The best way to be excited and inspired by history—and therefore to learn from it—is to get to know its characters as they relate to you. Take figures who would serve as great role models for youth and find out what you have in common with them. This is how you relate to teens you meet today, so let’s get to know these men and women from history when they too were “teens.” Make them real to you.
We tend to discuss the Old-Testament teens more frequently—Bible characters who had a history with God as youths, from Enoch to Esther. But you live in the Church Age of human history. You may have more in common, in some ways, with teens on the New Testament side of history. It might be a little trickier to get to know these teens. Some of them aren’t named, or they aren’t as obvious from a cursory read, say, of The True History of God’s True Church (request a free copy!). Let’s get introduced to those teens! Let’s see how you relate to them. Hopefully you can identify with these New Testament teens—from each of the seven eras of God’s Church—and use them as your role models.
Ephesus-Era Teens
The New Testament contains several references to the young people of the early Church—or those who had spent much or all of their youth in God’s Church.
Acts 19 references “the school of one Tyrannus” in Ephesus. The city of Ephesus, and the Ephesus era of God’s Church, had a college. This would have been around a.d. 53, so many of the students could have been born after Christ’s resurrection 22 years previous.
1 Corinthians 15:6—written about a.d. 55—discusses “above five hundred brethren at once” who saw Jesus Christ after His resurrection. The Apostle Paul (writing here) mentioned how some older brethren had died who had witnessed this, but “the greater part” were still there. His point was that they were still alive and could testify to the fact of Christ’s resurrection. Many of them had to have been teens or young adults 24 years earlier.
Acts 21:3-5 specifically mention women and children being on the shore to see Paul off from Tyre. Verse 5 reads: “… they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.”
The company eventually made its way to Caesarea, “… and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy” (verses 8-9).
This evangelist was “one of the seven” deacons ordained back in Acts 6. Now he had four pure, converted daughters—still unmarried, perhaps in their early 20s, and therefore likely born after the Church began on Pentecost in a.d. 31. These girls, who spent their youth in God’s Church, were now converted and able to “prophesy”—or carry on a deeply spiritual conversation with their highly esteemed guests.
The most prominent personality of the first-century Church (the Ephesus era) who had a history with God as a youth is Timothy.
The Apostle Paul called Timothy “my own son in the faith” in his first epistle (1 Timothy 1:2) and “my dearly beloved son” in the second epistle (2 Timothy 1:2). In this second letter, Paul puts Timothy in remembrance of his family’s spiritual beginnings. Verses 5-6 discuss “the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice … Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”
Those teens in God’s Church who have no father involved in the Church should relate especially well to Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:15 shows that, because of these diligent matriarchal figures in his life, “from a child [he knew] the holy scriptures.”
When did Timothy’s spiritual conversion begin? “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose … Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me” (2 Timothy 3:10-11).
Timothy was familiar with Paul’s missionary work in Antioch, Iconium, Lystra. That visit is recorded in Acts 14 and took place in a.d. 46. Timothy was still in the custody of his mom, who was probably called into God’s truth at this time. Scholars say he was born about a.d. 29, so he was likely about 17 at this time.
Acts 16:1 discusses Paul’s second visit to Lystra, which took place about four years later—a.d. 50. At this point, Timothy is called a “disciple.” So that means, somewhere between about ages 17 and 21, Timothy had become converted.
Smyrna-Era Teens
In the Smyrna era of God’s Church, a man named Polycarp took over the physical leadership of the Church after the Apostle John died in Ephesus. Polycarp was living in the actual city of Smyrna at this time. Secular history suggests he was either born into a Christian home or adopted by a Christian family as a boy. Either way, he grew up in the truth. Then he was trained directly by the Apostle John himself! The True History of God’s True Church points out that he was likely trained at the college in Ephesus. This boy-to-teen-to-disciple eventually became the apostle over God’s Church!
