What Is The Power Of God Unto Salvation?
The mails are cluttered, and my wastebasket is filled, with win-'em-quick-an'-easy schemes and gadgets. What is the mission of the church? Is it simply to win numbers, regardless of the means used or the convictions of those whom we win?
Are we to teach the children in daily vacation Bible school that they are rewarded with entertainment and sweet dainties to eat and drink? When they hear or see something in the worship that appeals to them, do we want to train them to boisterously clap their hands? Can we have a successful series of children's classes without this cheap method of winning them? Most people are breaking their necks (so to speak) in the mad rush to entertain the young people. What we need, they vehemently cry, wringing their hands, is more entertainment for the young folk. Is that the way Solomon said bring them up? Is that the thing Paul declared that children must have provided for them, and done for and to them?
In our recent daily Bible school at Sayre Church we decided to provide no refreshments, and no picnics, no inducements at all besides Bible study. It works! We had as large attendance as formerly, when we promised a picnic at the close. Oh yes, on this, too, I have changed my mind and repented. This is a confession; does anybody want to put it on the editorial page?
Relative to the rash of summer camps, Brother Lemmons (F. F. July 1) says: "Wherever church leaders get together the question invariably arises, 'What do you do for the young people?' "He also thinks that this camping "stampede" may, or at least, could, develop into big business in which children are exploited for the dollar (same article). What do we do for the young people? Teach them the word of God Train them as workers in the church. Set the right examples before them. Treat them like human beings with responsibilities. How about trying the gospel on them for a while? If it will not win them, they're lost anyway.