# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1051
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

PARISH EDUCATION 8538

ered around Bible study and church attendance on Sunday
fF morning; and that more attention be given to high school youth
4 in the Sunday school and church program through more graded
materials, more leadership training, and more promotion.”

Goals. —In order to insure outward expansion and inward
f spiritual growth, it will be necessary for the local congregation
* to keep a number of goals in mind. Some of these goals are:
-- (1) Systematic instruction of teachers; (2) Extension of the
. Nursery Department; (3) Expansion of the Bible class department;
.. (4) Regular missionary education combined with a strong program
of evangelism.

Teacher training is the prerequisite of a good Sunday school.
Our teachers should be given the opportunity to study God’s Word
and prepare for teaching in weekly or at least biweekly teachers’
meetings. Thousands of teachers are being prepared for effective
e teaching through our synodical teacher-training program, which
* aims to make “Every Teacher a Trained Teacher.” A combination
F of regular teachers’ meetings and the study of the training courses
*- will improve the quality of teaching in our Sunday schools. The
Board for Parish Education is also advocating that circuit Sunday
school associations be organized in every District of Synod for
the benefit of Sunday school teachers. Sunday school teachers, as
well as other members of the congregations, will derive information
and inspiration also from Bible institutes.

In order to make the Sunday school the missionary agency
it can be, the congregation will endeavor to reach the maximum
number of children, young people, and adults in its fold and in its
community. At the lower end of the scale are the children of
nursery age. The majority of our congregations have not yet
enrolled children under four years of age in the Cradle, or Nursery,
Roll, although many may have come to realize that child accounting
begins with the babies and that a large Nursery Department means
a growing Beginners’ Department. At the other end of the scale
are the adolescents, young people and adults, who ought to belong
to the Bible class department of the Sunday school. Every person
gained for the Bible class department increases the enrollment of
the Sunday school. As we gain the confirmed members of our
congregations for Bible study, we shall build stronger Christian
homes and have a more active church membership.

More attention should be given in future to missionary educa-
tion. A wide use of the mission-story talks, mission photos, and
weekly envelopes furnished by Synod’s Department of Missionary
Education and Publicity will contribute toward the development of