Transcripts: Broadcasts

Transcript: JW Broadcasting. August 2024
[Gage Fleegle. Governing Body]
Gage: Greetings, and welcome to JW Broadcasting! We have an exciting program in store for you. We’ll learn how Jehovah has revealed his “sacred secret” and what it means for each of us. We’ll see a dramatization that will help us stay focused on serving Jehovah and avoid becoming overly concerned with when the end will come. In this new episode of Our History in Motion, we’ll learn how Jehovah’s organization has harnessed motion-picture technology to preach and teach. And we’ll enjoy a thought-provoking music video with a timely message: We’re happier when we keep it simple. This is JW Broadcasting for August 2024!
(JW Broadcasting logo, collage of images of people worldwide, spin round a globe, transitions into a white box with the capital letters ‘JW BROADCASTING’ a backdrop of the Earth’s sky view)
Do you like mysteries or puzzles? What about secrets? Are you good at keeping honorable secrets confidential? Jehovah had a secret that he kept for about 4,000 years! Unlike human secrets, which often are difficult to keep confidential, Jehovah’s sacred secret would be revealed only by divine revelation. In other words, Jehovah would reveal the details only in his due time. Proverbs 25:2 says: “It is the glory of God to keep a matter secret.” What’s the secret we’re talking about? It’s related to the first prophecy recorded in the Bible, found at Genesis 3:15. How would Jehovah fix the damage caused by the rebellion in the garden of Eden?
(Artwork illustration: Distraught Adam and Eve under a fruit tree, with a serpent. Jesus and John in the River Jordan; Jesus looks heaven ward after baptism. In the sky a dove spreads its wings.)
Jehovah said to the serpent who deceived Eve: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head, and you will strike him in the heel.” What an intriguing prophecy! It was spoken some 6,000 years ago, but its meaning affects each one of us and every person who has ever lived. Who was behind the voice of the serpent? Who was “the woman”? Eve might have thought that she was, because when she later gave birth to Cain, she said at Genesis 4:1: “I have produced a male child with the help of Jehovah.” But Eve was not “the woman” of the prophecy. Jehovah’s secret was still a secret. Who was the ‘offspring of the woman’? If Eve thought it was Cain, she was sadly disappointed. Jehovah would reveal these details according to his timetable, long after Adam and Eve died.
(He holds an inlaid embossed wooden puzzle box.)
We might compare the revealing of Jehovah’s sacred secret to this puzzle box. It’s locked and seems impossible to open. However, a series of steps leads to opening the box and revealing the treasure inside. Those steps are like the details that led to identifying the promised ‘offspring of the woman.’ What were some of those details? Over 2,000 years after the prophecy in Eden, Jehovah made a promise to the faithful man Abraham that provided a piece of the puzzle. What did Jehovah say? We find his words at Genesis 22:17, 18: “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens and like the grains of sand on the seashore, and your offspring will take possession of the gate of his enemies. And by means of your offspring all nations of the earth will obtain a blessing for themselves.” Wow! Jehovah revealed the first detail to unlock his sacred secret.
(Gage firmly slides a piece of wood at the bottom front of the wooden box to the left.)
Abraham must have been amazed when he looked up to the heavens and saw thousands of stars.
(Abraham, deep in thought, gazes up at the star-filled purple night sky.)
Although Abraham would not see the complete fulfilment of the promise in his lifetime, it certainly would be fulfilled at a future time by the God who does not lie. Jehovah repeated the promise to Abraham’s son Isaac and to Isaac’s son Jacob. Jacob, in his deathbed prophecy, said at Genesis 49:10 that “the scepter [would] not depart from Judah.” So, we learn that kingship is involved and that the promised offspring would come through Judah’s line. Later, Jehovah provided the Mosaic Law to help protect the nation of Israel and the promised offspring. What was the next significant detail to be revealed?
(In front of a camp, a man gives David a scroll. David opens it, smiles, and nods.)
In 1070 B.C.E., Judah’s descendant David became king over all Israel. David was “a man agreeable to [Jehovah’s] heart,” and Jehovah promised to raise up someone in David’s royal line who would rule forever. The promise is recorded at 2 Samuel chapter 7, verses 12 and 13: “I will raise up your offspring after you, your own son, and I will firmly establish his kingdom. . .. I will firmly establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” We’re one step closer to identifying the promised offspring.
(Gage slides a piece of wood on the right slide of the wooden puzzle box and removes it. He tilts the box, and a key falls out of the hidden compartment.)
The offspring would come through David’s line. Although David’s son Solomon had a peaceful reign, he was not the King who would rule forever. That King would appear in the future at Jehovah’s appointed time. Of course, the Devil didn’t want the promised offspring of the woman to appear, so he repeatedly tried to eliminate or contaminate the lineage to the offspring. However, Jehovah made sure that the Devil failed in his attempts. Down through the centuries, Jehovah, through his prophets, provided specific details regarding the promised offspring. For instance, the prophet Micah foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks of years indicated the exact year when the Messiah would appear. Also, Isaiah’s prophecy revealed that the offspring would die a sacrificial death. Jehovah was progressively revealing details about his sacred secret.
Centuries later, in the year 2 B.C.E., the angel Gabriel appeared to a Jewish virgin named Mary and made a startling declaration to her.
(Mary turns and faces Angel Gabriel, Mary quickly covers her head with her shawl.)
Would you like to know what it is? It’s found at Luke 1:31-33: “Look! you will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as King over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his Kingdom.” Both Mary and Jesus’ adoptive father, Joseph, were descendants of David, so Jesus received both the natural and the legal rights of an heir of David. Can you imagine what might have been going through Mary’s mind after hearing those words?
(Mary falls to her knees and listens intently to Angel Gabriel.)