His successor was Polycrates. Both these men were known for defending the Sabbath and the holy days. We learn a lot about Polycrates’ history with God in a letter that he wrote to Pope Victor I about the Passover-and-Easter controversy raging at the time. Notice portions of this letter, dating from about a.d. 195:
“As for us, then, we scrupulously observe the exact day, neither adding nor taking away. For in Asia great luminaries have gone to their rest, who shall rise again in the day of the coming of the Lord, when He cometh with glory from heaven and shall raise again all the saints. I speak of Philip, one of the 12 apostles, who is laid to rest at Hierapolis; and his two daughters, who arrived at old age unmarried; his other daughter also, who passed her life under the influence of the Holy Spirit, and reposes at Ephesus; John, moreover, who reclined on the Lord’s bosom, and who became a priest wearing the miter, and a witness and a teacher—he rests at Ephesus. Then there is Polycarp, both bishop and martyr at Smyrna …. These all kept the Passover on the 14th day of the month, in accordance with the gospel, without ever deviating from it, but keeping to the rule of faith. Moreover I also, Polycrates, who am the least of you all, in accordance with the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have succeeded—seven of my relatives were bishops, and I am the eighth, and my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven—I myself, brethren, I say, who am 65 years old in the Lord, and have fallen in with the brethren in all parts of the world, and have read through all Holy Scripture, am not frightened at the things which are said to terrify us. For those who are greater than I have said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’”
In that letter he mentions three daughters of the Apostle Philip (from back in the Ephesus era)—who were youth in the Church of God. Polycrates himself was 65 years old “in the Lord” at this time—probably meaning 65 years since his baptism. He also followed some of his relatives. That means he was at least a second-generation Christian—or, as this may indicate, an eighth-generation Christian! Here is a teen who grew up in the Church, became the physical head, and faced significant opposition from a powerful religion.
Pergamos-Era Teens
Secular history knows the members of the Pergamos era as “Paulicians,” because of their leaders’ affinity for renaming themselves after ministers who operated in the Apostle Paul’s day. One Paulician leader was Gegnesius, who took the name of Timothy. He—obviously using Timothy as a role model himself—was the son and successor of Paul the Armenian, who served as physical head of the Church before Gegnesius/Timothy took over in a.d. 717. This Timothy had become a leading minister back in a.d. 702 until he succeeded his father. So here is another physical leader of God’s Church who grew up in the truth!
At this time in history, God’s Church was emphasizing that infant baptism is not biblical. Infant baptism means you don’t have to believe it—you just accept it. God’s way ensures that young people are mature enough, and fully aware of the eternal commitment they are making. It has to be clear to the ministry doing the baptismal counseling that the desire to be baptized is not just youthful enthusiasm without proper understanding, or just the result of peer pressure.
The one remaining Paulician text we still have today, The Key of Truth, shows that the Paulicians blessed their children—as was Jesus’s example, and as we still do at the Feast of Tabernacles today.
Now that ceremony emphasizes the importance of youth. And then they get baptized when they make the decision as young adults. The proper use of these two ceremonies shows that the Church has always exalted the importance of youth in God’s plan.
In Matthew 18:10, Jesus said: “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” The context shows that He called a little child over. A parallel account shows He picked that child up (Mark 9:36).
A little after this exhortation from Jesus, Matthew 19:13-15 show us: “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”
He is saying to allow them, and don’t hinder them! Many translations say: “[F]or to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Mark’s account (Mark 10:14) shows that Jesus was upset at their reaction. He had just told the disciples not to despise these little children because this is what God’s Kingdom is all about. The youth programs of God’s Church today are what God’s Kingdom is all about!
God’s Church has always emphasized the importance of its youth. That’s because Jesus Christ is the Head. Imagine seeing Him pick up that young child when telling the disciples what God’s plan is all about. Imagine seeing Him bless those young people as discussed in Matthew 19. Imagine how great He was with young people. Do you know what? He still is great with young people. Look at the youth programs of His Church!
I like to imagine Him holding that child in Matthew 18, He was thinking ahead to the time when the Church would have enough members that it could actually, in type, “pick up” many young people at a time, spend time with them, and work with them. Imagine how He must have looked forward to His Church being able to provide the activities that our youth benefit from today!
Thyatira-Era Teens
The Thyatira era flourished under the apostleship of Peter Waldo. His work heavily involved young people. Lesson 51 of the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course discusses this time period and how young people were included: “Soon a college was founded to train qualified laborers. Three small stone buildings in the Angrogna Valley of the Cottian Alps provided classrooms.”
