The Answer May Suprise you... At the turn of the 20th Century, Bible Students were bringing Bible Literature to the masses. Carrying this fine message about God's Kingdom by person, horse and buggy, bicycles, motor bikes, and the horseless carriage known today as a vehicle.

Brother Russell and associates had an urgent message about the coming of God's Kingdom which was to be marked at the end of the Gentile times. The result? A series of books called the Millennial Dawn. This six-volume, clothbound set was so well put together that an Opposer of God's Kingdom publicly complained that the clothbound set was being offered for the modest cost of the printing of $1.65...

Some Bible Students did not even mention the printing costs and paid the costs themselves so that the public may receive freely. "You received free, give free." However, how could an iindividual carry this six-volume series to the place of distrubtion without going back to the buggy? Many began using luggage, but those things got very heavy and it was a taunting task.

Brother James Cole invented a foldable, two-wheeled frame to which a suitcase could be attached by screws. The six volume series contained some fifty books and were heavy to carry, especially for sisters. When full-time preacher Charlotte White arrived in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A., rolling a suitcase on wheels, she caused quite a stir. This New Invention was called the Dawn-Mobile.

THE WATCHTOWER

No. 1 2022 | Breaking the Cycle of Hatred

Our world seems saturated with hatred. Whether in the form of discrimination, harassment, verbal abuse, or assault, hatred is being expressed in countless cruel ways. Can hatred be conquered? The articles in this issue show how we can break the cycle of hatred with the help of Bible teachings. They also reveal God’s promise to eradicate hatred forever.

We Can Conquer Hatred!

What is the cycle of hatred? How is it often expressed?

Why Such a Cycle of Hatred?

The Bible reveals the roots of hatred, why humans are prone to hate, and why hatred thrives today.

How to Break the Cycle of Hatred

Bible teachings have helped people change for the better.

HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF HATRED

1 | Be Impartial

Root out negative feelings toward others by imitating God’s impartiality.

HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF HATRED

2 | Do Not Seek Revenge

Overcome vengeful feelings by trusting that God will soon right all wrongs.

HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF HATRED

3 | Get Hatred Out of Your Mind

Remove hatred from your thoughts and feelings with the help of God’s Word.

HOW TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF HATRED

4 | Conquer Hatred With God’s Help

God’s holy spirit can help you develop qualities that counteract hate.

When Hatred Will Be Gone Forever!

What is the permanent solution to the problem of hatred?

Victims of Hatred Everywhere

How can the cycle of hatred be broken? A real and lasting transformation is already taking place among people worldwide. https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-no1-2022-jan-feb/

The preaching work that Jesus Christ started two thousand years ago is now coming to its’ conclusion. Jesus sent his followers to go from house to house by twos. Jehovah's Witnesses share this good news at no cost to you as they are volunteers bearing the brunt of the expenses themselves. As True Christians going from door to door, town to town, city to city, country to country with much opposition, reaching your door took much effort and often times, lives were placed in harms way to bring You the Good News of God's Kingdom.

Jehovah Witnesses are well known over the World for their door to door ministry. They don't care about a persons ethnicity because God is no respecter of persons. "For there is no respect of persons with God." (Romans 2:11)

Therefore, they tell the Good News of God's Kingdom from house to house to anyone willing to listen. Sometimes the most rude people are the most religious as Jesus Christ found out in his day. "And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus." (Acts 5:42)

Jehovah's Witnesses are no threat to any nation. They live peaceful lives and have Bible Studies. Matter of fact, many of my brothers and sisters are imprisoned for refusing to engage in war, so they are IMPRISONED for not killing other people! "Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and take the evening meal with him and he with me." (Rev 3:20)

Read more...

Jehovah’s Witnesses take comfort in the Bible’s promises of a bright future, and this helps them to see beyond the pandemic. They also support one another by obeying the Bible’s command to gather regularly for worship. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which are being held virtually during the pandemic.

Others agree that joining together with Jehovah’s Witnesses for worship has been helpful during these difficult times. For example, a woman infected with COVID-19 accepted an invitation to join Jehovah’s Witnesses’ virtual meetings.