Did she perhaps remember hearing similar details from the book of Moses about the promised offspring? Of course, about nine months later, when Jesus was born, Jehovah’s angel appeared to shepherds who were tending their flocks near Bethlehem. The angel announced, as recorded in Luke chapter 2: “Today there was born to you in David’s city a savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
(At night, a group sleeps by a fire. A bright light appears, and frightened the men sit up and face the angel.)
After thousands of years, Jehovah was giving notice that his sacred secret would soon be revealed. The shepherds went and told Mary and Joseph about this divine message. The word about the Christ was spreading. About 30 years later, in the days of John the Baptizer, “the people were in expectation and all of them were reasoning in their hearts about John, ‘May he perhaps be the Christ?’” A short time later, Jesus the Nazarene came to John to be baptized. After Jesus came up out of the water, Jehovah anointed him with holy spirit and said: “This is my Son, the beloved.” At long last, the promised offspring of Genesis 3:15 had arrived!
(Gage uses the key to unlock the puzzle box and reveals a large crystal inside.)
Humble Jews readily responded to Jesus’ teachings and ministry. But there were many more details about the sacred secret yet to be revealed, like the many facets of a beautiful crystal.
(He rotates the large crystal in his hand.)
During his ministry, Jesus himself identified the serpent as Satan and the serpent’s offspring as those who display the Devil’s characteristics. Jesus also revealed, as recorded at Luke 22:28 through 30, that there would be a secondary part of the woman’s offspring: spirit-anointed Christians who will rule with Christ in heaven. Later, the apostle Paul identified the woman of the prophecy as the heavenly part of Jehovah’s organization, made up of faithful spirit creatures. Of course, the enmity foretold at Genesis 3:15 continues into our day. The Devil and his offspring continue “to wage war with the remaining ones of [the woman’s] offspring” on earth. But what did the Messiah accomplish while he was on the earth? The Jews were hoping that he would bring liberation from Roman oppression.
(Jesus carries a torture stake through a crowd.)
However, Daniel’s prophecy indicated that the Messiah would be “cut off,” or “put to death.” This corresponded to the ‘striking in the heel,’ mentioned at Genesis 3:15.
(Jesus on the stake.)
Still, Jehovah also revealed at Psalm 16:10 that his Son would not be left “in the Grave.” True to his promise, Jehovah resurrected Jesus less than three days after his death. Of course, a principal part of Jehovah’s sacred secret involved the Messianic Kingdom, of which Christ would be King. While Jesus was on earth, he cured the sick, he fed the hungry, and he resurrected the dead, things that he’ll do on a far greater scale as King of God’s Kingdom. After Jesus ascended to heaven, many additional details about God’s sacred secret were revealed in the writings we now know as the Christian Greek Scriptures. Colossians 2:3 says: “Carefully concealed in him [or, Christ] are all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.” When did the sacred secret come to its finish? Revelation 10:7 says that it would occur “in the days when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet.” When did that take place? Let’s note the answer at Revelation 11:15: “The seventh angel blew his trumpet. And there were loud voices in heaven, saying: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.’ This occurred in 1914 when Christ Jesus became King of God’s Kingdom. But is that the end? No! The revelation provides additional details regarding God’s Kingdom and future events that most people would consider shocking. For example, Revelation 19:11 through 16 reveals that Christ Jesus, “the King of kings and Lord of lords”, will “strike the nations” and “shepherd them with a rod of iron.” As King of God’s Kingdom, Jesus will soon crush all human governments and hurl the Devil into an abyss of inactivity. This will lead to 1,000 years of peace. At the end of the thousand years, the Devil will be released from the abyss for a short time, and then the final fulfilment of Genesis 3:15 will occur: The offspring of the woman will crush the head of the Devil. How does all of this affect us? We’re privileged to know about God’s sacred secret, which he kept secret for some 4,000 years. Some of the details Jehovah has helped his people to understand only in recent decades! Yes, Jehovah has made “known to us the sacred secret of his will.” During this broadcast, we have considered only a few facets of God’s sacred secret. Why not make it a project for personal or family worship? It’s thrilling to think about Kingdom realities and how Jehovah will completely undo the effects of Satan’s rebellion. Christ Jesus now rules as King in the heavens, and the days for this evil system of things under Satan’s domination are numbered. Jesus will soon strike the nations with a rod of iron and then transform the earth into a beautiful paradise. What does Jehovah want us to do with his sacred secret? Should we put it back into the box?
(Gage closes the puzzle box lid.)
bury it in the ground? No! Jehovah wants us to make it known! The sacred secret is now being proclaimed in over 1,000 languages. Are you having a full share? Deep appreciation for this sacred secret and all that it means for the future will impel us to share it with as many people as possible. When the apostle Paul wrote to Christians in Ephesus, he requested of them, as recorded at Ephesians 6:19: “Pray also for me, that the words may be given to me when I open my mouth, so that I may be able to speak boldly in making known the sacred secret of the good news.” That’s our prayer for you, dear brothers and sisters, that we all may continue to declare Jehovah’s sacred secret with boldness. One way we reach many people with the good news is through special preaching campaigns organized by the branch office. In the following report, we’ll see how Jehovah has blessed this work.
(Text: Mayane Montenegro. Brazil)
Mayane: I love to preach; I love to talk about Jehovah.
(On her bed, Mayane reads a 2016 yearbook)
Whenever I’d read the experiences of pioneers and missionaries in the yearbooks, I wanted to feel that same joy and same feeling that they had. When I heard about the announcement about the campaign, I knew that that was my chance.
(She smiles as she reads)
The first challenge was the pressure I got from others. “Why go somewhere so far?” “You could use that money to travel somewhere more beautiful. You could even travel to another country.”
(Under a large tree Mayane reads the Bible)
These types of comments did affect me a bit. Other times it was more a question of finances. I once had to decide whether I would accept an opportunity to work at a good job in a public sector
(she bows her head in prayer)
or whether to turn that opportunity down. But participating in that campaign was my chance to do more for Jehovah.
