Family Worship ideas

[Tortuga]

I used the WTLib, the Research Guide, another thread on JWTalk and some of my ideas to make a list of things to do for Family Worship. I tried to categorize it but there may be some duplicates. I would like to create a list that I can share with the congregation so please add your ideas!

 

 Bible:

•      Review the revised Bible appendix

•      Read a portion of the weekly Bible reading together. If the material lends itself to doing so, one person can read the narration, and others can read the words of the different characters.

•      Reenact a portion of the Bible reading.

•      Assign each member of the family to read the designated Bible chapters in advance and to make note of one or two questions that he has on the material. Then research everyone’s questions together.

•      Each week prepare a flash card with a Bible verse on it and try to memorize and explain it. Build up a collection of cards, and review them weekly to see how many scriptures you remember.

•      Listen to an audio recording of the Bible reading while following along in the Bible.

 

Review Publications (take turns picking chapters or subjects):

•      Imitate Their Faith

•      Gods Kingdom Rules

•      Bible Story book

•      Greatest Man book

•      Current Yearbook

•      New Releases

•      BE book study points

•      See the Good Land maps

•      Research Guide

•      Organized to do Jehovah’s Will

 

Meetings:

•      Prepare together for a portion of the meetings.

•      Practice the Kingdom songs scheduled for the coming week.

•      Practice the new Kingdom songs as they are released

•      If someone has a talk on the Theocratic Ministry School or a demonstration on the Service Meeting, discuss ideas for presenting it or rehearse it in front of the family.

·         Prepare the TMS Review together

·         Review any meeting material missed due to Circuit Overseer visit or Conventions.

·         Prepare for the Memorial.

 

Ministry:

•      Have practice sessions to prepare presentations for the weekend.

•      Discuss realistic goals the family can set to expand their share in the ministry during the Memorial season or vacation time.

•      Discuss how at least one member in the family can increase their ministry by pioneering.

•      Allow each family member a few minutes to research how to answer different questions that may arise in the ministry, and then have practice sessions.

•      Review the Reasoning Book – Conversation Stoppers

•      Review points in the Pioneer book.

•      Review the tracts and how to use them.

•      Use the JWLanguage app to learn phrases you may need in the territory.

 

Organizational matters:

•      Review the history of the local congregation. When and how was it formed? Which different Kingdom Halls did the congregation use? For this discussion, why not invite a longtime member of the congregation to your home to answer your children’s questions?

•      Explain the purpose of the various congregation meetings and larger gatherings and how the children can benefit from them.

•      Consider the purpose of the different schools established by Jehovah’s organization. Share experiences that show the good fruits that the graduates of these schools have been producing.

•      Help young ones to see the importance of becoming regular publishers of the good news. Show them how they can contribute to the worldwide report published in the Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

•      Consider the different forms of full-time service available to young people in Jehovah’s organization. Chapter 10 of the book Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will is a good source of information.

•      Help young ones to understand why certain procedures are followed in the congregation. Explain why they should not act independently of Jehovah’s organization, even in small ways. Show them how they can contribute to good order in the congregation by following the direction of the elders.

•      Review the “From Our Archives” series in the WT.

 

JW.ORG

•      Review the videos you can use in service

•      Review the electronic version of the current offer and any additional information on it on the web site

•      Do the Family Worship projects together

•      Practice how you can use JW.ORG in the ministry

 

JW Broadcasting:

•      Watch the monthly broadcast

•      Watch a movie

•      Watch Morning Worship

•      Watch Construction Updates

•      Watch Experiences & Interviews

•      Watch or listen to a drama

 

For families with teens:

•      Read and discuss Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work.

•      Practice “What if . . . ?” situations. (See The Watchtower of May 15, 1996, page 14, paragraphs 17-18.)

•      Talk about long-term and short-term goals.

•      From time to time, watch and discuss a Bible-based video.

•      Consider the Watchtower feature “For Young People.”

•      Consider material from the Young People Ask or Learn From the Great Teacher books.

•      Have a practice session where the parents and children reverse roles. The children research a subject and then reason with the parents.

•      Have a practice session on how to handle a situation that is likely to arise at school.

·     A coach asks your daughter to join the school team.

·     Your son is offered a cigarette on the way home from school.

·     Some boys threaten to beat up your son if they see him preaching again.

·     While your daughter is working from door to door in field service, she encounters a schoolmate.

