern you? Do you know how to get the answers? Publisher explains that this booklet is designed to help us learn the answers from the Bible. Ask to spend a few minutes to show householder how this can be done. Briefly start discussion with paragraph seven.
Chairman next discusses with congregation making study instructive. Read and discuss with congregation paragraph 18. Ask: Why is reading paragraph first especially helpful in starting a study? Why is it best to encourage student to put answer in his own words? Why is it good to explain how to find scriptures instead of just telling person the page number? Why are viewpoint questions helpful? For example, regarding the illustration, does he see a point he could apply in his life? Encourage those conducting studies to talk kindly to students about the need to progress to have Jehovah’s blessing.—Luke 8:9-15.
12 min: Discussion on question, What is required for spiritual progress? with brief demonstration. Discuss with congregation Jehovah’s instructions at Hebrews 10:24 and what might be said to encourage persons we study with to come to meetings. Interview some who bring people to meetings as to how they go about it. Ask why they feel that meeting attendance is so important and helpful.
Once people do come to meetings, how can we help them progress besides making them feel welcome? Present two short demonstrations, both scenes after a home Bible study. In first one publisher helps the student prepare a comment for the book study, using the material next scheduled for study in the Peace and Security book. In the second scene, interested one has been assigned a talk for the Theocratic School, so publisher encourages person to read over the material and make note of the key scriptures and then offers to help the person in arranging the talk. We want to help each person associated with the congregation progress spiritually and become equipped to share the good news.—2 Tim. 2:2.
15 min: [If local body of elders have material they feel important to present, it can be used instead of following, with brief references to points made herein.] Discuss with congregation the question, Who Can Share in the Preaching of the Good News? Consider with questions and answers the material from the Organization book, pages 128-130.
Demonstration: Brother at Bible study explains topic for conversation to student and invites him in service.
Chairman: If there is any question about the status of the person being studied with, then it would be good to discuss this with one of the elders before inviting the person to share. Encourage working with others in the service and on Bible studies. Have you tried informal witnessing this month? Experiences if time permits. Song 42 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING APRIL 24
Maintaining a Happy Family Life
25 min: Song 10. Chairman makes brief announcements and then mentions meeting will deal with above theme. Introduces scene, with elder being asked by brother how he can cope with his family situation. He realizes that real spiritual “life” seems to be missing from his family. Elder reasons with brother on importance of his own spiritual attitude—if his headship is to be respected, he is obliged to follow directions of his head, Christ (1 John 2:6), assign his wife honor as weaker vessel (1 Pet. 3:7), train his children (Eph. 6:4), and so forth. (See Aid under Headship, p. 726; w76 10/15 pages 613-616.) Family oneness developed through study, service and recreation along with good communication. Elder lovingly helps brother to arrive at his own decision as to what he can and must do to correct family situation. Elder then turns to “multitude of counselors” in audience for observations on what family members can do to cooperate in developing and maintaining a happy family life. Also brings up Question Box material and shows need for each one watching conduct at local meetings as well as at assemblies.
15 min: Obedience to Parents Brings Happiness and Life. (Eph. 6:1-3) Youngsters in congregation can be interviewed saying what they have learned from the Great Teacher book on obedience, and with older ones, preferably of teen age, mentioning the benefits obedience has brought them in avoiding temptations in school. Scriptures from “Make Sure,” pages 359-362 may be used if time permits.
20 min: Working in the Field as a Family. Talk first on how children trained by one or both parents have faithfully served Jehovah, such as Samuel (1 Sam. 1:21-28; 2:11) and Timothy (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15), and so forth. Are you also training your children? (Ps. 148:12, 13) Training for field service involves good example of parent, and instilling desire to tell others the truth. Make learning enjoyable. Where there are two or more children involved, let them practice presentations on one another. Demonstrate how father or mother helps children prepare for service by developing brief presentation. For example: Child, after introduction of him by older publisher working with him, might say: “I would like to grow up in a world where there is no crime. Did you know that the Bible promises and end to crime in the near future? Let me show you where you can read this in the Bible.”—Turns to Psalm 37:9, 10. “There is more good news like this in the Bible. You can learn about it by reading this Bible study aid.” (Opens Good News book to page 8) “You can have this for just 25c.”
Also briefly demonstrate parent explaining to child how to give a witness to a fellow student at school, and then have child tell how it went as he reports back to his parent on the result of the witness given. If time allows, show parent and child on return visit of placement child has made.
Benefits of such loving example and training are closer relationships in family as well as better prepared youngsters in field service. Song 60 and prayer.