Help Others to Make Return Visits
1 Have you experienced the joy of stimulating others’ interest in God’s Word? Have you found that talking about the truth makes you much more aware of the help of God’s spirit? Yes, Scriptural thoughts appear to come to mind quickly and it seems easy to make the right application for the benefit of interested persons. (John 14:26) Our awareness that holy spirit is aiding us certainly draws us closer to our heavenly Father.
2 If this has been your experience, would it not be a fine thing to assist others in the congregation to make return visits? But whom might you help? What about your children or someone with whom you studied the Bible and who is now a proclaimer of the good news? Elders and ministerial servants might consider what they can do personally to help publishers in their book study groups and to enlist the aid of other experienced brothers and sisters.
3 One of the best ways to help others is by example. As you work with a brother or sister in field service, why not show him or her how you plan for a return visit? Let this one see how you make a record of a call and explain why you write down certain information. After the publisher has observed how you fill out the house-to-house record for a call just completed then let him or her make a note of the interest for you on further calls. Of course, any explaining or making of notations should be done in a way that will not be needlessly obvious to people in the territory. We want to avoid calling undue attention to our presence and raising questions in the minds of observers.
4 Also, as others accompany you on return visits, they will be able to see how you go about stimulating further interest and starting studies. By observing how simple it is, they will be encouraged to share in this important work.
5 You might also consider getting together with another publisher in preparing for return visits. Together review your records. Talk about the calls you might make. Select some appropriate scriptures and points to highlight from the literature placed with interested persons. Discuss what you might say to them.
6 If all experienced publishers would help just one other person to have a fuller share in making return visits, think of what that would mean. There would be twice as many publishers able to assist still others, and more interested persons would be started on the way to life. It may well be that you could assist members of your own family or one other publisher. Are you willing and eager to do so? And, if you need assistance, do you make yourself available for it? Remember, return visits are vital in acquainting people with the knowledge that leads to everlasting life.—John 17:3.
7 Also you could progressively assist your Bible student to appreciate the value of starting a study himself. This will enable you to use some of the suggestions given at the district assemblies this past summer to aid your Bible student to see the need of sharing in the preaching work with the objective of making still other disciples. As you continue studying with him, develop in him a deep love for people so he will want to share with others the good things he is learning from the Bible. (Matt. 5:43-45) Help him to appreciate the need to continue visiting those who are willing to learn more about God’s Word. In this way, when the time comes for you to invite him to go out in the field service, he will understand that you do not engage in the door-to-door work just to place literature, but to give a witness for Jehovah and to assist those individuals who are desirous of learning more about God’s purposes as explained in the Bible.
8 Results in helping others to make return visits may not come quickly. It takes time and patience on the part of the teacher. Paul said, “Let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due season we shall reap if we do not tire out.”—Gal. 6:9.