By Tamas Mondovics
As part of its annual practice, Jehovah’s Witnesses have once again scheduled to hold a series of three-day summer conventions with the rather simple, but powerful theme “Don’t Give Up!”
The first of five conventions, three English and two Spanish, each expected to see nearly 6,000 in attendance is scheduled for the weekend of Friday, July 14, at the Florida State Fairgrounds, Expo Hall, 4800 U.S. 301, in Tampa.
Judging by the content, the focus of this year’s program, center on the challenges in life, which the witnesses say can rob people of peace and even cause some to think about giving up on themselves or even on God.
According to a release on the Witnesses website JW.org., the 2017 convention shows how to enjoy a happy life now and gain a real hope for the future.
“More than 30,000 persons attended our conventions last year from the Tampa area,” said Joseph Lavore, a spokesman of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Tampa area. “We hope to have an even larger audience this year.”
The three-day program is divided into 52 parts and will be presented in a variety of formats, including interviews and brief discourses featuring how God “supplies endurance” to all sorts of people, even today. —(Romans 15:5.)
Short videos are also designed to help attendees discover how the Bible and even nature teach lessons about how to endure.
The Public Bible Discourse entitled “Never Give Up Hope!” is arranged to be given at each convention on Sunday morning.
Additionally, one segment of a three-part feature film entitled, Remember the Wife of Lot will be shown each afternoon.
According to the Witnesses, the much-anticipated concluding talk on Sunday afternoon entitled “Keep in Expectation . . . It Will Not Be Late!” is based on the scripture found at Habakkuk 2:3 and is expected to strengthen all in attendance to endure and not to give up.
As in years past, the Witnesses in the Tampa Bay area and around the world are participating in a campaign to personally invite the general public from their communities to attend.
Admission to each event is free and no collections are taken.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are members of a worldwide Christian religion who actively share with others information about God, whose name is Jehovah, and about his Son, Jesus Christ. They view first-century Christianity as their model and that living by Bible principles gives purpose to life, promotes strong family ties, and develops productive and honest citizens.
It is the Bible, upon which Jehovah’s Witnesses base all their beliefs, including that Jehovah is the only true God, the Creator of all things and that Jesus is the Son of God.
The Witnesses believe that Jesus came to earth from heaven and gave his perfect human life as a ransom sacrifice, and that he is now ruling as King of God’s heavenly Kingdom, which will soon bring peace to the entire earth.
Additionally, it is their belief that Jesus never claimed equality with God and thus is not part of a Trinity.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are found at all level of society; they do not physically separate themselves from those who do not share their beliefs. They live, work and go to school with people of different religious beliefs, but they emphasize following Jesus’ example of being “no part of the world” by avoiding the unchristian prejudices and controversies that divide mankind today.—John 17:15, 16.
The dates for the three three-day English conventions are July 14-16, July 21-23 and July 28-30. Two, three-day Spanish language conventions are also scheduled to be held at the Fair Grounds starting on Friday, August 4 and Friday, August 11.
“It is our purpose this year, that our convention will benefit both Witnesses and non-Witnesses because it promises to empower individuals not only to keep enduring but also to cope with challenges in a productive way,” Lavore said.
For more information, visit www.jw.org.
