07 - Chapter 7

CHAPTER VII

DECISION DAY WORKERS’ CONFERENCE ON EVANGELISM IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL

It was the regular monthly meeting of the Sunday school workers. Because of the interest which had developed in the entire church in the campaign of Evangelism of Youth there was a large attendance of officers, teachers, and members of the young people’s and adult classes. There was a delightful period of fellowship around the supper-table. Reports were made of the past month by the various officers and heads of departments.

It was evident that there had been a considerable increase in the attendance and in the efficiency of the school. Such business as needed action from the body was quickly cared for. The superintendent said: “I have become greatly interested in our evangelistic campaign. I have asked Miss Jones, one of our teachers, to speak on * The Sunday School Teacher as a Winner of Souls/ and our pastor to outline our proposed campaign as far as it affects the Sunday school, but before they speak I want to read you a few words from a Sunday school superintendent, Frank L. Brown, of Brooklyn, N. Y, in a recent issue of the Homiletic Review, in an article entitled ’The Sunday School as a Gold-mine.’“ The Sunday School as a Gold-mine. “ If a business man received from one department of his business ninetypercent, of his entire profits, ninetypercent, of his trained workers, and practically all his new business, he would pay considerable attention to that department.

Especially would this be so if that department was consuming only tenpercent, of his capital and time. The probabilities are that he would cut out or cut down the unprofitable departments and concentrate his capital and energy in the fruitful departments. The Sunday school is the gold-mine of the church. The pastor and the church have put into its development tenpercent, of the church’s income, tenpercent, of the time of the pastor and membership, and it has yielded ninetypercent, of new members, workers, and new home contacts. The dividends have a long record of steady payments. Good church strategy would suggest that the pastor and the church properly provide this enormously productive department with equipment, leadership, hard thinking, and broad planning.” THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AS A WINNER OF SOULS A Paper Presented by Miss Jones

Every Sunday School Teacher an Evangelist. “ Every follower of Jesus is expected to win others for the Master. This is particularly true of a Sunday school teacher. In fact I do not believe a teacher is really teaching who is not winning his pupils to Christ and developing them into Christlike character and service.

’Without learning on the part of the pupil there is no teaching on the part of the teacher.’ If this be true, then as Sunday school teachers we are not teaching unless Jesus, whom we teach, is accepted by our pupils and his way of life adopted.

Education and Evangelism. “ I can see no conflict between education and evangelism. With education there can be intelligent decision for Christ. Without education there can be no development into character and service.

Jesus himself clearly implies this when he says to his disciples, ’ Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations/

Winning Through Teaching. “ In the Sunday school we have pupils in the age when it is easiest and most natural to win them to the Christian life. We have an opportunity to teach and to practise Christian living.

We have the obligation to take these who have accepted Christ and teach them to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded. Teaching is the basis of an intelligent decision for Christ, and teaching accompanied by practise in Christian living is the best way to develop Christlike service and character. The Bible the Text-book. “ In the Sunday school we have the Bible as our main text-book. We select from it those parts which are best adapted to meet the spiritual needs of our pupils in their various stages of development. We teachers find the Book the source of our own inspiration and the abundant supply of spiritual food for our own soul life. It is highly important that both teacher and pupil study, reverence, and love the Bible. I have noticed that when a person begins to study the Bible reverently and prayerfully, it is easy to win that one to an open acceptance of Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Paul in writing to the young teacher Timothy said: ’ From a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation which is in Christ Jesus.

Every scripture, inspired of God, is. also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, which is in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely into every good work. The Teacher Must Know. “ The Sunday school teacher who would win his pupils to Christ must know intimately each member of his class. He must know the full name and address, the home life, the school life, the special interest, and the companions of each pupil. He must be a genuine friend and have absolute faith in each member of the class. This requires much more than a half-hour teaching period on Sunday. He who would teach a class in the Sunday school must spend hours and days living, playing, and working with his pupils. The Teacher Must be a Personal Worker. “ The Sunday school teacher who would win for Christ must be a personal worker. As a personal worker he must know * the seasons of the soul ’ about which our pastor talks so much. He must work with God in his divine seasons and processes. He must know the wonderful art of presenting the attractive Christ in a most attractive manner at the right time. A teacher of a class of ten-year-old girls does not try to win to Christ in the same manner as a teacher of a class of sixteen-year-old high school girls. Nor does a teacher of twelve-year-old boys present Christ in the same manner as a teacher of college men, but each teacher understands God’s laws of growth and development and presents Christ in the manner most attractive to the age of development in which the pupil is living.

