Help Bible Students Prepare for Their Study
1 Bible students who prepare for their study each week demonstrate a genuine interest in the study and usually make more rapid spiritual progress than those who do not prepare. Sometimes a student may not prepare because he does not know how. It may be necessary to teach him how to prepare. How can this be done?
2 From the very beginning, take a little time to make sure the student understands that preparation involves personal study. Many people, although able to read, have not been taught how to study. Pages 33-43 in the Theocratic Ministry School Guidebook provide many helpful suggestions that you may be able to pass along to the student as needed.
3 Show the Student the Value of Study: You might show the student your study book in which you have marked or underlined key words and phrases. Let him see how glancing at the marked portions can remind him of thoughts that he will be able to express in his own words. Thus he will not be tempted to read whole portions from the book when answering questions. Proper training at this stage will help him to make meaningful comments later on in congregation meetings. His comments will reflect appreciation for the material being considered and indicate the depth of his understanding.
4 Teach Him to Use the Bible: The student needs to learn how to locate the scripture texts referred to in the study material. When he is able to do this efficiently, he will appreciate more fully that he is indeed a student of the Bible. Although he may at first need to make use of the listing of Bible books in the front of the Bible, the student should be encouraged to become familiar with the sequence of the 66 Bible books. When he looks up and reads a scripture text, help him to identify the portion that supports the point being made in the paragraph under consideration and not to be distracted by portions that do not directly relate to the present study.
5 As the student progresses, encourage him to read the Bible from beginning to end. Emphasize that the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God and that true Christians must be spiritually nourished by it.—Matt. 4:4; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
6 Introduce Other Theocratic References: When the student has advanced sufficiently, he can begin to use other theocratic references. With discernment, encourage him to look up additional information in the publications of the Society that he will become acquainted with as he attends congregation meetings. Teach him how to use special features of the New World Translation, such as “Bible Words Indexed.” As he starts building his own theocratic library, show him how to use the Comprehensive Concordance, Reasoning From the Scriptures, the Index, and the Insight volumes.
7 If we teach Bible students how to prepare for their Bible study, we will equip them to continue progressing in the truth as capable Bible students even after their personal home Bible study has ended.