Theocratic School Schedule for 1978
INSTRUCTIONS
During 1978 the following will be the arrangement when conducting the Theocratic School.
TEXTBOOKS: The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, The Watchtower [w], Awake! [g], Bible Topics for Discussion [td], and the books Aid to Bible Understanding [ad] and Life Does Have a Purpose [lp] will be the basis for assignments.
The school will begin with song and prayer and remarks of welcome, and then will proceed as follows:
HIGHLIGHTS FROM BIBLE READING: 5 minutes. The school overseer will present highlights and questions based on the week’s Bible reading assignment.
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. There will be no oral review, so after the instruction talk the students will be dismissed to their various classrooms.
TALK NO. 2: 6 minutes. This is a Bible reading of the assigned material by a brother. The reading assignments are short enough to permit the student to present brief explanatory information in his opening and concluding remarks, and even at 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.
TALK NO. 3: 6 minutes. Rather than a talk, this will be a Bible study, conducted by a sister. The one conducting the study should strive to make it as helpful and realistic as possible, so as to benefit from this practical training in conducting a Bible study. It is not necessary to read the paragraphs, though certain ones might be read. Nor is it necessary to cover all the assigned material; at times certain choice paragraphs could be selected, questions raised and scriptures looked up and considered. If an answer is incomplete, the student should ask auxiliary questions to draw out the answer. Where the student fails to do this, the school overseer will draw attention to this after the presentation. One assistant will be scheduled by the school overseer, but additional assistants may be used.
TALK NO. 4: 6 minutes. This talk also will be assigned to sisters whenever possible. When delivering the talk, the student may be either seated or standing. 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, in the congregation or elsewhere. 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 he thinks it 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.
REMARKS: After Talks Nos. 2 through 5, the school overseer will have two minutes respectively to highlight truths and principles that the students may not have included in their presentations. These remarks should be meaningful, emphasizing points that will be helpful to the brothers in their homelife, at school, on the job, within the congregation or while out in field service. Occasionally, questions can be put to the audience on points in the assigned material that can be applied.
COUNSEL: This will always be given privately after the meeting. More than two minutes may be used as advisable. The private counsel for Talk No. 3 may include overall impressions as to how the study was conducted. On the Speech Counsel slip use only those aspects that would suitably apply to one conducting a Bible study.
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.
TIMING: No talk should go overtime. Neither should the remarks. Talks Nos. 2 through 5 should tactfully be stopped when the time is up. If the school overseer assigns someone to give the “stop signal,” that one should be advised as to the importance of doing this whenever a talk goes overtime. An instruction talk speaker who goes overtime should be given private counsel. All should watch their timing carefully so that the Theocratic School as a whole does not run overtime.
WRITTEN REVIEWS: Periodically a written review will be given. In preparation, review principally the material in ad and lp 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 may wish to arrange for additional groups of students to deliver the scheduled talks before other counselors. Rotate the students to the various halls. Where it seems advisable, sisters may take any student talk, presenting it to someone else, as outlined for Talk No. 4.
ABSENTEES: The brothers and sisters will show appreciation for this school by being present, when possible, at every weekly session, by preparing their assignments well, and by participating in question sessions. 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. 1 Bible reading: Joshua 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 966 ¶8 to ¶14. “Joshua, Book of.”
No. 2: Joshua 3:5, 9-17
No. 3: lp p. 5 to p. 8 ¶9
No. 4: td 2C “How Could a God of Love Destroy the World?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 3, 4
Jan. 8 Bible reading: Joshua 5 to 8
No. 1: ad p. 1458 ¶1 to p. 1459 ¶8. “Scribe—Scripture Copyists, Scribes as Teachers of the Law, Copyists of the Christian Greek Scriptures.”
No. 2: Joshua 6:15-25
No. 3: lp p. 9 ¶10 to p. 13 ¶19
No. 4: td 4A “Is the Bible Really Inspired?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 28-30
Jan. 15 Bible reading: Joshua 9 to 12
No. 1: ad p. 1461 ¶1 to ¶12. “Sea.”
No. 2: Joshua 10:3-14
No. 3: lp p. 13 ¶20 to p. 16 ¶29
No. 4: td 5B “Should Life Be Saved at Any Cost?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 37, 38
Jan. 22 Bible reading: Joshua 13 to 16
No. 1: ad p. 1464 ¶11 to p. 1466 ¶2. “Seed—A Sacred Secret.”