Find out what God is doing; then help.

“ For nine- or ten-year old children the best way is to bring them into the warm, loving Christian atmosphere of home and church. Their hearts will open to Christ as naturally as a flower to the sun. For those around the twelfth year the biggest appeal is ’ This is the right thing for you to do/ For the fifteen- and sixteen-year-old there is the appeal of the social, the emotional, or the ideal. In this age it is comparatively easy to win several young people out of the same class, or through the drawing power of the love of Christ, or through the appeal to their idealism and their desire to serve. For the young man and young woman in late high, school or college there are two questions which they ask of our religion: Is it reasonable? Is it practical and of service?

“ As Sunday school teachers we have the greatest opportunity for real evangelism that is to be found anywhere in the world today. In this church every one of us teachers should have the evangelistic spirit and not be content until every member of our class is a follower of Jesus Christ.*’

PREPARING FOR A DECISION DAY IN THE SUNDAY SCHOOL The Pastor’s Message to His Teachers and Officers “ Our superintendent has rightly emphasized the Sunday school as the greatest field for evangelism. The teacher who has just spoken has told most beautifully and effectively that it is the task of each teacher to win his or her pupils to the Lord Jesus Christ. If these things are true then we should organize our work to this end.

“ There are five things that I am asking each teacher of every cla,ss above the Primary Department to do: (1) Make a survey of your class; (2) make a prayer list; (3) hold personal interviews; (4) secure one hundredpercent, attendance, and (5) conduct a careful follow-up.

Make a Survey of Your Class

Name

Address Class in S.S. Age Christian? Member of Church?

Growing in the Christian life?

Father Christian? Member what Church?

Mother Christian? Member what Church?

Chum Christian? Member what Church?

What greatest obstacle to Christian life?

What the most natural approach? Who has most influence?

“Take this card and secure these facts about every member of your class. Do not give the card to the pupils to fill out. You can ask them part of the questions.

Better still make a personal call upon the parents. Explain to them your desire to know certain facts about each child so that you can the more intelligently teach. After the card is filled out make two duplicates one for me as the pastor and the other for the superintendent of the Sunday school. A Prayer List “ Put every member of your class on a prayer list. MY CLASS

1. Name

Address

2. Name

Address

3. Name

Address

4. Name

Address

5. Name

Address

6. Name

Address My purpose: The Spirit helping me, I will pray and work for the salvation of the above-named persons.

Name

“ Use this form, unless you have a better plan for your class. This prayer list gives an opportunity for you to secure the pastor, some friend, or the Christian members of the class as intercessors with you. In this way you can claim the promise of Jesus himself.

’Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven ’ (Matthew 18:19-20).

“ You will notice that you will have two prayer lists, one of the entire membership of your class for whom you pray daily by name, and a smaller list for whom you enter into a covenant of intercession with some other Christian seeking to win them to faith in the living Christ.

Personal Interviews

“ After you have made the survey and know the facts, and after you have prayed definitely and by name for your pupils, then see each one of them personally about their relationship to Christ. Do not do this before others in the class. Of course your teaching will be more spiritual, more personal, and more urgent. Do not interview your pupil before parents or other adult persons.

Seek a personal interview. Of course you should secure the hearty cooperation of the parents, and a frank talk with them will often help. All Christian parents should have the supreme joy of winning their own children to Jesus Christ. The unfolding of the spiritual life depends so much upon home surrounding and cooperation that the active interest of the parents should be enlisted.

Pray Together. “ In securing this personal interview you can often make an appointment to meet you at your own home, or to take a ride or a walk. If it is possible, have a word of prayer together before you part. In your prayer be definite and personal as you talk to the heavenly Father. I shall never forget the impression made on me when a friend of mine included me by name in his prayer one day in his study. Get the pupil to offer a brief prayer for himself.