These meetings helped her emotionally despite her ongoing health issues from the virus. She later said: “I feel that I am part of this family too. Reading the Bible gives me peace of mind and inner calm. It helps me focus on my hope for the future instead of my problems. Thank you for helping me find that connection with God that I have sought all my life.”

Read More...

Table of Contents

                     Foreword….……...…….………..…..…...….……….Page 2

                     Table of Contents……………..…….…......……….. Page 3

                     Prophecy……………….…………….....….........  Pages 4-5

                     Presence of Christ Foretold (2x) …….....….....   Pages 5-8

                     Sealing of the 144,000…………………......….  Pages 8-10

                     Better times lay ahead of us…..………...…..……. Page 11

                     Timeline Chart………….……………...….…..……..Page 11

                     Don’t Give Up...You’re Worth Saving!...….….........Page 12

                     What others have stated...………….……………….Page 12

(1) What is the SINE QUA NON of a disciple of Christ or a Christian?

(2) What are the fundamentals of faith or the core beliefs?

(3) What is the test of fellowship for your or your community to consider on a brother or sister in the faith?

What does your church do?

Buddhism -- non-Judaeo-Christian religion –"teaches that salvation and liberation involve a process of mind-body transformation that is effected through practicing restraint with respect to actions of body, speech, and mind. They lived extremely austere lifestyles refraining from sensual pleasures and the accumulation of material wealth. This is to be understood not as an eschewal of the enjoyment of life, but a recognition that spiritual and religious goals are impeded by such indulgence" ("Asceticism," Theological Dictionary, Timothy Ministries).

There are many Buddhists who have never heard about Jesus; there is a large number who have. Some have studied the Bible or have formed various opinions about Jesus in multiple ways. Some Buddhists view Jesus as a good human. Others see him as a Bodhisattva—an enlightened being who has the power to help people. In general, Buddhists are likely to be very inclusive in their beliefs. They may be happy to put up a statue or picture of Jesus with their Buddha image and the elephant god from India. They may even value Jesus as an enlightened Buddha.

These same people are likely to be surprised or even offended to hear a Christian say that Jesus is the only way for salvation. Buddhism may sound arrogant and ignorant, for they place great value on other teachers and other means of enlightenment.

In many Asian countries, Buddhism is reviving and growing. It is also significant to note that people in the West are turning to Buddhism in unprecedented numbers. Given that the Buddhist philosophy values balance, harmony, humility, and peace. How do Christians witness to the many Buddhists who either do not know anything about Jesus or have major misunderstandings about him?

1.   What it is that makes it difficult for Buddhists to come to Jesus?

2.   Do Christians and Buddhists share some similar concepts?

3.   What are some of the significant barriers that you think would keep Buddhists from believing in Jesus Christ?

4.   Should we even try to reach them? If so, how?

5.   Above all, what methods would you suggest Christians use to reach this people group?

Brainstorm with me. CM

Sources:

• Bowker, J. (2006). The great faiths explored and explained. New York, NY: DK Publishing, Inc.
• Wagner, Paul. n.d. Good News for Buddhists. Unpublished paper.

Question: What do you think of the video presentation and the answers given therein?

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree and why?

Do you agree or disagree with the answer given? and why are why not? Or How would you answer the question?

This is an unusually long introduction. Please read it carefully! Was this young man a Martyr, Mischievous, or Miscalculated his quest in carrying out his conviction as a missionary?

(CNN) The Christian evangelist who attempted to convert one of the world's last remaining isolated tribes wrote of his convictions in pursuing the mission even in the face of open hostility and attempts on his life, according to diary entries and notes.

In excerpts from his journal, John Allen Chau, the American who is believed to have been killed by members of the isolationist Sentinelese tribe on a tiny, remote island in the Bay of Bengal, wrote of returning to the island to continue his attempts at conversion even after a tribesman shot at him with a bow and arrow, piercing a Bible he was carrying.

