Towns used the editorial appointment to communicate to a national audience through articles and books his vision for effective Sunday school teaching and church growth, eventually becoming a leading figure in the field of Christian education. It was during this period that Towns released his first research compilation in the ground-breaking bestselling book "The Ten Largest Sunday Schools and What Made Them Grow". The reception for this book was so overwhelming that Towns used his position at "Christian Life" to publish the list "The 100 largest Sunday Schools" annually for ten years. Also during this period he became an advisory board member for the Evangelical Teacher Training Association and wrote a textbook and two teacher manuals.