251
July, 1945
TODAY'S YOUTH EVANGELISM- IS IT SHALLOW? The Youth Movement is sweeping the country. Scores of thousands of young people are being attracted to the Saturday night rallies. This is unquestionably one of the greatest evangelistic possibilities of the^age. But , • . are there not dangers about which we should be informed? Read this searching article by an anonymous observer. „ A talented young pianist was asked by a group of young people for a musical selection. He instantly flung this question over “world’s g r e a t e s t , ” “world-famous” characters followed in rapid succes sion; superlatives were unlimited.
liever’s personality and a diminishing emphasis on the person of our Lord and Saviour—a calling of attention to the Christian’s works for God rather than His work for His own. Satan must rejoice when he sees this drift ing toward such shoals! Will It Stand the Test? The men who represent these trends in music, in literature and in youth evangelism are Bible believing Chris tians. No question as to the sound ness of their faith is raised. Our concern is the fallibility of the tac tics enjployed, the ultimate danger in the1present methods. Are we “playing up” to the world so much that we are defeating our own purpose and losing our testi mony? Are we drifting into the shal low shoals of uselessness? Shall we set our ship straight on a course that will without question magnify the Lord that bought us? The moment that any work we do for God begins to lose “the reproach of the Cross,” we may ask ourselves whether it is genuine and lasting, and whether it will stand the testing fire of that day when the Lord judges His own for their service for Him. What the Word of God Is to the Godly It is the food by which his nature is nourished (1 Pet. 2:2). It is a preservative against sin (Psa. 119:11). It quickens the soul (Psa. 119:50). It gives songs in the house of our pilgrimage (Psa. 119:54). It enriches the soul with what is more precious than gold (Psa. 119:72). It imparts superior wisdom (Psa. 119:98). It is loved because of its purity (Psa. 119:140). It brings peace to them (Psa. 119:165). It is a plea for help (Psa. 119:175). It counsels them (Psa. 119:24). It is their delight (Psa. 119:16). It is a message they utter to others (Psa. 119:13). It is the object of their desire (Psa. 119:33). —J. A. R. Dickson.
A Bible quiz with one program is entitled, “Questionable Characters.” “Streamlined” rallies that “click” ad vertise their programs as “packed with thrills,” “ fast-moving,” “record- breaking.” On one of these programs a singer was announced as having once sung at a party for a famous comedian. The announcer precipi tated a storm, of applause. The next day a new-born Christian, an intelli gent young person, innocently asked: “Was the singer on last night’s pro gram saved?” It was a natural ques tion since no reference whatever had been made to the singer’s salvation; only the tangy fact that she had sung for the comedian was mentioned. Are the Methods Right? The tendency to “play up” to the world in Christian literature becomes increasingly apparent. Certainly Chris tian publications are worthy of high quality paper and attractive presen tation. It would seem logical too that the “Indian“method” of tract writing, where one begins with a popular topic and creeps stealthily up with a Gos pel message, would be highly suc cessful. But is it? It has been reported that this type of tract, without a hint of its contents on its front page, was widely dis tributed in dance halls in the heart of one of our larger cities. The re cipients courteously thanked tjie dis tributors for them but afterward the floors were littered with the tracts. Apparently no results whatever were obtained by their use. On the other hand, simple, straightforward tracts, charged with Scripture, were given out in the same places, and souls were saved. '-N| Plainly the public does not like to be fooled and those who are hungry for God want the Gospel in its pure simplicity. Do we trust more in arti fice than ih the Word which has been declared by God to be “quick and powerful and sharper than any two- edged sword” ? In some Christian periodicals there is an increasing accent on the be
his shoulders: “Swing or sanctified?” At once there was unanimous re sponse: “Sanctified.” Is this world’s music, set to a smat tering of Gospel truth, as attractive to young people as its exponents be lieve it to be? Even to some Chris tian young people, who certainly en joy life and variety in every phase of the Lord’s work, the modernized swing rendition of old hymns of the church seems a sacrilege. Some of our exciting “swingy” chor uses lead one to wonder by what stretch of the imagination they are included in the category of sacred music. Doubtless the intent of the authors is to embellish the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with the attractions of the world in order to win souls for Him. The method is gaining favor in other lines of Chris tian work. But is this plan pleasing to God ? \ What About Youth Programs?
Many of our youth programs over the land are presenting Christ-cen tered, spiritual programs, full of the energy of youth. Others have swung over the margins in using the world’s methods in an effort to attract. Again, the purpose is good but the results are not. In one such youth program, a young man was introduced with considerable fanfare as a “great hero.” He mod estly stated that he was no hero at all; that he was simply in routine duty at a naval base; and he then proceeded with his testimony. Other
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