Bible Discourse

The first meeting most people attend is a Bible discourse designed for the public, which is normally held on the weekend. Jesus Christ often gave public discourses​—among them the famous Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5:1; 7:28, 29) The apostle Paul spoke to the men of Athens. (Acts 17:22-34) Following that pattern, meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses feature a discourse especially designed for the general public, some of whom may be attending a meeting for the first time.

The meeting begins with a song from the book Sing Praises to Jehovah.a All who wish to stand and join in singing the song are welcome to do so. After a brief prayer, a qualified speaker delivers a 30-minute discourse. (See box “Practical Discourses for the Public.”) His talk is solidly based on the Bible. The speaker frequently invites the audience to look up pertinent scriptures and to follow along as the verses are read. Therefore, you may wish to bring along your own copy of the Bible, or you may ask one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for a copy of the Bible before the meeting.