Watchtower Bible School of Gilead

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Watchtower Bible School of Gilead is the name given to the missionary school of Jehovah's Witnesses. It is located at the Watchtower Educational Center in Patterson, New York. It has graduated more than 8000 missionaries from all across the world. Originally located in South Lansing, New York, Gilead School was first called the Watchtower Bible College of Gilead. As of September 2007, 123 classes have graduated from this school.

Anticipating a post-World-War-II period of peace, based on their understanding of Revelation 17:8, the Witnesses saw the opportunity to expand their global preaching efforts. So, in 1942, at the height of the war, the establishment of Watchtower Bible School of Gilead was proposed by N.H.Knorr, then president of the Watchtower Society. The first class began on February 1st, 1943. No tuition was to be charged[1] Five months later graduating students began to move out to their assignments in nine Latin-American lands, including Cuba.

This school is held twice a year and lasts about 5 months. Mostly married couples are invited. These are usually in their thirties and have been involved in missionary work in their home countries for some years before being invited to the school.[2] After graduation they are assigned mainly to Africa, South-America, Pacific Ocean and Asia.

Gilead School's main textbook is the Holy Bible. Lectures and student presentations focus on a verse-by-verse study of each of the 66 books contained therein, alternating between the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, commonly referred to as the Old and New Testaments. The curriculum is designed around the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures published by the Watchtower Society, although other reference material, including other versions of the Bible are used. Additionally, students are prepared for missionary work in foreign lands and encouraged to develop traits that imitate those manifested by Jesus Christ in the Gospels. They learn how to cope with changes in culture and language as well as techniques for conducting meetings and Bible classes.

Their missionary work is different from the common notion of missionary work. Rather than focusing on material needs such as hospitals, refugee centers, and orphanages, they concentrate on teaching people the Bible. Rather than man's institutions, they emphasize that the true and lasting solution to mankind’s problems is God’s Kingdom under Christ.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ “Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom” –1993, chap. 23 p. 522 | “Missionaries Push Worldwide Expansion” | . © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania “It was to be called the Watchtower Bible College of Gilead. Later that name was changed to the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. No tuition was to be charged, and students would be housed and fed at the expense of the Society for the period of their training”
  2. ^ “Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom” –1993, chap. 23 p. 523 | “Missionaries Push Worldwide Expansion” | . © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania | “It is NOT the purpose of this college to equip you to be ordained ministers. You are ministers already and have been active in the ministry for years. . . . The course of study at the college is for the exclusive purpose of preparing you to be more able ministers in the territories to which you go . . .”
  3. ^ “Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom” –1993, chap. 23 p. 523 | “These Missionaries Were Different” | . © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania | Christendom’s missionaries have established hospitals, refugee centers, and orphanages to care for people’s material needs. Casting themselves in the role of champions of poor people, they have also stirred up revolution and participated in guerrilla warfare. In contrast, missionary graduates of Gilead School teach people the Bible. Instead of setting up churches and expecting people to come to them, they call from house to house to find and teach those who are hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Adhering closely to God’s Word, Witness missionaries show people why the true and lasting solution to mankind’s problems is God’s Kingdom. (Matt. 24:14; Luke 4:43) .”


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