I have kept records for the past twenty years as to the spiritual direction taken by the graduates of the one-year Bible Instruction Class. (Eighth- graders studying the major doctrines and Christian living.) This account includes the Christian inter est or lack of it in the homes from which they came. No conclusions are drawn on any student until he reaches the age when he has enrolled in the first year o f college or actually has completed it. The findings are very revealing. It is just as the Bible says, “ If parents train the child in God’s way, they will at maturity walk in that path.” We could call attention to the following “ vital statistics: 50% o f the youth from non-enthusiastic homes had dropped out of church by the end o f their first year in college or before; 49% of the youth from irregular, uninvolved families are also irregular in their church habits; 1% o f the youth from non- involved or irregular families are now solidly in the church; 97% o f the youth from involved Chris tian homes are in the church through their first year o f college and beyond; 3% of all the youth from solid Christian homes have dropped out of the church by the end o f their first year o f college. (I believe these will come back because God’s Word promises this.) Our deductions from these findings is that a child needs more than a good Sunday School and church. If they are to develop into useful Chris tians, they need Christian fathers and mothers. The parents must be more than mere professing Christians. They must be church-involved Christian parents! If they are not, their children will not be— except in rare instances. Surely we believe that God can and does do the unusual. If we reach only two children out o f 100 children from non-involved homes, it is worth it. We are going to keep right on trying to reach every one o f these that we can. One soul is worth more than all of this world lumped together! Nevertheless, we, at least ideally, want to reach every non-involved father and mother in our con stituency. Every set o f parents that becomes enthu siastic in their relation to Christ and the church means fewer youths dropping out. The number o f young people who will become solid, enthusiastic men and women o f God will be greatly multiplied. God’s glory will be increased. Where should the emphasis of a church be—on youth or adults? Both—but if we are going to re tain our youth to train them for God’s purpose, we must have their parents involved and enthusiastic for the things of our Master! OH
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Front view of main sanctuary. There is a full basement Christian Education unit under the sanctuary. The buildings to the left of the sanctuary is a two-story Christian Education unit, Fellowship Hall and church offices.
Front of sanctuary on Dedication Day January 8, 1967. Left to right are Rev. Wallace Norling, Southwest District Superintendent of Evan gelical Free Church; Rev. Arnold Olson, President, Evangelical Free Church of America; Rev. Wesley L. Gustafson, Pastor; Rev. Charles Buchanan (Biola and Talbot graduate), Assistant Pastor; Mr. John Watson, Chairman of Local Church; and Mr. Ernie St. George, Chairman of Building Committee.
This article is the third in a series. Featured this month is the First Evangelical Free Church, Fullerton, Calif.
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A P R IL, 1968
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