United in Doing Jehovah’s Will
1 In some areas the weather during December can be cold or rainy. There may be times when having a share in the Kingdom service is difficult, and it may take more determination on our part to get into the field service. There may also be occasions when we cannot spend as much time out-of-doors because of unfavorable weather conditions. Nevertheless, with good planning and diligent effort, we can continue to sound forth the Kingdom good news.
2 For many people December is a holiday month. Their minds turn to celebrations, the buying and preparing of gifts, visiting relatives, and seasonal social activity. Since much of the celebration is supposedly in honor of Christ, it may be good to highlight matters pertaining to Christ in our preaching work. Informal witnessing also offers the opportunity to discuss the real purpose of Jesus’ birth, focusing on the teachings of the Scriptures regarding God’s Son as our Redeemer. The door-to-door ministry and return visits can stress the real significance of Jesus in the lives of Christians.
THE OFFER
3 We will be offering My Book of Bible Stories or You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth for a contribution of $3.00 each or the small-size edition of the Live Forever book for $1.50. Both publications provide many avenues of approach with the Kingdom good news. Part 6 of the Bible Stories book, beginning with story 84, covers the period from the birth of Jesus to his death. Here we have a wealth of information on various topics dealing with Jesus’ birth. There are the stories entitled “An Angel Visits Mary,” “Jesus Born in a Stable,” and “Men Guided by a Star.” As you can readily appreciate, in these three stories alone, you have many points that can be used in talking with those you meet in the field during the Christmas holidays. This would be particularly true where there are children in the family.
4 Chapter 6, beginning on page 57 of the Live Forever book, is entitled “Jesus Christ—Sent by God?” This provides many talking points concerning Jesus’ prehuman existence, his life on earth, and the reason for his coming, including his current role as Ruler of God’s Kingdom. In view of the fact that the birth of Jesus is in the minds of many people at this particular time of the year, you can see the benefit of directing attention to the Live Forever book to heighten their interest in accurate information about our Lord.
5 If the book offer is not accepted, you may offer the “Look!” brochure. Here, too, it is possible to highlight the role Jesus plays in providing our ransom from sin and death. In particular you can refer to pages 18 and 19 to highlight this subject.
6 With many young publishers having a holiday period during December, they too can have a full share in the all-important Kingdom work along with their family and others in the congregation. Some may be able to auxiliary pioneer. The body of elders should schedule meetings for field service to meet the needs of the congregation.
7 Even though December’s weather may prove inclement at times, all should strive to have a meaningful share in unitedly doing Jehovah’s will. One of the best ways to stimulate interest in the Kingdom message is to tie it in with something that is currently on the minds of people. December offers us a fine opportunity to do just that, since in many cases people will be thinking about the religious holidays.