August 21, 2020
Dear children’s serving ones,
In May 2011, the book Raising Up the Next Generation for the Church Life was released. In the excerpts provided for us in this book we saw the need to compile teaching material for the children.
“The most important matter is to build up the humanity and the character of the children… We should tell the children Bible stories. Use Bible stories to show them the proper standard of human life… In this way we can build them up as proper materials for the Lord’s use. To receive the Lord and enjoy Him requires us to have a proper humanity as good material. Within the six years of elementary age, there are about three hundred Lord’s Days to build up the children in their human character. It is very helpful for us to do this… We need only three levels—elementary, intermediate, and advanced. Each level can be used for two years… The material for elementary level should be entirely from a child’s perspective… Gradually, as we proceed to the intermediate level, we can give the children a little more Bible knowledge… Then when the children proceed to an advanced level, they will almost be ready to follow the messages in the big meetings” (pp. 206, 240-242).
In this light, we have been seeking the Lord concerning how to be faithful in producing some stories. Our goal is to produce 300 stories, 100 stories for each level (elementary, intermediate and advanced), so that each level could cover the entire Bible in a 2-year period. After much fellowship and coordination, we have released all the stories for the elementary and intermediate levels. We are releasing the advanced level stories, and as they become available, we will be uploading them as we go.
The elementary level stories target children in K-1st grades. Our goal with the stories in this level is to inspire the children to aspire to be like the crucial persons in the Bible. The emphasis in these stories is on the children’s humanity.
The intermediate level stories target children in 2nd-3rd grades. Our goal with these stories is to encourage the children by using the key events in the Bible presented sequentially. We want to impress them with the facts in the Bible.
The advanced level stories target the children in 4th-5th grades. Our goal with these stories is to convict the children in their character using the main outcomes of the Bible.
We consider these stories as a work in progress, not a finished work. In each story you will see a story sample. This is not a uniform story that must be read in each class. This story sample is to give you some guidelines regarding how to speak to the children and to give you some hints concerning how to illustrate the story with personal examples. We encourage you to read it, to fellowship with the ones you are serving with, and to consider the children under your care. May the Lord grant us rich times with Him and with the ones we serve with as we prepare!
Serving ones in Anaheim