TROUBLE THAT LEADS TO HOPE

6. A GLOBAL PREACHING WORK - "This good news of the Kingdom will be preached  in all the inhabited earth." -Matthew 24:14.

Vaiatea lives on a remote Pacific Island in the Tuamotu Archipelago.  Although Tuamotu consists of nearly 80 atolls spread across an area of more than 310,000 square miles (802,900 sq km),  it has a population of only some 16,000 inhabitants.  Yet, Vaiatea and her neighbors have been contracted by Jehovah's Witnesses. Why?  Because the Witnesses wish to share the good news about God's Kingdom with all people-no matter where they live. 

WHAT DO THE FACTS SHOW?  The Kingdom message is reaching all corners of the globe.  In 2010 alone, Jehovah's Witnesses spent over 1.6 billion hours proclaiming this good news in 236 lands.  That is an average of 30 minutes in the preaching work each day by every Witness.  Over the past decade, they have produced and distributed more than20 billion items of Bible-education literature.

WHAT IS A COMMON OBJECTION?  The Bible's message has been preached for thousands of years.

IS THAT OBJECTION VALID?  True, many have preached something about the Bible's message.  However, most have done so only for a brief time and on a limited scale.  By contrast, Jehovah's Witnesses are accomplishing an organized, global preaching campaign that reaches hundreds of millions of people.  The Witnesses have persevered in their preaching work despite severe opposition from some of their most powerful and ruthless organization in human history.  (Mark 13:13) Moreover, Jehovah's Witnesses are not paid to preach.  Rather, they volunteer their time, and they offer their literature free of charge.  Their work is supported entirely by voluntary contributions.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Is the "good news of the kingdom" being preached worldwide?  Could the fulfillment of this prophecy mean that something better lies ahead?

Next time:BETTER TIMES JUST AHEAD!

Watchtower, 2011