·     In front of the class, your daughter is asked why she does not salute the flag.

·    A boy constantly ridicules your son for being a Witness.

 

For families with young children:

•      Dramatize Bible scenes.

•      Play memory games, such as those on pages 30 and 31 of Awake!

•      Occasionally, do something imaginative. (See “Studying the Bible—In the Zoo!” in Awake! of March 8, 1996, pages 16-19.)

•      Consider the Watchtower feature “Teach Your Children.”

•      Reenact a Bible drama

•      Demonstrate how you would preach to someone just resurrected.

 

For couples with no children:

•      Discuss chapters 1, 3, 11-16 of the book The Secret of Family Happiness.

•      Share the results of research on points from Bible reading.

•      Prepare for the Congregation Bible Study or the Watchtower Study.

•      Discuss ways to expand your ministry as a couple.

 

For single brothers and sisters or for those in religiously divided households:

•      Study new publications received at district conventions.

•      Read current and past Yearbooks.

•      Do research on questions common in your local territory.

•      Prepare presentations for the field ministry

 

Additional Suggestions:

•      Read together an article from the current magazines.

•      Have each family member read in advance an article that intrigues him from the current magazines, and then have him give a report on it.

•      Occasionally invite a publisher or couple to join you for your Family Worship evening, and perhaps interview them.

•      Watch and discuss one of our videos.

•      Discuss together “Young People Ask” or “For Family Review” from Awake!

•      Discuss together “Teach Your Children” or “For Young People” from The Watchtower.

•      Read and discuss a portion of the current Yearbook or a release from the last district convention.

•      Before a convention, review the program and look up the scriptures.

•      After attending a convention or assembly, review the highlights.

•      Observe Jehovah’s creation firsthand, and discuss what it teaches us about Jehovah.

•      Work on a project together, such as a model, a map, or a chart.

•      Discuss holidays and their meaning

•      Review the DPA and AHCD for each member of the family

•      Review the family Emergency Plan and kits

•      Create Theocratic puzzles

•      Review the Beliefs Clarified on WOL.

 

Experiences:

Young ones enjoy doing things that they do well. Rehearsing presentations and thinking of ways to handle objections will help them to become more confident as they engage in various forms of the Kingdom-preaching work.—2 Tim. 2:15.

You can also have practice sessions that will help your children deal with peer pressure. Chapter 15 of the book Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Volume 2, can be used as a basis for family discussion. The “Peer-Pressure Planner” on pages 132 and 133 provides suggestions and also allows opportunities for your child to create responses that he or she feels comfortable with. A statement at the bottom of page 133 encourages youths: “Rehearse your responses with a parent or a mature friend.” From time to time, why not make such rehearsals part of your Family Worship evening?

Family worship provides opportunity for parents to emphasize the benefits of having spiritual goals. In this regard, Young People Ask, Volume 2, has excellent information in chapter 38, entitled “What Will I Do With My Life?” While discussing the chapter, help your child to appreciate that centering one’s life on serving Jehovah is the best course to follow. Cultivate in your child’s heart the desire to pioneer, serve at Bethel, attend the Ministerial Training School, or pursue some other form of full-time service.

There are features in The Watchtower and Awake! that provide an excellent basis for family discussion. For example, you might use the feature on page 31 of each Awake! magazine, entitled “How Would You Answer?” In every other issue, the public edition of The Watchtower contains the study project “For Our Young People.” These projects alternate with a series for younger boys and girls entitled “Teach Your Children.”

Articles in the “Young People Ask” series in Awake! will be of particular interest to parents of adolescents, as will the book Young People Ask, Volume 2. When using that book, do not overlook the box “What Do You Think?” at the end of each chapter. That box is more than a review. The questions in that box can be used as an outline for family discussion.

 

 “When studying with our young daughters, my husband and I went over the material to prepare for a congregation meeting and then we had our girls draw a picture that summarized the lesson. At times, we reenacted Bible scenes or had practice sessions for field service presentations. We kept the study appropriate for their age, interesting, positive, and fun.”—J.M., United States.

