Congregation Book Study Promotes Educational Activities
1 The Congregation Book Study plays a vital role in the educational program of Jehovah’s organization. The book study groups are scattered throughout the territory, making it convenient for all to attend. With a study located in their own neighborhood, interested ones may more readily accept an invitation to attend.
2 An effort is made to keep each group small in size. This allows the conductor to give personal assistance to each one. Not all learn at the same rate. If anyone has difficulty in understanding a point even after studying the lesson in advance, the conductor may discuss it further after the study. Moreover, with a small group, there are more opportunities to make comments and share in reading scriptures. Do you contribute to the discussion by regularly commenting? Do you try to answer in your own words? Your readiness to participate can be beneficial for you and others. As you prepare, use your perceptive powers to discern how you can personally apply certain points in the lesson.—Heb. 5:14.
3 By observing the teaching methods used by the book study conductor, you can learn how to conduct home Bible studies in a more interesting and instructive manner. After the paragraphs are read by a qualified brother, the questions are discussed. The study conductor encourages all to speak up. As time allows, he endeavors to draw out comments on the cited scriptures to help us understand how they apply. (Compare Nehemiah 8:8.) At times he may add a brief clarifying comment of his own or use auxiliary questions to bring out a key point. An example or an illustration may help us see how the information relates to our lives.
4 Meeting attendance at some Congregation Book Studies is rather low. Do you attend regularly? If not, you have been missing an important provision. The book study arrangement is one of the ways in which Jehovah demonstrates his care for us. (1 Pet. 5:7) He wants us to progress in knowledge and wisdom so that we will be strong spiritually. On the other hand, Satan would like to slow down our spiritual growth and weaken us so that we will be less useful to Jehovah and His organization. Do not let this happen! Let the warm, loving atmosphere in this intimate group touch your heart and motivate you to continue praising Jehovah.—Compare Psalm 111:1.
5 Meetings for service convenient to the publishers are arranged at most book study locations. These may be for midweek, weekend, or evening witnessing. The book study conductor makes sure that sufficient territory is on hand and that someone will be present to take the lead in the field. Meetings for field service should last no more than 10-15 minutes. The conductor may briefly consider the daily text if it relates to our preaching activity and offer one or two specific field service suggestions or present a brief demonstration of the current offer.
6 The conductor endeavors over the course of time to work personally with each one in his group, giving appropriate encouragement and training.—Compare Mark 3:14; Luke 8:1.