The “Kingdom Unity” District Conventions
“KINGDOM UNITY.” What a fine and fitting theme for our 1983 district conventions! Never has there been so much disunity in the world. Religious organizations, both Catholic and Protestant, are permeated with friction and strife. Political parties are at one another’s throat. Never has there been such confusion in the business or commercial community as at present. Never before has the family institution been so riddled with disunity as husband and wife fight with each other, walk out on each other and get divorced from each other. And when has there been such a generation gap as in modern times, when parents and children drift ever farther apart?
In striking contrast to all of this stands Jehovah’s visible organization, the body of Christian witnesses of Jehovah. They are united, upward of 2,400,000 strong, though scattered in some 205 lands and islands of the seas. Theirs is a unity that overcomes national barriers, language and racial barriers, cultural and economic barriers. What has united them? The pure worship of Jehovah God.—Zephaniah 3:9.
That is the way it should be among Christ’s true followers, for what did the apostle Paul write to the Corinthians at 1 Corinthians 1:10? That ‘there should not be any divisions among them, but that they should all speak in agreement and that they should be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.’ Likewise at Philippians 3:15, 16 he counsels that mature ones be of the same mental attitude. And should not unity mark Christ’s true followers in view of his statement that by their love for one another all true Christians would be identified? Certainly, love makes for unity.—John 13:34, 35.
In fact this unity was foretold at Isaiah 52:8, in these words: “Listen! Your own watchmen have raised their voice. In unison they keep crying out joyfully; for it will be eye into eye that they will see when Jehovah gathers back Zion.” The physical facts show that the gathering back of Zion began in 1919.
It is by no means an easy thing to keep this unity. This is because of the Devil’s great anger, knowing he has a short period of time, and also because of the deteriorating of all religious and human values in our day. (Revelation 12:9, 12) The spiritual food that will be served at this year’s conventions will certainly strengthen the determination of all of Jehovah’s servants to minimize human weaknesses, shortcomings and imperfections in the interest of Jehovah God’s name and work. This fine convention program will begin on Thursday afternoon and last through Sunday afternoon. It will be most timely and upbuilding, and without a doubt all will leave this convention better equipped to serve Jehovah God in unity with their brothers and with a strong determination to do so.