Meetings to Help Us Make Disciples
WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 6
15 min: Local announcements. Mention offer for October. Interview several who have subscribed for The Watchtower and Awake! for many years. Let them relate what they appreciate about the magazines, how they have been helped spiritually, helped to make decisions in their lives, and so forth. Encourage support for magazine work on second Saturday. Accounts report.
20 min: “Publishing Salvation With Unique Magazines.” Talk. When covering material in paragraph 5, discuss some current subjects treated in The Watchtower, showing how they tie in with “The Purpose of The Watchtower” as explained on the inside cover. Refer to other articles in current issues that can help people make decisions in life. A local experience in obtaining a subscription can be related along with the experience in paragraph 6. Encourage all to have positive attitude about offering subscriptions during October.
10 min: “Subscriptions—‘Wisdom Calling Out’!” Elder, with two publishers, discusses insert from Our Kingdom Ministry of April 1983. As time permits, highlight suggestions for obtaining subscriptions. Draw material from second subheading on page 5 to end of insert. Encourage support for field service this weekend.
Song 39 and concluding prayer.
WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 13
10 min: Local announcements, selected Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry, and Theocratic News.
20 min: “Advance Kingdom Interests With a Self-Sacrificing Spirit.” Three-minute introduction by chairman covering material in first paragraph. Stress need to be different from present self-serving generation. The more the present system deteriorates, the greater the need to separate from it. Calls for self-sacrifice. Cover paragraphs 2 through 5 by audience participation. Close with a three-minute motivating talk by chairman, including points from paragraph 6.
15 min: Increase Spirituality by Being Self-Sacrificing. Chairman discusses following points. Christians lead busy lives. Earning a living or getting necessary education, as well as maintaining our daily routine of eating, sleeping, and so forth, puts great demands on our time. Additionally, we have a full program of spiritual activity that demands priority. (Matt. 6:33) Nonessential things must be sacrificed in order to care for spiritual obligations. How do families make room for weekly Bible reading schedule, preparation for congregation meetings, field service, and personal research into spiritual matters? Interview a family or two that do well. Where have they made sacrifices in order to have time for these more important things? Has TV viewing been eliminated or curtailed? What is their schedule or set time for various theocratic activities? Conclude with encouragement for all to make self-examination of how time is spent. Can each one increase spirituality by being more self-sacrificing?
Song 12 and concluding prayer.
WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 20
12 min: Local announcements. Encourage all to share in magazine activity on fourth Saturday. Display current magazines to be used in service this week and comment on one or two subjects that can be featured. Have pioneers or other well-qualified publishers demonstrate two 30- to 60-second magazine presentations.
18 min: “Manifesting Spiritual Growth by Participating in Meetings.” Watchtower Study conductor gives five-minute talk on first four paragraphs of article. Invites two book study conductors to stage to discuss the remaining information from article with him. Tailor comments to fit needs of congregation. Discussion should help those in audience to see need to make public declaration of their faith. We want to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only.”—Jas. 1:22.
15 min: Family Preparation for the Watchtower Study. Demonstration. A family on the stage prepares for next Sunday’s Watchtower Study. After one paragraph is read and discussed, father shows them the advantage of underlining only a few key words or phrases instead of whole sentences or large portion of paragraph. This helps to put answer in own words. Point is to get basic thought or answer from the few words underlined, understand it, and then express it in own words. Father asks them to give answer in own words. Commends. Next, father helps them see how to make an additional comment after basic answer has been given by someone else. Can apply a scripture, mention some supporting point, illustration, or example. Father then questions them on how they feel personally about material being studied. Do they agree with it, believe it, see its value, and so forth? Father assigns a younger family member to look up additional information on some point in the lesson. Suggests use of Aid book, older magazines, or other Society publications to help broaden knowledge and make material their own.
Song 203 and concluding prayer.
WEEK STARTING OCTOBER 27
12 min: Local announcements. Discuss offer for November, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures along with Peace and Security or any other older 192-page book. Have demonstration to show how Topic for Conversation may be adapted to this new offer. Encourage all to support field service on first Sunday of month, using Bible and book offer. Let publishers know what older publications are available.
18 min: “Presenting the Good News—With a Willing and Ready Spirit.” Questions and answers. Have several very brief demonstrations covering points in paragraphs 4 through 6 to show how informal conversations can be started under various circumstances. May include some experiences on using new aid Reasoning From the Scriptures.
15 min: Local needs. (Or time may be used for a talk on “Accepting God’s Invitation to Walk With Him,” based on The Watchtower of September 1, 1985, page 4.) Also call attention to “Series of Public Talks on New Creation Book.” Review titles and encourage all to be present for entire series.
Song 193 and concluding prayer.