will help you contribute more to the meetings. Why not set these as goals for 1984? Reaching them will be spiritually rewarding.—Ps. 1:2.

⁵ Attending the Congregation Book Study is another very important part of our worship. We are now studying the Live Forever book. Being regular at this meeting will indeed add to our enthusiasm as we continue offering the book in the field during September. Starting studies in it should be another goal for each of us.

FAMILY GOALS

⁶ Family unity is precious in Jehovah’s eyes. It is strengthened when families get involved in theocratic activities and work together toward common goals. When was the last time you went from door to door with your mate? Can you set aside a month in which the entire family could auxiliary pioneer or spend more time in field service? Do you set aside some time every month to preach together as a family? Those who do, experience great joy as they become more closely united in praising Jehovah.

⁷ Did you have a regular family study during 1983? Do all cooperate with the arrangement? Are all members of the family regular each week in the field service? Some may need to establish these as their goals for 1984.

⁸ Family unity can be strengthened by other goals too. Circuit assemblies provide a fine opportunity for family members to work together in volunteer service. There is also much to do in the upkeep of the Kingdom Hall. Elders will gladly suggest ways you can help.

⁹ We can be sure that Jehovah is happy when we work to achieve spiritual goals. Perhaps you would like to select, for a start, two or three of the above-mentioned goals. Then, as these are attained, move on to others. Make it your determination to continue advancing even more during the 1984 service year.

Are You Using the New Book?

¹ At our recent “Kingdom Unity” District Conventions we were delighted to receive the new book United in Worship of the Only True God. A quick examination made it evident that this book was not designed for beginners, people who have little or no knowledge of the Bible. It is for those who are already acquainted with basic Bible truths. It can help us to benefit in practical ways from some of the solid spiritual food in God’s Word. This book can help us to broaden and deepen our own understanding of the Scriptures and to apply these more fully in our lives.—Heb. 5:13; 6:1.

² Are you personally reaping those benefits? Are you reading the book? As you do so, take time to look up the cited scriptures and meditate on their application to the surrounding material and your own life. Do not skip over them. You cannot use the material in the book effectively until you are able to reason on it from the Bible.

³ Have you also been making good use of the study questions found both in the paragraphs and at the bottom of the page? Many of these questions, as you may have observed, are designed to make you think about your own life and how it should be affected by what you are studying. In time, of course, we will use this book at the Congregation Book Study, but if you make a personal study of it now, this will enable you to benefit more fully when we study it together later on.

⁴ At the convention it was mentioned that this book can be valuable in helping teenage youths to press on to maturity. Although they may already know the fundamental truths and perhaps share to some extent in the field ministry, as they come to understand the reasons for Jehovah’s requirements, their joy will increase and they will take greater pleasure in applying Bible counsel. The United in Worship book can help them. It encourages them to express the truth in their own words, to reason on the scriptures and to discern how these can help them to make sound decisions. Since youths are more prone to make the truth their own when someone studies with them personally, logically you parents with teenage children are the ones to do that.—Compare Genesis 18:19.

⁵ United in Worship of the Only True God is the book that is now recommended for study with newly interested persons after they have completed either the Truth book or You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. If you are conducting a study with someone who is ready to go into a second book, and if you have a copy of the new book, do not hesitate to start using it right away.

⁶ May we all use this new instrument well (1) to contribute to the spiritual advancement of ourselves and our own families and (2) to help others who have already studied basic Bible truths to press on to maturity.

Meetings to Help Us Make Disciples

WEEK STARTING AUGUST 28

Song 16

5 min: Local announcements. Brief discussion of daily text and comments from Yearbook, tying in encouragement for all to be out in house-to-house ministry the first Sunday in September, which also is the first Sunday of 1984 service year. Special arrangements should be made for group witnessing on Monday, September 5, a secular holiday.

20 min: Why a School Brochure? Preferably an elder with exemplary children in high school should handle this part.