 

“To help the son of my Bible student appreciate what it was like to use a scroll in Bible times, we printed out the book of Isaiah after deleting the chapter and verse numbers. We joined the pages and attached each end to a tube. The boy then tried to do what Jesus did at the synagogue in Nazareth. The account at Luke 4:16-21 relates that Jesus ‘opened the scroll [of Isaiah] and found’ the passage for which he was looking. (Isa. 61:1, 2) However, when the boy tried to do the same, he found it hard to locate Isaiah 61 using that long scroll with no chapter and verse numbers. Impressed by Jesus’ skill in handling scrolls, the boy exclaimed: ‘Jesus was awesome!’”—Y.T., Japan.

 

References from RSG14 pp. 87-88 - Family Life:

Use Our Web Site to Teach Your Children Kingdom Ministry, 10/2013

What Is Family Worship? Jehovah’s Will, lesson 10

Keys to Family Happiness: Cultivate Spirituality as a Couple The Watchtower, 11/1/2011

Ideas for Family Worship and Personal Study The Watchtower, 8/15/2011

Christian Families—“Keep Ready” (§ Maintain a Family Worship Evening) The Watchtower, 5/15/2011

You Have Cause for Rejoicing The Watchtower, 3/15/2011

Help for Families Kingdom Ministry, 1/2011

What Would Your Child Say? The Watchtower, 12/15/2010

Help Young Ones to Become Familiar With Jehovah’s Organization (Box: Subjects to Consider During Family Worship) The Watchtower, 10/15/2010

Find Refreshment in Spiritual Things (§ Family Worship Refreshes) The Watchtower, 6/15/2010

Help Your Children to Meet Their Many Challenges (§ Why Practice Sessions Are So Valuable) The Watchtower, 1/15/2010

❐ The Watchtower, 10/15/2009

Family Worship—Vital for Survival!

Have You Set Aside Time for Bible Study?

Cooperation Promotes Spiritual Progress The Watchtower, 7/15/2009

Personal and Family Bible Study Are Vital! Kingdom Ministry, 10/2008

 

 

[MizPeg]

I used the WTLib, the Research Guide, another thread on JWTalk and some of my ideas to make a list of things to do for Family Worship. I tried to categorize it but there may be some duplicates. I would like to create a list that I can share with the congregation so please add your ideas!

 

 Bible:

•      Review the revised Bible appendix

•      Read a portion of the weekly Bible reading together. If the material lends itself to doing so, one person can read the narration, and others can read the words of the different characters.

•      Reenact a portion of the Bible reading.

•      Assign each member of the family to read the designated Bible chapters in advance and to make note of one or two questions that he has on the material. Then research everyone’s questions together.

•      Each week prepare a flash card with a Bible verse on it and try to memorize and explain it. Build up a collection of cards, and review them weekly to see how many scriptures you remember.

•      Listen to an audio recording of the Bible reading while following along in the Bible.

 

Review Publications (take turns picking chapters or subjects):

•      Imitate Their Faith

•      Gods Kingdom Rules

•      Bible Story book

•      Greatest Man book

•      Current Yearbook

•      New Releases

•      BE book study points

•      See the Good Land maps

•      Research Guide

•      Organized to do Jehovah’s Will

 

Meetings:

•      Prepare together for a portion of the meetings.

•      Practice the Kingdom songs scheduled for the coming week.

•      Practice the new Kingdom songs as they are released

•      If someone has a talk on the Theocratic Ministry School or a demonstration on the Service Meeting, discuss ideas for presenting it or rehearse it in front of the family.

·         Prepare the TMS Review together

·         Review any meeting material missed due to Circuit Overseer visit or Conventions.

·         Prepare for the Memorial.

 

Ministry:

•      Have practice sessions to prepare presentations for the weekend.

•      Discuss realistic goals the family can set to expand their share in the ministry during the Memorial season or vacation time.

•      Discuss how at least one member in the family can increase their ministry by pioneering.

•      Allow each family member a few minutes to research how to answer different questions that may arise in the ministry, and then have practice sessions.

•      Review the Reasoning Book – Conversation Stoppers

•      Review points in the Pioneer book.

•      Review the tracts and how to use them.

•      Use the JWLanguage app to learn phrases you may need in the territory.

 

Organizational matters:

•      Review the history of the local congregation. When and how was it formed? Which different Kingdom Halls did the congregation use? For this discussion, why not invite a longtime member of the congregation to your home to answer your children’s questions?

•      Explain the purpose of the various congregation meetings and larger gatherings and how the children can benefit from them.

