why 3,402 churches switched to new YOUTH ILLUSTRATED (in one quarter)
Church
BY DR. SAMUEL H. SUTHERLAND / PRESIDENT, BIOU SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, INC.
do preach. This leads to despair on their part and disgust on the part o f those who must listen to them. Perhaps they are to be more pitied than censured. In large measure these liberals are victims o f the so-called theological training that they receive in so many o f the denomi national seminaries. The larger denominations are finding them selves operating within a rather vicious circle. So many o f the seminaries have gotten away from the training o f students in the great truths o f historic Christianity and the great distinc- tives o f their denominations. As a result, the graduates come out with no virile message. In turn, they preach an emasculated Gospel which in no way inspires younger men to enter the ranks o f the clergy; hence, the decline in the number o f upcoming ministers. Indeed this rate o f decline is so apparent that there is an appreciable amount o f discussion going on about the matter o f uniting seminaries o f different denominations in order to cut down the overhead expense. The enrollment in these seminaries is so low that the cost o f operation is becoming prohibitive. Fifty or seventy-five years ago a much greater proportion o f young men entered the Gospel ministry than we have today. Unbelief in various forms began to creep into many seminaries via the professors; young men were taught to believe their doubts and to doubt their beliefs. They have carried this negativism into the pulpit. Today the Protestant churches are reaping the disastrous results. The majority o f these younger men who an swered the questionnaire do not believe in the virgin birth nor do they regard Jesus Christ as divine. This article continues: "The Bible is not only not to be taken literally-less than five percent o f the whole sample said so-but also there is little specific guidance in it for specific problems.” In a very real sense here is the crux o f the whole problem. These theological unbelievers today have no norm, no standard, no final authority on which to base their belief. They select from the Bible that which happens to suit their fancy and preach it with great en thusiasm. At the same time, they deny that the Book as a whole has any word o f authority for today. It is indeed tragic that this type o f individual is even allowed in the pulpit to befoul the high and holy calling o f the minister o f Jesus Christ. It is even more tragic that professors o f unbelief should be allowed to occupy positions o f extreme importance in the very fountain heads o f our great denominations. It would be wonderful indeed if the laymen o f the churches would rise up in holy wrath and Continued on page A2
I t Communicates To Teens! ■ STUDENTS RESPOND High School students relate to Youth Illustrated . . . it speaks their language and faces their problems. It leads them to DISCOVER what God says they need in their own lives—right now. As one teen sums it up, “This is the first Sunday School material that doesn’t insult our intelligence.” ■ TEACHERS APPROVE “ Youth Illustrated is so relevant to our kids today who need a firm, sure grip on the Rock of Ages,” says an Iowa teacher. From Wis consin comes the comment, “ It thrillsme to be able to usematerial that can reach out and help our young people, our greatest asset.” ■ PASTORS ARE ENTHUSIASTIC A typical pastor in Ohio writes, “ YouthIllustrated has solid content. I believe if anything has the poten tial to guide and ground today’s youth in the Word of God, it’s Youth Illustrated." HasYOURchurchdiscoveredityet? ^ p M A IL COUPON TODAY j f ...o r toe your Ckristioo Bookstore ■ SCRIPTURE ■ PRESS S Scripture Press Publications, Inc.' Wheaton, Illinois 60187 £ Dept. K B A -7 8 ■ OK, send FREE sample packet of High School __ material— including a copy of Youth Ulus* *•'" trated.
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JULY, 1968
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