Bible Lessons

For Youth -
Finishing
Strong in the
Race of Life
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Billy Graham, Chuck Templeton
and Bron Cliffort launched out
of the starting block like
Olympic gold medalists in 1945.
Why havent you heard of
Chuck Templeton and Bron
Cliffort? The answer may
surprise you.
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Chuck Templeton
All three of these young men rose
to prominence in their middle
twenties. One seminary president
after hearing Chuck Templeton, a
brilliant, dynamic preacher called
him the most gifted, talented
young preacher in America.
Templeton and Graham became
very close friends and preached
together with the Youth for Christ
Organization. Most observers
thought that Templeton would be
the one to go to the top. One
magazine wrote a feature article
calling Templeton the Babe Ruth
of evangelism.
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Bron Cliffort
Bron Cliffort was another gifted,
young fireball evangelist. Many
believed that Cliffort was the most
gifted, powerful preacher to come
up in the church for many
centuries. People lined up for hours
to hear him preach. When he went
to Baylor University to give a
discourse, they actually cut the
ropes of the bells of the tower.
They wanted nothing to interfere
with his preaching. For two and half
hours the students of Baylor sat on
the edges of their seat as he gave a
dissertation on
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Christ and the Philosophers
stone At the the age of twenty-
five, Cliffort touched more lives,
influenced more leaders, and
set more attendance records
than other clergyman in
American history. National
leaders yielded for his
attention. He was tall,
handsome, dashing, intelligent
and sophisticated. Hollywood
actually tried to cast him in the
role for the famous movie, THE
ROBE. He seemed to have
everything.
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What happened?
By 1950, Templeton had left the
ministry. He pursued a radio
career. He became an
announcer and a newscaster,
telling the world that he no
longer believed Jesus Christ was
the son of God. He became an
atheist. By 1950, this future
Babe Ruth of preaching was not
even in the ball game.
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By 1954, Cliffort had lost his
family, ministry and health.
Eventually he lost his life because
of his addiction to alcohol.
Financial irresponsibility left his
wife and their two Downs-
syndrome children penniless. This
once famous preacher died of
cirrhosis of the liver at the age of
thirty-five in a rundown hotel on
the edge on Amarillo. He died
unwept, unhonored, and unsung.
Some of the pastors from
Amarillo, Texas, got together and
collected enough money to buy a
cheap casket. They shipped his
body back to the east coast,
where he was buried in a paupers
cemetery.
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In 1945 all three of these young
men with extraordinary gifts
were preaching for the purpose
of multiplying the church by
thousands of people. But within
ten years only one of them was
still on track for Christ.
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In the CHRISTIAN Life its not
how you start as a youth but its
how you finish.
Will you finish strong for
Christ?
Will you be a multiplier for
Him throughout your life?
What will keep you from
being one who leaves the
race?
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Joshua 24:15
But if serving the Lord seems
undesirable to you, then choose
for yourselves this day whom
you will serve, whether the gods
your forefathers served beyond
the River, or the gods of the
Amorites, in whose land you are
living. But as for me and my
household, we will serve the
Lord.
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2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith.
For more information on
FINISHING STRONG, read the
book by the same title by
Steve Farrar.
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Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible
Study Series with an Olympic Theme?
What is salvation all about? What does it
mean to be saved? This sports themed
Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the
Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of
sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle),
purity (white background), spiritual growth
(green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and
(Baptism) blue circle.
Creative Youth Ideas
Go for the Gold
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Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series
on Running the Christian Race?
The race as a metaphor for the Christian
life is used in several places in the Bible.
This series is a great follow up for new
Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of
our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This
Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a
sports theme and is great for athletes as
well as a tie in to the youth Olympic
Games.
Creative Youth Ideas
Destined to Win
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