•      Consider the purpose of the different schools established by Jehovah’s organization. Share experiences that show the good fruits that the graduates of these schools have been producing.

•      Help young ones to see the importance of becoming regular publishers of the good news. Show them how they can contribute to the worldwide report published in the Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

•      Consider the different forms of full-time service available to young people in Jehovah’s organization. Chapter 10 of the book Organized to Do Jehovah’s Will is a good source of information.

•      Help young ones to understand why certain procedures are followed in the congregation. Explain why they should not act independently of Jehovah’s organization, even in small ways. Show them how they can contribute to good order in the congregation by following the direction of the elders.

•      Review the “From Our Archives” series in the WT.

 

JW.ORG

•      Review the videos you can use in service

•      Review the electronic version of the current offer and any additional information on it on the web site

•      Do the Family Worship projects together

•      Practice how you can use JW.ORG in the ministry

 

JW Broadcasting:

•      Watch the monthly broadcast

•      Watch a movie

•      Watch Morning Worship

•      Watch Construction Updates

•      Watch Experiences & Interviews

•      Watch or listen to a drama

 

For families with teens:

•      Read and discuss Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work.

•      Practice “What if . . . ?” situations. (See The Watchtower of May 15, 1996, page 14, paragraphs 17-18.)

•      Talk about long-term and short-term goals.

•      From time to time, watch and discuss a Bible-based video.

•      Consider the Watchtower feature “For Young People.”

•      Consider material from the Young People Ask or Learn From the Great Teacher books.

•      Have a practice session where the parents and children reverse roles. The children research a subject and then reason with the parents.

•      Have a practice session on how to handle a situation that is likely to arise at school.

·     A coach asks your daughter to join the school team.

·     Your son is offered a cigarette on the way home from school.

·     Some boys threaten to beat up your son if they see him preaching again.

·     While your daughter is working from door to door in field service, she encounters a schoolmate.

·     In front of the class, your daughter is asked why she does not salute the flag.

·    A boy constantly ridicules your son for being a Witness.

 

For families with young children:

•      Dramatize Bible scenes.

•      Play memory games, such as those on pages 30 and 31 of Awake!

•      Occasionally, do something imaginative. (See “Studying the Bible—In the Zoo!” in Awake! of March 8, 1996, pages 16-19.)

•      Consider the Watchtower feature “Teach Your Children.”

•      Reenact a Bible drama

•      Demonstrate how you would preach to someone just resurrected.

 

For couples with no children:

•      Discuss chapters 1, 3, 11-16 of the book The Secret of Family Happiness.

•      Share the results of research on points from Bible reading.

•      Prepare for the Congregation Bible Study or the Watchtower Study.

•      Discuss ways to expand your ministry as a couple.

 

For single brothers and sisters or for those in religiously divided households:

•      Study new publications received at district conventions.

•      Read current and past Yearbooks.

•      Do research on questions common in your local territory.

•      Prepare presentations for the field ministry

 

Additional Suggestions:

•      Read together an article from the current magazines.

•      Have each family member read in advance an article that intrigues him from the current magazines, and then have him give a report on it.

•      Occasionally invite a publisher or couple to join you for your Family Worship evening, and perhaps interview them.

•      Watch and discuss one of our videos.

•      Discuss together “Young People Ask” or “For Family Review” from Awake!

•      Discuss together “Teach Your Children” or “For Young People” from The Watchtower.

•      Read and discuss a portion of the current Yearbook or a release from the last district convention.

•      Before a convention, review the program and look up the scriptures.

•      After attending a convention or assembly, review the highlights.

•      Observe Jehovah’s creation firsthand, and discuss what it teaches us about Jehovah.

•      Work on a project together, such as a model, a map, or a chart.

•      Discuss holidays and their meaning

•      Review the DPA and AHCD for each member of the family

•      Review the family Emergency Plan and kits

•      Create Theocratic puzzles

•      Review the Beliefs Clarified on WOL.

 

Experiences:

Young ones enjoy doing things that they do well. Rehearsing presentations and thinking of ways to handle objections will help them to become more confident as they engage in various forms of the Kingdom-preaching work.—2 Tim. 2:15.

