39
24:32) You too should strive to make the connection between what
aperson has experienced, what he longs for, and what he is seeing
in God’s Word. A student’s heart will be touched in a beneficial way
when he clearly realizes: “This is THE TRUTH!”
Whenyou emphasize Jehovah’s goodness,his love,his undeserved
kindness, and the rightness of his ways, you help those whom you
teach to build their love for God. When you take time to show your
listeners the fine qualities that God sees in them as individuals, you
give them reason to believe that a personal relationship with him
is possible. This can be accomplished by reflecting on such texts as
Psalm 139:1-3, Luke 21:1-4, and John 6:44 and by helping your lis-
teners to appreciate the depth ofJehovah’s loving attachment to his
faithfulservants.(Rom. 8:38,39) Explain that Jehovah looks beyond
our mistakes and sees our entire life course, our zeal for pure wor-
ship,our love for his name. (2 Chron.19:2,3; Heb. 6:10) He remem-
bers even the smallest details about our makeup, and he will, in a
remarkable way, restore to life “all those in the memorial tombs.”
(John 5:28, 29; Luke 12:6, 7) Since humans are made in the image
and likeness ofGod,adiscussionofhis qualities willoften strikeare-
sponsive chord in the inner person.—Gen.1:27.
The heart can also be touched when a person learns to view other
peopleas Jehovahdoes.Itstands toreasonthatifourGodshows ten-
der regard for us as individuals, then he also shows the same con-
sideration for others, irrespective of their background, nationality,
or race. (Acts 10:34, 35) Once a person has reached such an under-
standing,therewill bea solid Scripturalbasisforhimto eradicate ha-
tred and prejudice from his heart. This will enable him to reach out
peacefully to others as he learns to carry outthe divine will.
Godly fear is another feeling that you should help others to cul-
tivate. (Ps. 111:10; Rev. 14:6, 7) Such profound reverence, or fear of
God, can motivate a person to achieve what may not be possible
in his own strength.By discussing Jehovah’s awesome activities and
his extraordinary loving-kindness, you can help others to develop a
wholesome dread of displeasing him.—Ps. 66:5; Jer. 32:40.
Make sure that your listeners understand that their conduct mat-
ters to Jehovah.Hehas feelings,and by our response to his direction,
we cause him either sorrow or rejoicing. (Ps.78:40-42) Show people
260
Effort to Reach the Heart
39
why their personal conduct can make a difference in answering Sa-
tan’s challenge to God.—Prov.27:11.
Help your audience tosee that meeting God’s requirements is ben-
eficial for them.(Isa.48:17) Oneway this can be done is by pointing
to the physical and emotional consequences of rejecting God’s wis-
dom,even momentarily.Explain howsindistances us from God,de-
prives others of the opportunity to learn thetruth from us, and oth-
erwise encroaches on their rights. (1 Thess. 4:6) Help your audience
to treasure the blessings that they already enjoy as a result of hav-
ing kept God’s laws. Strengthen their appreciation for the fact that
walking in Jehovah’s righteous ways spares us much adversity.Once
aperson has faith in the wisdom of God’s ways, he will be repulsed
by every course in oppositionto them. (Ps.119:104) He will see obe-
dience,not as aburden,but as away toexpress loving devotionto Je-
hovahas a person.
Helping OtherstoMakean Examination. In order to continue to
grow spiritually, people need to become sensitive to what is in their
hearts.Explain how the Biblecanhelp them to do this.
Help your listeners to realize thattheBibleis morethana record of
commandments, counsel, historical events, and prophecies. It also
reveals the thinking of God. At James 1:22-25, God’s Word is com-
pared to a mirror. By our reaction to what itsays and to the way that
Jehovah carries out his purpose, the Bible’s message shows up what
is in our heart. Thus it reveals how God, who is “the examiner of
hearts,” sees us. (Prov. 17:3) Encourage your listeners to keep this in
mind.Urgethem to ponder what God has preserved for us in the Bi-
ble record and what adjustments they may need to make intheir life
inorder to bemore pleasingto him.Help themtoviewBible reading
as a means of getting Jehovah’s estimation of the “thoughts and in-
tentions of the heart” so that they can cooperate with God in mak-
ing any necessary adjustments.—Heb.4:12;Rom.15:4.
