Clarification of Field service time

[Melinda Mills]

Seems like nobody knows so make your own decision. 

Continue to have the family worship/study that is four to five hours a month.  You should endeavour also to study with persons outside your family not just your family. That is probably where the suggestion/rule that limits to about 4 hours, 4 return visits, etc., comes in.  It is an encouragement not to just rely on your family (captive audience) for your field service time.

But your children are your most important disciples.

I agree that it is your responsibility to study with your children and not that of other people in the congregation. This was brought to our attention several times in past study material.

The important thing is to reach the children  and teach them while they are malleable and you have the energy.  They will leave the nest before you get around to doing everything you wish to do for them.  Each child is an individual and will have unique challenges. You might even have different material for each of them. While you have the energy  (yes, it is hard work) be generous with your time, you will be happy later on knowing you did your best for each one and you were not inconsistent or careless.   Bro Joyce quoted a scripture that applies – dare to die (make a sacrifice) for a good person – your children are worth it. Paul said he poured out himself as a drink offering for the congregation, which he frequently referred to as his children.

But I think it is your conscience that would tell you what time you report.  As your service is to Jehovah, he expects an accurate report.  

Jesus said not to bind up many rules on people.  Whenever you can’t find a rule, make your own decision. Use your conscience. Sometimes policy is also unwritten. One person says one thing, the other says something else. It is not important so you make your own decision.

 The suggestion below in the footnote of the w15 11/15 shows that there is nothing wrong with studying with the children individually, as each child might be at a different level of spirituality and development.

Work before “the night comes when no man can work”. Children will grow up to make their own decisions and will not always accept the disciplining of Jehovah (Eph 6:4).Do your utmost to help them and give Jehovah something to bless by working hard to reach their hearts.

"HOW TO STUDY WITH YOUR CHILDREN

*** w15 11/15 Train Your Child to Serve Jehovah ***

Your Most Important Bible Students

ON MOST Bible studies, we use the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? to help students come to know Jehovah and learn Scriptural truths. We study the book “Keep Yourselves in God’s Love” to help Bible students come to love Jehovah and his standards.

  The most important Bible studies you will ever have are those you conduct with your children. They need to learn about Jehovah and to grow in love for him and his righteous principles. Therefore, even if you are the only believing parent in your family, we urge you to study the Bible Teach and “God’s Love” books with your children. (Prov. 6:20) If possible, use the study guides on jw.org to help your young ones reason on the material in the Bible Teach book so that it reaches their heart.—Look under BIBLE TEACHINGS > TEENAGERS.

[Footnote]

Parents may decide to have one parent study these books with a child apart from the regular Family Worship sessions."

See  also September 1, 2007, Watchtower - Teach Your Children to Love Jehovah

NB: Underscoring - mine

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Perhaps we could use "Lawyer's Rules", and

bill for any time we spend THINKING about it.

[Melinda Mills]

Funny, but it does take some time.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I have it on good authority that the Spanish  "Silver Sword" has been upgraded from the English Version, since the terrorist activity in Barcelona where one Sister was killed.

 

[David Normand]

During our last CO's visit one of our dear sisters was concerned about how much time to count for the morning's activities. Since she was working with the CO she put the question to him, "How much time should we count for this morning?". Then she launched into when they started in the territory, when they went on break, when they started back to the Kingdom Hall etc. (Unbeknownst to the CO the sister had been having discussions with other publishers for many months on how to count time and she wanted everybody to adopt her opinion) Well, apparently the CO has been down this road before and did not take the bait. He simply said, "Well, I know how much time I will record. What you do is between you and Jehovah." Pretty much ended the discussion and I have not heard of any further discussions from anybody in the hall about how to record time once the story circulated.

Point: how much time you put down is between you and Jehovah. If you feel you are justified in not following the Society's guidelines then this is between you and Jehovah. 

While serving as an elder in a congregation some years back one of the elders in charge of a book-study group insisted that one of the brothers who turned in his time could not possibly have preached for as much time as he reported. He complained to other elders about it and he even questioned the brother three times about it. Each time the brother affirmed that his reported time was accurate. 

Several years later while serving at another congregation the CO was asked about verifying publisher time. His response was, "We are elders in the congregation not policemen. What the publisher reports is between them and Jehovah. It is not our place to question or impute bad motives to the publisher," 

Cheers,

[John Houston]

RJ, Hi, the information given in the Organized book should have sufficed. I'm a pioneer, father of 5 at one time. Now think, your children are with you the majority or the time. The precept set out in Deut. 6:6-8, we could carry out 24/7, correct? How much time if we were "time mangers" could be amassed monthly? The Society keeps up with our ministry 'time' to gauge where in congregations, and circuit territories there is a need for help, why we keep such records. I could conflate my monthly hours of service just with my children, right? But teaching them, my children is a God-given command as a parent, something I should carry out as a spiritual guide of my household. So no matter how small or large my family, the Society will only allow to be counted on record the max you read about. The time and effort we put in we should desire to do as loving parents anyway. So record the max, and reap the max, the family serving Jehovah whole souled, that is the goal, correct?

[David Normand]

On 8/21/2017 at 4:40 PM, John Houston said:

RJ, Hi, the information given in the Organized book should have sufficed. I'm a pioneer, father of 5 at one time. Now think, your children are with you the majority or the time. The precept set out in Deut. 6:6-8, we could carry out 24/7, correct? How much time if we were "time mangers" could be amassed monthly? The Society keeps up with our ministry 'time' to gauge where in congregations, and circuit territories there is a need for help, why we keep such records. I could conflate my monthly hours of service just with my children, right? But teaching them, my children is a God-given command as a parent, something I should carry out as a spiritual guide of my household. So no matter how small or large my family, the Society will only allow to be counted on record the max you read about. The time and effort we put in we should desire to do as loving parents anyway. So record the max, and reap the max, the family serving Jehovah whole souled, that is the goal, correct?

Well said John. If you are feeding your family just because of the hours you can record and that is your goal, then that is the reward you will receive. If you are feeding them spiritually because you want them to inherit everlasting life and this is your goal, then that is the reward.