Preach the Kingdom
1 At Hebrews 10:23, we are urged to “hold fast the public declaration of our hope.” And our hope is centered on God’s Kingdom. Jesus specifically commanded that the good news of the Kingdom must be preached in all the nations. (Mark 13:10) We need to keep this in mind while engaging in our ministry.
2 When we contact people, we try to start a conversation about something that interests or concerns them. Usually we mention things that they are well aware of, such as crime in the neighborhood, the problems of young people, anxieties about making a living, or a crisis in world affairs. Since the minds of most people are focused on these “anxieties of life,” when we show that we are concerned and understanding, people will often express what is on their mind. (Luke 21:34) This may open the way for us to share our hope.
3 If we are not careful, however, the conversation can dwell on negative things to the point that we fail to accomplish the purpose of our visit—to preach the Kingdom message. Although we call attention to the bad conditions that bring so much distress, our goal is to direct attention to the Kingdom, which will ultimately resolve all the problems of mankind. We have a truly wonderful hope that people desperately need to hear about. So while we may initially discuss some aspect of these “critical times hard to deal with,” we should quickly focus on our primary message, the “everlasting good news.” In this way we will fully accomplish our ministry.—2 Tim. 3:1; 4:5; Rev. 14:6.