Assemblies That Promote Disciple-making
“SOME people don’t like to talk about religion,” began an article in the San Jose News of July 14, 1967.
“But that’s not true of the nearly 10,000 you’ll find at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds daily through Sunday,” the report continued. “They are members of the 170 Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations in 13 [San Francisco] Bay Area counties attending a ‘Disciple-Making’ district assembly.”
The gathering in San Jose, California, was only one of sixty-three such four-day assemblies held this summer in Canada and the continental United States. A combined total of 463,658 attended the public talk “Rescuing a Great Crowd of Mankind Out of Armageddon” featured at these assemblies, and 6,878 new ministers symbolized their dedication to Jehovah God by water baptism.
However, these were only a few of the “Disciple-making” District Assemblies. Seventy-seven others were held throughout the British Isles and western Europe. These enjoyed a combined attendance of 312,032, with 6,171 baptized. This raised the grand total of those attending the “Disciple-making” assemblies in just these places to 775,690—well over three-quarters of a million! And how gratifying it was to see over 13,000 persons at these 140 assemblies symbolize the dedication of their lives to serve their Grand Creator, thus joining whole-souled in the Christian work of making disciples.
BEGAN IN JUNE
The series of assemblies began June 8 in Bray, Ireland, where 839 persons attended the public talk. Two weeks later the assemblies got under way in the United States at Kalispell, Montana, Shreveport, Louisiana, and Stockton, California, with a combined peak attendance of 19,270. The following week England and Canada began their series of conventions, and there and in the United States that weekend 52,966 heard the public address.
Then, during the following weeks, additional tens of thousands met in widely scattered cities. Often the population in these places was relatively small, this resulting in a deep impression being made by the visiting delegates. For example, you can imagine the impact made by about 4,000 visiting delegates upon Kalispell, where the regular population is not much over 10,000! Or of some 18,000 conventioners on Costa Mesa, California, where only about 40,000 people live. At times the ratio of delegates to the population of the convention city was about one to five, and, on occasions, much higher.
The big week, insofar as number of persons attending is concerned, was August 3 to 6. In just the United States alone, 82,345 met in assembly that weekend! There were 32,283 in Jersey City, New Jersey, and 25,618 in Pomona, California, the two largest assemblies. Finally, on September 14 to 17, the summer series of assemblies came to a close with a concluding one at Liverpool, England.
THE PROGRAM AND NEW PUBLICATIONS
The program, which was practically the same at each assembly, stressed the importance of not only being a disciple of Jesus Christ, but helping others to become such also. The keynote address, “Let God Arise, Let His Enemies Be Scattered,” pointed to the imminent end of wickedness when God will soon arise against his enemies at the end of this system of things. Now is the time to proclaim God’s kingdom, it was emphasized, so that people may know of the glorious victories that God’s government has, and yet will realize.
Following this address a revised English Qualified to Be Ministers book was released to assist delegates in their disciple-making work. This publication is now already being used as a textbook in the weekly Theocratic Ministry School of Jehovah’s witnesses. Two other new English books designed to help in making disciples were also released during the assemblies—Did Man Get Here by Evolution or by Creation? and “Your Word Is a Lamp to My Foot.”
The new Evolution book captured the interest of many. One visitor to the assembly in Montgomery, Alabama, said: “I was up until two or three o’clock this morning reading that book.” It really fills a need, and one delegate to the Tucson, Arizona, assembly wrote: “I honestly feel the new book Evolution should certainly appeal to those with a worldly science education or background, and may be instrumental in reaching them with the truth.” The hope is that it will assist many persons to become Christian disciples and worshipers of the God of Creation, Jehovah.
The 224-page “Lamp” book describes the responsibilities of Christian disciples, and outlines features of the present-day Christian organization. It is written in such an appealing way that, after reading it, one delegate said: “It made me want to get out and preach to others.”
The entire four-day assembly program had a similar effect upon many. A delegate at South Bend, Indiana, aptly described it: “The program was so full of practical things—things we can take home with us and apply. It made me want to serve Jehovah, not just go through the motions because I felt I had to.”
Especially appreciated Were the Bible dramas. “They projected us into the midst of real situations,” observed one delegate. “We became a part of the incident. It was easy to see the modern application as the familiar problems we face were woven into the plot.” One drama involved an Israelite man who possessed a bull that was in the habit of goring. (Ex. 21:28, 29) This bull killed a neighbor, but the facts were misrepresented, and had to be ferreted out by the Israelite judges.
“Daddy,” one seven-year-old asked his father after the drama, “did they really take those men out and stone them?” The events had been enacted with such reality that the impression was indelibly made. It was made clear how serious it is in God’s sight to lie and to treat lightly the counsel coming through God’s organization.
But the impressions were even deeper for older youths. A sixteen-year-old, who had been keeping worldly company in spite of remonstrations from his father, gave the program rapt attention. At home that evening, after the sessions were over, he apologized to his father for his past course of action. “I didn’t realize how serious it was,” he confided, and promised that he would not be guilty of such folly in the future.
