I just finished spending the week helping with Vacation Bible School, and it wasn’t even in my own church, and no one asked me to do it. Every year I offer to help with VBS in my sister's church because they do it with such heart and enthusiasm, great preparation, and unbelievable participation by all ages within their congregation. I love being there just to be a part of it with them. These women (who could surely run a small country with the gifts they possess) are becoming such "experts" at reaching out to the children in their community with the gospel that I have tried to get them to "take their show on the road". Unfortunately, that’s not very practical...

What IS practical is this: to encourage every church in some way to reach out to it's own Covenant Children and to the communities around them with the gospel at every opportunity! There is one book available that I know of that teaches us how to go about the preeminently important and holy business of reaching the next generation with the gospel, in such a way that their lives are profoundly changed by an intimate relationship with the God of the Covenant through Jesus Christ. That book is Susan Hunt's Heirs of the Covenant.

Each chapter begins with a student's testimony to an unsung hero in their lives... someone who faithfully and carefully taught them the truths of Scripture. Reading the stories of their faithful obedience to their Covenant Children gives us a long-term view of God's faithful answers to the prayers of these obscure saints. These stories alone inspire us to press on in our work! Susan Hunt then builds each chapter on the solid foundation of Scripture, precept upon precept with careful applications and explanations. Using one of her own metaphors, she presents each acorn of truth not as it's own entity but always within the context of the giant oak tree of the Covenant. Even if you don't have a clear understanding of the content of the covenant or the process of the unfolding of the covenant throughout Scripture, you will find this book both easy to understand and practical. Susan shows us how understanding the Covenant provides the substance that supports the structures of our Christian Education programs. She helps us to understand the family relationship that we are called to participate in as adopted family members, and the vital importance of the obedience of individual covenant keepers to live out of that relationship in the context of the Christian community. This grace-based, covenant-keeping, covenant-living community is the very vehicle which not only grows and revitalizes our churches, but ultimately fulfills our chief calling - to shine forth the glory of God. Understanding these concepts creates the atmosphere in which Covenant inspired Christian Education thrives. The chapter on Home and Church gives careful attention to the way in which Church and Home must work together and the responsibilities of each including the important things each must teach.

In purporting Christian Education as the key to church growth Susan reminds us "no matter how many new converts we bring in the front door of the church, if we lose our children out the back door, we are missing the starting point of the Great Commission. We are to begin in Jerusalem... where we are... in our own homes…if we don't, why should Judea, and Samaria give any credence to our message?" The church must use Moses' method "to confront the body with Yaweh and His promises, challenge them to radical obedience in all areas of life, and caution them to teach the children carefully why they did what they did... We are to teach the children who God is, who we are in the kingdom of God because of His covenant with us, how we live covenantally in His presence, and how we live covenantally with one another." An intergenerational approach is absolutely necessary for healthy, vibrant community life. This chapter like the others is not merely strategy. It challenges our thinking and makes us purposeful, and intentional in giving Christian Education the highest priority.

We never have to guess what the author wants us to learn, because each chapter closes with a short summary of the "Take-away Point" followed by questions and scripture searches to enhance our understanding and help focus our personal application in "Becoming a Covenant Keeper". At the end of each chapter, we find a very helpful compilation of "Christian Education Ideas" to get us started.

One of the ways to differentiate a good book from a GREAT book is to looks at the quotations. Who are the people that your author reads and quotes? When Susan Hunt writes, you do not listen to the voice of one woman because she blends her own voice with the voices of other giants of the faith. You hear the wisdom of the ages and find yourself sitting under the counsel of great men and women of faith whose theological ideologies, having been lived out, have greatly impacted the kingdom of God over many generations. Susan Hunt is a master educator, and she writes from the perspective of a mother and grandmother whose heart has been enlarged to long for the souls of all of our Covenant Children.

Who should read this book? Every parent. Every Sunday-School teacher... Every VBS, Pioneer Club, Boys Brigade, or Youth worker... Every woman in the church... Every member of the body of Christ... We ALL need to be instructed to be intentional with our behavior and purposeful in our ministry to Covenant Children because "We are ALL teachers, and we are All Always teaching."

A workbook is available to make this study even more profitable for the women in your church. This would also make a great summertime teacher-training study or a great appreciate gift for your teachers.

BEWARE, reading this book could change your life... and you may find yourself volunteering for Christian Education opportunities before you are even asked!