Question Box

● What should be done with Bible study reports after the secretary has compiled the monthly field service report?

The secretary should keep the Bible study reports in his regular file box for two months; thereafter, the study reports can be given to the congregation book study conductors who may find them helpful in giving encouragement and personal assistance to those publishers who are conducting home Bible studies. Help may be given to the persons who are studying as well.

Book study conductors should strive to get acquainted with the interested persons and encourage them to associate with the local book study group, if at all possible. The book study conductor can speak encouragingly with the brothers and sisters about their home Bible studies, perhaps taking advantage of time before or after regular congregation meetings to do so. He may be able to arrange to accompany some of the publishers on their home Bible studies and offer spiritual encouragement in that way. Also the service overseer can give encouragement regarding the home Bible study work when he visits the congregation book study group, using information provided on the home Bible study report.

The secretary’s file of Bible study reports should be available to the circuit overseer when he visits the congregation. He may also be able to accompany some of the publishers when they conduct their home Bible studies. This should prove to be especially encouraging to the student and helpful to the one conducting the study. Or the circuit overseer may be able to visit some of these interested persons at other times during his visit.

Whenever a Bible study is discontinued, this should be noted on the Bible study report slip, indicating the reason. When the circuit overseer visits the congregation, he will review the Bible study reports. It may be that some that have discontinued their studies can be helped to a greater appreciation of their spiritual needs. How fine it would be if some discontinued studies could be resumed and the individuals aided spiritually once more!

All of us are very much interested in the disciple-making work and will want to take advantage of every opportunity to encourage and help those new ones who are coming to a knowledge of the truth. The home Bible study reports can help. The congregation book study conductor can discard the older report slips month by month as he receives newer ones from the secretary.