Pioneer Clubs eNewsletter Printer-Friendly

November 2004

Dear Christian Leader,

Welcome to the latest edition of the Pioneer Clubs^® eNewsletter, where we provide resources to help you build your Pioneer Clubs ministry.

This month we would like to bring you ideas for helping all your club members get the most out of studying the Bible in club, whether they’ve never opened a Bible before or whether they’ve been in church all their lives.

Both types of kids need to experience how God’s Word applies to their everyday life. Bible study and life application are part of Pioneer Clubs’ #1 goal. So how do you help unchurched kids catch on? And how do you get kids who’ve “heard it all” to dig deeper?

"By training children to study Scripture and apply it to daily life, Pioneer Clubs helps them exercise Christian responsibility in their church, community, and world."
—Pioneer Clubs' Goal 1b

Helping Your "Bible Newcomers"

1. Ask “opinion” questions. Your unchurched kids may not be able to tell you why the Jews looked down on the Samaritans, but they can express opinions on the subject! Pioneer Clubs curriculum provides "opinion" questions for you, and you can add others as you see a need. With a little practice, you'll be able to think of them on the spur of the moment. (Do make sure your club provides a "safe" atmosphere for kids to answer these questions, though–all opinions must be valued.)

—If you were in (Daniel's) place... how would you feel/what would you do first/and so on?
—What do you think of (Solomon's) choice? Why?

2. Ask "modern-day" questions. Helping kids relate a Bible story or passage to a current situation will help them think more deeply about it–without needing extra Bible knowledge. Again, there are many "modern-day" questions in the curriculum, and you can add more.

—What does this story/verse remind you of... with your friends/in your school/in the 21st century/and so on?
—Act out what kids your age tend to do when... someone mistreats them/they're scared/and so on.

3. Select a unit specifically about the Bible. At least one unit in each age level helps kids learn what the Bible is and how to use it. Check the Table of Contents in each plan book for your age-group. Don't worry if you haven't gotten to that unit yet in your book–it's okay to use units in any order that suits your club members. So find it and use it next!

4. Find verses ahead of time. As children show up for club, help them find the day's Bible Exploration and Bible Memory verses and mark them with paper clips or Pioneer Clubs bookmarks (catalog #6692-6696).

5. Use peer helpers. You might want to match up unchurched children with children who are knowledgeable about the Bible and call them "Bible buddies." They can look up verses together during lessons.

Helping Your "Bible Whiz Kids"

1. Use study aids. If your kids are old enough, teach them how to use a concordance, cross-reference listings, Bible dictionaries, and so on. Or use these things yourself to help the kids dig deeper into the Bible Exploration passage.

—Find related verses of new facts about the passage. Ask club members how these add to their understanding of the passage.
—Do a word study, reading lots of verses that contain a key word you're learning about, such as patience.
—Discover the historical or cultural context of a Bible story.

2. Emphasize application. Help your kids understand that they are responsible to do something with their Bible knowledge. There’s more to it than knowing the stories and giving the “right” answers. Be sure to use the “Application” section in each Bible Exploration in your plan book. Ask other questions, too:

—When could this story/verse help you this week with... your brothers and sisters/kids at school/teachers/and so on?
—What's something new about this story that you've never thought of before?
—How will it make a difference for you?

3. Have a group sharing time. This could happen weekly, monthly, or as the children seem ready. Ask club members to tell how they applied the Bible truths learned in the last meeting. Have them talk together and encourage each other about how they could apply this week's truths. They could pray for each other, too. This kind of life application (and perhaps accountability) will help club members focus on their relationships with God rather than on how many Bible facts or stories they know.

4. Give children turns to help lead Bible Exploration. What you ask them to do will depend on their ages, but having a hand in preparing or teaching will give them a new view of a story or passage.

—Tell a club member ahead of time what the story will be about, and ask him or her to decide on props or visual aids and bring them to the meeting. An added benefit is that the kids can get their parents involved in helping with this task.
—Recruit a couple of best friends to work together ahead of time to create a song or poster to go with the study. Then let them present it during Bible Exploration.
—Help little ones hold up Bible Story Visuals or other visual aids as you tell the story.
—When the meeting plans call for finding a helper for a skit or other presentation, practice it with a club member.

Changed Lives
"Austin is a four-year-old boy who came to Scooters for the first night recently. His family had been attending our church for a little over a year. His mom told that he came home so excited about the evening and exclaimed to her, 'Mommy, I love you and I love God.' That made the whole year worthwhile, and it was only our first night. I praise God for what he is accomplishing for his kingdom through Pioneer Clubs." –Janice Knapp, Amherst Community Church, Massillon, Ohio

Today’s Kids...
. . .need opportunities to take responsibility, and this is one of Pioneer Clubs' goals for Bible Explorations (see goal 1b above). Millennial kids tend to like to make a difference, and Bible Exploration Applications ask them to choose ways to make a difference in their families, churches, and friendships. You can help them learn responsibility as you follow up on their decisions in positive and encouraging ways. Helping them take part in leading Bible Explorations, as mentioned earlier, also teaches responsibility, as children discover that their "follow through" is truly needed.

October Announcements

Fall Phonathon

Many thanks to all who responded to Pioneer Clubs' Fall Phonathon. To date we have raised $13,320 in pledges, exceeding our goal. We appreciate the generosity of our donors!

Autumn Kids for Kids Hike

Congratulations to the churches which participated in the Autumn Kids for Kids Hike! If you hiked and haven't contacted us yet, please complete a hike report (downloadable at http://www.pioneerclubs.org/lrc/HikeRpt.pdf) and send it with your Kids for Kids Hike contribution as soon as possible.

Pioneer Clubs Sunday 2005

Pioneer Clubs Sunday is a chance for your club members to shine! This year's theme is "Servant of All." For suggestions on how to celebrate, click on "Pioneer Clubs Sunday" at the Leader Resource Center at Pioneer Clubs' Web site (http://www.pioneerclubs.org/lrc). While the official date is February 6, 2005, you are welcome to celebrate Pioneer Clubs Sunday whenever you wish.

Reflections

“Ask God to help you apply the Bible Exploration in your own life. Share with the kids what you've learned and what God has done for you. When they see that the Bible is relevant to your life, they'll be much more willing to accept it as relevant to theirs." –Bonnie Elson, Pioneer Clubs Perspective^® magazine

Lighter Side

"Before game time with my Scooter group [4's and 5's], I frequently asked to hear the Bible verse they were learning. One week in December when I asked them, they had not yet learned the verse, but they all told me that they had their own Bible verse.

The first child said his Bible verse was ‘Jesus loves me' and started singing the song ‘Jesus Loves Me, This I Know....' The next child said that his Bible verse was ‘Santa Claus is coming to town'!" —Jill Schwindamann