Rejoicing With the Increase That God Gives
1 Christians in the first century were zealous Kingdom preachers. They rejoiced when the ‘congregations increased in number from day to day.’ (Acts 16:5) Their bold preaching expanded into Asia, Europe, and Africa, resulting in a rich harvest of believers.
2 Jesus foretold that in the last days, the preaching work would reach into ‘all the inhabited earth and all the nations’! (Matt. 24:14) During the 1996 service year, we continued to receive reports of marvelous increases and new peaks of publishers from lands around the globe. Many new congregations have been formed. This rapid growth has made it necessary to construct hundreds of new Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls as well as to expand a number of branch facilities.
3 The August 1996 Our Kingdom Ministry reported on extensive construction work taking place in Africa. Similar activity is under way throughout Latin America. For the 1996 service year, Mexico reports an astounding peak of 470,098 publishers and an average of 600,751 Bible studies, requiring the formation of 466 new congregations! The expansion of their branch facilities is scheduled for completion toward the end of 1999. Similar growth in many other countries allows for no letup in various types of theocratic construction projects.
4 Construction costs are high everywhere, and our brothers in many lands have little to contribute materially. However, in their great zeal for Jehovah’s service, they certainly are growing spiritually and increasing in great numbers. Proverbs 28:27 assures us that “he that is giving to the one of little means will have no want.” Our willingness to help cover these construction costs results in an “equalizing” of material things, enabling all to experience the happiness that comes with giving and the joy that comes with seeing the increase that Jehovah gives!—2 Cor. 8:14, 15; Acts 20:35.
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Paraguay Branch
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Ecuador Branch
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Mexico Extension Under Construction
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Dominican Republic Branch
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Brazil Branch With Extension
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Uruguay Branch Under Construction
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Typical low-budget Kingdom Halls in Latin America
1. Brazil
2. Nicaragua
3. Chile
4. Colombia
5. Mexico
6. Brazil
7. Peru
8. Venezuela
9. Mexico