No. 2: Joshua 14:6-14
No. 3: lp p. 17 to p. 22 ¶13
No. 4: td 6B “Was the Time for Messiah’s First Coming Foretold?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 69, 70
Jan. 29 Bible reading: Joshua 17 to 20
No. 1: ad p. 1466 ¶3 to p. 1467 ¶1. “Seed.”
No. 2: Joshua 20:1-9
No. 3: lp p. 22 ¶14 to p. 24 ¶20
No. 4: td 7D “Was the Church Built Upon Peter?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 99, 100
Feb. 5 Bible reading: Joshua 21 to 24
No. 1: ad p. 1468 ¶1 to ¶7. “Self-Control.”
No. 2: Joshua 23:1-11
No. 3: lp p. 25 to p. 28 ¶8
No. 4: td 8B “Are Adornments Proper for Christian Women?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 133, 134
Feb. 12 Bible reading: Judges 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 980 ¶4 to ¶7. “Judges, Book of.”
No. 2: Judges 4:12-24
No. 3: lp p. 29 ¶9 to p. 33 ¶19
No. 4: td 9B “How Long Is God’s Rest Day?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 165, 166
Feb. 19 Bible reading: Judges 5 to 8
No. 1: ad p. 1472 ¶3 to ¶14. “Serpent, Snake.”
No. 2: Judges 7:12-22
No. 3: lp p. 34 ¶20 to p. 37 ¶26
No. 4: td 10A “Was Jesus Hanged on a Cross?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 220-222
Feb. 26 Written Review. Complete Joshua 1-24 to Judges 1-8
Mar. 5 Bible reading: Judges 9 to 12
No. 1: ad p. 1473 ¶3 to p. 1475 ¶5. “Seventy Weeks.”
No. 2: Judges 11:30-40
No. 3: lp p. 38 to p. 41 ¶9
No. 4: td 11C “Can People Talk with the Dead?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 229, 230
Mar. 12 Bible reading: Judges 13 to 16
No. 1: ad p. 1483 ¶11 to p. 1484 ¶9. “Sheep.”
No. 2: Judges 16:23-31
No. 3: lp p. 41 ¶10 to p. 44 ¶17
No. 4: td 12A “What Is Dedication?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 323-325
Mar. 19 Bible reading: Judges 17 to 21
No. 1: ad p. 1489 ¶2 to p. 1490 ¶2. “Shepherd.”
No. 2: Judges 20:3-13
No. 3: lp p. 44 ¶18 to p. 47 ¶25
No. 4: td 14A “Is the Devil the Evil in Us?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 387-389
Mar. 26 Bible reading: Ruth 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 1425 ¶4 to ¶8. “Ruth, Book of.”
No. 2: Ruth 4:1-11
No. 3: lp p. 48 to p. 51 ¶11
No. 4: td 16A “Why Is Smoking Not Pleasing to God?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 451, 452
Apr. 2 Bible reading: 1 Samuel 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 1439 ¶10 to p. 1440 ¶7. “Samuel, Books of.”
No. 2: 1 Samuel 3:1-13
No. 3: lp p. 51 ¶12 to p. 53 ¶18
No. 4: td 17C “Will God Destroy the Earth?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 483, 484
Apr. 9 Bible reading: 1 Samuel 5 to 8
No. 1: ad p. 1504 ¶4 to p. 1507 ¶3. “Sin, I.”
No. 2: 1 Samuel 8:4-10, 19-22
No. 3: lp p. 53 ¶19 to p. 57 ¶30
No. 4: td 20E “Why Do the Witnesses Refuse to Salute the Flag?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 515, 516
Apr. 16 Bible reading: 1 Samuel 9 to 12
No. 1: ad p. 1507 ¶4 to p. 1510 ¶4. “Sin, I—Errors, Transgressions, Trespasses.”
No. 2: 1 Samuel 12:1, 16-25
No. 3: lp p. 57 ¶31 to p. 59 ¶38
No. 4: td 21B “Is It Enough to Be Sincere and Keep ‘the Golden Rule’?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 573-575
Apr. 23 Written Review. Complete Judges 9-21; Ru 1-4 to 1 Samuel 1-12
Apr. 30 Bible reading: 1 Samuel 13 to 16
No. 1: ad p. 1514 ¶20 to p. 1516 ¶5. “Slave.”
