SSAS/Lialt# Volume 50, No. 9, May 7, 1981 Oshawa, Ontario Mother's Day — May 10 She looketh well to the ways of her household . Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. — Proverbs 31:27. 28 What Shall We Do With the Children? by A. Lennox, Sabbath School Director, British Columbia Conference That is the burning question to which population. If we neglect working for the captivate their interest in religious things every Seventh-day Adventist church needs children we miss hundreds and thousands of before this time, very few will take the step to address itself. One of the greatest chal- conversions. for Christ. Reaching boys and girls with the lenges before us as Christians is the winning At what age in the lifespan of a person is good news of the gospel is a rewarding of boys and girls to the Lord Jesus Christ. one most susceptible to the teachings of the ministry. There has never been a time since the gospel? Sometime ago a group of evangelical As we turn back the pages of time to the Pharaohs of Egypt or the days of Herod that Christian churches gave careful considera- year 1895 we discover the blueprint of Child we have seen such an assault on the children tion to that question and prepared the follow- Evangelism in these clear unmistakeable as we are witnessing in Canada today. The ing figures: words. "Fathers and mothers, if you have liquor industry wants the children and they 1. 75% of all conversions take place guarded your own children from the wiles of are doing everything possible to lower the before the age of twenty. the foe, look about you to save the souls of the drinking age. The cigarette industry wants 2. Nineteen out of twenty who become children who have not such care ... There are the children. The pornography crowd wants Christians do so before they reach the youth all around us to whom the members of the children, the rock crowd wants the chil- age of twenty-five. the church owe a duty; for Christ has died for dren — but what about the church? Is Christian 3. Between the ages of 18 and twenty- them .. They are precious in the sight of God leadership of the church interested in the five only one in 5,000 becomes a and He desires their eternal happiness." children of the community? Christian. R & H, Jan. 29, 1895 Let our best energies How important is child evangelism to the 4. At age 45 only one in 10,000 becomes be directed to this task. We may confidently overall success of the church in its outreach a Christian. expect God to do His part if we do ours. to the community? Should evangelism funds 5. Above age 45 only one in 200,000 When Vacation Bible School is announced be spent only for adult evangelism? Does becomes a Christian. in your church won't you please dedicate a God love adults more than He loves children? The Desire of Ages from page 512-515 few mornings to this important work. Vaca- Is that why children are often bypassed or brings out the same thought that children are tion Bible School is not baby-sitting for the neglected during an effort. These and many the most impressionable. "In the children community. It is evangelism of the highest other questions come to mind and beg for an who were brought in contact with Him, Jesus order. answer, as we take a long, hard look at the saw the men and women who should be heirs In Summary methods we employ as a church to win the of His grace and subjects of His kingdom, 1. "In His work as a public teacher, lost. and some of them would become martyrs for Christ never lost sight of the children." Two statements from the blueprint of His sake. He knew that these children would Counsels to Teachers, p. 179 Seventh-day Adventist evangelism give us listen to Him and accept Him as their 2. "We may bring hundreds and thousands the rationale of Vacation Bible School. "We Redeemer far more readily than would of children to Christ if we will work for may bring hundreds and thousands of children grown-up people . It is still true that them." Counsels to Teachers, p. 172 to Christ — if we will work for them." children are the most susceptible to the 3. "The soul of the little child that believes Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students, teachings ofthe gospel; their hearts are open in Christ is as precious in His sight as page 172 "Through the children many parents to divine influences, and strong to retain the the angels about His throne." Testi- will be reached." Evangelism, page 584 lessons received." monies, Vol. 4, p. 491 Think of it, hundreds and thousands of Why is this such an important ministry? 4. "When Jesus told the disciples not to children brought to Christ, plus many many By the time a boy or girl has reached the age forbid the children to come to Him, He parents won to Him. Every summer we make of thirteen, fourteen or fifteen, the attractions was speaking to His followers in all a good start but only scratch the surface of of the world have for the most part taken hold ages, to officers of the church, to what may be accomplished. For example — of his life and have become routine in his ministers, helpers and all Christians. did you know that 25% of the population in daily living. The temptations of smoking, Jesus is drawing the children, and He almost any given community is under the age drugs, and the theatre and other debasing bids us, Suffer them to come; as if He of 10 years and that another 25% is between activities have captivated his life and religion would say, they will come if you do not the ages of 10 and 25? If we continue to beam is just not for him. It seems that the goal to hinder them." Desire of Ages, p. 517 the Advent message to adults only, as we live-it-up is appealing to a younger age of have been doing, we are missing half of the children each year and if the church does not Vacation Bible School is Evangelism of the Highest Order Editor, P.F. Lemon, Associate Editor, June Polishuk. Issued semi-monthly, annual subscription price in Canada $2.00. Out of Union $4.00. Printed by Maracle Press Limited. Second class mail registration number 0912. Address all enquiries to 1148 King Street East, Oshawa, Ontario LI H 1H8. Official Organ of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada: President, L.L. Reile; Secretary, P.F. Lemon; Treasurer, N.W. KI am; Auditor, L.D. Dunn; Departmental Directors: Communication, L.R. Krenzler; ISSN 0702-5084 Education, M.S. Graham; Health, R. Matiko, M.D.; Lay Activities and Sabbath School, L.A. Shipowick; Ministerial, W.R. Bornstein; Publishing, Walter Ruba; Revivalist, J.W. Lehman; Stewardship, P.A. Parks; Trust Services, F. Lloyd Bell; Youth and Temperance, Bill Edsell; Consultant to Health Care Institutions, A.G. Rodgers 2 Canadian Adventist Messenger Praise God for the Simple Things! by G.D. Strunk Adventist Health Ministries In our last article entitled, "Eating animal products, spices, coffee, tea and There is value in the what. But it's not just Between Meals Shortens Life" we looked at more. Cancer experts estimate that 80% of what you eat, it's when you eat also. It's the seven health practices studied by Belloc all cancer is preventable by a prudent life- whether we eat breakfast or skip breakfast. & Breslow as practiced by 7000 adults in style which in essence is an application of the It's whether we eat too much or just the right California. There was a similarity between eight natural remedies. amount. It's how and when we eat. One can some of the health practices and the eight The thing that's important to realize from take the very best of food and make himself natural remedies described by Sister White this research is that what God has already sick with it by eating it at improper times and in Ministry of Healing, p. 127 given us is the most important kind of health amounts. On the other hand one can take a The recommendations resulting from the knowledge to know, even though it sounds so lesser quality food, but if eaten regularly and study are: eat breakfast daily, eat between simple. It's worth more than the establish- properly, one can be healthier than a person meals never or rarely, exercise regularly, be ment of a whole medical school, for it is blessed with an abundance. This is why the not more than 5% underweight and not more better to know how to prevent disease than it poor can be every bit as healthy as the rich if than 20% over weight for men and 10% over is to know how to cure it. But these are also he has the knowledge of God's simple laws of weight for women, get 7 to 8 hours sleep per His remedial agencies, not just preventives. management. They are simple, available and night, drink from 0 to not more than 2 It's hard for us to grasp their importance. inexpensive . and important. alcoholic drinks at a time, and never smoke. They are so available, so inexpensive! They Public health nutrition as practiced in the The eight natural remedies listed in only cost a little effort, and the price of being world has not yet fully recognized the value Ministry of Healing are: air, sunlight, trust in different, and the discomfort of discarding of these dietary practices.