Presenting the Good News—With Magazines
1 The Watchtower and Awake! have been vital tools in declaring the good news. These magazines have helped many to gain an accurate knowledge of God’s Word. In fact over 258,000,000 magazines were distributed last year in spreading the good news in many lands and languages. We want to use these tools to the full in presenting the good news.
BY DEVELOPING MAGAZINE ROUTES
2 For more than 44 years we have been encouraged to establish magazine routes. Do you have one? If so, you are no doubt enjoying the benefits and blessings of this feature of service. One brother who has had a magazine route since 1955 currently has 50 individuals who regularly take the magazines. What a productive way of spreading the good news! How did he establish such a route? He attributes his success to a simple, direct approach. After he places magazines with someone for the first time, he says: “I’d like to come back and show you the next issues when they come out.”
3 One key to starting and maintaining a magazine route is to be regular in the magazine activity. It is also important to keep good house-to-house records. Think in terms of starting a magazine route. When you place the magazines, stimulate the householder’s interest in future copies. How? One seven-year-old publisher who has 11 individuals on his route uses the information under the heading: “In Our Next Issue,” as well as “Young People Ask,” “God’s Word Is Alive” or other regular feature articles to generate interest in future magazines. Your own enthusiastic attitude toward these articles will help to stimulate the householder’s interest.
4 To be of real benefit to those on your magazine route, do not view householders simply as individuals with whom to place magazines on a regular basis. Consider how you can help them to cultivate further interest in God’s Word. Raise questions that can be answered by directing attention to a particular article in the magazine, thus building appreciation for the material contained in the articles. As you continue your calls and become better acquainted with the householder, he may feel more comfortable in talking with you, and this may pave the way for starting a Bible study. However, patience and persistence are necessary. One brother had been regularly taking magazines to a woman for two years. She was impressed by the brother’s faithfulness in coming back month after month and, as a result, a Bible study was started not only with her but also with her husband, two daughters and grandson.—Gal. 6:9.
STORE-TO-STORE WORK
5 Another feature of the magazine activity that can bring good results is the store-to-store work. However, discernment is needed. Being brief and direct is important. Presentations that are no more than 30 to 60 seconds in length are most appropriate. Selecting a time of day that is not such a busy period will assist in getting better results when working business territory. Keep in mind the importance of being well dressed, thus giving a dignified appearance.
6 One sister who is successful in the store-to-store activity first mentions that since she does not usually find business people when calling at their home, an effort is being made to reach them at their place of work. Then she refers to an article she is presenting and states she is sure they will want the information not only for themselves but also to share with their family. Again, the point to remember in going from store to store is to be brief and to the point.
7 In this very busy world it is vital to be diligent in presenting the good news wherever we find people. Calling from store to store and establishing magazine routes are excellent ways to reach people with the good news.