Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 2013
Instructions for Meetings in American Sign Language
During 2013 the following will be the arrangements for conducting the Theocratic Ministry School.
PUBLICATIONS USED: New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures—On DVD [bi7], The Watchtower—On DVD [w], Watch Tower Publications Scripture Index 1992-2011 [dxssl92-11], ‘Go, Make Disciples, Baptizing Them’—On DVD [ds], and What Does the Bible Really Teach?—On DVD [bh].
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.
IMPORTANT POINTS FROM BIBLE READING: 10 minutes. For the first four minutes, a qualified elder or ministerial servant should consider Scriptural points from the weekly Bible reading. The speaker should focus on selected verses and should not try to cover too many points. It is better to cover a few verses and to do it well. Also, whenever possible, the speaker should make local application, and emphasis should be put on how the material affects us today. (be-E p. 47 par. 2–p. 48 par. 1) The exception to this will be when the weekly Bible reading begins with the opening chapter of a Bible book. On such occasions, material for the first four minutes should be taken from the “Jehovah’s Word Is Alive” articles appearing in The Watchtower—On DVD. For example, the first two chapters of John will be considered the week of March 11, so the speaker should select a few key points from the introductory paragraphs on the book of John as found in the “Jehovah’s Word Is Alive” article appearing in the October 15, 2011, issue of The Watchtower—On DVD. However, when a new book is discussed, the speaker should not include information from the “Scriptural Questions Answered” or “Lessons for Us” sections.
It would be best for the speaker to show key scriptures from the Bible reading using the American Sign Language (ASL) edition of the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures—On DVD. He should apply the material in a way that will help the congregation. When discussing the weekly Bible reading, the principal objective is to help the audience to appreciate why and how the information is of value. The speaker should be careful not to use more than the four 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.
TALK 1: 4 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. He should do his best to copy the signing from the ASL edition of the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures—On DVD. 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.
TALK 2: 5 minutes. This will be assigned to a sister. The student will either 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 and be applied to an aspect of field service that is realistic and practical for the local territory. When the information is from ‘Make Disciples’—On DVD, 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 of the Christian Greek Scriptures—On DVD, these should be used during the talk. When no video reference is indicated as source material, the student will need to gather material for this talk by doing research in the Scripture Index 1992-2011 for publications in ASL. The school overseer will be particularly interested in the way the student develops the material and the way she helps the one to whom she is witnessing to reason on the Scriptures and to understand the key points of the presentation. The school overseer will assign one assistant.
TALK 3: 5 minutes. This may be assigned to a brother or a sister. The student should develop the assigned theme. When no video reference is indicated as source material, the student will need to gather material for this talk by doing research in the Scripture Index 1992-2011 for publications in ASL. When assigned to a brother, this part should be given as a talk with the Kingdom Hall audience in mind. When a sister is assigned this part, it should always be presented as outlined for Talk 2.
COUNSEL: 1-2 minutes. The school overseer will not announce the speech quality that a student is working on. After Talks 1, 2, and 3, the school overseer will offer positive observations on an aspect of the presentation that was commendable. He will draw attention to specific reasons why it was effective and refer frequently to the Ministry School textbook. According to the need of each student, additional constructive counsel may be given privately after the meeting or at another time.
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.
COUNSEL FORM: In Ministry School textbook.
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 important points from the Bible reading, Service Meeting parts, public talks, and conducting of the Watchtower Study and the Congregation Bible Study. If there are many elders in the congregation who are capable speakers and teachers, then a different qualified elder may care for this responsibility each year. It is not necessary that he 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 his brothers to make progress.
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 first and then the review. The review will be based on material considered in the school during the preceding two months, including the current week. If your congregation has a circuit assembly or the visit of the circuit overseer during the week of the Theocratic Ministry School Review, then 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 the Bible reading.