Reach Hearts Through Effective Bible Studies
1 Jesus found delight in doing his Father’s will, and he took pleasure in helping others also to serve Jehovah. (Ps. 40:8; Matt. 9:37, 38; 11:28-30) Jesus was not content merely to deliver his message. If we are to be successful in encouraging others to join us in the evangelizing work, we must reach the hearts of our Bible students. This involves more than conducting a question-and-answer discussion of a publication. To reach the heart, we need to prepare with our student in mind.
2 Jesus took a personal interest in others. He considered their point of view. He used illustrations to simplify difficult subjects. (Matt., chaps. 5-7) Discerning problems they would face, Jesus gave appropriate counsel. (Mark 9:33-37) When his listeners were unable at first to grasp the point of his teaching, he patiently illustrated what he had to say. (Matt. 16:5-12) Jesus’ deep-seated interest in others should motivate us to ask, ‘If I were the student, what would I need to know in order to understand and be motivated by what is being taught?’—Note 1971 Yearbook, pages 246-7.
HIGHLIGHT THE BIBLE
3 When one couple was asked what made them respond so readily to the witness given, they answered: “It was in the Bible.” Yes, God’s Word reaches hearts. (Heb. 4:12) Refer to it often, making liberal use of texts in the paragraphs. Help the student to see why a particular course is wise or foolish. Reason with him on how obedience to God’s laws will benefit him.—See The Watchtower, August 1, 1984, pages 15-16.
4 Many publishers have found that using the Reasoning book is very effective in highlighting the Bible. For example, when considering page 124, paragraph 13, of the Live Forever book, a householder may ask why his clergyman says that children die because God wants them to be with him in heaven. A consideration of the material on page 99 of the Reasoning book under “Why do babies die?” emphasizes Jehovah’s interest in preserving the family arrangement. The information may convince the person of Jehovah’s love for mankind.
ASK QUESTIONS
5 Effective use of questions helped Jesus get people to think and reason. (Matt. 17:24-27) The student’s answers may help us to determine what he is learning as well as what unscriptural views he may still hold. Perhaps the student is battling a smoking habit. You have reviewed the material in chapter 27 of the Live Forever book and the information on pages 13-16 in the July 8, 1989, issue of Awake! He sees the need to stop. However, is he really convinced that he should break free from it? You might say: “How do you feel about this? Suppose you were to stop right now but some of your friends would make fun of you. What would you do?”
6 A word of caution, though. At times such questions may bring answers that surprise or disappoint you. What then? If it is a sensitive subject, it may be better not to force the issue but to say: “Let’s go on for now. We can come back to this later.” Or “Well, it is something to think about, isn’t it?” (John 16:12) Knowing how the student really feels about the matter, you can prepare information that may help him to make further progress. We should strive to motivate a person’s heart and pray that Jehovah will help him grow spiritually.—1 Cor. 3:5-9.
7 When conducting a Bible study, always remember to take sufficient time to reason with the student on the material being considered. Adapt your teaching methods to fit his particular needs. Work to build into his heart a deep love and respect for Jehovah, the Bible, and Jehovah’s organization. May we do our part to help others become Christ’s disciples by endeavoring to conduct effective Bible studies.—Acts 2:41-46.