Be Versatile in Your Ministry
1 One who is versatile is able to turn with ease from one thing to another. Versatility implies being adjustable, adaptable, and resourceful. By our being versatile, we may be able to increase the amount of time we spend in preaching and teaching the good news, the number of people we reach, and the amount of good we accomplish.
2 As the great tribulation approaches, there is an urgent need for us to teach others the truth. We need to be versatile in scheduling time for field service. In some areas few people are at home during the daytime when most publishers engage in field service. How can we reach them? Can we adjust our schedule for field service to include afternoon or evening activity? Some congregations have had excellent results by arranging groups for evening field service or for Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Is evening witnessing practical in your territory?
3 A good witness may be given by talking to people who are waiting at bus stops, sitting in parked cars, window shopping, or just walking down the street. Our interest in people will move us to approach everyone we can with the good news of the Kingdom.—Matt. 9:35.
BE VERSATILE AT THE DOOR
4 While on your way up to the door, think of the need to be versatile in your conversation. Take time to look and listen. Is the home well cared for? Are there flowers or perhaps a garden? Toys? A symbol of religious devotion? When the door opens, we can observe whether the householder is male or female, young or elderly, busy or relaxed, and so forth. When the householder speaks, we can learn something about his interests, likes, dislikes, religious beliefs, concerns, or needs. People generally appreciate having their circumstances and viewpoints taken into consideration.
5 If the householder brings up an objection, it is usually wise to acknowledge it and perhaps discuss his viewpoint briefly. The book Reasoning From the Scriptures can help us in this. Information under the headings “Creation” and “Evolution” will be particularly helpful in December while working with the Creation book.
6 As suggested in the November 1985 issue of Our Kingdom Ministry, many publishers will be using the new tract, Kingdom News No. 33, for introducing the Creation book. Others may wish to use the book itself to stimulate interest. After citing an interesting point in the tract, you could direct the person’s attention to chapter 4, entitled “Could Life Originate by Chance?” and read paragraph 1. Then you could say that this chapter considers comments from evolutionists about the possibility of life originating by chance. Reference could be made to preselected subheads, marginal quotes, or illustrations that you believe would whet the householder’s appetite to read this book.
7 Versatility will be needed in order to adapt the Topic for Conversation to the different people you may meet in field service. Chapter 19 can be tied in nicely with the current Topic for Conversation.
8 How can we offer the Creation book to those who do not believe in evolution? You could ask them why a loving God permits so much suffering in the world. Then turn to paragraph 1 on page 188 and show that this question is discussed in the book. Or you may wish to turn to page 191, read paragraph 8, and compare the illustrations of Adam and Eve on pages 189 and 191. Help the householder to appreciate that this chapter gives a reasonable and Scriptural answer explaining why God permits suffering.
9 As you can see, there are good reasons for us to be versatile in our ministry. By our diligent preparation and our effort to be versatile in our schedule for field service, as well as in our presentations, we can show genuine love for people and be more effective in preaching the good news.