No. 2: 1 Samuel 13:5-14
No. 3: lp p. 60 ¶39 to p. 64 ¶47
No. 4: td 22D “Should Christians Be Able to Speak in Tongues?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 675, 676
May 7 Bible reading: 1 Samuel 17 to 20
No. 1: ad p. 1520 ¶2 to p. 1521 ¶1. “Soldier.”
No. 2: 1 Samuel 17:42-51
No. 3: lp p. 65 to p. 68 ¶11
No. 4: td 23B “How Many Go to Heaven?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 701-703
May 14 Bible reading: 1 Samuel 21 to 24
No. 1: ad p. 1521 ¶2 to p. 1525 ¶6. “Solomon.”
No. 2: 1 Samuel 23:1-13
No. 3: lp p. 69 ¶12 to p. 73 ¶20
No. 4: td 24B “Does God Torment the Wicked in Hell?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 707, 708
May 21 Bible reading: 1 Samuel 25 to 27
No. 1: ad p. 1527 ¶8 to p. 1530 ¶10. “Son(s) of God.”
No. 2: 1 Samuel 26:1-11
No. 3: lp p. 73 ¶21 to p. 76 ¶25
No. 4: td 25B “Why Not Celebrate Birthdays?”
No. 5: w76 pp. 740-742
May 28 Bible reading: 1 Samuel 28 to 31
No. 1: ad p. 1531 ¶1 to p. 1532 ¶1. “Son of Man.”
No. 2: 1 Samuel 30:1-8, 16-19
No. 3: lp p. 77 ¶1 to p. 81 ¶13
No. 4: td 26C “What Is Wrong with the Use of Images?”
No. 5: w77 pp. 67, 68
June 4 Bible reading: 2 Samuel 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 1532 ¶12 to p. 1535 ¶3. “Soul.”
No. 2: 2 Samuel 4:1, 2, 5-12
No. 3: lp p. 81 ¶14 to p. 86 ¶26
No. 4: td 27B “Is There Good in All Religions?”
No. 5: w77 pp. 131-133
June 11 Bible reading: 2 Samuel 5 to 8
No. 1: ad p. 1535 ¶10 to p. 1537 ¶3. “Sovereignty.”
No. 2: 2 Samuel 7:12-22
No. 3: lp p. 87 ¶1 to p. 91 ¶13
No. 4: td 29F “Are All Men Serving the Same God?”
No. 5: w77 pp. 163-165
June 18 Bible reading: 2 Samuel 9 to 12
No. 1: ad p. 1537 ¶4 to p. 1538 ¶6. “Sovereignty—The point at issue.”
No. 2: 2 Samuel 12:1-12
No. 3: lp p. 91 ¶14 to p. 94 ¶23
No. 4: td 30C “How Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Financed?”
No. 5: w77 pp. 221-223
June 25 Written Review. Complete 1 Samuel 13-31 to 2 Samuel 1-12
July 2 Bible reading: 2 Samuel 13 to 16
No. 1: ad p. 1538 ¶8 to p. 1540 ¶5. “Sower, Sowing.”
No. 2: 2 Samuel 15:1-12
No. 3: lp p. 94 ¶24 to p. 97 ¶32
No. 4: td 32A “When and How Does Christ Come for Judgment?”
No. 5: g76 1/22 pp. 26-28
July 9 Bible reading: 2 Samuel 17 to 20
No. 1: ad p. 1541 ¶14 to p. 1545 ¶3. “Spirit.”
No. 2: 2 Samuel 20:1, 2, 15-22
No. 3: lp p. 98 ¶1 to p. 103 ¶14
No. 4: td 33D “Did Christ Become King at Pentecost?”
No. 5: g76 2/8 pp. 27, 28
July 16 Bible reading: 2 Samuel 21 to 24
No. 1: ad p. 1545 ¶4 to p. 1548 ¶3. “Spirit—God’s spirit acts as ‘helper’ for the Christian congregation.”
No. 2: 2 Samuel 23:8-12, 18-22
No. 3: lp p. 103 ¶15 to p. 107 ¶28
No. 4: td 34D “How Do We Know that the Last Days Began in 1914?”