Some Bible students may want to act on what they are learning;
yetthey worry about whatother peoplewill think.They may be bat-
tling certain strong fleshly desires. Or they may be rationalizing to
find some way to serve God while clinging to practices of the world.
Point out the dangers of such indecision. (1 Ki.18:21) Urge them to
pray to God to examine and refinetheirhearts.—Ps.26:2; 139:23, 24.
Effort to Reach the Heart
261
39
Show them that Jehovah understands their struggle and that the
Bible explains what is taking place. (Rom.7:22,23) Help them to ex-
ercise care so that the inclinations of an imperfect heart are not al-
lowed to dominate.—Prov.3:5,6;28:26; Jer.17:9,10.
Encourage eachone to analyzehis motives for doing things.Teach
him to askhimself: ‘Why do I want to do this? Will it show Jehovah
thatI truly appreciateallthat hehas donefor me?’ Worktostrength-
en the conviction that an approved relationship with Jehovah is the
most valuableasset that anyonecanpossess.
Help your audience to grasp the significance of serving Jehovah
withtheir “whole heart.” (Luke 10:27) This means that all their feel-
ings, desires, and motives must be brought into line with Jehovah’s
ways. So teach your listeners to analyze not only what they do but
also how they feel about God’s requirements and what their motives
are in serving him.(Ps.37:4) As your students discernareas in which
improvement is needed, encourage them to pray to Jehovah: “Unify
my heartto fear your name.”—Ps.86:11.
Whena student develops a personal relationship with Jehovah,he
will obey God as a result of faithand notsimply becauseofyour urg-
ings. He will then, on his own, “keep on making sure of what is ac-
ceptable to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:10; Phil. 2:12) Such heartfelt obedi-
ence delights Jehovah.—Prov. 23:15.
Bear in mind that Jehovah is the one who estimates hearts and
draws people into a relationship with him. (Prov. 21:2; John 6:44)
Our role is oneofcooperation.(1 Cor. 3:9) Itis “as though God were
making entreaty through us.” (2 Cor. 5:20; Acts 16:14) Jehovah does
not coerce anyone to accept the truth, but as we use the Scriptures,
hemaycauseourlisteners to realizethatwhat they arehearing is the
answer to their questions—or their prayers.Approach every teaching
opportunity with this awareness, and earnestly ask Jehovah for his
guidance and help.—1 Chron.29:18,19;Eph.1:16-18.
EXERCISES:
(1) ReadMatthew 6:21, and analyzehowthis text applies inyour life. Read
also verses 19 and20, and consider what adjustmentsyour heart moves you
to make. (2) Analyze what motivated you to start serving Jehovah. What
motivates youat present? What motivations that will pleaseJehovahdo you
want to strengthen?
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Effort to Reach the Heart
44
WHILE principal emphasis should be placed on the quality of your
teaching,the timing of your talks also deserves attention.Our meet-
ingsarescheduledto beginandendatspecifiedtimes.Achieving this
requires the cooperationofeveryone who has a partontheprogram.
In Bible times, people’s view of life was different from what it
is in many places today. Time was expressed in such ap-
proximate terms as “about the third hour” or “about the
tenth hour.” (Matt. 20:3-6; John 1:39) There was rarely a
cause for concern aboutprecise timing of daily activities.
In someparts of the worldtoday,thereis asimilar viewof
time.
However, even though local custom or personal pref-
erence may cause people to be somewhat relaxed regard-
ing time, wecan benefitby learning to giveitappropriate
attention. When several are assigned parts on a program, consider-
ation needs to be given to the time allotted for each part. The prin-
ciple “let all things take place decently and by arrangement” can
well be applied to the timing of our meeting assignments.—1 Cor.
14:40.
Achieving Good Timing. Preparation is the key. Usually, speakers
who have difficulty with timing have failed to prepare sufficiently.
They may be overconfident. Or they may simply put off preparation
until the last minute.Good timing starts with appreciation for your
assignment and a willingness to prepare well.
Is yours a reading assignment? First, review Studies 4 to 7, which
involve fluency, pausing, sense stress, and emphasizing main ideas.
Then, apply that counsel as you read aloud the material assigned
to you. Time yourself. Do you need to read faster in order to finish
in the allotted time? Increase your pace on portions of less impor-
tance, but continue to use pausing and a slower pace to emphasize
95
ACCURATELY TIMED,
PROPERLY PROPORTIONED
What doyou need to do?
