PROPER VIEW OF OUR MINISTRY-THOUGHT PROVOKING

Comments by member of the Governing Body

After the Saturday session of the International DC in Myanmar , there was a meeting with a member of the Governing body where Bethelites and others were invited to attend. In view of the theme of the convention, his opening question was most appropriate:

He opened with this question: True or false - the purpose of our preaching is to save people from Armageddon?

Answer is false. While it is desirable that people respond and get saved, the main purpose, most important is found at Hebrews 13:15 “Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.” So, our main focus in preaching should be on praising God. This is more important than saving people, as Jehovah is more important than humans.

When many are unresponsive in the ministry, some publishers discouraged and lose their joy. They lose sight of the bigger picture, which is everything must revolve around Jehovah and his will. Our preaching “success” is not dependant on “results”.
He then went on to quote Isaiah 43:10 “YOU are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah, . . .
(Isaiah 43:21) 21 the people whom I have formed for myself, that they should recount the praise of me.
(Colossians 3:23) Whatever YOU are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men
Or we could say, not primarily for men!

Of course, there are other valid reasons to preach, that is to teach others the truth. And there is increase, worldwide there was a 3% increase. The US increase was even higher. About 5,000 are being baptized every weekend. In Mexico 7 or 8 new Kingdom halls are dedicated every weekend. In other parts of the world the growth is slower. There are 1,652 Languages in India , not dialects, but languages, the most of any country in the world. 80% of India has NEVER been preached to.. (We can add, and may never be preached to) There are about 1 billion Muslims in the world, most of which have never been preached to. We are still banned in Egypt and most of the Gulf States . We only have a few ex-pats in those countries. He estimated ½ of the world’s population has heard the Good News.

Some positive developments: The work has been legalized in Turkey and Indonesia . Indonesia is so big, the most populous Muslim country in the world, has 50 million more people than Russia . So now Gilead missionaries are being assigned to Indonesia .
He asked: Is Armageddon still far away because ½ the world hasn’t heard the Truth? No. MT 24:14 merely says there would be a witness to all nations, not each individual. Interestingly, it was pointed out at least twice the Watchtower has said that MT 24:14 has been fulfilled already. (Might be in the same line of thought as Colossians 1:23 ‘good news ...which was preached in all creation that is under heaven.’ Clearly, not every single human being of that time or in the known world had heard the truth)

As far as we know, there are no reports from North Korea , Somalia , and Afghanistan . But there are individuals from those countries who have been preached to in others.. We should not expect equal ratios of witness to people in all countries. The example was cited at John 21:5-6: Then Jesus said to them: “Young children, YOU do not have anything to eat, do YOU?” They answered “No!” to him. 6 He said to them: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and YOU will find [some].” Then they cast it, but they were no longer able to draw it in because of the multitude of the fishes.”

We learn two lessons from this. 1) Jesus knows where the “fish” are. Imagine spending a whole night fishing, catching nothing, then having someone say, ‘yeah, there are fish on the right hand side of the boat.’ Jesus is directing the preaching work. He knows where the sheep-like ones are, and how to reach them..
Lesson #2) The ‘fish” are not equally distributed among the different countries. In some, we catch next to nothing. In others, there is abundance. Some factors affecting the “catch” include national traits, religious back round and governmental openness.
In one village in Romania , population about 2,500 people total, there are about 600 publishers! So, 1 in 4 people are publishers already, meaning each JW has only 2 houses to work! So, they have to travel to find territory. In Bangladesh , the ratio is well over 1 to 1 million.

Then, explaining (Matthew 10:23) When they persecute you in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to you, you will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives.) it was explained we will NOT preach to every single person. When persecuted in one city, or country even, don’t force the issue, go to where you can preach and obtain more results.
How do we know this verse applies to our time and not just the first century, even though it mentions “the cities of Israel ?” Because it says “until the Son of Man arrives”, meaning Jesus final “coming” at Armageddon.

Since we will not preach to all, does that mean then we could slow down and take it easy? NO! Every life is precious to Jehovah, and to his organization. Plus, we are to work “whole-souled” and (Romans 12:11) Do not loiter at YOUR business. Be aglow with the spirit. Slave for Jehovah.
(Hebrews 6:11) 1 But we desire each one of YOU to show the same industriousness ...down to the end

Then an encouraging thought on (Revelation 14:6) And I saw another angel flying in mid heaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.

Usually we apply this scripture to mean Jehovah uses the angels to direct the witnesses to the interested ones. But it also works that Jehovah can use the angels to “pull the interested ones out” of the areas they will never receive a witness in. The example was given of the Kurds who live in Northern Iraq and Turkey . There, it is almost impossible to reach them, or if we did, due to family and peer pressure, they may never accept it. But many have become refugees and accepted the Truth in England and Europe .

Jesus is the one mainly responsible for preaching, it has been entrusted to him.
(Revelation 14:14) And I saw, and, look! a white cloud, and upon the cloud someone seated like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

The enthroned and crowned Jesus directs the reaping of the sheep-like ones.

Then, there is a second reaping:
(Revelation 14:16) And the one seated on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
These are ‘reaped’ to destruction.

In the final analysis: (Matthew 28:18) And Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.
The brother pointed out the verse does not read: all authority in heaven and Earth, Except in China , India and the Muslim world. No, if Jesus sees the need and wants the good news preached in a further way in those countries, he will see to it. The Bible prophesied Jesus would rule in the midst of his enemies. And yet the work goes forward. The work was recently legalized in 4 provinces of Sudan