Have You Considered Serving Jehovah as a Pioneer?
1 How encouraging it is to observe the fine work being done by pioneers. “Zealous for fine works” is the apt description the apostle Paul gave of diligent workers in his day. (Titus 2:14) What about today? “There are not words to describe the joy I find in serving Jehovah as a pioneer,” replies one sister. Can you, too, experience such feelings about your sacred service?
2 One of the first steps toward pioneering is to work at developing the pioneer spirit. What is that? As we learned at the last series of circuit assemblies, it is a right attitude or disposition toward the command to preach. It involves an interest in people. It is a spirit of joy in doing the will of God in these last days. While some are devoted to maintaining a certain standard of living, those with the pioneer spirit are willing to make sacrifices in order to spend more time in assisting people. (Matt. 13:45, 46) Do only the pioneers have the pioneer spirit? No. Many have this spirit though their circumstances may not allow them to pioneer.
3 How can you determine if pioneering is possible in your circumstances? Likely there are some in your congregation who are or have been pioneers. Why not talk to them about it? They will be glad to give you helpful suggestions on how to arrange a workable schedule. (Eph. 5:16) One must learn to balance personal study and family responsibilities with field service. Time is needed to care for material needs and this may require secular employment. So the right use of funds enters the picture. If you keep things simple and put the interests of God’s kingdom first, you will be imitating Jesus Christ and will find happiness in the pioneer service.
4 Suppose you find pioneering financially possible, but you are not sure your health will hold up or whether you can arrange a workable schedule? Why not try auxiliary pioneering for a few months while you work things out? If successful, then by all means consider pioneering for at least a year. This will give you an opportunity to see how your health, schedule, and so forth, work out over a longer period of time. No doubt once you have tasted the joys of pioneering you will not want to stop; but if it does not work out for you, at least you will have had a fine year of rich blessings in the full-time service that you will treasure.
5 Do you have a problem getting someone to work with you? Encouraging others to share in the auxiliary or regular pioneer work can often be the means of finding a pioneer partner. By taking the initiative and letting others know that you will be glad to work with them, they are often moved to try it. An invitation with a brief word of encouragement from you may be all it takes.
6 When can you begin sharing in this special work? What about the month of April? The weather will be getting warmer, and what better way could one enjoy the beauty of springtime than in the pioneer service? If you are planning a family vacation later on, could you arrange to auxiliary pioneer in unassigned territory or with a congregation that needs help in covering its territory? Those who have done so in the past have found this can produce many happy memories.
7 In looking back over his 25 years of regular pioneer service, a brother wrote to the Society: “All in all, they leave good and happy memories with the feeling of some accomplishment, some discipline and some sacrifices. However, what we gain in return well offsets what we may have given up.—Mark 10:29, 30.” Seven months later this brother passed away while still pioneering. What a fine example of the pioneer spirit! Can you share his feeling? Whether you are able to be a regular or an auxiliary pioneer, or even if circumstances do not permit you to do either, if you are “zealous for fine works,” such fond memories of accomplishment can be yours.