Maintaining the Spirit of Helping One Another
1 The Scriptures show that individuals have long enjoyed working together in God’s service. When arranging for the 70 to go ahead of him into various cities, Jesus sent them out by twos. (Luke 10:1) When Paul set out on his missionary tour, he took Timothy along to assist him. (Acts 16:1-3) Solomon also saw the need for companionship when he said: “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their hard work.” (Eccl. 4:9) This does not mean that one should not work alone in sharing the good news. Rather, there are many benefits to working with a companion in the service and being of help to one another. How can we maintain this spirit in our congregations today?
YOU CAN SHARE
2 Do you feel embarrassed or even ashamed to discuss with someone else how you might improve various aspects of your service? Do you feel that because you are a teacher of God’s Word or because you have known the truth for some time that you could not benefit from working with someone else? Consider the example of Apollos. The Bible says that he was “an eloquent man . . . and he was well versed in the Scriptures.” Yet Aquila and Priscilla “took him into their company and expounded the way of God more correctly to him.” Apollos was not too embarrassed to accept additional truth from Aquila and Priscilla. He did not resist the help, feeling that he was already speaking “boldly in the synagogue” and did not need to know more. Rather, he accepted it and, in turn, went on to Achaia and “greatly helped those who had believed on account of God’s undeserved kindness.” While this account may not refer directly to the field service, it certainly demonstrates the kind of spirit we want to display in helping one another.—Acts 18:24-28.
3 One may be quite capable at placing literature but have difficulty in making return visits. Another may do well on return visits but have difficulty on the initial call. The spirit of the Scriptures is: “In proportion as each one has received a gift, use it in ministering to one another as fine stewards of God’s undeserved kindness expressed in various ways.” (1 Pet. 4:10) Those with differing gifts are encouraged to work together in field service and learn from each other.
THROUGH THE BOOK STUDY
4 In the July through November issues of Our Kingdom Service, there were many fine suggestions on how we can work with one another and receive mutual benefit. (It would be good for book study conductors to review these so as to implement them through the book study arrangement.) If you would like to improve in your public preaching, why not take advantage of this fine provision. All you need to do is approach your book study conductor or the service overseer in your congregation and make known your desire. Or, if you wish, approach a publisher who does well in the area you wish to improve in, and make arrangements to work together.
5 We are not all equal in experience and ability, so take advantage of those in the congregation who are “gifted” in an area of the preaching work in which you would like to improve. (1 Cor. 12:29, 30) Many are the joys that can be gained through such assistance, love and fine works.—Heb. 10:24.