An Encouraging U.S. Service Report
1 The article “1984 Yearbook Highlights Worldwide Increase” in Our Kingdom Ministry last month was considered on the Service Meeting during January. Now we will take a closer look at the field service report from the United States. This can be examined along with the activity of the local congregation and should encourage us in giving our full support to Kingdom activity.
2 In the United States we had a 6-percent increase in the average number of publishers. This is the largest annual increase reported since the 1975 service year. What was the increase in your congregation by comparison? The 35,303 baptized last year represent an average of 4 for each of the 7,837 congregations in this country. How thrilling it is to see all these new ones having an active share in making known Jehovah’s name and Word! With an increase of 34,124 in the average number of publishers, it was necessary to form 167 new congregations, about 3 each week.
3 Did you conduct one or more of the 390,678 home Bible studies reported last year? If so, are these Bible students making progress toward dedication and baptism? Or perhaps you were among the 84,285 reporting as auxiliary pioneers in April or one of the 3,317 added to the regular pioneer ranks. Whatever share you had in preaching the good news during the 1983 service year, it contributed to the excellent report.
4 As we look to the future, call to mind the apostle Paul’s encouraging words recorded at Philippians 3:16: “At any rate, to what extent we have made progress, let us go on walking orderly in this same routine.” The apostle was writing about perseverance in the Christian course. Certainly our continued zealous participation as individuals in the field ministry today will result in further progress.