Ow i/tc lo of the Month PARENTS . . . key to growth of Church
by Rev. Wesley L. Gustafson
I N the spring OP 1955, several families with an interest in sharing Christ and God’s Word with the Orange County area, met for prayer. This con tinued through the summer. On September 11, morning and evening services were started in the Veterans o f Foreign Wars’ Hall in East Fullerton. Thirteen families made up this embryonic church. Rev. Milford Sholund of Gospel Light Press served as interim pastor. The present pastor arrived on March 11, 1956. The present location was occupied in Novem ber of 1956. The total floor area was 3400 square feet. It seemed like heaven after 14 months of tem porary quarters. We had a problem from the first Sunday. There was not enough room! A major share o f remodeling and building onto the original property was done by the congrega tion. After six years, we had about 24,000 square feet of floor space. We still had a wonderful prob lem—not enough room! Two rooms were equipped with closed-circuit television. This was used every Sunday morning and some Sunday evenings. An overflowing educational unit and worship sanctu ary helped solve the question whether we should have another major building propect. The congre gation was united in the fact that we had to build! We had problems like this. It is an evidence of the continued blessing and direction of God! The new sanctuary and Christian Education space were dedicated on January 8, 1967. This added another 20,000 square feet of practical space. We again have a problem. We are short o f space! Thanks be unto our Lord for His blessing! During these twelve years, we, as a Church, have had the privilege of sharing in the starting of churches in Covina, Orange, Garden Grove, Hun tington Beach and Diamond Bar. Right now we have an enthusiastic group meeting in the Yorba Linda area, seeking God’s will about spearheading a witness there. Each of these new works has been a real healthy experience for the church. We are convinced this is God’s way of reaching the world. The Foreign Missions outreach is constantly expanding. We share in the work of our own de nomination in Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Phil ippines, South America, Africa, and Germany. Be side this we support other interdenominational works in various fields. Right now there are 17 families, 5 single fellows and girls, and 11 separate
organizations who receive support from our con gregation. This program is regularly reviewed and expanded. The thirteen families with which we started have now expanded to 700 families in the local con gregation. The number of families in the five ex tension works totals the same. There has been much planning, prayer and work. We are convinced it takes more than this. It takes God, His power, His guidance and His blessing! Perhaps this sounds heretical, but it takes more than God! It requires a congregation that has unity, devotion to Jesus Christ, dependence upon the infallible Word of God and just plain enthusi asm. It takes people that are constantly forming new beach heads in their own community. If there is one factor that characterizes this congregation, it is the ingredient of God-inspired enthusiasm. Another conviction in our church is that few children ever become real disciples o f Christ at ma turity unless their parents are enthusiastic, church- related people. This is Biblical! God says that the child trained, by his parents, in God’s way will walk in this path as they reach the more mature years (Prov. 22:6).
Discussing the building with, left to right, Pastor Wesley L. Gustaf son, Mayor Bucky Walters, City Planning Director Don Dewitt, Archi tect Claude Senefeld, and Building Superintendent of the church, Robert Endresen.
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TH E KING'S BUSINESS
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