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| Sharon Johnson MB Conference Staff Joined Feb 8, 2002 171 posts Location: Kitchener, ON |
 Helping Children Learn to Walk |
Posted Oct 16, 2002; 7:05 am |
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Helping Children Learn to Walk
Two great tools are now available for discipling children who have recently begun their faith journey with Jesus. Awesome Adventure, www.awesomeadventure.org, from Through the Bible Publishers, is a twelve-week one-on-one course intended to systematically ground children ages 6-12 in the basics of the Christian faith. First Steps for Kids, from Kindred Productions www.kindredproductions.com, is a four-week small group course to affirm and inspire children ages 7-11 to take continued steps with Jesus. While both tools involve an adult and children, pencils and paper, the approaches taken are quite different.
In Awesome Adventure students systematically learn key theological concepts. The focus is on instilling crucial information that will transform the children’s lives. Ideally, the parent is recruited and trained to disciple his or her child. Active learning options are included in some of the opening and extended learning activities. Student workbooks provide a colourful place to record key truths. The wrap-up lessons encourage students to commit to six habits that help us grow: Worship with the church; obey the Holy Spirit; Tell others about Jesus; Pray; Read your Bible daily; and Serve those in need. The scope and systematic approach of Awesome Adventure is its strength. The transmission of objective truth is its weakness.
By contrast, First Steps for Kids uses questioning, listening, thinking, reflecting, the arts, story-telling, experiential learning and journaling to invite children who are newly following Jesus to continue their journey with Him. Prayer and Bible reading are discovered as a means to communicate in a growing love relationship with Jesus. Truths are experienced through narrative- both personal and biblical. The home connection is built as children ask parents for their faith story. An interactive tour of the church introduces children to their new larger family. A creative, meaningful twist to explaining the gospel is an adaptation of the Wordless Book: the use of a stone rather than a black jellybean to represent sin.
How do they connect with the Life Steps Plan  http://new.mbconf.ca/cem/children/lifesteps/index.en.html
1. Awesome Adventure
Every area of spiritual nutrition is introduced to some degree.
Discovering My Awesome Life- Salvation
Experiencing My Awesome Power- Expressing Devotion, Bible Knowledge
Joining My Awesome Team- Christian Community, Servant Heart
Fulfilling My Awesome Purpose- Outreach
2. First Steps
Salvation (Lesson One), Expressing Devotion (Lesson Two and Three) and Christian Community (Lesson Four) are significantly introduced as first steps in the child’s faith journey. |
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