Jehovah’s Witnesses Describe Weekly Congregation Meetings and Bible Instruction

Jehovah’s Witnesses describe their congregation meetings in a brochure published on the group’s official website, saying they resemble early Christian gatherings, which the group says consisted mainly of songs, prayers, and the reading and discussion of Scripture, free of any ritual.

Each congregation meets on the weekend to hear a 30-minute Bible discourse on how the Scriptures relate to members’ lives and “the times we live in,” and members are encouraged to follow along in their own Bibles. The discourse is followed by a one-hour “Watchtower” Study, in which members may take part in discussing an article from the study edition of The Watchtower. According to the brochure, the same material is studied in each of the group’s more than 110,000 congregations worldwide.

A separate three-part program, “Our Christian Life and Ministry,” is held on a midweek evening and is based on a monthly Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook. Its first part, “Treasures From God’s Word,” is meant to familiarize members with a portion of the Bible the congregation has read in advance.

The second part, “Apply Yourself to the Field Ministry,” includes demonstrations of how to discuss the Bible with others, and a counselor offers observations intended to help members improve their reading and speaking, a lesson in diligent work in one’s calling (Colossians 3:23). The final part, “Living as Christians,” considers how Bible principles apply to daily life and includes a question-and-answer discussion.

The brochure states that visitors “will no doubt be impressed by the quality of Bible education” they receive at the meetings.

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