*** w65 9/1 pp. 531-532 pars. 25-29 Jehovah Blesses the Putting of His Kingdom First ***
25 Then there are those who serve full time in the field ministry, known as pioneers. Among this number are some 7,900 who devote 150 hours or more each month to the field ministry and who are free to serve wherever they are needed and who receive financial assistance so that they can devote so much of their time to their ministry, either as missionaries or as special pioneers. Among the many joys these have is serving in foreign lands or serving where there is no organized congregation, literally pioneering, even as the apostle Paul did, or else aiding weak congregations, in addition to their field ministry.—2 Cor. 10:16.
26 The great majority of full-time ministers, however, are pioneer ministers, upward of 35,000, who devote each month some one hundred hours or more to the ministry and at the same time usually provide for themselves by part-time work or by taking care of their family duties, as in the case of housewives that serve as pioneers. Many are their blessings as they daily go from house to house, make return visits and conduct home Bible studies, train less experienced ones and discharge their obligations to the local congregation, often as overseers or one of the ministerial assistants.—Phil. 1:1.
THE VACATION PIONEER MINISTRY
27 Still another blessed privilege that ever more Witnesses are seeing their privilege to take advantage of is the vacation pioneer ministry by means of which part-time ministers can experience the joys and blessings of the full-time ministry for one or for several months. Its minimum requirements are one’s having been an active baptized minister for six months and being able to devote fifty hours to preaching in two weeks and twenty-five hours more for the remaining two weeks of a month. Most vacation pioneers devote a hundred hours in preaching, much of it from house to house.
28 Not a few have taken advantage of this provision while engaged in secular work eight hours a day five days a week. However, it is a privilege that is especially recommended for those still going to school when they have their vacations, for housewives, seasonal and retired workers; all who can see their way clear to thus ‘buy out the opportune time for themselves.’ Some have taken advantage of it during a temporary layoff or when they are rendered idle because of a strike. Many have also seen their privilege to take advantage of this ministry when the traveling representative of the Society, the circuit minister, visited their congregation.
29 In April 1965, there were 25,448 of such vacation pioneers enrolled in the United States alone. Such added activity, putting God’s interests first in their lives, worked to the good of all. Many of those who have served as vacation pioneers have ever after been able to do more in the ministry, as one such minister who previously had averaged 9.6 hours monthly increased his average hours to 21; and, in particular, has the quality of their ministry improved. Then again, others, as a result of serving as vacation pioneers, have seen their privilege to become regular full-time pioneer ministers. It has also been an easy step for youths who served as vacation pioneers during their school years to enter the full-time ministry upon completing their schooling.