Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 13
November 23, 1961
NUMBER 29, PAGE 4,12a

"Where To Worship When Traveling"

Editorial

For many years now we have carried a full page each week in the Gospel Guardian under the above caption listing churches in various parts of the nation where faithful Christians might attend worship when they were away from home. We had planned this page in the hope of providing information for thousands of people who travel and who are sincerely reluctant to be constantly harassed and hounded with pleas to support "our institutions" when they have come to a place to worship God. In short, we had hoped to provide a listing of churches to which a worshipper might come, where he might worship God according to the Bible, and where he might give of his means without any anxiety as to whether his contribution would be used for the promotion of things he conscientiously opposed as church work.

From time to time it has been called to our attention the we have listed some church that is of the "institutional-promotional" character, and brethren attending services there have been disappointed. Indeed, we have heard of one such church that boasted that it was receiving very generous contributions from visiting worshippers (far more than the modest $6.00 per month they paid for the listing) who told them "we came here because we saw your advertisement in the Gospel Guardian" — and then prided itself in promoting nearly every thing in the catalogue, from institutional benevolent societies, to summer recreational camps, to national advertising agencies for the churches, etc.! That congregation was dropped from our listing. As any other will be if we find it such that we cannot recommend it to our readers. After all, a journal like this does have the right to refuse space for advertising, the same as it has the right to sell it!

For Travelers

We believe our "Where To Worship When Traveling" page is, and can be, of tremendous value to faithful Christians all over the nation. It is our desire to expand this service, and to secure enough listings of steadfast congregations, in every part of our country, so that brethren who travel, whether on business or vacation, will always be able to plan their trips so as to permit worship with a faithful group on the Lord's day. America is truly a "nation on wheels;" and with the vast build-up of our armed forces this travel is going to increase rather than diminish. Thousands of those on the move are staunch and devoted disciples; they will be carefully planning their trips, and making every effort possible to be with loyal followers of the Lord each week. Brethren everywhere can render a true service to these fellow-Christians by listing their congregation in our columns.

The Local Church There is another aspect of this, and one which has its rightful place in the congregation of any eldership. And that has to do with the local congregation: Is this $6.00 per month spent for advertising a justifiable expenditure?

In short, is it WORTH $6.00 per month of the Lord's money to have this advertisement in the Gospel Guardian? Each congregation will need to decide that for itself. We can only point out the fact that many congregations have felt this advertising pays for itself many times over in increased attendance from Sunday to Sunday, in getting newcomers to the town or city connected from the very beginning with a sound congregation, and even in the cold reality of dollars and cents. After all, one or two visitors per month will usually more than pay the entire cost of the ad. And if only one person places membership with the congregation as a result of the ad, this within itself will more than pay the actual cost of the space.

The Guardian's Angle

And what does the Gospel Guardian get out of all of this? Why are we so eager to have faithful churches advertise in our columns? The answer is quite simple: we feel it is a truly worthwhile service both to the congregations so listing and to thousands of Christians who are constantly seeking such information — and the income from this advertising is a substantial source of revenue so necessary for the paper's continued operation.

Other journals among us receive thousands and thousands of dollars each year by advertising the Herald of Truth, the Orphan Societies, Church recreational camps, and such like. We accept advertising from none of these promotions — but seek rather to emphasize the importance of the church; the space that others devote to human promotions we would like to devote to congregations.

What You Can Do

We have begun a serious effort to vastly increase our coverage of this nature. Instead of a score or so of congregations, we would like to have two or three hundred. The price is trivial (only $6.00 per month for a twice-a-month listing), and the benefits to traveling Christians, to the local congregation, to those who receive the subscriptions to the Guardian, and to the publishers of the paper are great indeed! Will you, as a reader of the Gospel Guardian, show this page to the elders of the congregation where you worship, and seek to interest them in the advertising? Help us to accomplish this task. If all will cooperate in this endeavor we can greatly increase the usefulness of the paper, enlarge her circulation — and insure the continued publication without the necessity of constant appeals to faithful friends to wipe out operating deficits. Thank you!