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By HELEN BOUSKILL
The Amazing Story of What Faith “ With Works” Accomplished In One Small Church
W E believe in Christ-centered Sunday school contests because the Sunday school is one of our highest potentials for evangelism. Fur thermore, the Sunday school of today is the church of tomorrow. Robert Walker, editor of Christian Life, sponsor of annual international Sunday school contests involving hun dreds of churches, states: “ Our experi ence over the past four years has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that these Sunday school contests are one of the quickest and most effective ways of building attendance and reviving spir itual interest in the Sunday school, tiven the losers win ! Their common comment is ‘Our participation in this contest has done more for the spiritual welfare of our church than anything else we have ever done.’ ” Let us examine a typical contest and try to evaluate its impact on children, church, and community. Our proving ground will be Hope Union Church of Rosemead, California, a two-time Grand Prize Winner in the International Christian Life Sunday School Contests of 1950-51. Hope Union is a small town church. There is no organ, no ornate sanctuary, no wealthy members—just folks who love the Lord and earnestly desire to serve Him. The pastor* is a man of God who faithfully preaches the Word.
twelve committees there began such a campaign of community calling, teacher training, and child-teaching as this little church had never known. Armed with tracts, church brochures, maps and bus schedules, thirty-five members visited 4,552 homes in an in credibly few weeks. Timid souls who had never done church calling before came back radiant. Why, witnessing was wonderful! The neighbors must have thought so too, for they came to church in droves. The slogan “ There’s room for you at Hope Union, too!” became a byword in Rosemead. It blazoned from balloons, floated from the sky in miniature para chutes and flying saucers. It was the theme of numerous floats in a commu nity parade. Newspaper stories and radio announcements supplemented word-of-mouth invitations, church bul letins, posters, and direct mail promo tion, Literally thousands of postcards advised “ Bring Your Kin, Help Hope Win.” What happened? Let the people tell it: Said the good pastor, “ Folks are pray ing more and more folks are praying. We are nearing that ‘every member evangelism’ goal which I believe is God’s way of spreading the gospel.” The Sunday school superintendent: “ Such enthusiasm, such co-operation! *Dr. William W. Orr
He teaches his flock to expect great things of God and to attempt great things for Him. The church was founded and grounded on believing prayer. In 1950 the average Sunday school attendance was 435. Children sat on planks in over-crowded classrooms. Classes convened in the church bus, rented rooms, private homes, and under the trees. However, the young super intendent was not satisfied. He had a vision of still more children for Christ. In the immediate vicinity hundreds of youngsters ran the streets on Sunday. He took the matter up with his teachers. Could they squeeze in more pupils? Should they attempt the impossible? He announced the third annual Christian Life Sunday School Contest. By coin cidence, the Grand Prize consisted of one hundred sturdy steel folding chairs. How Hope Union needed chairs! Would the over-worked teachers take on the added burden of an all-out contest? They would. They did. The results made Sunday school history. The first step was prayer. From the Primary Department to the Official Board, everybody prayed about this con test to win precious souls to Christ. Then with the will to obey the lofty command of the contest verse “ press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God” they rolled up their sleeves. Under the guidance of
1,036 Attended This Sunday.
They reached their goal! Third from left is Dr. Orr.
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