LIVING AS CHRISTIANS

Cooperating to Preach in Multilingual Territory

A couple in the field ministry meet a man and his son who speak a language other than theirs

People often respond more readily to the Kingdom message when they hear it spoken in their native language. Perhaps that is why at Pentecost 33 C.E., Jehovah arranged for “devout Jews from every nation under heaven” to hear the good news in their “own native language,” even though they likely spoke a common language, such as Hebrew or Greek. (Ac 2:5, 8) In multilingual areas today, congregations that hold meetings in different languages may have territory in the same neighborhoods. How can publishers in such congregations cooperate to give everyone a witness while avoiding unnecessary overlapping of efforts that may irritate householders?

Consult (Pr 15:22): Service overseers should consult together and work out a mutually acceptable system for spreading the good news. If their territory is limited, congregations that preach in other languages will likely want you to skip homes that are in their territory. However, if they are unable to cover all their territory regularly because it is scattered over a large area, they may prefer that you not skip any homes but inform them when someone in their territory shows interest. (od 93 ¶37) Or they may ask that your congregation help them to find people who speak the language of their congregation and whose addresses can be transferred to their territory. (km 7/12 5, box) Keep in mind that in some instances, more than one language may be spoken in the same home. Arrangements for covering the territory should comply with applicable data protection laws.
Cooperate (Eph 4:16): Carefully follow any direction you receive from your service overseer. Are you conducting a Bible study with someone whose preferred language is not the language of your congregation? The student would likely progress faster if you transferred the study to a nearby congregation or group that speaks his language.
Prepare (Pr 15:28; 16:1): If a householder in your territory speaks a different language, do your best to share the good news. You can prepare by anticipating the languages you may encounter and by downloading in advance Bible translations and videos onto your mobile device. You can also use the JW Language app to learn greetings in some languages.