No. 5: g76 3/8 pp. 26-28
July 23 Bible reading: 1 Kings 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 1005 ¶5 to p. 1006 ¶12. “Kings, Books of the.”
No. 2: 1 Kings 3:4-14
No. 3: lp p. 108 to p. 110 ¶6
No. 4: td 35D “Must Christians Keep the Ten Commandments?”
No. 5: g76 3/22 pp. 27, 28
July 30 Bible reading: 1 Kings 5 to 8
No. 1: ad p. 1548 ¶4 to p. 1550 ¶4. “Spiritism.”
No. 2: 1 Kings 8:22-30, 41-43
No. 3: lp p. 111 ¶7 to p. 114 ¶17
No. 4: td 37E “Is It Reasonable to Forbid the Reading of Bible Literature?”
No. 5: g76 4/8 pp. 3, 4
Aug. 6 Bible reading: 1 Kings 9 to 12
No. 1: ad p. 1553 ¶7 to p. 1553 ¶13. “Stephen.”
No. 2: 1 Kings 10:1-10, 13
No. 3: lp p. 114 ¶18 to p. 118 ¶28
No. 4: td 37G “When People Say: ‘I Have More Literature Than I Can Read Now.’”
No. 5: g76 5/8 pp. 28, 29
Aug. 13 Bible reading: 1 Kings 13 to 16
No. 1: ad p. 1564 ¶9 to p. 1565 ¶6. “Synagogue.”
No. 2: 1 Kings 13:1-10
No. 3: lp p. 119 ¶1 to p. 121 ¶10
No. 4: td 38D “What Obligation Rests on Christian Parents?”
No. 5: g76 5/22 pp. 3, 4
Aug. 20 Bible reading: 1 Kings 17 to 19
No. 1: ad p. 1578 ¶3 to p. 1580 ¶3. “Teacher, Teaching.”
No. 2: 1 Kings 17:13-24
No. 3: lp p. 122 ¶11 to p. 125 ¶23
No. 4: td 38G “Where Did Cain Get His Wife?”
No. 5: g76 5/22 pp. 27, 28
Aug. 27 Written Review. Complete 2 Samuel 13-24 to 1 Kings 1-19
Sept. 3 Bible reading: 1 Kings 20 to 22
No. 1: ad p. 1588 ¶12 to p. 1590 ¶3. “Ten Words.”
No. 2: 1 Kings 22:5-9, 19-23
No. 3: lp p. 126 ¶24 to p. 130 ¶32
No. 4: td 39C “Why Mary Was Not ‘Ever Virgin.’”
No. 5: g76 6/22 pp. 27, 28
Sept. 10 Bible reading: 2 Kings 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 1605 ¶3 to ¶14. “Tithe.”
No. 2: 2 Kings 2:11-14, 19-24
No. 3: lp p. 130 ¶1 to p. 134 ¶12
No. 4: td 40B “Is the Mass Necessary for Forgiveness?”
No. 5: g76 7/8 pp. 27, 28
Sept. 17 Bible reading: 2 Kings 5 to 8
No. 1: ad p. 1611 ¶6 to p. 1612 ¶4. “Transfiguration.”
No. 2: 2 Kings 6:8-17
No. 3: lp p. 134 ¶13 to p. 138 ¶25
No. 4: td 42C “Does Wifely Subjection Require Giving Up True Worship?”
No. 5: g76 7/22 pp. 3, 4
Sept. 24 Bible reading: 2 Kings 9 to 12
No. 1: ad p. 1615 ¶3 to p. 1616 ¶4. “Tribulation.”
No. 2: 2 Kings 9:6, 7, 30-37
No. 3: lp p. 139 ¶26 to p. 143 ¶34
No. 4: td 43A “What Kind of Prayers Does God Hear?”
No. 5: g76 8/8 pp. 27, 28
Oct. 1 Bible reading: 2 Kings 13 to 16
No. 1: ad p. 1618 ¶6 to p. 1619 ¶8. “Truth.”
No. 2: 2 Kings 13:14-21
No. 3: lp p. 143 ¶1 to p. 146 ¶13
No. 4: td 44B “Is ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’ True?”
No. 5: g76 8/22 pp. 3-5
Oct. 8 Bible reading: 2 Kings 17 to 19
No. 1: ad p. 1623 ¶5 to p. 1625 ¶7. “Understanding.”
