“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 NKJV
“Together Toward Tomorrow” is the continuing story of youth evangelism in America, 1931 through 2025 and counting.
Even before I was born, August 29, 1931, very significant happenings to “Keep Evangelizing Youth” were underway.
July 20, 1931, Torrey Johnson resigned his pastorate with Messiah Baptist Church in Chicago to form an evangelistic team with song leader Ray Schulenburg for two years.
In the book “Young Man on Fire,” Mel Larson wrote: “Their first campaign was the hardest … and yet one of the most blessed of God. They had been called to a town to hold union meetings sponsored by seven cooperating churches. When they arrived, they found the “cooperation” was all on the surface; the churches were having a very hard time getting along with each other. The two evangelists prayed night after night, until two and three o’clock in the morning, that God would straighten His people out so that He could do His work in that vicinity. Finally, the blessings came. Hearts were warmed … and over 150 people accepted Christ publicly during the campaign. That series of meetings let Torrey know that he had made the right decision in resigning his church and going out as an evangelist. Souls were won to the Lord in every campaign they held together.”
“Leading Youth Resource Information Connections” are ongoing.
In August 1933, Vincent Brushwyler approached his former Wheaton classmate Torrey Johnson: “I understand you’re interested in attending seminary, and my father-in-law is looking for a pastor for the new Midwest Bible Church being prayerfully organized.”
Dr. William McCarroll from Cicero Bible Church delivered the dedicatory address, and William Rawlins held two weeks of evangelistic meetings in September 1933, before Torrey Johnson became pastor of Midwest.
By 1934, there were 82 members. Meanwhile, Torrey Johnson enrolled at Northern Baptist Seminary while continuing his ministry at Midwest Bible Church.
March 1931, God gave the idea of the Young People’s Fellowship Clubs to Bob Jones, Sr., president and founder of Bob Jones University. Clifford Lewis, a member of the first graduating class from Bob Jones, became president of the Fellowship Clubs, and other graduates begin to organize interdenominational Young People’s Fellowship Clubs everywhere they ministered.
At evangelist Mordecai Ham’s meetings in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1934, Billy Graham and T.W. Wilson accepted Christ, and Grady Wilson dedicated his life to the Lord.
The next fall, these three, with several other youth, met for a Young People’s Fellowship Club gathering every Tuesday evening.
In November 1938, the Harwood-Jones-Drawz evangelistic team conducted meetings at Second Street Baptist Church in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. Many responded to the Gospel invitation, and my friend Ivan “Pete” Peterson said, “Come on, George, come on down.” But I resisted, knowing the Holy Spirit was not leading me. I had especially enjoyed the team presenting choruses from Percy Crawford’s Pinebrook radio and camp ministries.
But in February 1940, God grabbed my heart, and I made the very personal decision to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
That August, the Blackburns were back in the Tri-state taking a short break from his pastorate in the Hampton Roads / Newport News, Virginia area, and persuaded my Dad to go back with them to try to find work. He did, and in October sent for my Mother and me to travel by train and join him there.
Shortly after we arrived, the John Rawlins evangelistic team conducted meetings at Riverside Baptist Church, pastored by Preach Blackburn.
Rawlins was offering Scofield Bibles for sale, so I asked my parents if I could use the money I was saving to buy a bicycle to buy a Bible instead. They consented.
Later, when I finished fourth grade back in Mt. Carmel at Longfellow School, my parents presented me a brand-new bicycle.
TTT Christian Youth Ministries uses every effort to help people respond to the Lord’s light.
Between July 7 and August 1, TTT teams are setting up Fair Share tents in 9 Tri-State counties. Each has a banner with the message “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Cold water bottles are given, and every bottle has that message. God’s ABC’s of salvation are distributed one on one, and TTT special edition Bibles are made available.
Saturday, August 2 will feature “Big SplaT-T-T” with free watermelon for everyone, Fair Share reports, invitations for on-campus outreaches and TTT‘s October Fall Festival ministry, Information and invitations to participate with TTT’s 60th anniversary: February 7, 2026, and projections continuing Together Toward Tomorrow.
When you “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” you can share His light with anyone, anywhere. Will you?