Theocratic Ministry School Schedule for 1987
INSTRUCTIONS
During 1987 the following will be the arrangements when conducting the Theocratic Ministry School.
TEXTBOOKS: The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures [bi12], Bible Topics for Discussion [td], The Watchtower [w], and the books “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial” [si] and My Book of Bible Stories [my] will be the basis for assignments.
The school will begin with song and prayer and remarks of welcome, and then proceed as follows:
ASSIGNMENT NO. 1: 15 minutes. This should be handled by an elder or by a qualified ministerial servant. It will be based on the “Why Beneficial” section of “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial” on the Bible book being considered. This assignment should be delivered as a ten-minute instruction talk with a five-minute oral review following, using the printed questions for this section. The objective should be not just to cover the material but to focus attention on the practical value of the information being discussed, highlighting what will be most helpful to the congregation. All are encouraged to make careful advance preparation so as to benefit fully from this material.
The brothers assigned this talk should be careful to keep within the time limit. Private counsel should be given as necessary.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM BIBLE READING: 6 minutes. This should be handled by the school overseer or another qualified elder or ministerial servant assigned by him. This should not be just a summary of the assigned reading. After giving a brief overall view of the assigned chapters, help the audience to appreciate why and how the information is of value to us. Check current Watchtower issues for further highlight material. The students will then be dismissed to their various classrooms by the school overseer.
TALK NO. 2: 5 minutes. This is a Bible reading of the assigned material to be given by a brother. This will apply in the main school as well as in the auxiliary groups. The reading assignments are usually short enough to permit the student to present brief explanatory information in the opening and concluding remarks, and even at intermediate points. Historical background, prophetic or doctrinal significance and application of principles may be included. All the assigned verses should actually be read.
TALK NO. 3: 5 minutes. This talk will be assigned to sisters or to younger ones. When delivering the talk, the student may be either seated or standing. One assistant will be scheduled by the school overseer, but additional assistants may be used. Settings could include situations arising at home, in the field ministry, in the congregation or elsewhere. The one giving the talk may either initiate the conversation to establish the setting or have her assistant(s) do so. Not the setting but the material should be given prime consideration. The student should select an appropriate theme.
TALK NO. 4: 5 minutes. Assigned to a brother or a sister. When assigned to a brother, this should be a talk to the entire audience. It will usually be best for the brother to prepare his talk with the Kingdom Hall audience in mind, so that it will be truly informative and beneficial to those who actually hear it. However, if the material lends itself better to another practical and suitable audience-type setting, the brother may choose to develop his talk accordingly. The student should use the theme shown. Numbers in parentheses refer to Bible Topics for Discussion found in the bi12 Bible, 1984 edition.
When assigned to a sister, the material should be presented as outlined for Talk No. 3, except she should use the theme shown.
COUNSEL AND REMARKS: After each student talk, the school overseer will give specific counsel, not necessarily following the program of progressive counsel outlined on the Speech Counsel slip. Rather, he should concentrate on those areas where the student needs to improve. If the student speaker merits solely a “G” and there is no other speech quality marked “I” or “W,“ then the counselor should circle the box, where the “G,” “I” or “W” would normally appear, of the speech quality that the student should work on next. He will advise the student of this that evening as well as show this speech quality on the student’s next Theocratic Ministry School Assignment slip (S-89). Those giving talks should sit toward the front of the hall. This will save time and enable the school overseer to give his counsel directly to each student. As time allows after giving necessary oral counsel, comments may be given by the counselor on informative and practical points not covered by the students. The school overseer should be careful to use no more than a total of two minutes for counsel and remarks after each student talk.
PREPARING TALKS: Students assigned the first, second, and third talks should choose a theme that will allow for the best coverage of the material. Students assigned the fourth talk should use the theme shown. Students will want to read over the School Guidebook material dealing with the speech quality being worked on next, prior to giving the talk.
TIMING: No talk should go overtime. Neither should the counsel and remarks of the counselor. Talks Nos. 2 through 4 should tactfully be stopped when the time is up. The one assigned to give the “stop signal” should do so immediately. When brothers handling Assignment No. 1 go overtime, they should be given private counsel. All should watch their timing carefully. Total program: 45 minutes, excluding song and prayer.
WRITTEN REVIEW: Periodically a written review will be given. In preparation, review the assigned material and complete the scheduled Bible reading. The school overseer will already have made sure that he covers main points that should be highlighted and that were overlooked by the speakers. Only the Bible may be used during this 25-minute review. The balance of the time will be devoted to a discussion of the questions and answers. Each student will check his own paper. The school overseer will read off all answers and concentrate on the more difficult questions, helping all to understand the answers clearly. If, for some reason, local circumstances make it necessary, the written review may be used a week later than what is shown on the schedule.
LARGE AND SMALL CONGREGATIONS: Congregations with a school enrollment of 50 or more students may wish to arrange for additional groups of students to deliver the scheduled talks before other counselors. Of course, nondedicated persons who are leading lives that conform to Christian principles may also enroll in the school and receive assignments.
ABSENTEES: All in the congregation can show appreciation for this school by endeavoring to be present at every weekly session, by preparing their assignments well and by participating in question sessions. It is hoped that all students will view their assignments conscientiously. If a student is not present when scheduled, a volunteer may take the assignment, making whatever application he feels qualified to make on such short notice. Or, the school overseer may cover the material with appropriate audience participation.