Kingdom Proclaimers Report
The Good News Prospers in Cyprus Despite Opposition
THE apostle Paul preached the good news of the Kingdom in Cyprus. (Acts 13:4-12) That was in 47-48 C.E. Today, the good news is being preached in this beautiful island by 1,154 Jehovah’s Witnesses, and in April of this year, 2,570 attended the Memorial service, which shows that there are many honesthearted and God-fearing persons in the island. But while many of the people welcome the peaceful Bible message presented by Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Greek Orthodox clergy, just like the Jewish clergy in Jesus’ day, oppose the work. (John 15:20) The Cyprus branch office writes: “As never before, the Greek Orthodox Church is showing its determination to disturb our preaching activity.” Then the report describes how the clergy harass the brothers in their house-to-house ministry and try to provoke them so as to get them involved in an argument. They then accuse them of causing a disturbance, but the brothers refuse to be provoked and walk away.
Indeed, the clergy opposition often backfires, as the following experience shows: “A few months ago, a woman started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, and recently her husband joined in. Then a theologian visited this couple, hoping to convince them to give up their Bible study. The theologian tried to explain the Trinity to them. After a while the husband interrupted and said: ‘I don’t understand how Jesus, now in heaven in a physical body, as you claim, could at the same time be one with God who is in spirit form.’ The theologian’s reply was: ‘Well, you don’t have to understand everything.’ The interested person said: ‘But I understand that Jesus is the Son of God and not God himself. I don’t want to hear any more about the Trinity.’ At this the theologian stood up and angrily said: ‘You are too advanced with your Bible study. You can’t change.’”
Now the wife is attending all the meetings and was baptized at the “Trust in Jehovah” District Convention. The husband continues his study and is attending some meetings.
“Thus, despite their efforts, the clergy are not achieving their goal,” states the report from the Cyprus branch office. “Rather, what we observe is that more interested persons are now attending meetings than before. At the same time, the brothers are more determined to bring the good news to honesthearted ones.” Jehovah is backing his loyal ones as he promised he would at Jeremiah 1:19: “They will be certain to fight against you, but they will not prevail against you, for ‘I am with you,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘to deliver you.’”