You can also have practice sessions that will help your children deal with peer pressure. Chapter 15 of the book Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Volume 2, can be used as a basis for family discussion. The “Peer-Pressure Planner” on pages 132 and 133 provides suggestions and also allows opportunities for your child to create responses that he or she feels comfortable with. A statement at the bottom of page 133 encourages youths: “Rehearse your responses with a parent or a mature friend.” From time to time, why not make such rehearsals part of your Family Worship evening?

Family worship provides opportunity for parents to emphasize the benefits of having spiritual goals. In this regard, Young People Ask, Volume 2, has excellent information in chapter 38, entitled “What Will I Do With My Life?” While discussing the chapter, help your child to appreciate that centering one’s life on serving Jehovah is the best course to follow. Cultivate in your child’s heart the desire to pioneer, serve at Bethel, attend the Ministerial Training School, or pursue some other form of full-time service.

There are features in The Watchtower and Awake! that provide an excellent basis for family discussion. For example, you might use the feature on page 31 of each Awake! magazine, entitled “How Would You Answer?” In every other issue, the public edition of The Watchtower contains the study project “For Our Young People.” These projects alternate with a series for younger boys and girls entitled “Teach Your Children.”

Articles in the “Young People Ask” series in Awake! will be of particular interest to parents of adolescents, as will the book Young People Ask, Volume 2. When using that book, do not overlook the box “What Do You Think?” at the end of each chapter. That box is more than a review. The questions in that box can be used as an outline for family discussion.

 

 “When studying with our young daughters, my husband and I went over the material to prepare for a congregation meeting and then we had our girls draw a picture that summarized the lesson. At times, we reenacted Bible scenes or had practice sessions for field service presentations. We kept the study appropriate for their age, interesting, positive, and fun.”—J.M., United States.

 

“To help the son of my Bible student appreciate what it was like to use a scroll in Bible times, we printed out the book of Isaiah after deleting the chapter and verse numbers. We joined the pages and attached each end to a tube. The boy then tried to do what Jesus did at the synagogue in Nazareth. The account at Luke 4:16-21 relates that Jesus ‘opened the scroll [of Isaiah] and found’ the passage for which he was looking. (Isa. 61:1, 2) However, when the boy tried to do the same, he found it hard to locate Isaiah 61 using that long scroll with no chapter and verse numbers. Impressed by Jesus’ skill in handling scrolls, the boy exclaimed: ‘Jesus was awesome!’”—Y.T., Japan.

 

References from RSG14 pp. 87-88 - Family Life:

Use Our Web Site to Teach Your Children Kingdom Ministry, 10/2013

What Is Family Worship? Jehovah’s Will, lesson 10

Keys to Family Happiness: Cultivate Spirituality as a Couple The Watchtower, 11/1/2011

Ideas for Family Worship and Personal Study The Watchtower, 8/15/2011

Christian Families—“Keep Ready” (§ Maintain a Family Worship Evening) The Watchtower, 5/15/2011

You Have Cause for Rejoicing The Watchtower, 3/15/2011

Help for Families Kingdom Ministry, 1/2011

What Would Your Child Say? The Watchtower, 12/15/2010

Help Young Ones to Become Familiar With Jehovah’s Organization (Box: Subjects to Consider During Family Worship) The Watchtower, 10/15/2010

Find Refreshment in Spiritual Things (§ Family Worship Refreshes) The Watchtower, 6/15/2010

Help Your Children to Meet Their Many Challenges (§ Why Practice Sessions Are So Valuable) The Watchtower, 1/15/2010

❐ The Watchtower, 10/15/2009

Family Worship—Vital for Survival!

Have You Set Aside Time for Bible Study?

Cooperation Promotes Spiritual Progress The Watchtower, 7/15/2009

Personal and Family Bible Study Are Vital! Kingdom Ministry, 10/2008

YOU LEFT OUT SNACK TIME!!!!!!!!

[Jessa]

This is wonderful! Thank you very much!

[sonya.3loves]

Such a wonderful list of ideas! I have several I need to try on here.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-P907A using Tapatalk

[QCJLo]

We play a game of Family Feud.  We invite various families in the congregation to play.  It is all explained and discussed here: http://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/21759-family-worship-night-family-feud/#entry310577

 

I welcome more categories of anyone has more ideas.  When I get the time, I will post all of my categories with the answers we've come up with.

[Tortuga]

I love the way the new video on Family Worship didn't just offer suggestions or ideas for Family Worship, it demonstrated them.

 

What ideas for Family Worship did you see in the video?

 

What new ideas do you have since you have seen the video?

[madison]

The cups with books of the bible was a great idea. I'm going to watch it again and take notes I think.

We want to go to our local park and measure how big Noah's ark would have been. After the meeting the other night we want to make better use of the illustrated bible stories. We use the bible story book and draw what we just read and talked about or if the story is in the picture activities I'll print it and we'll use that.

[Tortuga]

Here is another Family Worship idea to add to the list.

 

Review all of the questions posed on JW.Org > About Us > Frequently Asked Questions.

 

There are a lot of great questions that we should stay familiar with.

 

http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/

Edited August 8, 2015 by Tortuga

[Dustparticle]

 Genesis 1:21, says God created sea creatures or sea monsters. So how can I fit this into my family worship? How about making a model of a city like New York, and have a rope hanged over it and a chair right beside the model too. Then I put on a costume of Godzilla and get on the chair and jump on the rope and swing over the city  and land on it and tear it apart. Now that would be a perfect family worship!!!

[Tortuga]

 Genesis 1:21, says God created sea creatures or sea monsters. So how can I fit this into my family worship? How about making a model of a city like New York, and have a rope hanged over it and a chair right beside the model too. Then I put on a costume of Godzilla and get on the chair and jump on the rope and swing over the city  and land on it and tear it apart. Now that would be a perfect family worship!!!

 

I want to see the pictures of you doing that...

[Dustparticle]

I want to see the pictures of you doing that...

I think a video it would do better.

[Chris7]

One brother suggested: Take children to the zoo to observe creation & what it teaches us about Jehovah. Why did he create the butterflies multicoloured? What animal would you love the most in the paradise? Can you imagine what it will be like to get even closer to the tiger to stroke it. Could you imagine David facing that bear with just a sling. Focus your day out on spiritual things & really enjoy.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Chris7

[GrumpysWife]

At our KH the children all went to a brothers home that had a huge backyard. They were all given tape measures and worked out how big the ark would be. Then they had snacks and drinks. It was lots of fun for them, even the teens.

[Tortuga]

At our KH the children all went to a brothers home that had a huge backyard. They were all given tape measures and worked out how big the ark would be. Then they had snacks and drinks. It was lots of fun for them, even the teens.

 

Did he have them cut the grass in the shape of the ark? Might as well get the lawn mowed...

[Elijahsmama]

We went to a park last night and plotted out the ark. We had balloons marking the corners at 45 feet high. We weren't counting on pee wee football to take the flat spots in the park so our ark was a bilevel. since we used a couple baseball fields instead. It was fun and will do it again. Would like to include all the kids in the hall. Even with my family and a couple extra people it was fun and really brought life to the Ark. My husband a lots interesting facts and of course we had snacks. My son, however, didn't quite completely get the idea that family worship was outside at his favorite park. He is six. However, that just reinforced to my husband that we do need to switch it up and help make meaningful connections to the bible and that sitting in our living room isn't the best way all of the time.

Another however... I am afraid of his next field trip. To find a lake in our area similar to the Sea of Galilee and see what it would be like for Jesus being followed by the crowds. It may just be an excuse to put his new rowboat in the water. ;)

[outwalkin]

Another however... I am afraid of his next field trip. To find a lake in our area similar to the Sea of Galilee and see what it would be like for Jesus being followed by the crowds. It may just be an excuse to put his new rowboat in the water. ;)

 

In New England, Sebago Lake in Maine would be of similar size.

[Luezette]

Since I'm single I call it "Personal Study."

So yesterday I looked up some ideas for personal study for single ones, and there were a couple of fine ones.

Two especially caught my attention because of a couple of issues I have concerning the ministry. One was (actually both interlock) learn how to answer different questions that people ask in the ministry. The other was prepare some ideas of what to say to people in the ministry. There was more of course such as study (note: study not merely read) new publications, and read the yearbook including yearbooks of other years.

Now the new publications/yearbook suggestion may be a problem for me. And it's because I tired easy, so once I'm home from service/appts, etc, all I really want to do is just go to bed. So I've decided to have two personal study times. One for the publications, one for the ministry ideas or whatever else I choose. Preparing for the meetings? Well, I figured some of that can be done while my home attendant is here, while at doctor appointments, while on public transportation. Bible reading? That's an easy one: once I get in bed. I love it! It's relaxing.

