Our Christian Life and Ministry - January 2020

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

What’s different? The part about the cleansing of the temple?

The Question from Readers Nov 2014 WT gives the new (and current (I hope)) understanding.

 

Just Older

 

 

[Luigi62]

Hopefully be able to download it this week. 🤞

[pholmes38]

Ours were at the hall yesterday but literature servants hadn't checked in the delivery

[jwhess]

3 hours ago, pholmes38 said:

Ours were at the hall yesterday but literature servants hadn't checked in the delivery

Br. Paul, I have received shipping notice of our Jan Workbooks (but they haven't arrived yet).

 

 

[pholmes38]

I might get one Sunday if the literature is handed out. 

 

[Tbs77]

If you use the WT library on dvd, since this year's (2019) schedule was released late last year, its been known that we finish Revelation at the end of December, and logically we would start Genesis in January 

And as it has been mentioned we are only covering the Pentateuch for all of 2020...
See Examining the Scriptures Daily Bible Reading
“Our Christian Life and Ministry Bible Reading Schedule for 2020”

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

And as it has been mentioned we are only covering the Pentateuch for all of 2020...
See Examining the Scriptures Daily Bible Reading
“Our Christian Life and Ministry Bible Reading Schedule for 2020”

Thanks for the tip. I downloaded the 2020 yb... Gen to Lev 17

Just Older

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

I compared this to our last cong reading schedule in the 2014 km. We will be moving at a much slower pace in 2020. Only 2 or 3 chapters at a time.
In 2014 we finished the Pentatuch in 11 months. In Dec 2020 we are only half way through Lev... reminds me of our Gospel reading... that was only 2 chapters pw, but with a big emphasis on researching the study notes... hmmm ... study notes coming?

Just Older

[Luigi62]

Oh where art thou work book?

[jwhess]

The focus is switching to leaving literature at the doors.  The back page of the January MWB sets the tone.

 

[jayrtom]

10 hours ago, jwhess said:

The focus is switching to leaving literature at the doors.  The back page of the January MWB sets the tone.

 

I don't see a switching in focus... Just pointing out that, continuing with the focus we are having from 2018, doesn't mean we should stop using tracts altogether! (perhaps some have been doing exactly that)

 

[jwhess]

7 hours ago, jayrtom said:

I don't see a switching in focus... Just pointing out that, continuing with the focus we are having from 2018, doesn't mean we should stop using tracts altogether! (perhaps some have been doing exactly that)

 

I am sure this emphasis is due to some personal application of the last two years advocating conversations leading to a scripture.  Most of the initial calls just ended with a link to a further question and another scripture to consider.  Few of the videos ended an initial call with some literature placement.  Br. Splane made a specific point of this in his talk at the Annual Meeting and ended that part with a plea to "leave them something to read".  He said )and I quote) "Why do you think we print this material?"

 

So it seems many took the video instruction just as shown.  Our new CO visited at the beginning of the month and he took me to task for starting a conversation from the "Kingdom" tract, rather than using a question to be answered from the Bible.

 

After acknowledging the work done in conversation and Bible use since 2018,  the fourth sentence down in that first paragraph says..."To help publishers adjust their approach..." sounds like an adjustment of focus to me. ..😎

[Juanlazalah]

My congregation leaves almost more than half less the magazines we use to place before. Instead of 2500 magazines for two congregations, we order like 1100 at most. And we probably place 900 for the two months. 

Edited October 22, 2019 by Juanlazalah

[jayrtom]

1 hour ago, jwhess said:

I am sure this emphasis is due to some personal application of the last two years advocating conversations leading to a scripture.  Most of the initial calls just ended with a link to a further question and another scripture to consider.  Few of the videos ended an initial call with some literature placement.  Br. Splane made a specific point of this in his talk at the Annual Meeting and ended that part with a plea to "leave them something to read".  He said )and I quote) "Why do you think we print this material?"

 

So it seems many took the video instruction just as shown.  Our new CO visited at the beginning of the month and he took me to task for starting a conversation from the "Kingdom" tract, rather than using a question to be answered from the Bible.

 

After acknowledging the work done in conversation and Bible use since 2018,  the fourth sentence down in that first paragraph says..."To help publishers adjust their approach..." sounds like an adjustment of focus to me. ..😎

John, I'm not an English speaker, so I may be wrong, but it seems to me that  sentence is referring to what was said before and not after

 

The adjustment of focus was on 2018 and not in 2020

 

Just that the new focus didn't mean not giving literature at any circumstances

 

 

[Eejay]

1 hour ago, jwhess said:

."To help publishers adjust their approach..." sounds like an adjustment of focus to me.

This adjustment in context refers to the style of presentation we have been using especially since Jan 2018 as mentioned, where brothers have, (hopefully), been weaned off an approach of simply offering literature to one of developing a BIble based conversation. Likely many new publishers have learned this better method of presenting the good news to the public by now.

 

But, an imbalance seems to have developed  in that some do not get as far as offering literature. This can make the ministry a little aimless, because it can be a challenge to get to the 2nd or 3rd RV with so many folk difficult to contact again.So it seems we are now adjusting the approach to an offer of a tract as an important objective on an initial call, whilst not loosing our refreshed Bible conversation skills. 