"I hollered, 'My name is John, I love you and Jesus loves you,'" he wrote in his diary, pages of which were shared by his mother with the Washington Post. Shortly after, a young member of the tribe shot at him, according to his account.
In pages left with the fishermen who facilitated his trip to the island, his musings are a clear indication of his desire to convert the tribe.

"Lord, is this island Satan's last stronghold where none have heard or even had the chance to hear your name?" he wrote.
His notes indicate that he knew the trip was illegal, describing how the small fishing vessel transported him to the isolated island under cover of darkness, evading patrols. "God Himself was hiding us from the Coast Guard and many patrols," he wrote. All seven locals who facilitated the trip have been arrested.

Deliberate isolation
The Sentinelese live in complete isolation on the remote island in the Andaman archipelago, and are thought to have done so for tens of thousands of years. The tribe and their home are protected by Indian law to maintain their way of life and protect them from modern illnesses because they lack immunity. Just more than a dozen people are officially thought to live on the remote island, which about 50 kilometer (31 miles) west of Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, an Indian territory.

They represent some of the last people on earth whose way of life remains entirely undisturbed by modern civilization.
The island is a protected area, and people are not allowed to go within 5 nautical miles of it after previous incidents of aggressive behavior toward outsiders were observed. In 2006, two local fishermen were killed by the tribes.

'God, I don't want to die'
Dependra Pathak, director general of police of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, told CNN that Chau had made several trips to the island, returning to the fishing boat at least twice. "The boat stopped 500-700 meters (1,640 - 2,300 feet) away from the island and (Chau) used a canoe to reach the shore of the island. He came back later that day with arrow injuries. On the 16th, the (tribespeople) broke his canoe. "So he came back to the boat swimming. He did not come back on the 17th; the fishermen later saw the tribespeople dragging his body around."

While on board, he wrote one final note to his family. "You guys might think I'm crazy in all this but I think it's worthwhile to declare Jesus to these people," it said. "God, I don't want to die." Asked why, she answered, "My prayers." Despite the reports from the fishermen claiming they had seen the tribespeople dragging Chau's body across the beach before burying it in the sand, his mother, Lynda Adams-Chau, told the Post that she believed he was still alive.

Chau did not inform the police of his intentions to travel to the island to attempt to convert its inhabitants, officials said.

History of aggression against outsiders

Chau is not the first person to fall victim to the Sentinelese after intruding on their island, which it is illegal for outsiders to land on. In 2006, members of the tribe killed two poachers who had been illegally fishing in the waters surrounding North Sentinel Island after their boat drifted ashore, according to tribal advocacy nonprofit Survival International. Two years previously, in the wake of the ruinous 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, a member of the group was photographed on a beach on the island, firing arrows at a helicopter sent to check on their welfare.

An image of a Sentinelese tribesman aiming a bow and arrow at a helicopter which was assessing the tribe's wellbeing in 2004, following the Indian Ocean tsunami. Expeditions were made to the island frequently in the 1980s and 1990s, where gifts were often left for its people, but these have since dropped off.

According to India's 2011 census, only 15 Sentinelese were estimated to remain on the island. India's government has stuck to an "eyes-on and hands-off" policy to ensure that poachers do not enter North Sentinel Island, according to the country's Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

      **********************       ****************************     **************************    ********************

When all things are considered:

1. Is this a pretext for the Indian Government, American Military or mercenary group to invade with force this island and the people's way of life?
2. Was the young man being a missionary or just being adventurous?
3. Did the young man follow Jesus' and the Bible methods in reaching others ("soul winning")?
4. What are the correct methods of reaching isolated people or non-christian for Jesus?
5. Is it necessary or required that missionaries violate the laws of the land to reach isolated people or non-Christians?
6. What do you believe are the best methods of reaching this small people group for Jesus? Better yet, what would you do?

These and other questions must be asked. CM

Once during a Christmas program a kid thought he would jazz up the carol with his trumpet. He tried using beat syncopation and arpeggios. But he was in over his head. And the harder he tried the more of a mess he made of the song. It wasn't too long and our row was in stitches - inwardly. While he swaggered and blew spit from the trumpet, waiting to take another run at it, we writhed in anticipation trying not to laugh. Eventually the kid's grandpa started laughing and our gasping for air, unable to breath in our contorted state, gave way to a really good laugh including the kid.

