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Acknowledgment
I
want to acknowledge the work of love of my son and associate, M. L.
Moser, Jr. and his faithful wife Edith, for their untiring efforts in
getting this book ready for the public. Except for their work in
preparing the manuscript, the proofreading, printing, and the many
different kinds of work involved in such an undertaking, this work
would have been impossible.
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Preface
The
plan and the outline suggested in this book has
been put to the test for more than fifteen years in the Central
Baptist Church of Little Rock, Arkansas. Back in the 1920's, I became
dissatisfied with the quarterlies of the Southern Baptist Convention.
At the best, they were but thin milk and water, and at the worst
contained some modernistic and social gospel statements. Because of
the modernism and the infidelity of the literature of the Southern
Baptist Convention, the Central Baptist Church began the use of the
Bible and the Bible only in its Sunday School in the fall of 1931. We
found such a plan eminently successful in the Sunday School, but we
faced great difficulties in the Training Union.
We
asked other independent churches about their plans and found that none
had seemingly found a solution to the problem. We tried first one plan
and then another, but without any success. After several discouraging
attempts, we finally disbanded our Training Union groups and had only
the Sunday night preaching services. We were losing some of our young
people that way, and so began again to consider ways and means of once
again establishing a Training Union. There was no thought of going
back to the use of quarterlies as commonly used
After much prayer, a new plan was devised that would supplement the
Sunday School. In the Sunday School we studied the Bible book-by-book.
Why not, in the Training Union, study the Bible doctrine-by-doctrine.
In that way all our people would be developed in a full rounded
systematic study of the Bible. We decided to use Pendleton's Church
Manual as an outline. In a few weeks we had divided Pendleton's Church
Manual into fifty-two lessons and were ready to set up our Training
Union again. The plan took hold of our church, but the growth was
slow. The change was a radical one and took time for development, but
as the plan "caught on," the spiritual power of the church developed.
Our people, and especially the young people, became indoctrinated and
the whole life of the church showed improvement. In my personal
opinion, nothing has helped build a spiritual backbone in our church
so much as this series of studies.
In
the years that have come and gone since the plan was adopted, there
have been some minor improvements, but the original plan is still the
basis of the study. We believe that the plan can work in every church
and that the plan, if carefully and prayerfully carried out, will
result in, not only holding the young people of the church, but in the
general strengthening of the entire body. We suggest the adoption of
some such plan to every Baptist church.
The
outline for the entire year is published and every member supplied
with a copy. While we include the material from Pendleton's Church
Manual, the Bible is the source book for every lesson. This plan
supplements the Sunday School lessons and provides a well-rounded
course in Systematic Theology. At the end of the year, every member in
the course would be indoctrinated as no other method in use at the
present time could indoctrinate. The course would be repeated year
after year, using the same outline. New members would be added to the
course from time to time, and older members would become more
thoroughly acquainted with the Bible. In a very short time all who
participate in the Training Union would be able to give "a reason of
the hope" that is in them.
In
publishing this book, we send it forth with a prayer that God will
bless its use and that "the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints" will become a living reality in the lives of our Baptist
people.
M.
L. Moser, Sr., Pastor Emeritus
Central Baptist Church
Little Rock, Arkansas
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Introduction
It
gives me great pleasure to introduce this book of 52 lessons in
Baptist doctrine, church decorum and program to its readers. A whole
year's course of studies for church members in training for greater
service is a keenly felt need among independent Baptists particularly,
and doubtless it would do valuable service to any church that will
make consistent use of it.
It
is a unique work, using the text of Pendleton's Church Manual, taking
a portion week by week till the whole work is covered thoroughly. The
manual text is supplemented with the publishers own notations, topics
for group leader's discussion and suggested subtopics and questions
for class-member discussion.
The
value of the text is enhanced appreciably also by giving the full text
of the Orthodox Baptist Confession of Faith. It was based largely on
the confession included in Pendleton's Church Manual and matured by
the late Dr. W. Lee Rector in 1935. We know of no confession more
faithful to the historic Baptist faith and practice than the Orthodox
Baptist Confession of Faith.
The
work is also made valuable to all Baptists who care to take the
trouble to be faithful in faith and practice to our Baptist heritage
according to the New Testament by piquant quotations from recognized
Baptist authorities on doctrine, church decorum, church independence
and missions. These quotes are choice bits and should be treasured as
a rich heritage by all Baptists.
The
work is past the experimental stage having been used by the Central
Baptist Church of Little Rock, Arkansas, for a number of years. It
provides a means to a coveted end: namely, a more thoroughly
indoctrinated and trained church membership to carry on the noble work
left to the churches by our Lord Jesus Christ till He comes again. I
am happy to commend it to pastors and churches desiring a constructive
work.
R.
Nelson Colyar, Th. M.
November, 1959
Denver, Colorado
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