# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1944_S657
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 3)

ed to guide our children and youth through those critical
‘which determine the future course of the child. Moreover,
mimature and inexperienced church members are being drafted

the teaching staff, many of them too young to be sensible of
sthe‘great responsibility attending the office of teaching. We should
‘be led by present-day conditions to follow the line of least
sistance and lower our standards of indoctrination. In many in-

‘ces teachers’ meetings are held infrequently. A large number
‘pastors either do not train their teachers or they failed to re-
‘teacher training. In the interest of raising the educational
dard of our Sunday schools and the professional standard of
teachers, pastors should recognize the necessity of holding reg-
War: teachers’ meetings and of adopting the synodical training
‘ogram.

Bible Classes

It is to be deplored that the movement for more Bible classes
‘making little progress. Losses in young peoples’ and adult
ble classes have been at least partially accounted for, but war- '
ie conditions will hardly account for a decrease of 7,000 in the
ollment of our postconfirmation Bible classes. Have we per-
ps yielded to the spirit of indifference which is so common
day, and are we therefore making only a halfhearted effort to
ontinue the religious instruction of our adolescents after they have
en confirmed? With due credit to the sermon as an instructional
actor of first importance, if we are to have a well-indoctrinated
ty, confirmation instruction must be followed by regular, sys-
ematic Bible study under the guidance of well-prepared and com-
tent leaders. The Board of Christian Education appeals for this
Gason to all congregations of Synod to study prayerfully the de-
rable condition that exists with respect to Bible classes and then
work for the organization and maintenance of Bible classes, Ado-
scents have been mentioned in particular because they are ur-
ently in need of continued instruction; but we should
lore young people’s and adult classes as well.

Peace
na

have many

Other Part-Time Agencies
The effectiveness of religious instruction depends on the
Humber of hours devoted to it no less than on the competency of
“the instructor. There is a limit below which it is impossible even
r a competent instructor to lay a sound and thorough basis for
s Christian faith and life. The Sunday school in com-

rtainly does not, in a great many instances, furnish the child with
thé clear and accurate knowledge of God’s Word that is to become
directive for Christian living. School men have been able from