(At sunrise, she travels by bus)
I knew this experience would be life changing.
(Mayane smiles as she pulls her suitcase and walks away from the ferry port)
Throughout the campaign, we met so many sincere people,
(She walks through a street market)
some who had never heard Jehovah’s name or who didn’t even know what a Bible was.
(On a small river boat she approaches a small house on a jetty)
One experience that stuck with me was when I tried explaining to someone what the Bible was,
(A lady looks at the open Bible)
and then her eyes just beamed when she understood that it was a message from God to her personally.
(Three women sit outside and talk. Mayane and others walk through a forest, then by a river.)
There’s a Bible student who is indigenous, and whenever you talk about Jehovah, her eyes always light up.
(A group of children eagerly watch a video on her phone)
She always asks to learn more about Jehovah. We would study over the public telephone
(In the street Mayane holds a public phone while a sister stands next to her with a Bible)
because she lives in a village that’s about a five-day journey away. But even though it was challenging, she made it to the meetings. She would bring the whole family. Sometimes up to 20 people would walk into the Kingdom Hall.
(She waves the group to enter the small Kingdom Hall)
I would bring a Bible, a phone, and a tablet, and I would pass them around and try to help them. There’s no doubt that having these experiences was well worth it.
(Holding their shoes, a group of sisters walk through a muddy terrain. One slips, screams, and then regains her balance)
I know that participating
(Two happy sisters ride bicycles on a dirt street; one waves)
in this campaign was the best decision.
(A group carrying luggage, walks across a narrow plank over mud and water)
I started to truly see Jehovah as a real friend. And it was also wonderful to spend time with a variety of brothers and sisters during the campaign.
(Friends laugh while picnicking under the trees)
It helped me mature spiritually. I planned to go for a month and ended up staying there for five years.
(On a small river boat Mayane smiles)
If I could, I’d do all over again.
(Skyview of a river lined with trees)
Natália: My family owns a guest house, and my father said that we were going to host a group for a campaign, but I never had contact with Jehovah’s Witnesses before.
(A group approaches the guest house)
When the group arrived, the pastor of my church said that I should be very careful about having contact with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
(A sister smiles as she approaches the receptionist)
So, I was.
(Text: Natália Gil Corrêa. Brazil)
I did everything I could to avoid contact with them. I would see them leaving early for the ministry.
(The group walk out the gate)
But one day, there was a sister that didn’t go out, and I thought, ‘She’s going to try to preach to me.’ And that’s what she did. So, since she was already staying at the inn, I started studying with her. But at first, it was just to prove her wrong.
(Outside, they sit with books and open Bibles)
As I kept studying, though, I could see that what I was learning was really making sense. So, I couldn’t say that that wasn’t the truth.
(The happy group socialize together)
I would also notice the brothers and sisters playing guitar, singing, and I thought it was so beautiful to see how joyful they always were. I met the Witnesses in April 2016, and in October, I became an unbaptized publisher. In January 2017, I was baptized, and I’ve been regular pioneering for two years.
(Under a tree, Natália and a sister stand next to the literature display, wave at passersby and speak to a lady who approaches)
I am sure that all of this happened because Jehovah heard what I prayed for a few days before. I had to go to the hospital, and I had asked,
(Next to a hospital bed Natália prays)
“God, help me survive so that I can get to know you because I know I don’t know the truth about you yet.” He gave me what I asked for. He sent the brothers just at the right time with the campaign. I’m sure it was Jehovah who sent them.
(Natália and a sister show Bible verses to a man sitting on a bench)
Someone could be praying for help to learn about Jehovah. And he would direct a preaching campaign with brothers from many places to help honest hearted people.
(The group walk together on a long dirt road)
Gage: Some seeds of truth we plant may take root unexpectedly. By sharing zealously in the preaching work, you could be the one who helps someone hear the truth for the very first time. Learning about Jehovah can be the turning point in a person’s life. We’ll see an example of this in the following interview.
(Text: Sonia Colon. United States)
Sonia: I hated the world’s situation; there was so much suffering.
(She stares out of a rain-streaked window)
And I always had so many questions: Why are we here? What is it all about? What is the purpose? Is there really a God? Is there? Could he allow all of this? So, I opened the window, and I stuck my head out, and I said, “If you’re there, I want you to know how I feel about you.” I was raised in a religious Jewish family in the Bronx. My parents viewed money as security, and they worked seven days a week. That really affected us as children a lot.
(She holds a framed photo)
I was a child let on the loose; I was running the streets. And so, I started using drugs, and I started selling drugs, and I was getting in every kind of trouble. And so, they moved us out to Long Island, hoping things would be better. But I would take a taxi back into New York City every day.
(Cars drive over large bridge)
One of the drivers was named Joe, and we hit it off, and I wound up marrying him.
(She holds a framed photo of them)
My father was so, so upset. I’m married; I’m pregnant. I said to him, “I’m moving out.” And he said to me, “Don’t look back because this is final.” So, my family had disowned me. I was a new mother with a baby, and I was really hurting. So, I remember one day looking out the window and seeing this little old man come up my stairs, and he was carrying a little blue book. And he came to my door, and he wanted 25 cents for that book, The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life.
