Benefiting More From the Theocratic Ministry School
1 Throughout the 43 years of its operation, the Theocratic Ministry School has proved to be a success. It has helped us to be more effective when making public declaration at the meetings and in the field ministry. Thousands of brothers throughout the earth have been trained to be skilled public speakers.
2 What about you personally? Are you taking full advantage of the school? Has your ‘advancement become manifest’ in the field ministry and in your meeting assignments? (1 Tim. 4:15) Do you have a continuing desire to improve in your ability to speak “delightful” and “winsome” words?—Eccl. 12:10; Luke 4:22.
INSTRUCTIONS TO BE OBSERVED
3 According to the 1987 Theocratic Ministry School Schedule, Talk No. 1 will be based on material in the book “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial.” Speakers assigned to give this talk should stick to the material specified so as to cover the main points. Some of the written review questions are based on this material. Only ten minutes is allotted for the instruction talk, and this does not permit bringing in extraneous points or information not directly related to the subject.
4 As to “Highlights From Bible Reading,” this should not just be a summary. After giving a brief overall view of the assigned chapters, the speaker should help the audience to appreciate why and how the information is valuable to us. Theocratic Ministry School overseers should remind speakers of this if necessary.
PROGRESSIVE TRAINING
5 You may be thinking that you do not have the ability to speak as others do. Even so, most of us have the God-given ability to speak, and with Jehovah’s help we can all progress in speaking the truth more effectively. Educationally speaking, many of us, like the apostles, may be “unlettered and ordinary.” (Acts 4:13) Nonetheless, if we want to progress, we can be trained to speak the truth accurately and with confidence. Remember, the light of truth continues to get brighter. Our understanding of it gets clearer and clearer. The Theocratic Ministry School can help us to keep pace with advancing truth and equip us to speak “the word of God with boldness.”—Acts 4:31.
6 Each week we have a scheduled program of preparatory study. We should do our best to follow this schedule, since all the material cannot be covered in the assigned talks. We benefit from being in attendance, listening to the presentations by the students, and considering the counsel given. We can benefit further if we put the material into application in the field ministry and in our own meeting assignments.
7 Since 1971 we have been using the excellent reference book Theocratic Ministry School Guidebook. Have you become thoroughly familiar with it? The School Guidebook provides a basis for counseling the students. It can also help you in preparing and presenting your school assignments. When you have an assignment to prepare, do you use the School Guidebook to study the points of counsel that you should be working on, and do you keep these in mind while preparing your assignment? Is it clearly evident to you and to others that you are benefiting from the school?
8 By having an active share in the Theocratic Ministry School, we will allow Jehovah to ‘teach us his ways.’ (Ps. 25:4, 9) Then, as we speak the truth fearlessly, it will be seen that we have “the tongue of the taught ones” because we take full advantage of the Theocratic Ministry School—a loving provision from Jehovah.—Isa. 50:4.