Deliver your talk within the allotted time, and use appropri-
ate portions of your time for each part of thetalk.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Sufficienttimeneedstobe
allottedtoeachofthemain
points ofinstruction. Itis
important toendthemeet-
ingontime.
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46
importantideas.Practice again and again. As your fluency improves,
it will be easier to regulate your timing.
Will you be speaking from notes? It is not necessary to make your
notes very extensive—virtually a manuscript—to ensure proper tim-
ing. When working on Study 25, you learned a better way. Keep in
mind these five points: (1) Prepare good material, but not too
much. (2) Have the main ideas clearly in mind, but do not memo-
rizewholesentences.(3)Markon your outlinehowmuch
time you plan to use for each part of your talk or how
much time should have elapsed when you reach certain
points.(4) Whenpreparing,consider which details might
bedropped if you find yourself running behind schedule.
(5) Practice your delivery.
Rehearsing is important. As you rehearse, watch the
timing of each section of your talk. Go over your talk
again and again until your entire talk fits within the as-
signed time. Do not try to squeeze in too much material.
Allow yourself some leeway because delivering your talk
before an audience may take a little longer than when practicing in
private.
Proportioning the Parts. Good timing is closely related to the
proper proportioning of the parts of a talk. Mostof the time should
be spent in delivering the body. That is where the main points of
instruction are. The introduction should be just long enough to ac-
complish the three objectives discussed in Study 38. The body
should not be so long that there is insufficient time for an effective
conclusion, inharmony with Study 39.
Your efforts to achieve good timing will result in a better talk and
will show your respect for others who have parts on the program as
well as for the entirecongregation.
HOW TO DO IT
Preparewell—andfar
enoughinadvance.
Assignanappropriate
amountoftimetoeachpart
ofyour talk, andthenhold
tothat.
Rehearseyour delivery.
EXERCISE:
Plan to arriveat congregationmeetings 15 to 20 minutes before they begin
by allotting time needed for both you and your family to get ready. Allow
time for travel. Consider how to deal with common problems that could
cause you to be late. Try your plan several times, making needed adjust-
ments. Similar principles apply when you give talks.
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Accurately Timed, Properly Proportioned
44
CHRISTIAN elders must be able to “exhort by the teaching that is
healthful.” (Titus 1:9) At times this must be done in the face of very
difficult situations. It is important to give counsel in harmony with
Scriptural guidelines. Hence, elders must heed the counsel: “Con-
tinue applying yourself . . . to exhortation.” (1 Tim. 4:13) Although
ourdiscussionhereisdirectedprimarily toelders or those
who are reaching out for this privilege, there are times
when parents must exhort their children or those con-
ducting Bible studies need to exhort their Bible students.
In such cases,similar guidelines will apply.
SituationsThat Callfor It. To determine when exhor-
tation is needed, it is helpful to examine situations re-
corded in the Bible where exhortation was given. The
apostle Peter exhorted elders to pay attention to their re-
sponsibility as shepherds of the flock of God. (1 Pet. 5:1, 2) Paul
counseled Titus to exhort younger men to “be sound in mind.” (Ti-
tus 2:6) Paul urged fellow Christians to “speakin agreement” and to
avoid those who sought to cause divisions among the brothers.
(1 Cor.1:10; Rom.16:17; Phil. 4:2) Though Paul commended mem-
bers of the congregation in Thessalonica for the good things that
they were doing, he exhorted them to apply even more fully the in-
structionthat they had received.(1 Thess.4:1,10)Peterentreated fel-
low Christians to “keepabstaining from fleshly desires.” (1 Pet.2:11)
Jude exhorted his brothers to “put up a hard fight for the faith” in
view of the influence of ungodly ones who indulged in loose con-
duct. (Jude 3, 4) Christians in general were urged to exhort one an-
other so that none would become hardened by the deceptive power
of sin. (Heb. 3:13) Peter exhorted Jews who had not yet put faith in
Christ:“Get saved from this crooked generation.”—Acts 2:40.
What qualities are needed in order to make strong appeals in such
96
EFFECTIVE EXHORTATION
What doyou need to do?
Incite others to action by convincing reasoning or by advice
from a respected source. This requires speaking in an earnest
manner.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Effectiveexhortationim-
presses otherswiththe
urgencyoffollowingthe
courseofactionthathas
Jehovah’s blessing.