(5 min.) Introduction. Great enthusiasm manifested at release of School brochure on second day of recent “Kingdom Unity” District Conventions. Something parents and schoolchildren have been wanting. Designed to fill particular needs of parents, children and teachers in handling situations unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses involved in secular education. Explain that although the brochure is directed to teachers, it will also aid Jehovah’s Witnesses in knowing how to conduct themselves in connection with school activities. So it is particularly vital that all Witnesses be familiar with and appreciate the information the brochure contains on school activities. In this way we can all be at unity in our worship as it affects our children in school.

(7 min.) Question-and-answer discussion of “The Reason for This Brochure” on page 3 of brochure. Assign capable brother to read each paragraph before it is discussed.

(4 min.) Demonstration. Parent with younger child approaches teacher and presents brochure. Include points from paragraph 5 on page 30 of brochure, pointing out desire of parent and child to cooperate with teacher and school system.

(3 min.) Demonstration. Teenage student presents brochure to high-school teacher, briefly explaining the purpose of the brochure and what it contains.

(1 min.) Conclusion. Brief encouragement for parents and school-age Witnesses to make full use of School brochure.

20 min: Question-and-answer discussion of insert from beginning to subheading in column 1 on page 4. Conclude meeting with further brief encouragement for all to share in field service this weekend. Remind publishers to bring Our Ministry book to Service Meeting next week.

Song 8 and concluding prayer.

WEEK STARTING SEPTEMBER 4

Song 18

10 min: Introduction. Announcements from Our Kingdom Ministry and local announcements. Suggest and demonstrate several well-prepared 30- to 60-second magazine presentations that publishers can use with current magazines on second-Saturday magazine day. Encourage house-to-house and street witnessing. If appropriate, specify territory that may be used for street witnessing.

15 min: “Looking Ahead to the 1984 Service Year.” After brief introduction based on first two paragraphs, conduct question-and-answer discussion of rest of article tying in appropriate points from pages 116-118 of Our Ministry book. At conclusion interview newly baptized publisher and one with some years of experience in the truth. Have them relate how they view matter of setting personal goals and how they have benefited from having definite but reasonable spiritual goals.

20 min: Question-and-answer discussion of insert from subheading in column 1 on page 4 to subheading “Society to Make Survey of Local Needs” on page 5.

Song 89 and concluding prayer.

WEEK STARTING SEPTEMBER 11

Song 116

10 min: Introduction and local announcements. Have publishers relate experiences about efforts to start new studies in Live Forever book. Remind publishers of field service arrangements for weekend, including street witnessing and house-to-house magazine work as well as house-to-house ministry using current Topic for Conversation with book offer. Also brief reminder that October has five full weekends and may offer fine opportunity for auxiliary pioneer service. Application forms are available.

15 min: “Improving Our Teaching Ability.” Questions and answers. Assign qualified brother to read paragraphs and call for reading of as many cited scriptures as time allows.

20 min: Question-and-answer discussion of insert from subheading “Society to Make Survey of Local Needs” on page 5 to end.

Song 39 and concluding prayer.

WEEK STARTING SEPTEMBER 18

Song 50

10 min: Introduction. Local announcements and accounts report.

20 min: “Are You Using the New Book?” Talk and interviews. Enthusiastic elder to present material in article in well-prepared talk, citing portions of book that illustrate points in article. Then interview two or three publishers who have appreciated and are making good use of this new book. Comments should not only show genuine appreciation but also offer practical suggestions as to how the new book can be used personally, in conducting Bible studies with advanced students and in helping young family members.

15 min: Congregation field service report. Service overseer should handle this part. Feature warm commendation for what has been accomplished by brothers in the field. Some totals and averages can be given from report for August and from overall report on 1983 service year. Call attention to increases and improvements that have been noted. Total number of auxiliary pioneers for the year and any improvement in meeting attendance could be encouraging. Brothers should seriously consider areas in need of improvement. May want to include these as goals for 1984 service year. Conclude part with positive suggestions regarding weekend service arrangements. Fourth Saturday of month coming up and magazine work is featured. Encourage use of magazines in house-to-house and street witnessing as well as in informal witnessing. Also work will continue with Live Forever book this weekend. Be alert to start studies with interested persons. Any who have not been out in service yet this month, be sure to make necessary arrangements now. Help is available for those needing personal assistance.