(She opens the blue book)
And I didn’t really care about the book, but something made me want to give that little old man that quarter. Right away, chapter 4 caught my attention, “Why We Grow Old and Die.” And I read the entire chapter, and I thought: ‘It just made sense. I can’t wait to share this with Joe when he comes home.’ He just lost his temper; he went out of control. He did not want to hear about Jehovah’s Witnesses. This was not that important. This book was really not that important. I didn’t want it to begin with. And so, I just dropped it in the trash can and thought: ‘That’s the end of that. It’s gone.’ But that little old man came back with a young sister. And Joe was there cutting an orange with a knife, and he was not happy to see those people again. He took that knife, and he waved it in front of the sister’s face. And he said, “I don’t want you here at the house.” She ran to the door, and she said, “No problem, I will definitely not be back.” And they left, and I thought, ‘I really don’t think they’ll be back.’ But they did come back, now an elderly sister who had a Jewish background. And I said to her, “Can you not take a hint that I am not interested in speaking with you?” And she said: “I get that; I get that. But I really would love to ask you just one question.” I thought, ‘OK, there’s no harm in letting her ask me one question.’ She opened up the green Bible to the cover page where it has the Tetragrammaton, Jehovah’s name in Hebrew. And she said, “Will you just say this name for me?” I thought to myself: ‘I’m not gonna say that name. ‘Jewish people don’t say that name. I have never ever said that name.’ But finally, I did; I said, “Yehovah.” For the very first time, I said the name Jehovah. And I was like, so shocked. You know, I was just waiting for something terrible to happen. And then she told me that the name Jehovah was in the Bible about 7,000 times. As soon as she left, I went and got out my Hebrew Bible. And I was gonna look for that name, Jehovah, and circle it if it was there. So, I started to do that. I went through the first page and the second page. And I realized, as I flipped through the Bible, it’s everywhere. The name Jehovah was everywhere. I thought, ‘I have got to share this with Joe.’ And Joe was really impressed; he was really softening. It made a difference. A week later, she comes back because she wanted to show me a prophecy in the Hebrew Scriptures in Daniel chapter 9. She called it the 70-weeks-of-years prophecy. And for the first time, I could see that there was a real answer to when the Messiah would come and what would be the results on the earth. Seeing those prophecies really motivated me to want to know more. I thought to myself: ‘If all of these prophecies are from God ‘and he’s fulfilling all of them, ‘what other prophecies are there? What other wonderful things do we have to look forward to?’ My relationship with Jehovah just got better and better. And we were baptized together on December 2, 1972.
(Two framed photos of the happy couple)
I came to really appreciate and love Bible prophecy. I started doing a lot of research and a lot of study on my own.
(With open Bible and tablet displaying JW.org)
I loved getting to know Jehovah as a Person who wants such good things for us. Everything he wants, everything he asks of us, is for our benefit.
(She watches a video)
It just really touched me to the core. My life is so full now with blessings from Jehovah.
(Framed photo of a happy group. Her husband puts his arm around her shoulders, they smile)
I love that name. There is no more beautiful name in the world than Jehovah.
Gage: In these distressing times, people often look to money or human organizations, almost anywhere, for security. Sister Colon’s experience reassures us that Jehovah is the only secure refuge. He continues to stabilize and protect her spiritually. Jehovah’s Witnesses have helped millions of people to learn the truth through a variety of methods, including, of course, this channel: JW Broadcasting. Today we use videos in our preaching, meetings, schools, and conventions. But did you know that Jehovah’s organization first used motion pictures more than 100 years ago? This episode of Our History in Motion traces that rich history. Let’s watch.
Presenter: Today we use videos just about everywhere in our worship and ministry.
(Collage of images: Family Worship, Convention, meeting at a Kingdom Hall, Bible study in progress, personal study)
But did you know that Jehovah’s people started using film and video to preach and teach more than a hundred years ago?
(Modern day video transitions to black and white video)
Let’s see how and why in this episode of Our History in Motion. When the early Bible Students first began preaching in the late 1800’s,
(Collage of black and white photos. Group of Bible students, and horse and cart)
the motion picture industry was in its infancy.
(Man winds an old motion picture camera)
But even then, C. T. Russell and his associates recognized the power of this new medium.
(Color invitation: Announcement of Pastor Russell’s Round the World Tour. Black and white photos of C. T. Russell and his associates in Egypt, Jamaica, and the United States)
Film could be used not only to reach wider audiences but to touch hearts with Bible truth.
(Text: Hot Springs, Arkansas.1913. Black and white convention photos)
At a convention in June 1913, the Bible Students passed a bold resolution supporting the use of motion pictures as a new tool for preaching and teaching. Less than a year later, in January 1914, the brothers debuted the “Photo Drama of Creation.”
(Black and white photo of vehicle advertising Photo Drama of Creation. Color Invitation: All Cities. Daily. Best Theatres. “The Photo Drama of Creation”. Free Motion Pictures)
The eight-hour production included color slides
(Color slides of different animals together. Text: The Animal Creation. Text: Beasts, Cattle, Creeping Things)
and motion picture film,
(Horses are led into the ark)
most of it footage that Russell purchased from other studios. Imagine sitting in a packed auditorium and seeing, possibly for the first time, moving pictures of events described in the Bible.
(Theatre displays color motion picture)
And there was something else in the “Photo Drama” that really took audiences by surprise. “‘The Photo Drama of Creation’ is presented “by the I.B.S.A., the International Bible Students Association.” Synchronized dialogue!
(Various tickets)
The “Photo Drama” played in theatres and auditoriums around the world. But what if film could be used to teach the truth not just in big theaters but right in a person’s own living room?
(Family reading together in living room)
That was the idea behind a series of short films released in the 1920’s.
(Images from silent films)
These silent films, chronicling the travels of J. F. Rutherford in the Bible lands, were designed to be shown at home. They required the use of the Kinemo Projection Machine, a portable, low-cost movie projector made just for this purpose. Interested ones who viewed these films were given a glimpse of the Bible lands and were introduced to many prophecies.
(Projector shows films)
Over the next two decades, the organization used radio
(Images of brothers broadcasting on the radio)
and the phonograph
(Phonograph on a doorstep)
rather than film to reach more people with the Kingdom message.
But in the 1950’s, the Governing Body recognized the need for interested ones to see for themselves the international scope of the organization.
