A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

Board of Church Schools in 1961 (from 1965 to 1969 Executive Secretary of the Board of Evangelism and Christian Education) a new emphasis on evangelism and missionary outreach was initiated. The program of the so-called "Decade of Enlargement" (1965-1975)" pro- vided opportunities for self-study of existing programs and incentives for a more aggressive outreach in the community. From the records of Sunday school attendance it would appear that many of the objectives of the above program have been realized primarily in urban areas. This can be partly explained in terms of the general pattern of a constantly declining rural population and increasing movement to the cities. In 1966 a new training program for Christian workers was launched. The Service Training Program (STP) is designed to provide leadership and service training for all church members. It offers approximately fifty individual courses of study. By 1968 the Christian Education Office had sent out 800 "Certificates of Credit" to people who had completed one or more courses in the Service Training Program. More and more Christian education, such as Sunday school curriculum, Sunday School Standard and the Service Training Program, is done cooperatively with the brethren from Canada. Since 1969 Loyal Martin has provided strong leadership in Christian education. He also serves as field director for the students at the M. B. Biblical Seminary at Fresno. 2. Developments in Canada The early Sunday schools in Mennonite Brethren churches in Canada developed along lines similar to those in the United States. The first Sunday school was organized in the M. B. Church at Winkler, Manitoba, in 1889, one year after the founding of the church. According to A. A. Kroeker, long-time chairman of the Canadian Sunday School Committee, growth and development of the Sunday school was very slow during the first twenty-five years. In Manitoba, for instance, there were only four Sunday schools by the end of that period." Moreover, early Sunday schools lacked proper facilities as well as qualified teachers. After 1925 the number of Sunday schools increased rapidly and great strides were made in improving teacher training. The numerical increase in the Sunday schools can in part be attributed to the large influx of Mennonite Brethren families who came to Canada from Russia at this time, but in part this growth was also the result of a better trained staff in most churches. Special recognition must he given here to the Bible schools who gave primary attention to the preparation and training of Sunday school workers. When the Evangelical Teacher TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE 223 Training Association was formed in the United States in 1931, the Canadian Bible schools readily accepted the invitation to become members of that association. Through this affiliation a new and higher standard for Sunday schools, and especially for the training of Sunday school teachers,