No. 2: 2 Kings 17:19-28
No. 3: lp p. 147 ¶14 to p. 152 ¶28
No. 4: td 45C “Was the Black Race Cursed?”
No. 5: g76 9/22 pp. 3-5
Oct. 15 Bible reading: 2 Kings 20 to 22
No. 1: ad p. 1631 ¶7 to p. 1632 ¶9. “Vengeance.”
No. 2: 2 Kings 20:1-11
No. 3: lp p. 152 ¶29 to p. 156 ¶37
No. 4: td 47E “Is It Wrong to Change One’s Religion?”
No. 5: g76 10/8 pp. 27, 28
Oct. 22 Bible reading: 2 Kings 23 to 25
No. 1: ad p. 1640 ¶10 to p. 1642 ¶2. “Vow.”
No. 2: 2 Kings 23:15-23
No. 3: lp p. 156 ¶1 to p. 160 ¶13
No. 4: td 51E “Will Everybody Finally Be Saved?”
No. 5: g76 10/22 pp. 27, 28
Oct. 29 Written Review. Complete 1 Kings 20-22 to 2 Kings 1-25
Nov. 5 Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 1 to 4
No. 1: ad p. 1643 ¶8 to p. 1646 ¶8. “War.”
No. 2: 1 Chronicles 4:9, 10, 38-43
No. 3: lp p. 161 ¶14 to p. 164 ¶20
No. 4: td 52A “Does the Bible Agree with Science?”
No. 5: g76 11/8 pp. 3, 4
Nov. 12 Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 5 to 7
No. 1: ad p. 319 ¶2 to p. 320 ¶10. “Chronicles, The Books of the.”
No. 2: 1 Chronicles 5:18-26
No. 3: lp p. 164 ¶21 to p. 167 ¶27
No. 4: td 53B “Why Does Adam’s Sin Cause Us to Suffer?”
No. 5: g76 11/8 pp. 26-28
Nov. 19 Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 8 to 10
No. 1: ad p. 1655 ¶1 to ¶10. “Wife.”
No. 2: 1 Chronicles 10:3-14
No. 3: lp p. 167 ¶1 to p. 171 ¶10
No. 4: td 53E “To Whom Should We Confess Our Sins?”
No. 5: g76 12/8 pp. 27, 28
Nov. 26 Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 11 to 14
No. 1: ad p. 1658 ¶8 to p. 1659 ¶10. “Wine and Strong Drink.”
No. 2: 1 Chronicles 14:8-17
No. 3: lp p. 172 ¶11 to p. 176 ¶18
No. 4: td 54A “What Is the Soul?”
No. 5: g77 1/22 pp. 27, 28
Dec. 3 Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 15 to 18
No. 1: ad p. 1660 ¶3 to p. 1664 ¶2. “Wisdom.”
No. 2: 1 Chronicles 18:3-13
No. 3: lp p. 177 ¶19 to p. 180 ¶25
No. 4: td 55C “Is There Danger in Occultism?”
No. 5: g77 2/8 pp. 3-5
Dec. 10 Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 19 to 21
No. 1: ad p. 1664 ¶6 to p. 1667 ¶2. “Woman.”
No. 2: 1 Chronicles 21:1, 7-15
No. 3: lp p. 181 ¶1 to p. 184 ¶9
No. 4: td 59C “Who Is Responsible for the World’s Troubles?”
No. 5: g77 3/8 pp. 3, 4
Dec. 17 Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 22 to 25
No. 1: ad p. 1667 ¶16 to p. 1669 ¶14. “Word, The.”
No. 2: 1 Chronicles 22:5-16
No. 3: lp p. 184 ¶10 to p. 186 ¶16
No. 4: td 59G “How Long Will the Wicked Prosper?”
No. 5: g77 3/8 pp. 27, 28
Dec. 24 Bible reading: 1 Chronicles 26 to 29
No. 1: ad p. 1671 ¶2 to p. 1674 ¶2. “World.”
No. 2: 1 Chronicles 29:3-13
No. 3: lp p. 187 ¶17 to p. 190 ¶24
No. 4: td 60G “Why Is Bearing Witness to the Truth So Vital?”
No. 5: g77 3/22 pp. 27, 28
Dec. 31 Written Review. Complete 1 Chronicles 1 to 29