Song 85 and concluding prayer.

WEEK STARTING SEPTEMBER 25

Song 40

8 min: Introduction and local announcements. Arrangements for weekend field service on first Sunday of month. If some publishers have enrolled as auxiliary pioneers for October, give commendation and remind others that they still have opportunity to enroll also. Announce any arrangements being made to assist those serving as pioneers during October.

20 min: Elder gives well-prepared talk on chapter 5 of Our Ministry book from page 28 to subheading on page 41. Highlight Scriptural requirements for those who are appointed to serve as overseers in the congregation.

17 min: “Presenting the Good News—With Subscriptions.” Questions and answers and demonstrations. Assign capable brother to read selected paragraphs. Present one or two well-prepared brief demonstrations using Topic for Conversation “Can You Live Forever in Paradise?” Demonstrate how to tie in magazine article with Topic and then present subscription. Allow time for audience to comment on demonstrations.

Song 42 and concluding prayer.

June Service Report

Av. Av. Av. Av.

Pubs. Hrs. Mags. R.V. Bi.St.

Sp’l Pios. 332 123.7 85.3 50.5 5.8

Pios. 23,644 78.0 46.3 29.4 3.5

Aux. Pios. 21,490 58.9 34.9 17.0 1.6

Pubs. 549,894 8.9 7.0 3.5 0.5

TOTAL 595,360

Newly Dedicated Ones Baptized: 4,590

Improving Our Teaching Ability

¹ As ministers of the good news, we have been entrusted with the responsibility of making disciples. (Matt. 28:19, 20) In the United States alone, over 150,000 new disciples have been baptized during just the last five years. This gives evidence of Jehovah’s blessing upon our efforts in the ministry. But have all these new disciples been adequately trained to teach others? Indeed, have we all been careful to maintain a high level of teaching ability in our disciple-making work? Are we making disciples who are firmly established in the truth, and have they been trained in the art of teaching so they can help others?

² We now have two excellent new teaching aids, You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, for new ones, and United in Worship of the Only True God, for more advanced students. The effective use of these teaching aids will undoubtedly help more to become disciples of Christ. This emphasizes the need for us to give more attention to the various teaching qualities that will help us and those we teach to become complete in every respect as Christian disciples.—1 Tim. 4:16; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

JESUS WAS A TEACHER

³ The Great Teacher, Jesus Christ, set the model for us to follow in teaching others. He imitated his Father Jehovah God. (John 5:19; 6:45; 8:28) He showed great personal interest in those he taught. He loved his disciples and made personal sacrifices for their benefit. (Mark 6:31-34) His teaching was authoritative, based solidly on the inspired Word of God. (Matt. 7:28, 29) He demonstrated patience and was always kind, even when he was firm in dealing with those he taught. He was perfect in the art of teaching. He taught by example, practicing what he encouraged others to practice. And he used appropriate illustrations. (Matt. 13:34) He stimulated thinking ability through the skillful use of questions. (Matt. 17:24-26) He used repetition for emphasis and to make sure that his point would be well established in the minds of his hearers. (John 21:15-17) He taught, not just to convey knowledge but to sharpen understanding as well—helping his disciples to develop faith and a close relationship with Jehovah. He built up in his disciples the qualities they would need for them to be productive ministers and to remain steadfast in the faith.—Acts 1:8.

⁴ Whether we are among the thousands of new ones who have recently become Christian disciples or have many years of experience, we should all strive to imitate closely the example of Jesus, the Great Teacher. Articles in future issues of Our Kingdom Ministry will help us to improve our teaching ability.