No Letup in Declaring the Good News
1 The early Christians took their ministry very seriously. Luke reported: “Every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.” (Acts 5:42) Nothing, not even persecution, could hold them back! (Acts 8:4) They spoke to others about the truth every day.
2 What about us? Ask yourself: ‘Do I sense the urgency of the times? Am I inclined to continue declaring the good news without letup?’
3 Modern-Day Examples of Preaching Without Letup: One sister, a victim of polio, was confined to an iron lung. She was not able to go to the Kingdom Hall or attend an assembly. But she was intensely occupied with declaring the good news. During her 37-year confinement, she was able to help 17 people learn the truth! How did she do it? Although unable to go from door to door, she found a way each day to witness informally to those who came in contact with her.
4 Our brothers in Bosnia have had to cope with war and deprivation. Nevertheless, they regularly continue to preach to others. In Sarajevo the publishers have been averaging 20 hours each month talking to others about the good news, and they conduct an average of two Bible studies each. Despite their severe circumstances, they preach and teach without letup.
5 Young ones also manifest zeal for the ministry. A family of Witnesses in Rwanda were put in a room where soldiers prepared to kill them. The family asked permission to pray first. This was granted, and the young daughter, Deborah, prayed out loud: “Jehovah, this week Papa and I placed five magazines. How are we going to get back to these people to teach them the truth and help them get life?” Because of her strong faith and her love for the ministry, the entire family was spared.
6 Today, there is a need to watch for opportunities to witness to others and search out those “rightly disposed for everlasting life.” (Acts 13:48) In accord with local circumstances, congregation elders make arrangements for group witnessing at convenient times, whether in the mornings, afternoons, or evenings. Articles in Our Kingdom Ministry and parts on Service Meetings, circuit assemblies, and district conventions offer timely suggestions and encouragement to share in various avenues of Kingdom witnessing. Added to this, circuit and district overseers train publishers in street witnessing, show how to work business territory, and point out other ways to give a witness wherever people are to be found. All of this emphasizes no letup in declaring the good news!
7 Jesus’ apostles boldly declared: “We cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” How did they persevere in spite of all obstacles? They asked Jehovah to help them, which he did, and “they were one and all filled with the holy spirit and were speaking the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:20, 29, 31) Everyone may not be blessed with outstanding experiences in the ministry, but if we truly desire to declare the good news without letup and if we put forth the effort to do so even on a daily basis, Jehovah will help us.