Believe. “Have faith. Check off from time to time those on your prayer list who accept Christ. Get new pupils. Add them to the list.

One Hundred Per Cent. Attendance

“ Secure the attendance of every member of your class on Decision Day. Write a personal letter to each member of the class. Produce a class spirit and loyalty so that every member will be working for a one hundredpercent, attendance on the given day. If this day is prepared for as I have thus indicated we will have a great blessing, and many will openly confess their faith in Christ.

Conduct a Careful Follow-up

“ Follow up each pupil who decides for Christ until he is a member of the church and developing into Christlike character and service.” THE DECISION DAY For several weeks the teachers and officers of the Freetown Sunday school had been doing the work which the pastor had outlined for them. Decisions for Christ had been made through the personal work of parents and of teachers. The campaign of personal evangelism by the church during the week preceding had been more successful than any one had anticipated. There had come a blessing into the hearts of the teachers and other personal workers that had made them very happy and eager to win others. The attendance on Decision Day was large. The teachers and pupils understood fully the nature of the service. The opening worship was unusually spiritual.

It seemed as if God was, indeed, present with his children.

Announcements, records, and offerings had been made.

There was no lesson period. The entire school above the age of eleven met in a common assembly. The junior superintendent was conducting a similar service for the juniors in the junior department room. The superintendent asked the pastor to take charge of the Decision Service. The pastor said: ’“ I want you to understand the nature of this service. It is the business of a Sunday school to win its pupils to an open acceptance of Jesus as Saviour and Lord and to help them grow into Christians, strong and true. Some of you have already accepted Jesus as your Saviour through the personal work of your parents or your teachers. Some of you are considering seriously this step. * With the heart man believeth, with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.’ This morning we are going to give those who have accepted Jesus as Saviour, but have never publicly acknowledged him, an opportunity to declare their new-found faith. For them this will be a Declaration Day Service. There are others who know what they ought to do and will take this opportunity to make the. supreme decision. For them this will be a Decision Day.

“ Many years ago there was a boy whose mother loved him very much. She gave him good food and clothing.

She taught him the things that every boy should know in order to be clean and strong, but above all she taught him of the good and the mighty God whom she loved and in whom she trusted. There came a time when she wanted him to know more about this good God than she felt that she could tell him, so she sent him to the Temple school to be taught in the ways of God and to serve in the Temple. After he had been in this school and had been taught more thoroughly about God, one night as he was sleeping, he thought that he heard some one call him.

Having been trained in prompt and cheerful obedience he ran quickly to the head teacher and said, * What do you want?’ The teacher, who was an old man named Eli, said, ’ I did not call you, go back and go to sleep/ The boy went back and soon fell asleep, but again he heard some one call him by his own name. He ran to the teacher and said, * Here am I; what do you want? *

’ I called you not/ said the teacher, ’ lie down again/ The third time he heard some one call him. He knew not that it was God. He thought it was his teacher. So he went the third time to Eli and said, ’ You did call/ Then the good teacher knew that God was calling the child. So he explained to him that it was God calling and told him that if God called again, he should speak right up and say, ’ Speak, Lord, for thy servant is listening/ When the boy had lain down and was asleep he heard God call for the fourth time, * Samuel, Samuel/ Immediately the boy, Samuel, said, * Tell me what you want, Lord, and I will do it/ God told him what he wanted him to do, and he did it. Because he heard God call and obeyed, God made of him a good and useful man, a great prophet, and a helper to the people.

“ There were other boys in the same school under the same instruction. They did not hear God call, or if they heard they did not obey. They became wicked men, suffered shame, brought disgrace upon their parents, and never did anything to make the world better or happier.

Sometimes we hear God call us, but are not willing to obey. I have often seen a certain boy do that very thing. His mother would come to the door and call loudly. He heard her all right, but instead of responding to her call he would dodge around a corner or hide behind other children. He was not willing to obey his mother. All the boys and girls and young people here this morning have had religious training from your parents. Some have had much, others only a little. Your parents have wanted you to have more training in religious things than they could give you, so they sent you to Sunday school. In the course of time you entered this school, and many of you have been coming here of your own accord for several years.

