Theocratic Ministry School Refinements
1 Having received the Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 1984 with the October Our Kingdom Ministry, you have no doubt had opportunity to observe some of the refinements that should serve to make the school even more effective in equipping us for the ministry.
2 With so many new ones coming into the congregation today, it seems appropriate to continue using the Theocratic Ministry School Guidebook. Even those who have been enrolled in the school for many years can benefit from going over this information again. Talks based on “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial” will continue to provide background information for our consideration of the Bible books of the Hebrew Scriptures. Brothers assigned the first and second talks may choose a theme that will allow for the best coverage of the material.
3 Perhaps you have observed that the third and fourth talks for the entire year will be based on Bible Topics for Discussion. This will require more personal preparation on the part of the students but will allow them greater opportunity to make practical application of what they are learning from the Theocratic Ministry School Guidebook. Those preparing talks based on Bible Topics for Discussion will use the themes provided in the Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 1984. They will have opportunity to develop their own line of reasoning and argumentation, just as they would when encountering people in the field service.
4 With these refinements, the appropriate method of giving counsel becomes more clearly defined for the benefit of the school overseer as well as for the students. As was pointed out in the Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 1983, the school overseer need not follow the program of progressive counsel outlined on the Speech Counsel slip, but rather he should concentrate on those areas where the student needs to improve. His objective in giving counsel is to help the student progress in the ministry. Instructions in the new School Schedule offer further clarifications on how this can be done, under the heading “Counsel and Remarks.”
5 If you have not done so already, take time now and carefully study this portion of the Instructions so that you will be able to take full advantage of the training available to you in the Theocratic Ministry School during 1984. You can be sure that Jehovah will richly bless whatever effort you are able to exert toward improving your ministry through this congregational arrangement.