(Convention images. Text: Japan, Indonesia, Bolivia)
So, they again turned to film with the release of The New World Society in Action. This one-hour-and-twenty-minute film transported viewers to our Bethel facilities
(The words ‘Read God’s Word the Holy Bible Daily’ displayed on the Bethel building)
and international conventions.
(Color images of people smiling at conventions)
It gave them a taste of what it’s like to preach in some of the remotest parts of the world.
(A couple preaches to a man raking his lawn)
Additional films released over the next several years
(A woman on a banana boat. Text on screen: Proclaiming “Everlasting Good News” Around the World)
further highlighted the work of God’s people and the fulfilment of Bible prophecies.
(Text: The Happiness of the New World Society)
Then, in 1966, we released Heritage. This 28-minute feature was unflinching in its portrayal of the real-world problems young people face.
(In the car, a young man puts his arm around a young woman)
Video Presenter: Within the next sixty seconds,
(Black and white video clips)
another family somewhere in the United States will be strained to the breaking point.
(Husband bangs his fist on the dinner table)
What’s this? Just a family quarrel? No.
(He shouts at his wife and children)
It is far more serious than that. What is it doing to this family? Following Bible principles builds a solid family foundation.
Presenter: Heritage was presented at circuit assemblies and other large gatherings.
(Two women sewing)
It was also shown on more than 150 television stations in the United States.
(Invitation: A Film! Heritage. WJHL – TV Channel 11. Sunday 12 Noon. June 12)
After 1966, the organization shifted away from film and began presenting modern and Biblical dramas live on stage at conventions.
(Photos of dramas)
These dramas brought Bible accounts to life for young and old and were one of the highlights of large conventions for many years. But as the 1990’s approached;
(VHS videocassettes)
new technologies emerged that prompted our brothers to revisit motion pictures yet again. Videocassette players could be found in more and more homes. And so, in 1990, we released our very first video, Jehovah’s Witnesses, The Organization Behind the Name. It took viewers behind the scenes
(Clips from the video)
and built appreciation for how our literature is produced and used in the global preaching work. “The faithful and discreet slave” has made extensive use of video ever since.
(Image JW.org Video Category)
Motion picture technology has changed dramatically in 100 years,
(Scenes from movies and series Caleb and Sophia and Jade and Neeta)
but the objective of Jehovah’s organization in using it has always been the same: to touch the hearts of people everywhere with Bible truth.
(Various ones showing videos in the ministry. Text: Our History in Motion. Film and Video)
Gage: Jehovah has always understood the power of visuals. He gave the prophets visions. And now we have the technology that combines visual power and emotional impact. Digital technology continues to change, but our goal has not, to reach the heart. True Christians cherish the truth that this wicked world will soon end. But what are the pitfalls of serving Jehovah with a date in mind? In the following dramatization, let’s see how a Christian couple is lovingly helped to adjust their mindset.
(Text: South Africa, 1193. At the Kingdom Hall, A sister holds a happy baby, she hands him back. Now on the bus, she stares out the window deep in thought.
James: I’ve got some news. How do you feel about moving to the South Congregation?
(At home)
Linda: Why the South Congregation? We’re not even in their territory.
(James leaning against the wall nods)
James: It’s twice as far and feels like the wrong time
(Linda dries dishes)
With everything happening in the congregation. But they need help. So, brother Maseko asked, just asked, if we’d be willing.
(Linda shakes her head)
Linda: I’m tired.
James: Well, we can talk about it tomorrow when you’re
Linda: No, I mean I’m tired of everything. Starting over, making changes, this whole system. We’ve always been happy to do what Jehovah has asked.
(James sits and removes his glasses)
But I never thought this system would drag on for so long.
James: I don’t think either of us ever imagined we’d be where we are now.
(Linda sits with him at the table)
Linda: I know we’ve made the right decisions. But with our money so tight and then
(she shakes her head and closes her eyes)
tonight, holding Thulani. It’s just strange to thing that if, if things had been different, we’d probably have a family now.
(James rings a hand bell, and the school children leave. He closes the door and sees an older man)
James: Thabo
Thabo: James. What’s the news, my friend?
(They look at a wheelbarrow holding a toolbox)
James: You’re getting an early start tonight?
Thabo: Well, after this I’ve got another job. It’s a good thing that I’m only 25.
(They laugh)
So, I hear you and Linda are moving to the South Congregation. We need you there.
(James’s smile fades, and he looks down)
James: Yes, we’re… Well, we’re talking about it.
Linda: You and Linda are always eager to help.
James: We try our best. But this move, I don’t think we can do it.
Thabo: Are you okay?
(Concerned, Thabo places his hand on James’s shoulder)
James: Maybe we’re just running out of steam.
Thabo: Well, you both work very hard.
James: So do you.
(Thabo laughs)
What are you doing Saturday? Could you come over for some dinner?
(At the dinner table, James, Linda, and Thabo eat)
Thabo: I understand. I never dreamed that I’d be this age in this system and now look at these wrinkles.
Linda: I don’t see any wrinkles.
James: You haven’t slowed down a bit.
Thabo: I have my hard days, but I’ve learned a long time ago that focusing on when the end will come is just not good. That’s what happened to Dorothy, you know.
(Thabo and Dorothy as a young couple, smiling in the ministry)
We started pioneering right after we got married. We were excited.
(Thabo shows a man a Watchtower in his language)
We thought the end was really close.
(Text: 1976)
But things just kept going.
(People march in the street)
Years went by
(Dorothy and Thabo look out the window)
And Dorothy changed. She was angry that Armageddon hadn’t come,
(Protesters march holding hand-made signs)
She started doubting if it ever would.
(Sad Thabo sat alone at his dinner table)
In the end, she left Jehovah and me.
(Back to James, Linda and Thabo)
Linda: That had to be devastating.
