Part 1—Benefit From the Theocratic Ministry School for 1996
1 Have you read the instructions provided with the “Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 1996”? Did you take note of some changes? From January through April, Assignment No. 3 will be based on the Reasoning book, and from May to December, it will be based on the newly released Knowledge book. Assignment No. 4 will be a talk about a different Bible character each week.
2 Student Assignments: Assignment No. 3 is given to a sister. When it is based on the Reasoning book, the setting should involve door-to-door or informal witnessing. When based on the Knowledge book, it should be presented as a return visit or a home Bible study. This should prove to be very helpful, since the Knowledge book will be used extensively for conducting home Bible studies.
3 If the setting is a home Bible study, both sisters can be seated. Get right into the study by making brief introductory comments, and then ask the printed question. The role of the householder should be played realistically. The cited scriptures can be looked up and read as time allows. The sister should employ the art of teaching by drawing the householder out with questions and by reasoning on the scriptures used.
4 What should be done if there are more scriptures cited in the assignment than can be discussed in five minutes? Select key texts that highlight the main points. If there are only a few scriptures, principal points in the lesson may be discussed more extensively. Occasionally, a paragraph or a sentence from the book may be read and then discussed with the householder.
5 The box entitled “Test Your Knowledge,” found at the end of each chapter of the Knowledge book, may be reviewed briefly by the publisher whose assignment covers the final paragraph of the chapter. Information boxes that fall within the assigned paragraphs may also be discussed as time permits. If an information box occurs between two assignments, the sister handling the first assignment may consider it. Illustrations in the book may be commented on whenever they apply to the material under consideration.
6 Assignment No. 4 should be very interesting and practical. Each week it will consider a real-life example—a Bible character. Carefully study what Insight, Volume 1, has to say about the assigned Bible character. Develop the talk around the theme, and select key Bible texts that will help the audience to focus on the Bible character and his personality, including characteristics, traits, or inclinations that we want either to imitate or to reject. Scriptures not related directly to the Bible character may be included if they highlight how Jehovah views certain good or bad traits or if they relate to the theme of the talk.
7 If we take full advantage of the training provided in the school, we will be better able to “preach the word” in a way that demonstrates the fine “art of teaching.”—2 Tim. 4:2.