About Us
Background
The seeds of Growing Christians Ministries were planted in 1971, when “Dr. Dave” Reid began writing devotional articles for a weekly publication in Cincinnati, Ohio. Two years later, Dr. Dave and his family moved to the Boston area to study at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. To keep in touch with the teens from his youth group in Cincinnati, he continued to write devotional articles. The first issue of Devotions for Growing Christians was mailed to about 100 teens in September 1973. DFGC is now emailed to thousands of subscribers around the world, and the GCM website reaches millions of visitors.
Dr. Dave became a faculty member at Emmaus Bible College, where he taught for 28 years. He was a life-long student of the Bible, and he knew that becoming a Christian was just the beginning. To be Christians, we must learn and grow! With that goal in mind, he began developing ways to facilitate steady spiritual growth for all Christians.
In 1995, Dr. Dave's son, Ron, joined the ministry, doing all the technical work in audio, tape & CD duplication, order fulfillment, and correspondence. After Dr. Dave's sudden and unexpected Homecall in January 2012, Ron succeeded him as Director of the ministry. Ron continues to write, develop, and expand all areas of the ministry full time. Dr. Dave’s wife, Margie, stayed actively involved with many “behind-the-scenes” duties until the Lord took her home to Heaven in April, 2024.
God has blessed Growing Christians Ministries, and we give Him all the honor and praise. We thank the Lord for His guidance and direction in the expansion of the ministry. We're thankful for the valuable expertise of our Website Administrator, Joel Sonoda, and our Webmaster, Faithe Emerich. We're also thankful for the Good News Network and WYRS that broadcast Dr. Dave's Talks, and for the many faithful believers who have contributed their help and financial support.
Growing Christians Ministries, Inc. is a non-profit ministry, registered with the United States government. All gifts are tax-deductible, and donors will receive receipts for gifts. Our online materials are available free of charge. Items in our Online Store are sold below cost, and devotional emails are sent free of charge.
Doctrinal Statement:
The Bible is inspired of God, inerrant in the original documents and of final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
There is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The eternal Son became Man when He was born of a virgin, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus Christ is thus fully God and fully Man forever.
In His earthly life, Jesus was sinlessly perfect. His sacrifice for sin on the cross was substitutionary and representative. He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into Heaven, where He now ministers as our High Priest. He will come for his Church, and return with His saints to reign over this earth.
Each member of the human race is fallen, sinful, and lost, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for the salvation of any person. Redemption is wholly by the blood of Christ, and salvation is by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Every child of God possesses eternal life and, being sealed with the Holy Spirit, is safe and secure for all eternity.
The Holy Spirit indwells the believer, who is thus empowered to live a godly life.
There will be a resurrection of the saved and of the lost, the saved unto eternal life, and the lost unto eternal and conscious judgment.
The Church began with the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and is composed of all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. These believers are united to Him and to one another by the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Church's chief function is to glorify God as the body and bride of Christ and to witness for her Lord until His return.
About Dave Reid
Dr. David R. Reid, whose academic background included both engineering and theology, was a faculty member for 28 years at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa. He established Growing Christians Ministries in 1973. He authored 39 years of "Devotions for Growing Christians" and created the radio program, "Talks for Growing Christians." He recorded courses on Biblical Hermeneutics (interpretation) and Christian Evidences (apologetics), and wrote condensed course books on those subjects. Dr. Dave taught at churches, conferences, camps and home Bible studies, and led many in-depth study tours of Bible Lands. A life-long Bible student and athlete, he creatively initiated Bible study in conjunction with fellowship activities: "Ski & Study," "Golf & Grow," and "Tennis & Tailgate Fellowship." He and his wife, Margie, have three married children, and six grandchildren. Dr. Dave completed his earthly service for the Lord Jesus in January, 2012. "Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter into your Master's joy!"
About Ron Reid
Ron Reid, Dr Dave’s son, has been involved full-time with Growing Christians Ministries since 1995. With a degree in Industrial Design, he worked in the design field for several years before going into the audio industry. His extensive audio experience was a natural fit when Dr. Dave began recording / editing / distributing tapes and CDs of his Talks and Courses. Ron’s training in design also helped transform the ministry into the internet age as the website took shape. Ron is also very active in worship music ministries as an instrumentalist, recording engineer, and live sound tech, some of which can be heard on the music page of this site. He continues to develop all aspects of the GCM website full-time. After work, Ron loves to hit the trail on his mountain bike. He and his wife, Erica, are actively involved in raising guide dog puppies for the vision impaired, and they have two adult sons.