The assembly program truly had the effect of making Christian disciples! And it inspired those present to renewed vigor in Christian ministerial activity. As one group from Belgium expressed it: “How can we prove to our heavenly Father that we appreciate this spiritual food? Only by living according to the counsel given and by making disciples for Christ.”
DELEGATES ATTEND DESPITE OBSTACLES
Mature Christians appreciate their need for the vital association and instruction that await them at assemblies, and so are determined to be present. One elderly blind disciple could not find anyone to accompany her and, therefore, attended the Trenton assembly by herself. She expressed the attitude: “Don’t worry. The brothers will take care of me.” She eventually was accommodated and truly enjoyed the assembly.
In another instance, the home of a Missouri family of seven was being threatened by floods. By June 29, the day the assembly Was to begin, water was completely surrounding their home, and prospects that it might recede appeared dim. However, they piled the furniture on tables and chairs and elevated their beds, expressing the determination: “We are going to the assembly and trust in Jehovah.” They received a real spiritual blessing from being there.
Attending the Asheville, North Carolina, assembly was not easy for a Widow with eight children. Yet, she was there! “I just decided to drive it every day,” she said, “It’s 200 miles round trip, but I didn’t feel that we could miss being present.”
Although he has ten children, nine of them living at home, a Christian overseer from Mississippi was determined to be at the Montgomery, Alabama, assembly. He borrowed a truck from his employer, built a camper-type body for its bed, piled in his family along with five others from his congregation, and all sixteen attended the assembly!
The faith of those who surmounted real obstacles to attend one of the “Disciple-making” assemblies was an inspiration to their Christian brothers. This was true, for example, of the 622 Portuguese Christians who, being denied the right to meet in their own country, traveled to Marseilles, France, and there enjoyed a rich spiritual feast and the hospitality of their French brothers. It was also true of the some 4,000 Christian witnesses in Spain who made it to Toulouse, France, where they met freely in assembly—something not permitted at home.
And at West Palm Beach, Florida, the experiences of Cuban refugees who endured hardship and privations under Communist control encouraged all present. Even the public press manifested real interest in their inspiring stories of maintaining Christian neutrality. In the Palm Beach Post of July 8, 1967, a staff writer reported:
“Families of some of the refugees are still in Cuba, their relatives here remembering how the men were put in holes and covered with sand leaving only the head above ground to be scorched by the blazing sun, how they were made to stand in water for long periods of time, and other unbelievable atrocities.
“The women are not treated as badly as the men, say some who have left the island, but their missionary work has been made very difficult and possessing a Bible is reason enough for confinement.
“But, despite the persecutions, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Cuba are remaining neutral to government pressures and, as one refugee expressed it, ‘The officials have seen the faith shown and say that we’re obedient to our faith.’”
MOTIVATED TO BECOME DISCIPLES
Visitors to assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses see this same true faith in evidence. The Christian love and genuine friendly spirit pervading these assemblies motivates many first-time attenders to take serious steps toward becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. Explained one man who attended the Columbus, Georgia, assembly:
“A few weeks ago one of Jehovah’s witnesses at work gave me a Watchtower. I read it. I was very much impressed with the information. The next two weeks I spent ten hours in the Kingdom Hall and enjoyed every minute of it. I came here and haven’t missed a session. Being in here is like being in the light, and being outside in false religion is like being in the dark. I have been an army man for twenty-one years. Now it looks like I am going to join another army.” Arrangements were made for a regular Bible study to be conducted with this man so that he can fulfill his desire to become a fine soldier of Jesus Christ.—2 Tim. 2:3.
Another person was persuaded by the Witness with whom he has a regular Bible study to attend a session of the Allentown, Pennsylvania, assembly. He did, and was so impressed that he arranged to attend the Trenton, New Jersey, assembly two weeks later. During it he said: “This has to be Jehovah’s organization; I’ve been in the world and from what I see Jehovah’s witnesses are a miracle.”
Such a conclusion can be reached if one takes the initiative and personally investigates by attending an assembly. In Norway an unbelieving wife did this, accompanying her Witness husband. They tented in the assembly camping grounds with almost 2,000 Witnesses. As soon as the final sessions were over, they left together for a camping tour. What was her impression of the assembly?
Why, the very next day they came back! “Weren’t you going away for vacation?” they were asked. The wife answered: “Yes, and we stayed one night at another camping grounds, but recalling the peace and order in this camping grounds I found the difference so great that I would rather come back here and help you clean up.”
She preferred to work with Jehovah’s witnesses rather than be on vacation with worldly people! Since the assembly she has been attending congregation meetings with her husband, and is taking steps to become a Christian disciple.
The “Disciple-making” District Assemblies were indeed a grand success! They accomplished so much in assisting honest-hearted persons to identify who really are the true disciples of Jesus Christ on earth today. And the inspiring admonition and instruction motivated the hundreds of thousands of Christian delegates to press on with renewed vigor in carrying out Jesus’ command: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations.”—Matt. 28:19.