Meetings to Help Us Make Disciples
WEEK STARTING AUGUST 3
10 min: Song 82. Announcements and local announcements. Read with audience Galatians 6:7-10 and make brief comments regarding value of service meeting in helping us to do what is fine and work what is good. Introduce next part.
15 min: “Working What Is Good Toward All.” Animated talk and discussion with audience based on article. Mention books available for use in field service during August and discuss with audience several suggestions for presenting these books.
15 min: “Presenting the Good News—In Seldom-Worked Territory.” Discuss article with audience using appropriate questions. Apply locally by specifying what “seldom-worked territory” is available to the congregation. Business territory? Distant congregation territory? Affluent areas? Territory held by neighboring congregations? Tailor discussion to fit local circumstances and opportunities; outline definite plans for working seldom-worked territory during August and September.
10 min: Elder should present information on main points in letter from Governing Body.
10 min: Brief concluding comments based on 1 Corinthians 15:58. Point out how the service meeting tonight has given us much food for thought, stressing highlights. Encourage all, individually, and as family groups, to make personal arrangements for “working what is good.” Song 91 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING AUGUST 10
10 min: Song 11. Local announcements. Outline service meeting program to follow. Read with audience yeartext, Acts 4:29, and make brief comments leading into introduction of next part.
12 min: Discuss in positive manner congregation field service report for July. Commend appropriately. Mention number of publishers, number of new ones (if any), pioneers, auxiliary pioneers; number baptized at convention (if any), and other positive aspects of service report. Relate one or two encouraging experiences from the field during July. If possible, include experience showing application of something learned in past service meetings. Introduce next part.
20 min: “Following the Master’s Example.” Draw comments not only from article but from scriptures cited. Read scriptures as time permits.
13 min: How I Have Been Helped to “Work What Is Good” in Jehovah’s Service. As time permits interview publishers with personal experiences. Use variety: someone who has been helped to be effective in the field; one who has been helped to work what is good, making over own personality or overcoming personal problem; one who has been helped by elder or other brother and sister in personal study or personal organization for service; one who has been particularly helped by attending congregation meetings, and so forth. Be selective and use only pointed experiences.
5 min: Song 118 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING AUGUST 17
12 min: Song 63. Local announcements. Accounts report. Read with audience Ecclesiastes 11:9–12:1 and make brief comments as introduction to following part.
20 min: Question-and-answer discussion of article “Working What Is Good Toward Younger Ones.” Interview parents who have raised children in the truth or who are setting a good example in helping their younger children spiritually. Ask how they schedule time for study, service, relaxation and entertainment; what they have found to be effective in helping their children to cultivate right attitude toward secular schools, personal Bible study, field service, caring for assigned responsibilities around home, etc.
20 min: Youths’ Responsibility to “Work What Is Good.” Scriptural discussion with several youths of various ages on platform. Get well-thought-out comments from young ones showing recognition of youths’ own responsibility to work what is good. As time permits, use Ecclesiastes 11:9–12:1; Psalm 8:2; Ephesians 6:1-4; Hebrews 13:7, 17; Proverbs 27:11; 1 Timothy 4:12, and so forth. The one conducting this part may wish to select other appropriate scriptures.
8 min: Briefly discuss arrangements for field service for all to “work what is good.” Encourage young and old to share in field service together this week. Song 61 and prayer.
WEEK STARTING AUGUST 24
8 min: Song 48. Local announcements. Read with audience Psalm 27:4 and make appropriate comments leading into following part.
25 min: Looking Ahead to the New Service Year.
(5 min.) Talk. Reflecting on the service year just ending, it is appropriate to ask: “How much have I grown spiritually during the year? What was I able to accomplish?” Perhaps you set some personal goals by which to measure your spiritual progress. What were the results?
(15 min.) Interview publishers who made some noticeable progress during service year. Suggestions: Ones who started pioneering, shared in auxiliary pioneer service, started Bible study, progressed to baptism, enrolled in Theocratic School, started going from house to house, started commenting at meetings, improved meeting preparation, conducted regular family study, improved shepherding work (on part of elder), and so forth. Get comments from group on following points: Did you accomplish all you projected for yourself during the year? What obstacles got in the way? What encouragement can you offer others as to the value of setting personal goals?
(5 min.) Summarize by pointing out the value of having personal goals. They can be an aid to progressive spiritual improvement, but should not cause discouragement or the feeling that Jehovah is never satisfied with our progress. Additional suggested goals: Keeping up with Bible reading in Theocratic School; becoming more effective in using Bible to give a witness; participating regularly in field service; attending all meetings and commenting; fellowshiping more, before and after meetings, and so forth. (May suggest other goals that represent points needing attention in your congregation.)
12 min: Discuss highlights of the following articles: “Adjustment During Circuit Overseer’s Visit,” “New Circuit Assembly Program” and “Distribute HOPE Tract in September.”
10 min: Brief discussion of yeartext, Acts 4:29, from standpoint of the words being part of a prayer of supplication to Jehovah for his direction and strength in doing the work. Read with congregation Acts 4:23-30, giving context, and encourage all the brothers to continually make it their aim to speak Jehovah’s Word with boldness. Encourage all to have full share in field service this week.
5 min: Song 44 and prayer.