Theocratic Ministry School Instructions for 2015
1 During 2015 the following will be the arrangements for conducting the Theocratic Ministry School. Publications used: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—On DVD [bi12], ‘Go, Make Disciples, Baptizing Them’—On DVD [ds], My Book of Bible Stories—On DVD [my], An Introduction to God’s Word [igw], What Does the Bible Really Teach?—On DVD [bh], and The Watchtower—On DVD [w]. The school should begin with remarks of welcome and then proceed as outlined below. After each part, the school overseer will introduce the next part.
2 IMPORTANT POINTS FROM BIBLE READING: 8 minutes. For the first two minutes, a qualified elder or ministerial servant should focus on one Scriptural point selected from the weekly Bible reading, doing so within the time allotted. Also, whenever possible, the speaker should make local application, and emphasis should be placed on how the material affects us today. (be p.47 par. 2–p. 48 par. 1)
3 Key scriptures from the Bible reading should be shown using the American Sign Language (ASL) edition of the New World Translation. The speaker should be careful not to exceed the two minutes allotted for the opening portion. He should ensure that six minutes are set aside for the audience to offer brief comments of 30 seconds or less on what they have appreciated in the weekly Bible reading. The school overseer will then dismiss the students who are assigned to other classrooms.
4 The weekly Bible reading has long been a feature of our Theocratic Ministry School. The Bible reading is a rewarding experience that can be enjoyed regularly by setting aside just a few minutes each day, perhaps early in the morning or before retiring for the night, to watch and then meditate on the assigned scriptures.
5 TALK 1: 3 minutes or less. This talk should be given by a brother. The student should sign the assigned information without giving an introduction or a conclusion. The student should do his best to copy the signing from the ASL edition of the New World Translation. He should sign the information in a way that is natural for him while at the same time signing the message accurately. The school overseer will be especially interested in helping students to sign with understanding, fluency, accuracy, proper facial expression, emphasis, modulation, appropriate pausing, use of space, body shifts, and naturalness.
6 TALK 2: 5 minutes. This will be assigned to a sister. The student either will be given a setting (situation) or may select one from the list appearing on page 82 of Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education. The assigned theme should be used. When an assignment is based on material from ‘Make Disciples’—On DVD or An Introduction to God’s Word, it should be applied to an aspect of field service that is realistic and practical for the local territory. In the publication ‘Make Disciples’, the signed question(s) in the assigned section may not always match the theme. Therefore, the student should choose from the available quoted and cited scriptures those that best support the theme and that are appropriate to the situation. If the scriptures chosen are in the ASL edition of the New World Translation, please use these during the talk. When the talk is based on a Bible character or account as found in Bible Stories—On DVD, the student should develop the assigned theme, select appropriate scriptures to be used, and show what can be learned from the example of the Bible character. Acts of faithfulness, courage, humility, and unselfishness furnish good examples to be followed; acts demonstrating a lack of faith as well as undesirable traits stand as strong warnings to turn Christians away from an improper course. The school overseer will be particularly interested in the way the student employs the art of teaching and the way she helps the assistant to reason on the Scriptures. Additional scriptures that tie in with the theme may be included. The school overseer will assign one assistant.
7 TALK 3: 5 minutes. This may be assigned to a brother or a sister. When assigned to a sister, it should be presented as outlined for Talk 2. When assigned to a brother, the material that is based on Bible Stories—On DVD should be given as a talk with the Kingdom Hall audience in mind. The student should develop the assigned theme, select appropriate scriptures to be used, and show what can be learned from the example of the Bible character or account. When material based on ‘Make Disciples’—On DVD, An Introduction to God’s Word, The Watchtower—On DVD, or Bible Teach—On DVD is assigned to a brother, it should be presented as a demonstration of family worship or of field service. The assistant should be a member of the student’s family or a brother in the congregation. Usually, the school overseer will assign the assistant and the setting. If an elder is given this assignment to demonstrate the art of teaching, he may select his own assistant and the setting. Additional scriptures that highlight Bible principles that tie in with the theme may be included.
8 COUNSEL: 2 minutes. Following Talks 1, 2, and 3, the school overseer should use the time allotted to give commendation as well as constructive counsel based on Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education. When the school overseer introduces a student’s part on the school, he will not announce the point of counsel that the student is working on. However, after the student’s presentation and some appropriate words of commendation, the school overseer should announce the point that the student is working on and state why the student did well on that point or kindly explain why it would be beneficial for the student to give that particular point further attention. According to the need of each student, additional constructive counsel based on Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education may be given privately after the meeting or at another time, either on the assigned speech quality or on another aspect of the presentation.
9 TIMING: No part should go overtime, nor should the remarks of the counselor. Talks 1, 2, and 3 should tactfully be stopped when the time is up. If brothers handling important points from the Bible reading go overtime, they should be given private counsel. All should watch their timing carefully. Total program: 30 minutes.
10 COUNSEL FORM: In Ministry School textbook.
11 ASSISTANT COUNSELOR: Whenever possible, it is good to use an elder who is an experienced speaker for this privilege of service. The assistant counselor’s responsibility will be to give private counsel, if needed, to elders or ministerial servants regarding any speaking assignment they may handle, including parts on the Theocratic Ministry School, Service Meeting parts, public talks, and the conducting of the Watchtower Study and the Congregation Bible Study. If there are a number of elders in the congregation who are capable speakers and teachers, then a different qualified elder may serve as assistant counselor each year. It is not necessary for the assistant counselor to offer counsel after each assignment by elders and ministerial servants but only when he sees that a word of encouragement or a practical suggestion would help the brothers to make progress.
12 THEOCRATIC MINISTRY SCHOOL REVIEW: 20 minutes. Every two months, the school overseer will conduct a review. The important points from the Bible reading should be presented before the review. The review will be based on material considered in the school during the preceding two months, including the current week. If the congregation has the visit of the circuit overseer during the week of the Theocratic Ministry School Review, the review should be postponed one week and Talks 1, 2, and 3 of the following week’s schedule should be used. No changes should be made in the schedule of the weekly Bible reading or the presentation of important points from Bible reading. During the week of a circuit assembly or a regional convention, no congregation meetings are held. The material scheduled for meetings during such weeks should be considered individually or as a family.