A Debt We Owe to Others

¹ The apostle Paul felt an obligation to preach to people. He knew that Jehovah had made it possible for all sorts of men to be saved by means of the precious blood of His Son. (1 Tim. 2:3-6) Therefore, Paul stated: “Both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to wise and to senseless ones I am a debtor.” He eagerly and tirelessly labored to discharge his debt to his fellow humans by sharing the good news with them.​—Rom. 1:14, 15.

² Like Paul, Christians today seek to share the good news with their neighbors at every opportunity. With the “great tribulation” fast approaching, our search for honesthearted ones is urgent. May genuine love for people move us to be diligent in this lifesaving work.​—Matt. 24:21; Ezek. 33:8.

³ Discharging Our Debt: The principal way in which we reach people is by preaching from door to door. In territories where there are many not-at-homes, keeping accurate records and returning at different times will enable us to contact more people. (1 Cor. 10:33) We can also reach individuals by witnessing in business territory, on the streets, in parks, in parking lots, and over the telephone. We could ask ourselves, ‘Am I doing my best to pursue all avenues of preaching in order to share the message of life?’​—Matt. 10:11.

⁴ One pioneer felt a keen responsibility to reach all the people in her territory. At one house, the blinds were always shut and no one was ever at home. However, one day when the pioneer was not in service, she noticed a car in front of this perpetual not-at-home. Not wanting the opportunity to slip by, she rang the doorbell. A man answered, and the initial conversation led to several return visits by this sister and her husband. Eventually, the man accepted a Bible study, and he is now a baptized brother. He is grateful that this sister felt a debt of responsibility to preach to others.

⁵ With time fast running out, now is the time to pay our debt to our fellowman by exerting ourselves vigorously in the preaching work.​—2 Cor. 6:1, 2.

Part 11​—Conducting Progressive Bible Studies

Helping Students to Make Return Visits

¹ When a Bible student begins to share in the preaching work, he will meet people who show interest in the good news. How can we help the new publisher to make effective return visits and to cultivate the interest he finds?

² Preparation for a return visit begins with the initial call. Encourage the student to take a sincere interest in those with whom he speaks. (Phil. 2:4) Progressively train him to draw them out, to listen to their comments, and to note the things that concern them. When someone shows interest, have the new publisher write down the pertinent information about the call. Use that information to help him plan further discussions.

³ Preparing to Return: Review the initial call, and show the student how to select an aspect of the Kingdom message that will appeal to the householder. (1 Cor. 9:19-23) Prepare together a brief presentation that features one Bible text along with a paragraph in a study publication. In addition, prepare a question that can be raised at the conclusion of the discussion to lay the groundwork for the next visit. Show the new publisher how to add to the person’s knowledge of God’s Word with each successive visit.

⁴ It is also helpful to provide the student with a simple introduction. After greeting the householder, he might say: “I enjoyed our previous conversation, and I have returned to share further Bible information on [mention the topic].” You may also need to show the new publisher how to respond if a different person answers the door.

⁵ Follow Up Diligently: Encourage the student to set a good example in returning promptly on all who show interest. Finding people at home may require persistence in calling back. Teach the student how to make appointments to visit again, and help him appreciate the need to return as promised. (Matt. 5:37) Train the new publisher to be kind, considerate, and respectful as he searches for sheeplike ones and cultivates their interest.​—Titus 3:2.