(Thabo nods)
Thabo: It was the hardest time of my life. It’s true that 2 Peter 3:12 tells us to “await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah” but we have to be careful not to wait in frustration. I remember how in Jesus’ day many of his disciples stopped following him because his words didn’t meet their expectations. But what did Peter say?
Linda: Lord, whom shall we go away to?
Thabo: For you have sayings of everlasting life. The truth is the truth, even if it doesn’t unfold how or when you expect.
(James and Linda thoughtfully nod. Now, they approach the Kingdom Hall. They smile at each other)
We have to be focused on giving our all today
(Thabo opens his arms wide and gives Linda a big hug)
And keeping ourselves in Jehovah’s love.
(Thabo and James hug and shake hands. Text: To be continued.)
Gage: Are you eager to see what unfolds for James and Linda? Watch for Part 2 of our video in a future broadcast. What do we learn from this first episode? As Thabo observed, serving Jehovah with a date in mind can lead to spiritual disaster. Rather than fixate on when the end comes, let’s focus on who we are now before it arrives. Thabo also said: “The truth is the truth.” How do we know that we are practicing true Christianity? That’s the intriguing topic of this morning worship presented by Brother John Ekrann.
(John Ekrann. Helper to the Coordinator’s Committee. Jeremiah 6:16)
John: Many years ago, a brother in my congregation asked me to go with him in field service and return on a man who had asked him to come back. Well, it wasn’t too long after we were there in his house that it became clear to us that he wasn’t so much interested in listening to us as he was in convincing us that Jehovah’s Witnesses had the wrong religion. And he went on to attack Brother Russell. “Charles Taze Russell started your organization.” And he made accusations about Brother Russell, he did this and that, etcetera. And his reasoning was that since Brother Russell was flawed in these ways, God could not have used him to start the right religion. Well, we took the opportunity to point out his wrong reasoning. Basically, he was saying that God cannot use imperfect men to do his will. Well, think if we applied that to the Bible. Moses failed to credit Jehovah God for the miracle with the water. What are we going to do? Take out the first five books of the Bible? David sinned with Bath-sheba. We’re going to take out most of the Psalms. Peter denied Christ. Well, there goes 1 and 2 Peter. See, that reasoning really doesn’t make sense. Jehovah God does use imperfect people to do his will. But putting aside his flawed reasoning for a moment, maybe you’ve heard others say that Jehovah’s Witnesses are a breakaway Christian sect or that we’re a new American religion. Is that really true? Did Brother Russell start a new religion? No, absolutely not. What he did do is rediscover the true religion of the Bible the way it was practiced by Jesus and the apostles. What Russell and the early Bible students did was exactly what Jehovah told the nation of Israel to do when they had lost their way spiritually. I’d like you to look at Jeremiah 6:16 and notice the advice that Jehovah gave them. Jeremiah 6:16: “This is what Jehovah says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and see. ‘Ask about the ancient roadways, ‘ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and find rest for yourselves.’” Now, if you look at the Research Guide on this verse, one of the first Watchtower references says: “Jehovah exhorts his rebellious people to pause, examine themselves, and find their way back to ‘the roadways’ of their faithful ancestors.” Well, that’s exactly what those early Bible students did. They asked about the ancient roadways that Jesus walked. Now, can you imagine an explorer trying to locate in a jungle an ancient path that was there?
(Trees in a jungle)
Now, in a jungle, the path could have been covered over by years of growth and it would be difficult. But maybe he saw a stone or two. And eventually, by cutting away the jungle around it,
(A stone pathway through the trees)
imagine his excitement at finding that ancient path! Well, when you get a chance to read some of the early writings of Brother Russell and the early Bible students, you get a real sense of discovery, that they are excited to have found the truths that were there in the Bible all along. They’d just been covered over with hundreds, thousands, of years of lies and twisted doctrines taught by false Christianity. Yes, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not a breakaway religion. We practice Christianity by following closely the model set out in the Bible by Jesus and the apostles. We could really say that the early Bible students, led by holy spirit, found the ancient path of true Christianity and that they cleared away thousands of years of pagan philosophies and man-made doctrines. Right away, the early Bible students eliminated “a lot of jungle growth” from the path. No immortal soul, we are a soul. No hellfire, when we die, we cease to exist and depend on a resurrection. The ransom, Jesus’ death saved all of mankind who would put faith in him. God’s Kingdom is a heavenly government that will rule over the earth and was established in 1914. It’s amazing how well they cleared the path. Now, of course, there was still much work to do, but the path was much clearer. In fact, so clear and profound were those truths and so clear was the path that if you read the life experiences and life stories of those who came to the truth in the 1920’s and 1930’s, they’ll often say that they read one book or one brochure and said, “I have found the truth.” And, of course, this was not just clearing away doctrine but also changing how the organization operated: appointments of elders, not elections, not paid; circuit overseers who visit the congregations like Paul and Timothy did; weekly congregation meetings to make sure that we could study and read about Jehovah and discuss Bible truths or focus on the preaching work like the apostles did; door-to-door and public witnessing. Our text for today, Acts 16:4, is one example of how closely Jehovah’s organization today follows the first-century pattern. Let’s read Acts 16:4 in its entirety. Acts 16:4: “As they travelled on through the cities, they would deliver to them for observance the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and the elders who were in Jerusalem.” So, led by Jesus Christ, who was it that sent out these decrees? It was the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. Yes, Jehovah’s Witnesses today, we don’t have a single leader, or one man, that is leading the organization. We’re organized today as it was in the first century by a Governing Body, a group of men Jehovah uses to lead his organization today. And all the congregations around the world are united by the direction that we get from the Governing Body. And just as the apostles and elders in Jerusalem would send out decrees for all the early Christian congregations of the time, the same exact model is used today. Now, today, decisions from the Governing Body take many forms. It could be articles in The Watchtower, letters to bodies of elders and the congregations, Governing Body updates, organizational direction provided at schools, and many other forms. But all around the world, no matter where Jehovah’s Witnesses live, they accept the direction from one Governing Body. There’s not the Latin Jehovah’s Witnesses or the American Jehovah’s Witnesses or the European Jehovah’s Witnesses. We’re all united worldwide. And Jehovah’s Witnesses in one country don’t say, “Well, you know, I don’t think that direction from the Governing Body applies to us here.” No, all of us understand that worldwide, Jehovah and Jesus are using the Governing Body as the channel for spiritual food and organizational direction. Now, some feel that because our world headquarters is in the United States, Jehovah’s Witnesses are an American religion. But that reasoning is like some who say, “Well, the Bible is only for the Jews because it was written by Jewish men.” But clearly, the Bible’s message is for all mankind, and the fact that Jehovah chose Jewish men to write it down for us doesn’t limit its message to just Jews. Likewise, the fact that Jehovah chose the United States as the location for world headquarters doesn’t mean that Jehovah’s Witnesses are an American religion. There’s no limit to anyone, no matter what country or language, to becoming one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and worshipping Jehovah. And the very fact that Jehovah’s spirit has moved the Governing Body to work so hard to make sure that the truth is available to all nations is further proof in my mind that we have found the path of Christianity that Jesus and the apostles practiced. So, in review: First, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not a new religion started by Brother Russell but, rather, Brother Russell and the early Bible students found the ancient path of Christianity that Jesus and the apostles walked on. And second, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not an American religion. The Governing Body has made every effort to reach all mankind with the truth. We truly are the only united worldwide followers of Christ on the planet today.
