Great Soul-Winning Churches - Elmer Towns

that he said, Don’t run from a problem but face it, and in the long run you will have less trouble.
Recently many of the church families attended a high school football game instead of coming to
a missions conference. After the game, the families came by the church, and Nelson went to
them immediately and told them that they “had their priorities mixed up. . .they should have been
in church.” Instead of running people out of the church, his directness and honesty attract a
following.
CITY-WIDE OUTREACH
1. Sunday School Buses—Last year the church had 17 buses and 24 routes bringing in an
average of 500 per week. This fall they have 22 buses and 30 routes, and bring in 750 per week.
2. Deaf Ministry—Four years ago this ministry was begun and now 30 people a week are
reached with the gospel.
3. The Retarded—South Sheridan Baptist Church has one of the largest ministries to
retarded in America, with an average of 180 in Sunday School. They had a high day of 220
recently. The church works with the Ridge Home and recently received a letter of appreciation
from the State of Colorado, stating, “South Sheridan Baptist Church has done something for the
mentally retarded children that no one else has ever done.”
4. Keen-Agers—Approximately 80 senior citizens meet for fellowship, Bible study, and
lunch during the week in a ministry to this neglected aspect of society.
5. The Mile-Hi Evangelist—The church prints and circulates to 5500 people The Mile-Hi
Evangelist, showing the work of God at the South Sheridan Baptist Church. The church has a
fully equipped print shop that turns out 21/2 million copies of printed matter annually.
6. Radio—Six days a week Ed Nelson chats with the city about the work of God in South
Sheridan on a program entitled “Wonderful Life Hour.” Also, the Sunday morning church
service is broadcast live on KRKS.
7. Organized Visitation—There are four programs each week: on Thursday morning the
ladies visit; Thursday evening, there is an all-church visitation; Saturday morning and afternoon
the bus workers visit their routes; and Saturday evening, the young people have soul-winning
visitation.
8. Spanish Ministry—Mr. Gus Salazar translates each service into Spanish, while the
Spanish-speaking people, with headphones, sit in the auditorium with the congregation, hearing
the message in their own tongue. Salazar, a grocery clerk, sits two stories above the auditorium
behind a two-way glass and repeats the sermon into Spanish, just as interpreting is done at the
United Nations. The individual can sit in the congregation and enjoy the fellowship and
enthusiasm, yet hear the message in his own language.
9. Light of Life—George Hayes, a fireman for the city and deacon of the church, leads a
ministry to reach hippies in a nearby section of the city, where a community center is rented each
Wednesday evening. One of the ministers on the staff preaches the gospel service. They have