Question Box

● Who may be used to read the paragraphs during the congregation book study and the Watchtower study?

The purpose of reading the paragraphs at the meetings is to benefit spiritually those in attendance. Therefore, efforts should be made to ensure good, fluent reading at the meetings. When a person reads too slowly, the conductor may find it difficult to finish the study on time. Wrong emphasis, mispronunciation and stumbling over words in the reading can be very distracting, confusing and disturbing to the brothers and interested persons who are trying to concentrate on the material.

One assigned to this privilege should also be a good example in the congregation. Must the reader be a baptized brother? This is preferable but not a requirement. If none of the baptized brothers in the group are good readers, the book study conductor may decide just who in his group would be able to read in a way that would be of the greatest benefit to all in attendance. At times this may require using sisters at the book studies. It is helpful to assign readers in advance.

As far as the Watchtower study is concerned, the best readers should be used, even if there are only two or three. Here again, it would be preferable to use baptized brothers. In most congregations there will be no problem in this regard. But if there is a problem, the elders should work out arrangements locally that they feel will best serve the spiritual interests of the congregation.