Prepare Students to Share in the Ministry
1 During the past service year in the United States, an average of 486,426 home Bible studies were conducted each month. Many new ones are making spiritual progress by taking in knowledge of Jehovah and associating with the organization. They are making the needed adjustments in their personal lives, and eventually we want them to make public declaration of their faith by joining with us in the preaching and disciple-making work.—Rom. 10:10.
2 From the time you start a Bible study, you may be able to encourage the student to speak to others about what he is learning. Suggest that he talk with relatives, neighbors, work associates, and others on an informal basis. As you inculcate the truth into his heart and mind, he should be motivated to do this. Highlight the importance of the preaching and disciple-making work as emphasized by Jesus and his disciples. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Relate positive field service experiences that you and others have had as well as those recorded in the Yearbook and other publications of the Society.
DETERMINING IF STUDENT QUALIFIES
3 At the appropriate time and in keeping with the student’s advancement, invite him to share in the organized field service of the congregation. Remember that as the one conducting the study it is your responsibility to determine if the student is qualified before inviting him to accompany you in the field service. He must have already brought his life into harmony with Jehovah’s righteous standards. Factors that should be considered are outlined on pages 98-9 of the Our Ministry book.
4 There is no need to pry into the student’s personal life by asking embarrassing questions. However, as you progressively come to know the student, you can observe whether he is living in harmony with the information that he has learned. If there are questions about certain aspects of his personal life, you may simply have the student read appropriate Bible texts and then express himself as to his understanding of the application or meaning. Often this will enable you to see whether he has sufficient knowledge of the truth and comprehends what is required of one who engages in the ministry. When you are convinced that he sincerely desires to identify himself with the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses and qualifies to do so, you can invite him to accompany you in the field ministry. Prepare for the field ministry together, and progressively help the student to participate.
ASSISTANCE FROM ELDERS
5 When a new person turns in his first field service report, additional steps must be taken to make sure that the individual qualifies to be counted as a publisher and thus become recognized as an approved associate. On the basis of the student’s first field service report, the secretary or another member of the Congregation Service Committee will discuss the student’s progress with the publisher who is studying with him. Thereafter it would be good for the publisher to be present when the elder has a talk with the individual who submitted his first field service report. After commending the new one for the progress he is making, the elders will kindly explain all that is involved in being counted as a publisher. If the student qualifies as an approved associate, he will be informed that a Congregation’s Publisher Record card will be made out in his name and be included in the congregation’s file.—See om pp. 105-6.
6 As we study doctrinal truths with Bible students and direct them to the organization, let us also encourage and prepare them to share the good news with others. In time, with Jehovah’s blessing, they will qualify to become regular proclaimers of the good news.