Signs of the Times

D. Elton Trueblood

The Chaplain

The Rev. Prof. D. Elton Trueblood Earlham College Richmond, Indiana in The Chaplain Washington, District of Columbia

I see a marked growth in the concept and practice of the lay ministry. I see a development in the direction of reality of membership, according to which, in a few congregations, it is beginning to be expected that every member should participate seriously in the Christian cause, engaging in witness, in financial sacrifice, in daily ministry, and in study....

The superficial judgment of most of our people is to the effect that Christianity is strong in our country. This judgment is based upon the number of church buildings and the number of members on the church rolls. We do not need to have very much experience, however, to know that their strength is nothing like as great as it appears to be. Vast numbers who call themselves Christians are not participants in the ongoing work at all. Most are not regular in prayer or Bible reading, or do not think of themselves as called upon to minister for Christ and their fellowmen....

As we face honestly our minority status we shall soon learn that we have to carry on Christian work in new ways or at least in ways new to us....

One is the increased use of the printed word. Churches have long had libraries, but only a minority have had regular book tables presided over by knowledgeable persons who make the spread of good books a genuine ministry. I think we shall see in subsequent years a significant growth of this particular form of Christian ministry....

Because great numbers of those who need the ideas represented in the books will never darken the doors of the church buildings, the Christian book service must be taken to the places where the people are. Perhaps these will be airports, perhaps shopping centers.... The Christianity that is effective in the coming time will be the Christianity which can learn imaginative ways of making its message understood....

We are already beginning to see in a few places [a] combination lounge and bookstore ... minus any denominational label or intent. ... Those who do not wish to buy anything may sit and read, wholly without embarrassment, while for those who want to buy, there will be the possibility of frankly commercial transactions.

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