Associate professor of Christian Education, Biola Bible College
Akw fear’s Covenant
POET'S CORNER-----‘----------------------
D o you have a suggestion for a worker’s covenant of some kind?” wrote a local pastor recently. “We want to be sure that our Sunday school teachers and workers are doc- trinally sound. We also want to know that they will really accept their responsibilities seriously. Can you help us with a pledge?” Of course we can help. Many churches ask each teacher and worker to sign a covenant each year, and find that when such a pledge of faith and faithfulness is presented careful ly, and signed prayerfully, the whole spirit of the Sunday school is stabil ized and enlarged. This covenant is sometimes laid on the altar at a special dedication service for teach ers in the morning worship service. It is sometimes explained and pre sented in workers’ conferences. What better time to introduce new resolu tions than the new year with its new opportunities and desire for new suc cesses. The following covenant is com pounded from several in use now. It can be successfully adapted to the needs of your church. The first part is doctrinal—“ I Believe.” This must be signed without mental reserva tions. The second part is practical— “ I Resolve by the Grace of God.” Conscientious practice of these resolu tions spells a smooth and growing Sunday school. Teacher's Covenant Realizing the importance of the of fice of the teacher of God’s Word in the Sunday school, I hereby declare my belief in 1) the One eternal God, who mani fests Himself to us in three per sons 2) God the Father as Creator and Ruler of the Universe 3) in the deity of Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His substitutionary atonement for sin, His physical resurrection, His imminent per sonal return 4) the personality and deity of the
Holy Spirit 5) the necessity of the new birth by the work of the Holy Spirit 6) the existence of the personal devil 7) the eternal blessedness of the righteous and the eternal pun ishment of the wicked 8) the divine origin and absolute dependability of the Bible in its entirety. Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I gladly, to the best of my ability, accept the following re sponsibilities as my standard for serv ice: 1) I will endeavor so to live that my life shall be a helpful in fluence for Christ. 2) I will give prayer, time and in itiative to the preparation of each lesson. 3) I will be regular in attendance, allowing nothing to keep me from my class for any reason which I could not conscientious ly give my Lord. 4) I will give due notice to the superintendent of enforced ab sence. 5) I will be present to greet my pupils at 9:20 a.m. 6) I will be in my place at 9:30, setting an example for worship. 7) I will pray for my pupils. 8) I will contact every home at least once a year. 9) I will contact absent pupils immediately. 10) I will conscientiously attempt to improve my teaching in ev ery possible way. 11) I will attend teacher’s meetings regularly. 12) If it should be necessary for me to give up my class, I will notify the superintendent in writing at least two weeks in advance if possible. 13) I will strive for the harmony and unity of my church, and will attempt to further its work by every possible means.
The God-Planned life “Why do I drift on a storm- tossed sea, With neither compass, nor star, nor chart, When, as I drift, God’s own plan for me, Waits at the door of my slow-trusting heart? Down from the heavens it drops like a scroll, Each day a hit will the Master unroll, Each day a mite of the veil will He lift, Why do I falter? Why wander, and drift? Drifting, while God’s at the helm to steer; Groping when God lays the course so clear; Swerving, though straight into port I might sail; Wrecking, when heaven lies just within hail. Help me, O God, in the plan to believe; Help me my fragment each day to receive, Oh that my will may with Thine have no strife! God-yielded wills find the God-planned life.”
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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