Edited August 27, 2015 by Luezette

[feather]

 

  as a single, i too refer to it as personal study & research nite

  ... family worship with no family feels lonely

 

  been making it a point to include the accompanying articles in our study edition WT into my personal study nite,

      such as the one in this month's mag on endurance http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015448

 

  and this one few months ago on zeal in our ministry: http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015123

 

  no doubt will enjoy this one from next months WT 'Does it matter who notices your work?': http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20150715/bezalel-oholiab-work/

 

    these supplemental articles are indeed 'food at the proper time'

 

     

[Tortuga]

Another however... I am afraid of his next field trip. To find a lake in our area similar to the Sea of Galilee and see what it would be like for Jesus being followed by the crowds. It may just be an excuse to put his new rowboat in the water. ;)

 

You could suggest that he demonstrate how Peter lost faith while walking on water. He should be able to demonstrate sinking...   

[Sheep]

Since I'm single I call it "Personal Study."

. . .

 

  as a single, i too refer to it as personal study & research nite

  ... family worship with no family feels lonely

 

  . . .

 

The branch office referred to it simply as our "Worship Evening" in a letter I got from them once. There's no family necessary, and the thought of worship is still there.

 

For my "Worship Evening," we have four of us brothers who get together every week. Among us, we have come up with some very enjoyable study ideas, some of which stretch out over several weeks.

 

In one, we went through each of the nine qualities comprising the fruitage of the spirit, one each week. All of us would do our own research on the week's quality, and when we got together we would share some of the gems we each found on that quality. (This goes back to before we had the video "These Words... Must Be On Your Heart.")

 

In another a couple of years ago, one of us had problems understanding the study articles with the new understanding of the Faithful and Discreet Slave. We all studied the articles together, taking our time looking up all the scriptures and references, and discussing everything in detail. It took more than two months to get through them all, but we all had a good understanding of it once the articles came up in the Watchtower Study.

 

We took several weeks going through the entire section of the revised Bible "Glossary of Bible Terms."

 

We are currently going through the "Appendix A" section of the revised Bible.

 

Once in a while we just get lazy and study a non-study article in the current study edition of the Watchtower.

[ReadYourBible]

Since I am alone in my worship to Jehovah my comment was on how many family worship consisted of just Me, Jehovah and the angels.  During this time I consider portions of the bible, I am still working on a line by line examination of the bible and my thoughts and comments on the wording in it and the links pertaining to increased understanding.  

 

This is not a month long study, it is one which will last me the rest of my life.  I am writing the words of the bible in my own hand like the kings of old.

 

Here is an excerpt of what I have: 

 

It is said to acquire wisdom and discernment that one must give diligent attention to studying the scriptures and mining them as a worker would a mine searching for precious gems.

 

I have always struggled greatly with my bible reading, but had the thought that as the Kings of old did, that I would copy the valuable words of Jehovah with my word processing program and insert my thoughts on those scriptures.

 

Not to add or take anything away, but to really understand this beautiful gift which can render its user wise to face all trials.  May my heart meditate deeply on each of these scriptures, so as to acquire your wisdom Father, and your discernment.

 

Joshua 1:8

⁸  This book of the Law should not depart from your mouth[K1] , and you must read it in an undertone day and night, in order to observe carefully all that is written in it; for then your way will be successful and then you will act wisely.

 

Psalms 1:1-3

1         Happy is the man who does not walk according to the advice of the wicked[K2] 

And does not stand on the path of sinners

And does not sit in the seat of scoffers[K3] . 

2       But his delight is in the law of Jehovah,

And he reads His law in an undertone day and night[K4] .

3       He will be like a tree planted by streams of water,

A tree that produces fruit in its season,

The foliage of which does not wither, And everything he does will succeed.

 

It is with this in mind that I embark on this task. I do not know how long this will take, as the task isn’t a mere copying of scripture, but the focus itself on meditating and waiting on Jehovah to clarify my understanding by means of his holy spirit. (and of course research)

 

May your spirit guide me, instruct me in your ways Jehovah and help me to acquire all the wisdom that is contained within this fine book.

I am using the NWT’s most recent edition as the focus of this task.  (2013)

 

The bible contains 66 books. 

 

Our faithful and discreet slave has so kindly included a table which breaks down the books of the bible, their writer and the time in which it was written, as well as the most probable location.