Gage: True Christianity has not changed, but at times our understanding of certain Bible teachings has been clarified. How do you feel about these refinements? We can learn much from one another’s example. Please note the candid life story of Brother Norio Ishibashi.
(Text: Norio Ishibashi. Japan. Norio writes notes as he studies)
Norio: When will Jesus separate the sheep from the goats? When were true Christians held captive by Babylon the Great? There have been so many interesting developments in our understanding that I have deeply appreciated. However, some adjustments were a challenge for me.
(Photo of young Norio)
I was baptized in 1960 when I was 12 years old. I enjoyed the circuit and district work for 41 years.
(Happy couple in car)
In 1971, I was serving as the congregation servant.
(Photo of Norio in a suit holding a bicycle)
The “Divine Name” District Assembly shined new light of truth.
(Photo of Convention)
Before then, congregations had just one overseer, the congregation servant. But that assembly highlighted that just as Philippians 1:1 shows, the first-century Christian congregations had more than one elder. One day, there was a letter in my mailbox. It was from the branch.
(Letter written in Japanese)
The letter said that the arrangement for a body of elders would start. So, to prepare, the congregation committee and exemplary brothers had to meet and recommend those they believed could serve as elders. We prayerfully discussed the matter, and all of us were recommended as ministerial servants. Until then,
(Photo Norio giving a public talk)
I had given public talks in other congregations and at circuit assemblies. Now I would not be given such assignments. Many elders from other congregations would come up to me and ask, “Brother Ishibashi, can you come and give a talk at our congregation?” “Oh, sorry, I can’t. I’m not an elder.” “What?” Everyone looked genuinely surprised. That really tested my humility, and at times, I felt quite depressed.
(The sun rises over a bridge)
As Proverbs 4:18 says: “The path of the righteous is like the bright morning light.” With each flash of light, I needed to adjust to Jehovah’s way of thinking and way of handling things and keep moving ahead. I prayerfully shifted gears. I had many things to do, so I devoted myself to the field service and to congregation activities. And I rejoiced over the congregation’s growth.
(Happy congregation group photo)
Having a body of elders helped many brothers. It helped them reach out and attain the Scriptural qualifications to be an elder.
(Close up in photo of smiling Norio)
That arrangement helps decisions to be made in better harmony with Jehovah’s will. Those are great changes. A few months later, I received another letter from the branch.
(Norio smiles as he writes)
It said that I was to serve as an elder in a different congregation. When I receive new publications or a new Watchtower magazine, I always study them carefully
(With laptop, open Bible, and publications Norio writes notes)
to see if there are any new understandings or topics to study further. I also look up the “Beliefs Clarified” section in the Publications Index, and I make it a topic of personal study. This research has really benefited me.
(He walks along the street)
Jehovah is “the God of love.”
(Outside the Kingdom Hall, Norio and his wife greet a couple)
By clarifying our beliefs, he has adjusted our organization to be more holy and more effective in carrying out his will. God’s people are just getting better and better; we are always at new heights. It is so different from how the world is.
(Walking alone, Norio stops and smiles, gazing out over the water)
I want to keep moving forward with Jehovah whenever he shows us his will as he guides us into the Paradise to come.
(He continues to walk over the bridge)
Gage: Refinements in our understanding of truth can strengthen our faith if we allow them to. That’s what Brother Ishibashi did. He kept an open mind and prayerfully meditated on the refinements. If we do the same, we’ll view clarifications as evidence that Jehovah continues to educate his humble people. Now it’s time for this month’s music video, which will remind us that Jehovah knows what we need. Its title, Let’s Keep It Simple.
(A man wearing glasses reads a Bible. A postman delivers letters in a mailbox and rings the doorbell. The man retrieves the mail, tosses flyers in the bin, but stops to read an advertisement of a woman holding a credit card with the words ‘Apply now’)
Music Lyrics: All the shiny things that we see Promise us pleasure and security.
(A fashionable couple carrying shopping bags walk past him)
But if we want it all, there’s a cost— We could be slaves to what we’ve bought.
(He stops to stare at a poster of a person wearing a virtual reality headset)
Let’s keep it simple. Jehovah knows what we need.
