Plan Ahead—Pioneer
1 Jehovah’s great invisible military force is ready and poised for action against Satan and his wicked system. What is expected of us just prior to this time when Jehovah sends out the rod of Christ’s strength to subdue the nations? Psalm 110:3 tells us: “Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force.”
2 Tens of thousands of God’s people, displaying that willing spirit, frequently share in the auxiliary pioneer service. Would you like to be one of the large army who will be doing so during April? To succeed, you will need to plan ahead.
PLANNING NECESSARY
3 After prayerfully considering the prospect, one of the first things to do is to work out a schedule that will make it possible for you to devote 60 hours to the field service during the month. Without neglecting other Christian obligations, you might plan to use two hours each day in the field. Some prefer to devote perhaps five hours to the field service for three days each week, with the remainder of the week to care for family responsibilities. If you have a secular job and would like to be an auxiliary pioneer, you could schedule evening witnessing along with full weekends of field service. Determine what best fits your circumstances.
4 One sister says that at the start of each year she looks at the calendar and determines which months have the most holidays in them. She auxiliary pioneers during those months, effectively using the extra days. A traveling overseer in the United States reports that some publishers look for months that have five full weekends in them and then plan to pioneer during those months. For example, the months of September and December of 1979 have five full weekends. Youths in school can make wise use of spring vacation that usually is scheduled for March or April. If you find that you can meet the hour requirement, and if a willing spirit moves you to offer yourself in this way, now is the time to turn in your application.
5 When making your plans, consider not only reaching the goal of hours, but also how you will use that time in the field. You will find that your service will be more joyful and productive if you devote some time—perhaps as much as half of your service time—to making return visits and conducting Bible studies. Do you currently conduct a Bible study with an interested person? If not, make it your goal to start one during the month that you pioneer.
6 Here are a few other things that could be beneficial to do when making your plans: Talk to other members of your family and enlist their cooperation. Why not see if there is another publisher in the congregation that you can encourage to auxiliary pioneer along with you. Find out when meetings for field service will be held. Obtain territory in advance and order extra magazines and literature. Making these necessary arrangements shows that you are complying with the direction given at Proverbs 20:18, where it says: “By counsel plans themselves are firmly established.
SERVANTS CAN ASSIST
7 What can elders and ministerial servants do to assist? Proverbs 15:22 says: “There is a frustrating of plans where there is no confidential talk [or, consultation], but in the multitude of counselors there is accomplishment.” Thus it is important to coordinate efforts. Extra meetings for field service may be needed. Have arrangements been made to see that these meetings will have proper oversight and direction? Could an elder or a ministerial servant take the lead in overseeing these meetings for field service? When this is possible, it is greatly appreciated. Has sufficient territory been set aside? Remember that our objective is to make disciples. So, in addition to territory that may currently need working, would it perhaps be possible to provide territory that may be more productive and where interest is more apt to be found?
8 All appointed servants can be “aglow” with the spirit whether they can pioneer or not. Enthusiastically encourage auxiliary pioneering, knowing that it is God’s will that we have plenty to do in the work of the Lord and that our “labor is not in vain in connection with the Lord.”—1 Cor. 15:58.