Another time the bell choir was about to begin ringing out a tune. Someone said "I wish I had a pea shooter". And it was all over. Another one of those times you wish an antidote for laughter would cross your mind.

Kids with squirt guns in shoulder holsters under their top coats...etc, etc.

Any stories?

@Jan said: "There's also a cultural aspect. In Middle Eastern culture, people defend their positions with zeal and passion. If you don't show the same, even if your arguments are the better ones, you're not going to convince many. You still gotta do it with love and respect..."

Any insights and/or tips? CM

The Christian Post: Why So Few Christians in Japan?

Japanese people value human relationships more than truth and principle, said Dr. Minoru Okuyama, director of the Missionary Training Center in Japan, during his presentation at the Tokyo 2010 Global Missions Consultations.

"Because they are afraid of disturbing human relationships of their families or neighborhood... "Thus, Japanese make much of human relationships more than the truth. Consequently we can say that as for Japanese, one of the most important things is harmony; in Japanese 'Wa.'"

He added, "[T]hose who harm the harmony are bad, whether they are right or not has been beside the question."

https://www.christianpost.com/news/mission-leaderwhy-so-few-christians-in-japan-45217/

Are you topical? Expository? Something Else?

What commentaries do you use? What translation do you preach out of? Do you use a manuscript or an outline?

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts and processes.

There are a number of reasons why Christianity has not yet been successful in Japan, i.e. the interaction between worldviews, theologies, missiologies and society as well as historical-political factors have prevented this. Understanding these factors may help the reader in answering the question above.

...

four major errors committed by Western missionaries in Japan throughout history: (1) Eurocentric approach, (2) lack of consideration for cultural context, (3) competitiveness and (4) direct or indirect involvement with western political agendas.

...

The word the Japanese use for “sin” is tsumi **which is the same word used for “crime”, so when an evangelist or a missionary claims, “we all have sinned” or “we are all sinners” the average Japanese may not understand what is being—he or she does not consider himself a "criminal**".

...

Japanese are in certain way disappointed and confused when it comes to the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Historically, Nagasaki is a well-known center of Japanese Christianity.It was not only the location of the largest Christian Cathedral in the Asia (St. Mary’s) but also had the largest concentration of baptized Christians in all of Japan. These facts make it even more difficult for the Japanese to understand why a Christian nation such as America would to drop a nuclear bomb on a Christian cityimmediately after Japan’s surrender when thousands of American missionaries were sent to Japan to Christianize the nation.

...

The corporatism/individualism dichotomy can also be found in the concepts honne and tatemae. Honne refers to ‘informal, personal reality in disregard of social parameters’, while tatemae means ‘official, public and socially required or politically correct.’ Honne is an opinion or an action motivated by a person’s true inner feelings, whereas tatemae is an opinion or action influenced by social norms. Thus, honne refers to a person’s deep beliefs or intentions, while tatemae refers to motives or intentions that are the result of social attunement, those that are shaped, encouraged, or suppressed by the norms accepted by the majority. These two concepts are often considered dichotomous and in conflict with the genuinely held personal feelings and convictions of those who are socially controlled. It can happen that a person in his/her honne chooses Jesus Christ silently and continues with this usual lifestyle without disturbing the group harmony. He or she does this by suppressing the honne in such a way that his/her decision will not be openly noticed by the groups to which the person belongs. In short, Christianity in Japan cannot succeed if it disturbs the spirit of corporatism and undermines the individual’s sense of belonging to these groups.

http://www.projectjapan.org/pj/Article/Entries/2013/8/16_Why_Is_Christianity_Not_Widely_Believed_in_Japan.html

To launch a discussion, I offer the following chart from the article and ask you to respond to it. What stands out to you? What surprises you? What disappoints/encourages you? What actions, if any, does the chart prompt you to recommend to the Body of Christ if it is to respond both constructively and faithfully to the needs and challenges the chart communicates?