 

I start with the book of Genesis, which was written in 1513 B.C.E. by Moses in the Wilderness[K5] .

 

 

 

 [K1]What does this phrase mean? I think it means you should never forget it.  In searching this scripture – the following article came up: http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013283

 

Receive Full Benefit From Reading the Bible

“I really delight in the law of God.”—ROM. 7:22.

 

Points to take away from article:

 

1.       Read & Reflect – Linger in Jehovah’s word

2.       Strive for Understanding

3.       Use what you learn to help others

4.       Sure protection – reading your bible daily promotes a strong faith in Jehovah

5.       YOUR key to survival

 

A soldier’s heart needs protection from the enemy. Similarly, a Christian’s figurative heart requires shielding from the power of sin.

 

What happens when a servant of Jehovah couples strong faith in God’s promises with love for Him and for fellow humans? Such a servant puts on a spiritual breastplate of the highest quality. It is unlikely that he will do anything to lose God’s favor.

 

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/lv/r1/lp-e/0/13993

 

Do you allow God to speak to you everyday.

 

Jehovah I’m afraid. 

 

 “If I repeatedly pray to God during the day and expect him to hear me, why shouldn’t I also listen to God by reading his Word every day?

If we want to be a good friend, why would we do all the talking?” He has a point.

Reading the Bible is just like listening to God because we thereby get his viewpoint on matters.

Schedule Bible reading into your daily routine.

Have a specific goal in mind.

 [K2]How might one walk according to the advice of the wicked?

 

It seems to me that our advice needs to come from the wisdom and discernment we've acquired from Jehovah.  Our advice from these scriptures

 

 [K3]Sitting in the seat of scoffers suggests to me that one may not have the proper humility necessary when examining the scriptures. Rather than see Jehovah’s laws as what they are, a scoffer would treat them lightly and deride those who have a respect for God’s thoughts contained within..

 [K4]I know from the FDS literature that this reading in an undertone day and night is not a literal thing (though one may read at any time J) It is in this vein that I began this examination, I want to meditate more fully and find that the distractions of anxiety and daily life lead me to not cherish these beautiful words as I should. 

 

May I be as the 3^rd verse describes, someone whose live is like that of a tree which grows by streams of water (I am reminded of the thicket of willows alongside a stream) may my foliage be luxuriant, and may Jehovah bless my efforts to draw ever closer to him.

 [K5]Discover if this was written at the time when the Israelites wandered the wilderness for 40 years as a result of their hard heartedness.

Edited August 29, 2015 by cerebral ecstasy

[JudyO]

" I am still working on a line by line examination of the bible and my thoughts and comments on the wording in it and the links pertaining to increased understanding."

 

Last year, while driving back and forth to work, I was listening to the NWT on CD (not the revised)...and I got this idea as well.

It's one thing to read the lines, but listening to the words opened up all kinds of questions and new ideas in my mind.

 

It's a project I have not followed through with, though. You have renewed my interest in working on it.

[Skye]

The world will know the importance of the JW's Family Worship night....and that no subject is too 'deep' for our young ones to understand.

http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/how-channel-super-human-you?video_id=4478508873001

[vern]

That's ambitious to write the entire bible.  I've often wondered to do that or not.  But in fairness i'm sure what the kings were writing was little less then what we have today  8}.   But what i have done is read the bible in several different ways; one being obvious; in chronological order;  That's really neat when you come to the christian Greek scriptures and see the progression of how Paul would say he didn't have a the idea of the reward yet but then later he had the confidence.  the one i'm doing a second time which i enjoy is reading the bible out loud.  Its far different experience to read the bible out loud because your trying to read the tone of how things were read.  When you read with your brain silently your more intellectual and reflective;  but when you read your more concerned with the emotional heart tone of how you read.   Its neat to notice that the organization is making progress in getting the right tone to the scriptures in how we read it.

[Good-O]

To Sharon @ post #21, without copying the entire comment, I want to say what a project you have started!  I have wanted to do the same.  Our instructor in pioneer school a few years ago, said this is how he studies the Bible, for his own benefit.  He said his project has gone on for several years and will continue for a few years but that it is so worth it to him.  I will try to do the same.  It seemed to overwhelm me when I considered it but the more  I think about it, the more I want to do it.  Enjoy your project and I will do the same.  Thank you for the suggestions and the encouragement.