Apply Yourself to the Field Ministry for the Week of September 21-27, 2026

STARTING A CONVERSATION

Duration: 3 minutes
Location: Public witnessing
Objective: Offer a Bible study to a person from a non-Christian background
Lesson: Tact
Scripture: Matthew 7:12
Publication: Enjoy Life Forever!

Situation: A young woman stops at a literature cart near a library. The offer of a free Bible course catches her attention, but she explains that she was raised with beliefs different from Christianity.

Publisher: Hi. I noticed you were looking at the sign about the course. Was there something in particular that caught your attention?

Person: The part about a “free Bible course,” although it probably isn’t for me. I’m not a Christian. My family follows other beliefs.

Publisher: Thanks for telling me. It makes sense that you’d want to know what it involves before agreeing to anything. Have your beliefs had a big influence on how you view life?

Person: Yes. From the time I was little, I was taught to respect others, not to harm anyone, and to try to live peacefully.

Publisher: Those are very good values. I admire your effort to hold on to them, because it isn’t always easy to live according to what we believe.

Person: That’s why I wouldn’t like someone trying to convince me that everything I learned is wrong.

Publisher: I understand. I wouldn’t feel comfortable either if someone started criticizing my beliefs without listening to me. Our course isn’t about arguing or forcing someone to change religion. We examine the Bible, and each person is free to say what they think.

Person: But the Bible is a Christian book. I don’t know what it could offer me.

Publisher: That’s a reasonable question. Although it contains Christian teachings, it also has principles that many people, regardless of their culture, find valuable. For example, you mentioned the importance of treating others well. Notice what Jesus taught at Matthew 7:12: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.”

Person: I do like that idea. In fact, it’s quite similar to something I was taught at home.

Publisher: That’s true; we have some common ground there. We both value respect and compassion. The course lets you discover principles like this and see whether they can help with problems we face today.

Person: And would I have to accept that Jesus is the Son of God?

Publisher: You wouldn’t be asked to accept anything without examining it. You can ask questions, disagree, or say that an explanation doesn’t convince you. The idea is first to learn what the Bible really teaches and then draw your own conclusions.

Person: That sounds more reasonable. What are the lessons like?

Publisher: They’re brief, free conversations. We can start with a question that interests you, such as how to find inner peace, why there is so much suffering, or what advice can improve our relationships.

Person: I’d be interested in inner peace. With work and my studies, I’ve been pretty stressed lately.

Publisher: We can start with exactly that. The first session could be just ten minutes, and we could do it here, in the library, or by video call.

Person: I usually come to this library to study on Fridays.

Publisher: How about next Friday we look at a short section? You can tell me what you think, and then decide whether you want to continue.

Person: All right. I can try it once.

Publisher: Great. And thank you for explaining your beliefs so honestly.

FOLLOWING UP

Duration: 4 minutes
Location: Informal witnessing, in the waiting area of a swimming school
Objective: Offer a Bible study to a person who previously accepted a tract
Lesson: Empathy
Scripture: John 5:28, 29
Tract: Can the Dead Really Live Again?
Suggested lesson: “Your Loved Ones Can Live Again!” from the course Enjoy Life Forever!

Situation: While waiting for their children’s swimming lessons to finish, a woman spoke about the death of her brother and accepted a tract about the resurrection. A week later, they meet again in the same place.

Publisher: Hi, Ana. It’s good to see you again. How are you?

Person: Fine, waiting here again. It looks like they’re running late today.

Publisher: Yes, they still haven’t opened the door. Last week you told me that this Sunday would have been your brother’s birthday. I thought of you. How did it go?

Person: It was a difficult day. We got together for a meal and everyone tried to be cheerful, but you could tell someone was missing.

Publisher: I can imagine. On days like that, even good memories can hurt.

Person: Exactly. My mother was especially sad. When I got home, I read the tract you gave me.

Publisher: Thanks for telling me. Was there any point that caught your attention?

Person: The promise that the dead will live again. I want to believe it, but I’m also afraid of holding on to a hope that may not be real.

Publisher: I understand. When we’ve lost someone, a beautiful promise isn’t enough. We need solid reasons to trust it. What part did you find hardest to believe?

Person: That millions of people could come back. I don’t understand how that would be possible.

Publisher: That’s a very reasonable question. The tract quotes Jesus’ words that show how far-reaching that promise is. At John 5:28, 29, he said: “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.” What detail stands out to you?

Person: That it says “all.” If it were true, it would mean that my brother could come back too.

Publisher: Yes. The Bible isn’t talking about just a few people. But it’s natural that you’d want to know why we can trust that promise and what that life would be like.

Person: That’s what I wonder. Where would they live? Would they be the same people?

Publisher: There’s actually a lesson in the Bible course called “Your Loved Ones Can Live Again!” It examines those questions and several accounts in which Jesus resurrected people. Would you like to look at it together?

Person: I don’t know. It’s still hard for me to talk about my brother without getting emotional.

