“Opportunities to serve the Lord are mushrooming. Parents and Church leaders have a great responsibility.”
ice. It is not that you are to slight the oth ers. Let your church know, however, that there’s a special honor in being called by God to serve in a church vocation. A pastor o f a large New Jersey church makes much over his youth who express interest in Chris tian vocations. He writes: “As each young person makes an initial commitment to the Lord (perhaps at an annual life investment service), he is made a member of what we call the ‘Fellowship o f the Yoke.’ He re ceives a Yoke pin, indicating that he has publicly stated his intent to pursue a church- related vocation. I meet regularly with this group for instruction and encouragement. I give these young people biographies of people who have attained success in the field of Christian service. Then we provide op portunities for these teen-agers to meet per sonally with Christian leaders.” Apparently these ideas help, because last year this church sent out its 101st young person into full-time Christian service! Keep these teen-agers before your congre gation. Put their names in the church bulle tin. Pray for them by name in prayer meet ing. 2. Correlate church vocations in Sunday School lessons and youth programs. In discussions on knowing God’s will and choosing a ca reer, be sure teen-agers don't overlook op portunities in Christian education. In youth programs on vocations include an emphasis on church-related ministries. 3. Distribute copies o f the National Sunday School Association Research C om m is s io n brochure on Christian education vocations. Published this fall, this colorful brochure gives young people an attractive overview of eight vocations in Christian education. For prices and quantities write to the Na tional Sunday School Association, Box 685, Wheaton, Illinois 60188. MAY, 1966
4. Involve teen-agers in the educational min istry of your church. Nothing informs and excites like personal involvement. Junior highs make excellent helpers in nursery chil dren’s church; many senior highs are good assistants in Vacation Bible School. Many post-high-school youth are capable o f teach ing Sunday School classes and serving as camp counselors and week-day club leaders. 5. Conduct a Christian education vocations fair. A few years ago several directors of Christian education in Memphis planned a Friday night fair for senior highs from their churches. Teen-agers who were inter ested—however slightly—in a church vo cation were invited by personal letters. Nine booths were set up in the basement of a host church, each booth representing a dif ferent church-related vocation. In each booth was a person in one of the vocations, to chat with the students, answer questions, and give pamphlets and brochures on that job. After an evening dinner and*some sing ing, two pastors spoke on the challenge of church vocations. Then the young people toured the various booths. As a result of this event, teen-agers were more informed and challenged on church vocations. 6 . Counsel personally with teen-agers. Ask this question of that Christian young person who has expressed interest in serving the Lord: “Have you ever considered entering the field o f Christian education ?” DCEs and others have been used by the Lord in this way to alert these young people to an avenue of service they might not have thought of otherwise. Tell them that training in Chris tian education in a Bible institute, Bible college, or Christian college will help them learn how to teach the Bible more effec tively; how to work with pupils of various ages; how to train teachers and leaders; how to work in Sunday School, children’s 29
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