And what were the activities and functions of the Work at that time? The course continues: “At the college, articles and small booklets were written and multiple copies were produced. There was no printing press in those days. All had to be laboriously copied by hand, keeping many busy in the headquarters area. … Below the college level, a system of elementary schools was later established. Both boys and girls attended. Even small children learned to memorize and recite whole chapters of scripture.”
Sardis-Era Teens
In the Sardis era, just when settlers were finding religious freedom in the New World, a few Sabbatarians formed the basis of God’s Church in America. When you study the Church history book, you will come across the seven charter members of this work, one of whom was Stephen Mumford. A study into his genealogy shows that he had two sons in their childhood at the time this Sabbatarian congregation formed in Rhode Island.
The pastor of that small congregation in Newport was William Hiscox—a middle-aged minister with a young family. This congregation also had an elderly couple—the Hubbards. Mr. Hiscox’s son, Thomas, married the granddaughter of the Hubbards. Thomas and his wife, therefore, both grew up in God’s Church. Thomas ended up becoming another leading minister of these early Sabbatarians as well.
Philadelphia-Era Teens
God raised up Herbert W. Armstrong to begin the Philadelphia era of His Church. This history is recorded in Mr. Armstrong’s Autobiography, as are accounts of his son Richard, who grew up in this truth and became a powerful minister in the Philadelphia era. This is just one example of a youth who had history with God in the Philadelphia era. Others—perhaps some of your parents or grandparents—are still alive today in the Philadelphia Church of God who spent some or all of their childhood or teen years in the Worldwide Church of God before the death of Mr. Armstrong in 1986.
Laodicea-Era Teens
James 5:17-18 discuss the end-time Laodicean apostasy, and how an end-time type of Elijah asked God to cut off the revelation from His Church—a sign that he knew there was serious trouble in the Church. So God answered that prayer in that there was no revelation “by the space of three years and six months.”
Our free booklet on James explains the spiritual drought that occurred between Jan. 16, 1986, and July 16, 1989—the exact day that Malachi’s Message was first read by someone. And that someone was an unbaptized teenager—the son of the author. This marked the first drop of spiritual rain!
In a section of his James booklet titled “God’s Challenge to Young People,” author Gerald Flurry writes: ”For me to give Malachi’s Message to my son placed a heavy responsibility on him. … Young people, realize: My son really wrestled with that choice—as probably any unbaptized person would have. … God began the latter spiritual rain with an unbaptized person! Is there any doubt that God can powerfully use our young people? Clearly, such choices aren’t easy—sometimes they are the most difficult of our lives. … But the young people in God’s Church have an opportunity to choose correctly with noble and eternal consequences! What marvelous results your life will produce if you choose right!”
This was a David-and-Goliath-type situation in the end-time Church of God! Several other teens (now adults) had to stand up during the Laodicean apostasy. Many other teens (now adults in the Philadelphia Church of God) have a personal history with Malachi’s Message.
The James booklet continues: “In the summer of 1992, three years after my son made that choice, I received the understanding that Malachi’s Message was actually the ‘little book’ spoken of in the 10th chapter of Revelation. … I first delivered this revelation at our Philadelphia Youth Camp that summer. That is the only time I have given new revelation to a group of unbaptized young people. I didn’t make that choice, God did! Is there a connection between what happened in Robbers Cave with my son and what happened with the new revelation about the little book? God is certainly challenging you young people to follow Him and to let Him bless your life!”
I was one of those young people who heard that sermon as a camper. A handful of others are now faithful adult members, employees or ministers of the Philadelphia Church of God.
When it comes to this Laodicean era, Malachi’s Message was first read by a teen. Revelation about Malachi’s Message was first given to a group of teens! That’s exciting history to which the teens in the pcg have free access!
Beyond Church History
With the Church history book and the living examples in your midst, you have access to a variety of role models who spent their teen years in God’s Church. You are also part of that history—and you will provide the role models for the next phase of history—that beyond the seventh and final era of God’s Church before Jesus Christ’s return!
During this future time, as Psalm 45 reads: “Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever” (verses 16-17). This portion of the psalm represents Christ singing to His Bride—the Church. He says she will be praised forever—and, by extension, her children.
Why? Because He says people will always remember the Bride. That means her history (that is, Church history—your history) will alwaysbe taught. What a role model you will be for those youth of tomorrow if you join the ranks of these New Testament teens!