Question Box

◼ Now that we have the book Knowledge That Leads to Everlasting Life, how long should a home Bible study be conducted?

Our Kingdom Ministry for September 1993 recommended that a home Bible study be continued with newly interested ones until two books have been studied. Now that we have the Knowledge book, it seems advisable to make an adjustment in this procedure, as outlined on pages 13 and 14 of the January 15, 1996, issue of The Watchtower.

The Knowledge book is designed to help those “rightly disposed for everlasting life” to learn what they need to know in order to make a dedication to Jehovah and get baptized. (Acts 13:48) Therefore, after completing this new publication, it should not be necessary to study a second book with the same student. As your Bible students begin to embrace the truth, you can progressively encourage them to round out their knowledge by attending meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses as well as by reading the Bible and various Christian publications.

If you are thoroughly familiar with the questions on pages 175 to 218 of the book Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry, this may be helpful. Although you should not make reference to these questions or review them with the Bible student, it may be good to emphasize points in the Knowledge book that will enable the student to express a proper understanding of basic Bible truths when the elders review questions with baptism candidates.

There is no need to supplement the information in the Knowledge book, bringing in outside material or additional arguments to support Bible teachings or to disprove false doctrines. This would only serve to extend the study over a longer period of time. Rather, it is hoped that the book can be covered rather quickly, perhaps in about six months. This emphasizes the need for us to study the material thoroughly in advance so that we can present it clearly and concisely. The student should likewise be urged to study in advance, look up cited scriptures, and endeavor to discern clearly what the book is teaching in each chapter.

The Watchtower has stressed the need for Jehovah’s Witnesses to conduct a greater number of effective Bible studies in a shorter period of time. (See Isaiah 60:22.) Effective use of the Knowledge book can help new ones to acquire the knowledge that leads to everlasting life and act upon it.—John 17:3.