“From your parents and your teachers in Sunday school you have learned certain definite things about the Christian life. You know about the heavenly Father, who loves you, cares for you, and is ever near to help.

You know that there is such a thing as sin, which destroys happiness and brings trouble and keeps you from doing good. You know that God sent Jesus into this world to save people from sin. You know that Jesus lived among people, teaching them and showing them how to live the right kind of life, that he went so far as to die on the cross as a sacrifice for us, that he rose from the dead and is now the living Saviour of all who trust in him.

You know that Jesus is God’s love gift to the world, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life. God has given us many things which are good and which help us, but his very best gift to us is Jesus.

“ I have a watch that was given to me by my father and mother and twin sister on the morning that I was to be ordained to the gospel ministry. I can remember that morning as though it was this morning. Mother had a smile on her face. She always had a smile when she had some beautiful secret, which she was trying to keep from the children. So I knew that something nice was coming, though I did not know what it was. She handed me the watch as their love gift to me. What did I have to do to make it mine?

“ ’ Take it,’ said a boy.

“Yes, that is right. I took it and thanked each one of them. Could I have refused it?

“ ’ Yes, you could, but you didn’t,’ said another lad.

“ Yes, I could have refused it, but say, what kind of a man would I have been on that morning, the greatest day in my life and one of the great moments in the life of my parents, if I had said, *I do not want that old thing ’? Surely not worthy to be ordained as a minister of Jesus Christ. Now, Jesus is God’s love gift. God offers him to each one of us. The heavenly Father is speaking to us at this very moment and offering Jesus as our Saviour. How can we have this love gift of God as our very own?

“ * Accept him,’ said a boy.

“ Yes, just that. Accept from God’s own hand his love gift. Accept Jesus as our Saviour from sin. His way of living as our way of living, and his constant help as our help as long as we live.

“ Can we refuse him? Yes, we can. God does not force his gift upon us. He offers. We accept. But what kind of people will we be if, knowing God’s love and the value of his gift, we say to him, * I will not take Jesus as my Saviour’? No one can accept Jesus for another. God offers each of you the gift of his Son.

Father, mother, or teacher, cannot make the decision for you. You must decide this supreme question for yourself. There comes a time in your life when God calls and gives the opportunity to take the first step.

“ Some time ago I was in the home of a friend. Their boy was a little over a year old. He was able to stand alone for a moment, he could even walk if his father or mother held his hands, but he had never walked alone. His mother had dressed him carefully for the evening.

It was time for daddy to return from his work in the city. When daddy came into the room he walked toward the little fellow and held out both hands saying, ’ Come.’ The little fellow looked into the face of the mother and smiled, and up at daddy and giggled with delight, and walked three steps and tumbled into daddy’s arms. How proud he was of himself! How happy the parents and brothers and sisters were! All they could talk about at the dinner-table was baby’s first step. Why were they so glad? The time had come when in his normal development he should take his first step. What if he had never taken his first step? He never would walk. So everybody was happy because they knew that he was growing normally and would run and play as every child should.

“ There comes a time in our lives when we should take our first step in the Christian life. The first step in the Christian life is to accept God’s love gift Jesus as our own personal Saviour. I have given careful study to this question and know that boys and girls who have good Christian homes and good Sunday schools often accept Jesus when they are nine or ten years old. Boys and girls around their twelfth year are deeply religious. Their heart is sensitive to the call of God. Was not Jesus twelve years old when he went up to the temple and had his wonderful religious awakening and decided to give his whole life to his father’s business?

“ Again God speaks very clearly and distinctly to young people when they are fifteen or sixteen years old and again when they are eighteen or nineteen. These are the periods of the sensitive heart these are the Seasons of the Soul. You who hear me know that I am right and that God is now calling you. You know that it is the right thing for you to do. Will you heed the heavenly Father’s voice and say, ’ Yes, dear Father, I will accept Jesus as my personal Saviour and Lord and follow him all the way ’?

