Improving Our Skills in the Ministry​—Reaching the Heart With “Keep Yourselves in God’s Love”

WHY IMPORTANT: People must learn Jehovah’s standards and conform to them in order to worship him acceptably. (Isa 2:3, 4) The “God’s Love” book, our second study publication, helps Bible students to discern how godly principles relate to daily life. (Heb 5:14) We must try to reach the heart when we teach them so that they may have the proper motivation to make changes.​—Ro 6:17.

HOW TO DO IT:

• Prepare well, keeping the needs of your student in mind. Formulate viewpoint questions that will help you to draw out his thoughts and feelings about the material.​—Pr 20:5; be 259

• Use the boxes throughout the book to help your student see the value of applying Bible principles

• Help your student to reason on matters of conscience, but do not make decisions for him.​—Ga 6:5

• Tactfully determine if your student needs help to apply certain Bible principles. Kindly encourage him to make changes based on his love for Jehovah.​—Pr 27:11; Joh 14:31

be 259 Efforts to Reach the Heart

Well-chosen questions can help you to draw out what is in someone’s heart. You might ask: “How do you feel about...?” “What convinced you that...?” “How would you react if...?” Yet, be careful not to barrage people with questions. You might tactfully preface your questions with, “Do you mind if I ask..?” Discovering what is in the heart is a painstaking task that cannot be rushed. In most cases trust must be built up over a period of time before a person is willing to reveal his inmost feelings. Even then, care must be exercised so that the person does not feel that you are asking about things that are not your business.- 1 Pet. 4:15.

The Way you react to what you hear requires discernment. Remember that your objective is to understand people so that you can determine what Bible-based information is likely to motivate them. Quickly suppress any urge to expose the wrongness of their viewpoints. Instead, be alert to discern the feelings behind the words. Then you will know how to respond; and your student, feeling understood, will more likely think seriously about what you say. - Prov. 16:23.

To some extent, you can motivate individuals even when you are addressing a large group. If you have good audience contact, are alert to facial expressions and ask thought-provoking rhetorical questions, you will likely get an idea of how your listeners feel about what you are saying. If you know your audience well, show consideration for their circumstances. Take into account the general attitude of the congregation as you reason with them from God’s word.- Gal 6:18.

Stirring Up Beneficial Feelings. After you gain some understanding of what a person believes, what he does not believe and why, you will be able to build on that. Following his resurrection, Jesus reached the hearts of his disciples by “fully opening up the Scriptures” to them in the light of the events that had recently occurred. (Luke 24:32) You too should strive to make the connection between what a person has experienced, what he longs for, and what he is seeing in God’s word. A student’s heart will be touched in a beneficial way when he clearly realises. “This is THE Truth!”

be Study 50 Effort to Reach the Heart

Helping others to make an Examination. In order to continue to grow spiritually, people need to become sensitive to what is in their hearts. Explain how the Bible can help them to do this.

Help your listeners to realise that the Bible is more than a record of commandments, counsel, historical events, and prophecies. It also reveals the thinking of God. At James 1:22-25, God’s word is compared to a mirror. By our reaction to what it says and to the way that Jehovah carries out his purpose, the Bible’s message shows up what is in our heart. Thus it reveals how God, who is “the examiner of hearts,” sees us. (Prov. 17:3) Encourage your listeners to keep this in mind. Urge them to ponder what God has preserved for us in the Bible record and what adjustments they may need to make in their life in order to be more pleasing to him. Help them to view Bible reading as means of getting Jehovah’s estimation of the “thoughts and intentions of the heart” so that they can cooperate with God in making any necessary adjustments. -Heb. 4:12; Rom. 15:4.

Some Bible Students may want to act on what they are learning; yet they worry about what other people will think. They may be battling certain strong fleshly desires. Or they may be rationalizing to find some way to serve God while clinging to practices of the world. Point out the dangers of such indecision. (1 Ki. 18:21) Urge them to pray to God to examine and refine their hearts. - Ps. 26:2; 139:23, 24.

Show them that Jehovah understands their struggle and that the Bible explains that is taking place. (Rom. 7:22, 23) Help them to exercise care so that the inclinations of an imperfect heart are not allowed to dominate.- Prov. 3:5, 6; 28:26; Jer. 17:9, 10.

Encourage each one to analyse his motives for doing things. Teach them to ask himself: ‘Why do I want to do this? Will it show Jehovah that I truly appreciate all that he has done for me?’ Work to strengthen the conviction that an approved relationship with Jehovah is the most valuable asset that anyone can possess.

Help your audience to grasp the significance of serving Jehovah with their “whole heart.” (Luke 10:27) This means that all their feelings, desires, and motives must be brought into line with Jehovah’s ways. So teach your listeners to analyse not only what they do but also how they feel about God’s requirements and what their motives are in serving him. (Ps. 37:4) As your students discern areas in which improvement is needed, encourage them to pray to Jehovah: “Unify my heart to fear your name.”- Ps. 86:11.

When a student develops a personal relationship with Jehovah, he will obey God as a result of faith and not simply because of your urgings. He will then, on his own, “keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:10; Phil. 2:12) Such heartfelt obedience delights Jehovah.-Prov. 23:15.

Bear in mind that Jehovah is the one who estimates hearts and draws people into a relationship with them. (Prov. 21:2; John 6:44) Our role is one of cooperation. (1 Cor 3:9) It is “as though God were making entreaty through us.” (2 Cor. 5:20; Acts 16:14) Jehovah does not coerce anyone to accept the truth, but as we use the Scriptures, he may cause our listeners to realise that what they are hearing is the answer to their questions - or their prayers. Approach every teaching oppertunity with this awareness. and earnestly ask Jehovah for his guidance and help. -1 Chron. 29:18, 19; Eph. 1:16-18.