Publisher: Of course, and we wouldn’t have to discuss anything that makes you uncomfortable. We can go at your pace. Studying the Bible wouldn’t erase the pain or replace your brother, but it could help you understand what has happened to him and what hope there is for him.

Person: My mother also keeps asking where he is now. Every relative tells her something different, and that only confuses her more.

Publisher: Then clearly understanding what the Bible says could give both of you some peace now. And looking to the future, the hope of seeing him again can help you cope with his absence.

Person: Maybe. But I don’t want to commit to a long course.

Publisher: You don’t have to. We can try just part of that lesson during the fifteen minutes we wait here. You can ask every question you have and then decide whether you want to continue.

Person: That would be easier. My son’s class is every Tuesday.

Publisher: How about next Tuesday I bring the lesson and we look at just the first question?

Person: Yes, but if I don’t feel up to it that day, I’d rather leave it for another week.

Publisher: Of course. The most important thing is to respect how you feel. I’ll message you on Monday, and you can tell me whether it works for you.

Person: All right. Thank you for remembering what I told you.

Publisher: And thank you for trusting me with something so personal.

MAKE DISCIPLES — WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

Duration: 6 minutes
Location: Auditorium
Objective: Mental rehearsal of a house-to-house conversation
Lesson: Naturalness: Be adaptable
Situation: The person is concerned about the rising cost of living
Scripture: Matthew 6:31, 32

Publisher:

Imagine that I’m preaching from house to house. Before knocking on a door, I have a presentation prepared about improving family life. However, after I greet the person, they tell me that what really concerns them right now is the rising cost of living.

What should I do?

Point 5 of lesson 2 in the brochure Love People—Make Disciples reminds me that I need to be adaptable. A conversation can take an unexpected direction. Instead of insisting on using the idea I had prepared, I should adapt the message to what is really concerning the person.

So I wouldn’t keep talking about the family as if I hadn’t heard what they just said. Nor would I rush to show them a scripture. First, I would try to understand their situation better.

I could say: “It’s true that prices have gone up a lot. It’s becoming harder and harder to cover the same needs with the same income. What have you noticed the most?”

Perhaps the person would explain that she lives alone with her children, that her salary hasn’t increased, and that each week she has to leave more items out of her shopping.

How could I show that I understand her concern?

I shouldn’t say, “I know exactly how you feel,” because my financial situation could be very different. It would be more considerate to acknowledge that. I could reply: “My situation isn’t the same as yours, so I can’t know exactly what you’re going through. But supporting a family with today’s prices must put you under a lot of pressure.”

I could also commend her for her efforts: “The fact that you’re so concerned about providing for your children shows that you’re a responsible mother. You’re doing everything you can in a situation that isn’t completely under your control.”

Those words don’t solve her problem, but they show that I’ve listened and that I don’t consider her concern insignificant.

I would also avoid answers that, although well-intentioned, could sound unsympathetic. For example, I wouldn’t tell her that “money can’t buy happiness” or that she “shouldn’t worry so much.” If she is struggling to buy food or pay the rent, such expressions could make her feel that I’m minimizing a serious problem.

After listening to her, what scripture could I show her?

One good possibility would be Matthew 6:31, 32. I could introduce it by saying: “What you’ve told me reminds me of something Jesus said. He knew that people could become anxious about basic needs such as food and clothing. Notice especially the last sentence.”

Then I would read: “So never be anxious and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to wear?’ […]. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”

Then I could ask her: “How does it make you feel to know that God is aware of your family’s specific needs?”

Perhaps the person would reply that knowing that doesn’t lower prices or make her bills disappear. If she said that, she would be right. I wouldn’t try to correct her. I could answer: “That’s true. It would be insensitive to say that reading a scripture will pay your bills. These words also don’t promise that financial difficulties will disappear immediately. What they show is that God isn’t indifferent and that your needs don’t go unnoticed by him.”

She might then ask me: “If God knows what we’re going through, why does he allow there to be people who can’t afford what they need?”

The conversation would have taken a new direction. Instead of going back to my original presentation, I would try to answer that question. I could explain that the Bible shows that God didn’t cause this unjust system and that he has established a government that will eliminate economic hardship and make sure everyone has what they need.

If the person felt that this promise seemed very far off, I would again acknowledge her viewpoint. I could say: “I understand why you see it that way. A promise about the future doesn’t remove the difficulties you have this week. But knowing what God will do can give us hope and help us not to think that this situation will last forever.”

Finally, I could offer to return to discuss just that question. I might say: “There’s a short lesson that explains what God’s Kingdom will do to solve problems like this. If you’d like, another day we can examine just one idea, and you can decide whether you find it helpful.”

This mental rehearsal helps me prepare for a situation that could come up in the ministry. The key isn’t to memorize every word, but to remember the principle: listen first and then adapt the message.

If the person is worried about the rising cost of living, I should acknowledge how serious the problem is, avoid answers that minimize their difficulties, and use a scripture that relates directly to how they feel. That way, the conversation will sound natural, and the person will sense that I’m interested in them, not simply in completing the presentation I had prepared.