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47
situations? Howcantheonedoingtheexhorting makehis appeal ur-
gent without being oppressiveor harsh?
“On theBasis of Love.” Ifour exhortation is notgiven “on theba-
sis of love,” it may sound severe. (Philem. 9) True, when immediate
action is required, the speaker’s delivery should convey the urgen-
cyofthesituation.A soft-spoken manner could sound apologetic.At
the same time, the appeal should be made with earnest-
ness and depth of feeling. A loving appeal will be more
likely tomotivatetheaudience.Whenspeaking onbehalf
of himself and his companions, Paul told the Thessalo-
nians: “You well know how, as a father does his children,
we keptexhorting eachone ofyou.”(1 Thess.2:11) Those
Christian overseers entreated the brothers with love. Let
your expressions spring from genuine concern for your
listeners.
Betactful.Do notalienatethoseyou areendeavoring to
incite to action. At the same time, do not hold back from
telling youraudience “all the counsel ofGod.”(Acts 20:27) Apprecia-
tiveoneswillnottake offenseorloveyou less because you havekind-
ly urged them to do what is right.—Ps.141:5.
Often, it is beneficial to preface exhortation with specific, sincere
commendation. Thinkof the good things that your brothers are do-
ing—things withwhichJehovahmustbewellpleased:thefaithman-
ifestin their work,the lovethatmovesthem to exertthemselves,and
their endurance in the face of trialsome situations. (1 Thess. 1:2-8;
2Thess. 1:3-5) This will help your brothers to feel appreciated and
understood,and it will putthem ina receptiveframe ofmindfor the
appeal that follows.
“With AllLong-Suffering.” Exhortationshould begiven “withall
long-suffering.” (2 Tim. 4:2) What does this entail? Long-suffering
includes thepatientendurance of wrong or provocation.Onewho is
long-suffering maintains the hope that his listeners will apply what
he says. Giving exhortation in this spirit will prevent your listen-
ers from thinking that you assume the worst about them. Your con-
fidence that your brothers and sisters want to serve Jehovah to the
best of their ability will appeal to their desire to do what is right.
—Heb. 6:9.
HOW TO DO IT
Showloveandlong-
suffering, andspeakwith
earnestness.
Baseyourexhortationfirmly
onGod’s Word.
Backupyourexhortationby
beingafineexample.
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Effective Exhortation
35
“By the Teaching That Is Healthful.” How can an elder “exhort
by the teaching that is healthful”? By “holding firmly to the faith-
ful word as respects his art of teaching.” (Titus 1:9) Rather than ex-
pressing your personal opinion,make God’s Word the powerofyour
appeal. Let the Bible shape your view of what needs to be said. List
the benefits of applying what the Bible says on the matter at hand.
Have well in mind the consequences—both present and future—of
not conforming to God’s Word, and use these to convince your au-
dienceof theneed to take appropriate action.
Besure thatyou clearly explain to youraudiencewhatthey should
do and how they should do it. Make it clear that your reasoning is
firmly rooted in the Scriptures. If the Scriptures allow for some lati-
tude in any decision to be made, outline the extent of that latitude.
Then, in your conclusion, make a final appeal that will strengthen
your listeners’ determination to act.
With “Freeness ofSpeech.” To exhortothers effectively,one must
have “freeness of speech in the faith.” (1 Tim. 3:13) What enables
aperson to speak freely? The fact that his “example of fine works”
harmonizes with what he is urging his brothers to do. (Titus 2:6, 7;
1Pet. 5:3) Where this is the case,those being urged to actionwill re-
alize that the one exhorting them does not expect them to do what
he himself does not do. They will see that they can imitate his faith
even as he endeavors to imitate Christ.—1 Cor.11:1;Phil.3:17.
Exhortation based on God’s Word and given in a spiritof love can
accomplish much good.Thosewho arecharged with giving such ex-
hortation should apply themselves to do it well.—Rom.12:8.
EXERCISE:
Read the apostle Paul’s letter to Philemon. Look for these elements:
(1) warm commendation, (2) the basis on which Paul appeals in behalf of
Onesimus, (3) the argument used to convince Philemon of how he ought
to receive his returning slave, and (4) Paul’s confidence that Philemon will
do the right thing. Consider how you can imitate this pattern when giving
exhortation.
Effective Exhortation
267
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