(He glances over at two sisters next to a preaching display ‘Free Bible Course.’ A man takes a brochure)
Let’s keep it simple and be happy. Let’s keep it simple, And you and I will be free.
(The sisters smile at each other)
Let’s keep it simple and be happy.
(The man wearing glasses looks back at the poster and shakes his head. He smiles as he passes a lady carrying groceries in the street)
We have roofs over our heads,
(Sat with friends at a dinner table)
Food to eat, and nice, warm beds.
(They pass a basket of bread. A girl with a pink ribbon in her hair, smiles and takes a piece of bread)
If we are satisfied with simple things, We’ll feel the joy and peace it brings. Let’s keep it simple. Jehovah knows what we need.
(The friends talk, laugh, and eat)
Let’s keep it simple and be happy.
(They play a game; one holds a flashcard of a duck, and mimes)
Let’s keep it simple,
(The group guess and clap)
And you and I will be free. Let’s keep it simple and be happy.
(They all laugh)
God will bless us if we try.
(Alone, the man in glasses, smiles and stands by a lake)
He will never let us down.
(A duck and her ducklings swim)
He is loving, just, and wise.
(A squirrel eats, and a bird holds a piece of straw in its beak)
He will be our solid ground.
(Ants carry flowers and leaves)
On him we can rely.
(Hare chews grass. A man with a black dog on a leash, feeds and pats it. The man wearing glasses watches him from the bridge)
How good it feels to live the simple life!
(Now, he walks past a builder scratching a scratch card who looks disappointed)
Our hearts are happy, and our loads are light. With all this weight taken off our chests,
(The man with glasses sees his friend at a bus stop. They shake hands, hug, and his friend shows him the broadcast video on his phone)
We’re free to give our God our best. Let’s keep it simple. Jehovah knows what we need.
(A happy group picnic at a beach)
Let’s keep it simple and be happy.
(Three men laugh under palm trees. A couple preach to a shop keeper)
Let’s keep it simple,
(A band plays music)
And you and I will be free.
Let’s keep it simple.
(Convention attendees clap, and wave)
Let’s keep it simple.
(At a convention, a couple in matching traditional clothes smile)
Let’s keep it simple.
(At a Kingdom Hall, youths smile. Two sisters in Kimono’s holding fans smile)
Jehovah knows what we need.
(Close up of people smiling)
Let’s keep it simple and be happy.
(Friends at a BBQ)
Let’s keep it simple, And you and I will be free.
(The congregation outside their Kingdom Hall smile and wave)

Let’s keep it simple and be happy.
(Back at the bus stop, the friend points, they shake hands goodbye, and the man in glasses walks away. He smiles as his crosses the street, stops by a bin, throws away the credit card flyer, and walks off with a big smile and his hands in his pockets.)
Gage: We’ve enjoyed an encouraging program. We’ve learned that Jehovah has revealed his sacred secret to Christians, not for us to keep to ourselves, but to declare it boldly to all. Our preaching campaigns are an effective way to find sheeplike ones. Motion-picture technology is a powerful tool to reach people’s hearts with Bible truth. We’ve learned to appreciate doctrinal refinements as proof of Jehovah’s love. And we’ve seen the value of focusing, not on when the end will come, but on working every day to remain “in God’s love.” Now let’s visit our brothers and sisters in Colombia for this month’s postcard. Does Colombia remind you of a certain beverage?
(Man picks coffee beans)
It makes me think of coffee. Colombia is one of the world’s largest coffee producers,
(A woven bag contains coffee beans)
since its soil, rainfall, and geography are ideal for growing arabica beans, known for their rich flavor and aroma.
(A couple lift cups of coffee)
But more than coffee thrives here.
(Two colorful parrots groom themselves)
Over 1,500 species of birds fill the air. Jaguars, monkeys, sloths, and tapirs roam the landscape. Burrowing just below the surface, earthworms grow up to 1.8 meters, or 6 feet, in length. The truth took root in the 1920’s when Heliodoro Hernández began reading The Watchtower.
(Sketch of Heliodoro Hernández)
The first missionaries arrived in 1945.
(Photo of the five missionaries)
In the past, parts of the country suffered from internal conflicts, and some remote areas still experience their effects.
(Aerial view of a green Valley)
Because our brothers-maintained neutrality
(Aerial view of a truck on a lane next to a river)
and wisely exercised caution in the ministry,
(Aerial view of houses)
the preaching work never stopped. Today, more than 186,000 publishers zealously share the good news with Colombia’s 51 million inhabitants.
(Various meetings at Kingdom Halls)
Our brothers preach in 18 languages and dialects
(Assembly Hall)
and can be found in every corner
(A couple show a man Bible verses)
of this diverse land
(A sister speaks to a lady in the street)
in cities such as Manizales,
(A sister street witnessing, uses sign language)
Bogotá, Cartagena, and Medellín.
(Various publishers with street preaching displays talk to different ones)
You’ll see them preaching in communities such as Villa de Leyva, rural areas like Neflandia,
(A couple preach to a man on a donkey)
Córdoba, on the island of Providencia and, yes, on coffee farms too.
(Publishers walk up a steep grassy slope)
Here publishers are on their way to preach on an Embera Chamí indigenous reservation. In addition to the ministry, our brothers enjoy association,
(Outside brothers and sisters socialize. A group of sister’s dance wearing matching traditional clothes)
music, dancing, and delicious Colombian dishes, such as arepas, bandeja paisa, and sancocho. Our brothers and sisters in Colombia,
(Outside the Kingdom Hall, the congregation smile and wave)
including the Bethel family,
(Outside Bethel, the large group smile and wave)
send you their warm love and greetings.
(Outside various Kingdom Halls, the congregations smile and wave)
And please remember that we too cherish each one of you as part of our precious international family. From the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, this is JW Broadcasting!
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2024 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania)