church, camp, Vacation Bible School, youth groups, weekday clubs; how to organize and administer a church program; and how to be an effective leader for Christ. 7. Encourage every young person to take at least one course in Christian education in col lege, regardless of his major. College gradu ates are expected to serve as laymen in the local church. To be equipped for this, they should take at least one Christian education course. As one DCE put it, “Most if not all The Death of a Child " I 'l l lend you, for a little time, a child of m ine," He said— "F o r you to love while she lives, and mourn for when she 's dead. It may be six or seven years, or twenty-two or three, But will you, till I call for her, take care of her for M e ? She'll bring her charms to gladden you, and, may her stay be brief— Y ou 'll hdve her lovely memories as solace for your grief. " I cannot promise she will stay, since all from earth return, But there are lessons taught down there, I want this child to learn. I've looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true, A n d from the throngs that crowd life's love, I have selected you. Now will you give her all your love, nor think the labor vain No r hate me when I call to take her back a g a in ?" I fancied that I heard them say "D e a r Lord, Thy will be done, For all the joy Thy. chi Id shall bring, the risk of grief we'll run. W e 'll shelter her with tenderness, we'll love her while we may, A nd for the happiness we've known, forever grateful stay. But shall the angels call for her, much sooner than we've planned, W e 'll brave the bitter grief that comes, and try to understand." positions of leadership in the local church involve the use of Christian education prin ciples (if only the use of group dynamics in a committee meeting). College graduates with some training in Christian education will build better churches and strengthen any church program.” A missionary in Germany also wrote that her Christian education training helped her learn not only teaching techniques, but also the Biblical philosophy of church education, and how to study the Bible for herself and
communicate its life-transforming truths to others. Future missionaries especially need to train in Christian education. Edwin Frizen, ex ecutive director o f the Interdenominational Foreign Missions Association, has written: “ I believe that missionaries—men included —could do a much better job if they had basic Christian education training along with their theology and Bible content courses.” A missionary in Mexico confirmed this by saying, “ I would recommend that every young person looking forward to the mission field receive training in Christian education.” In addition, good Ch r i s t i an education courses can help equip parents to teach Christianity in the home. One mother in Illi nois said, “ I can’t think of better training for a mother than Christian education. I’m certainly using my training with my three children — ages three, seven, and eight.” And according to a father in California, “ Christian education training has given us many practical helps for raising our chil dren and meeting their spiritual needs.” To advance the cause o f Christ in these days, there’s no doubt that we need more interested, dedicated persons in all phases o f Christian service — and especially in church vocations. Let’s go all-out to acquaint young people with these opportunities! Talking on this subject, a pastor commented, “ I cannot recommend strongly enough that our young people train in this field.” Let the words of David Cox, Director of the Word of Life Bible Institute, Sao Paulo, Brazil, impel us to challenge our young people regarding Christian education: “ I recommend Christian education training to young people simply be cause the Bible teaches that God has a job for every Christian. While perhaps only some will be come pastors, missionaries, or Sunday school su perintendents, most will be parents and neighbors placed in meaningful relationships to others, and all will have an obligation to minister to others as good stewards o f that which God has given them (I Pet. 4:10). Christian education is a re sponsibility which belongs to those in the pew as well as those behind the pulpit and if your young people today realize this, our church tomorrow will be more like the penetrating army God means for it to be. Christian education is indeed neces sary—and exciting!” Dr. Zuck is executive director of Scripture Press Foundation, Glen Ellyn, Illinois. A F in a l C h a l l e n g e
26
THE KING'S BUSINESS
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter