Your Service Meetings
WEEK STARTING APRIL 4
What Does Your Appreciation Move You to Do?
18 min: Song 38. Introductory comments on theme. Heartfelt talk on “Manifest Your Appreciation.” Encourage all to think about ways to increase showing their appreciation to God. Invite pioneers to express themselves about reasons prompting them to take up pioneer service. Give suggestions on how to organize personally to be a pioneer.
10 min: Memorial—Reminding Us of a Cause for Gratitude. Talk with some audience participation. Focus on our reason to be grateful for Christ’s sacrifice, which makes eternal life possible. (Rev. 7:9, 10; Eph. 1:7) From Watchtower of February 1, 1976, pp. 72-76, cover highlights under “Who are invited?, “What should be done if there is an emergency?” and “How is the meeting conducted?”
20 min: “Using Magazines to Build Faith.” Questions and answers. Arrange for some brief and simple demonstrations using suggestions in paragraphs 5 and 6. Pick out talking points from April 15 Watchtower and, if available, April 22 Awake! Demonstrate what could be said to start conversations. Suggest a text that could be read and a short comment to introduce booklet. Stress magazine activity with a view to helping people.
12 min: Concluding Comments. Discuss Branch Letter. Song 72.
WEEK STARTING APRIL 11
(Memorial on April 14. It is up to the body of elders to decide if a service meeting is to be held and, if so, they may prepare it locally.)
WEEK STARTING APRIL 18
13 min: Song 80. Introduction. Our Success in Starting Studies. We have been using new booklets for more than three months. What response have we gotten in our territory? Include local experiences showing how booklets have been used to create interest and start studies. Encourage all to continue carrying and using them to develop interest.
18 min: “Presenting the Good News—Using Expiration Slips Effectively.” Discuss article, inviting audience to comment on how suggestions can be applied locally. Include some brief demonstrations showing simplicity of return visit. Put emphasis on starting studies.
15 min: “How Crime and Violence Will Be Stopped.” Enthusiastic talk on tract work for May 1-10. Before this part, distribute a copy to each one in audience. Outline what can be done locally to ensure good coverage of territory and distribution of all tract supplies. Discuss how service arrangements can be expanded and what can be done to assist new ones to share. Mention that if outstanding interest is found, time should be taken to offer a Scriptural thought and keep record for return visit.
14 min: Concluding Comments. Comment on the Announcement concerning persons who do not want our literature, also item about use of mailboxes. Ask audience to review chapter 5 in Truth book for next week. Accounts report. Theocratic News. Encourage all to pick up supplies of Kingdom News. Song 102.
WEEK STARTING APRIL 25
‘We Ought to Be Teachers in View of the Time.’ (Heb. 5:12)
10 min: Song 54. Introduction on theme. Following baptism, early Christians continued to learn. Many became able to teach God’s Word, but some did not make that progress. (Heb. 5:12-14) In recent years many have been baptized, so is not surprising there is room for improvement in being teachers. But some long baptized need to be teachers, too. Are you a teacher?
15 min: Teaching and Making Disciples. Discussion based on Aid, page 1579, par. 5, through 1580, par. 3. Qualified men in congregations have heavy responsibility of being teachers. (1 Cor. 12:28; 1 Tim. 3:2; Jas. 3:1) But all Christians are to be teachers when making disciples. (Matt. 28:19, 20) Developing ability to teach is a fine objective for each of us. (Heb. 5:12–6:2) Requires desire to teach and effort to learn what and how to teach. Are you applying yourself?
20 min: Become a Better Teacher of God’s Word. Audience participation; based on Truth book, chapter 5. Audience should review that. In teaching we can use fine material in publications. Do we learn their contents so we can employ their reasoning and key texts even when we do not have publications available? Two or three brothers come to platform, taking part of interested persons; ask chairman realistic questions (not trick ones) on subject—can paraphrase questions 7, 13, 20, 27. Phrase the questions in a way that a non-Witness would. Chairman invites audience to present texts and reasoning in answer, without opening Truth book.
To teach well we need to know what the Bible says and how we can reply when confronted with questions. Do we try to remember key texts and lines of reasoning? Urge placing Truth book in May after tract distribution. Use it as a tool in teaching others. Chairman might give brief presentation.
15 min: Concluding Remarks. Reviewing plans for tract distribution (May 1-10), encourage all to share, including new ones. Cover territory thoroughly, starting with areas not covered with last tract. Continue distribution until supply is exhausted or territory is covered; adjacent congregations may be able to help. Short observations on tract’s contents. Comment on Question Box. Song 60.