“ I want each one to bow your head in prayer and tell the heavenly Father just that which you have decided to do. If you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, thank the Father for his gift to. you. If you have not accepted, but are willing to do so now, tell your heavenly Father that you do now accept Jesus. May we have a season of silent prayer in which we shall each listen to the heavenly Father and each talk with him? “

After a season of absolute quiet and prayer the pastor turned to the superintendent and said: “ Mr. Richards, these boys and girls all know you and you know them and love them. Tell them when you became a Christian. Are you glad you did it? What would you recommend to them? “ In just a minute he brought a beautiful testimony of the saving and keeping power of Christ, who entered into his life at the age of thirteen.

One after the other the pastor called to his side a man whom the children all respected for his genuine Christian life, a prominent Christian woman, a young married man, and a young married woman, a young man, and a young woman, a high school lad and a high school girl, a boy scout, and a girl. Each gave a personal testimony telling when Christ was accepted. In every case it was brought out that these leaders in the Christian life in the church began the Christian life in their youth, or, if they did not, they frankly said that they were sorry that they Jiad not responded to God’s call earlier. The pastor called for the youngest member of the church to come forward. A child of nine years came to his side. He called for the person who had been a Christian the longest time. A woman. of eighty who had followed Christ for seventy years came forward, showing that Jesus not only saves but keeps, blesses, and makes useful and happy men and women. These ten or a dozen Christians had all borne testimony of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Their testimonies had created a deep impression and had reenf orced the message of the pastor.

All now joined in silent prayer. The very presence of God was manifest to the people. The pastor asked that there be perfect quiet in the room, that all Christians pray, and that all the people listen to the voice of God and obey him. He invited all who had recently accepted Christ through the personal work of parents or teachers to come forward and say to him before the people, “ I have taken Jesus as my personal Saviour.” He also asked all who would decide this morning to come forward and say, “ I do now accept Jesus as my personal Saviour.” There was a moment of intense silence and expectancy. Then one by one they came. Here a girl, and there a boy. From another class a man, and from another part of the room a high school girl. It seemed as if the hand of God had reached down and touched each one on the shoulder. Each rose quietly and came forward to bear witness to Jesus, the new-found Saviour. The pastor stopped talking. There was no music. The Christian people were praying. God was calling. The service could not be hurried. Eyes were wet with tears of joy as young people and boys and girls and even parents came forward. There was no urging save from God. When it was evident that the Spirit had done his work, the pastor said, “ I want every member of my church who believes in boys and girls and young people and who will pledge to them encouragement, love, and help, in living the Christian life, to show this by taking a place behind them on the platform, and if there is any one else who wishes to come forward to confess Christ he may do so at this time.” The members of the church filled the side aisles, the pulpit, and the choir-loft. It was a most impressive sight. Others did come forward to confess Christ. All joined in singing, “ Blest Be the Tie That Binds.” The pastor invited those seated who wished to join the church by letter or by experience to come forward.

Several responded. All who had come forward to confess faith in Christ were asked to follow the Sunday school superintendent into another room while the pastor dismissed the school. The correct name and address of each one was secured. They were asked to tell their parents of the step which they had taken. Full instructions were given of the training-classes which had been planned for the following week. After an earnest prayer by several teachers the new Christians went home with a new light upon their faces and a new joy in their hearts.

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION 1. Tell about a Decision Day in a Sunday school, which you have observed. What were the weak points?

2. Work out a program for a Decision Day service in a Junior Department. Intermediate. Young People.

3. Work out a plan for a Decision Day in which the teacher is used as the one to win his pupils.

4. What objections do you see in a Decision Day service?

5. What value do you see in such a service?

6. What is the pastor’s place in a decision service?

7. What is the parent’s place in securing decisions for the Christian life?

8. Why is it easier to secure a public decision from juniors than from late intermediates or young people?

9. What kind of an appeal should be made to children of the junior age? How would an appeal to intermediates differ?

REFERENCES “Plans for Sunday School Evangelism,” Brown.

“ Living Teachers,” Slattery.

“ Christ and the Young People,” Clark.

“ How Can I Lead My Pupils to Christ? Pell.