Looking over the years presentations in the midweek meeting Jan-Dec 2019, a rough count shows out of approx. 72 conversations, 13 suggested literature, 7 showed videos, 4 offered meeting invites. The remaing 48 concentrated on furthering conversations. Looking at the videos January to November we have 8 actually presenting literature of some sort, with 2 of those on the 1st RV, and 6 on the 2nd RV. So, whilst there has been an emphasis on developing tailored, Bible-based conversations, literature has not been neglected in our teaching program. However, it is good to see encouragement to utilise the tract in the initial stage of our ministry contacts. Our video presentations have quite co-operative householders. Those we meet in the field are not quite as predictable in their behaviour patterns, so the more efffective our initial contact is in giving them an opportunity to develop their interest, the better. The tracts are excellent tools in this regard.

Of course, it is difficult for me to evaluate this adjustment/suggestion fully as, where I am, we do not have sight of the Jan 2020 workbook, and no sign of it so far on jw.org. Hopefully soon? (Where did yours come from??) 😊

[jwhess]

As long as we all get behind the use of printed literature in the field ministry, I am sure we will have Jehovah's blessing.  You may reach your own conclusion in January when you hear Br. Splane's admonition in person when the AM is broadcast..  I did not intend to cause an argument.  

 

One CO said (since 2018) that if your placements are not going down...you aren't with the program (referring to the video training we received).  Br. Splane specifically addresses this type of comment in his talk (to the contrary).  Just saying how it is in my neighborhood.  I had adopted the conversation and scripture only approach slowly but I was finally able to function that way.  I will embrace the "starting a conversation with a tract" approach just as firmly.

 

Best wishes to all...❤️

[Hinata]

I think this is, rather than a focus, but more about a clarification. Our placements may be going down, but it would not mean it should be absolutely zero. There even are some publishers in our area who some even goes to think that even giving any literature at all is going against the organization, which is exactly the opposite.

 

As also was mentioned in Announcements and Reminders August 2019, placing literatures appropriate times is okay and fully encouraged. We will keep report our number of literature placements, and the public magazines will continue to be printed.

[jayrtom]

17 hours ago, jwhess said:

  I did not intend to cause an argument.  

No argument caused. We're just discussing the Jan WT that you brought to our attention

 

17 hours ago, jwhess said:

One CO said (since 2018) that if your placements are not going down...you aren't with the program (referring to the video training we received).  Br. Splane specifically addresses this type of comment in his talk (to the contrary).  Just saying how it is in my neighborhood.  I had adopted the conversation and scripture only approach slowly but I was finally able to function that way.  I will embrace the "starting a conversation with a tract" approach just as firmly.

 

Best wishes to all...❤️

I just don't understand why your're taking the conclusion that we will have a new approach? 

 

I may be missing something or maybe there are other information on the talk you're mentioning, but based solely on the image you shared, I don't see any change. I see a clarification

 

In 2018 we changed focus to have more conversations with just the bible. But nowhere was it said that we should stop giving literature! It's natural that if the brothers wanted a change of focus they used more examples of just conversations than using publications (and that is clearly stated on the Jan 2020 workbook). But we continued to have a tool box and we continued to have magazines and tracts to give. They didn't disappear. So this change of focus was never about stopping to give literature!

 

Al tough what is said above, as usual, some went ahead of what was said and started thinking that we should no more give any literature (that CO comment is an example of this)

 

In 2020, I don't see any change of focus. Its just a clarification about the fact that we should have never stopped giving literature!

 

 

Who has taken the change of focus of 2018 correctly has nothing to change now. Who went ahead of the instructions has now one opportunity to correct his attitude

[Thesauron]

I think this is, rather than a focus, but more about a clarification. Our placements may be going down, but it would not mean it should be absolutely zero. There even are some publishers in our area who some even goes to think that even giving any literature at all is going against the organization, which is exactly the opposite.
 
As also was mentioned in Announcements and Reminders August 2019, placing literatures appropriate times is okay and fully encouraged. We will keep report our number of literature placements, and the public magazines will continue to be printed.

We will still give people publications, and we should. Printed or digital doesn’t matter. But we use discernment. We are not supposed to indiscriminately give out publications everywhere. Use our publications wisely. But use them.

[Luezette]

This is why I always try to take the approach that Jehovah is teaching us via: 

1. Jesus via 

2. The slave then 

3. Via the body of elders.

Sooo, unless Jehovah says it through the above, it ain't true!! 

That's my stand.

 

[jwhess]

1 hour ago, jayrtom said:

may be missing something or maybe there are other information on the talk you're mentioning, but based solely on the image you shared, I don't see any change. I see a clarification

I will go with that understanding.  Clarifying the need to leave a piece of printed material (when possible).

[Hinata]

9 hours ago, Thesauron said:

We will still give people publications, and we should. Printed or digital doesn’t matter. But we use discernment. We are not supposed to indiscriminately give out publications everywhere. Use our publications wisely. But use them.

 

Yes, that was my point. Some publishers thinks even using any publications, literatures at all, is discouraged.

 

Of course, the Governing Body's direction is that our ministry would shift to starting conversation, rather than placing literatures, but it doesn't mean we would stop handing out any at all. We even recently had a good article wishing that the Awake magazine continue to be used ‘bearing thorough witness to the good news.’

 

The publishers will use good discernment on giving literatures, whether the individuals had displayed a genuine interest.

[YACO]

[YACO]

[Arumuga Raja]

If released in English please sent the link please