Author’s Insight

We are told that it is important to teach our children many things from the Bible: Creation, the good and bad works of man, the life of Jesus on earth, salvation…and the list continues. There’s just one problem! As young children, once they choose to pursue Christ and follow the apostolic plan of salvation (repentance, baptism in Jesus’ Name, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost) that we have so ably taught them, then what?  How do we teach our children to ‘grow in God’?  How do we aid their understanding of prayer and the power they now have in their life through God’s Spirit?  How do we help them realize their potential in the Kingdom as one of His children?  Are we to set them aside, thinking that ‘they can learn those things when they get a little older’? The answer to this question is, unequivocally, no! Our world is ever growing more corrupt and violent, and we must train our children to live as an Apostolic Christian now. 

Our concern rests not in the basic instructive biblical teachings in which our children are taught -- this provides the necessary beginning foundation.  However, the in-depth foundational teachings are too often neglected.  These are the principles that equip our children with the tools to utilize their gifts. Because you are taking the time to read this, you are curious—even interested, which means that you have embarked a very important journey...building a sure foundation upon which either your children, or students, can stand for the rest of their lives.

If this is your first exposure to Growing with God, your first thought may be that the subject matter is beyond the grasp of a child.  Please consider that a child’s mind is designed to learn things quickly.  From kindergarten to sixth grade, our school systems require a child to learn not only how to read and write, but to understand the basic concepts of math, as well as the fundamentals of science and the foundational history of our country.  When you think about the volume of learning required in the secular world, we often sell our children short in their ability to understand spiritual concepts!

After desiring to begin the discipleship of our assembly’s children, we were unable to locate appropriate ‘apostolic message’ materials to use.  God began to speak to us about writing lessons “from scratch”; Growing with God and Growing with God 2 are the result.  We strongly urge you to teach the lessons from Growing with God first, as they will lay the basic foundation that your students (or children) need.  The lessons contained in Growing with God 2 will further build upon that foundation, delving into subjects previously considered too deep for a child’s understanding.

As parents, we have consistently encouraged our daughters to ask questions if a topic, word, phrase, etc. was spoken that they did not understand.  We soon found out that this meant explaining many, many things!  We want our girls to have an understanding of their beliefs; hence, their innumerable questions prompted most of the lessons in both books.  Many times, children are expected to accept a “because I said so” or some other short explanation that doesn’t really provide any answer at all!  The result is oftentimes confusion, frustration, and finally, indifference.  As either teachers or parents, we must tell them what they want to know; it is imperative, or we will continue to lose our children to a world that cares nothing about their soul or eternal destination.

The Bible says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.”  (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, KJV)  We are charged to diligently teach our children His ways, His truths, His commandments. 

Mark 16:15 says, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (KJV)  Moreover, in Proverbs 11:30 we are told, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” (KJV)  Matthew Henry explains the latter verse this way: “The righteous are as trees of life; and their influence upon earth, like the fruits of that tree, support and nourish the spiritual life in many.” ¹ Further, Jesus charged us with the Great Commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20a, KJV)  Many times, we focus on the adults as the soulwinners of the church.  However, our children are the ones who populate the Sunday School classes that the new convert’s child will attend.  What will he or she encounter?  Will the new child be accepted, or be shut out because they are ‘different’?  It is our hope that this impacts your thought processes in such a way that it becomes a burden; when this happens, the children under your care will begin to understand how to have Godly relationships with others, and how to nourish them.  It may even be that the revelation of “Christ loving others through them” would be a defining moment in their lives.

The lessons in both Growing with God and Growing with God 2 have been written on a sixth grade level; hence, they can be scaled down or added to as needed.  Through conversations with ones who have purchased both books, we have learned that the lessons are being used in many different venues, from Sunday School to a Bible Study with new (adult) converts!  The possibilities are limitless – not because of our writing abilities, but because they were written out of His inspiration. 

Thank you for allowing Him to use you in enlarging your children’s borders. May God richly bless you as you bless His kids.              

 Mark and Glenda Alphin