Toddlers to High Schoolers Welcome Pioneer Clubs' Hands-on Approach of Teaching the Bible
Pioneer Clubs is a continent-wide ministry that affects children all across the United States and Canada and even overseas. Begun in 1939, there are over 3000 participating churches and 120,000 children involved.
The children, who range from toddlers to high school seniors, join the club to "have fun, learn new skills, build relationships, study the Bible, and ultimately, learn to live for Christ in every aspect of life."
Pioneer Clubs provides programs for churches to sponsor a weekly club ministry for young people from age two through twelfth grade. Pioneer Clubs helps children understand the messages in the Bible by applying the messages.
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In every lesson, there is a Bible message, a Bible activity, and a couple of skill activities where children might receive awards for learning how to do something, i.e. cooking, woodworking, astronomy, or computers.
"When children are bombarded with a wide variety of secular messages 15 hours a day, doesn’t it make sense to offer them a clear Christian alternative?" (www.pioneerclubs.org).
The program combines Biblical teaching with direct hands-on application of the word and rewards children who have successfully completed a skill.
In a phone conversation with Connie Powers, she said, "There's a strong application of Biblical [knowledge] to their life. They don't just learn about what God has to say about something. They'll have an activity or a session to see how I feel about something. It's a more topical approach."
Another major attribute of this organization is the high level of flexibility allowed each club. The various clubs cover a range of different needs, interests, and community settings. Thus, Pioneer Clubs has found it useful to have varied lessons and activities in order to minister to them all. Clubs can pick and choose lessons to teach, meeting schedule, and even different activities.
There are clubs in Russia ministering to children, who have gained access to Pioneer Clubs through an Alaskan club. Another club sent Bible verses and valentine candy to soldiers in Iraq.
In a phone conversation with Connie Powers, the Communications Coordinator of Pioneer Clubs, several examples of its trademark flexibility were given. "Some people may want to do evangelism or outreach to people," she said, and so they can choose activities that focus on that. Or other may wish to do missions, she said.
She noted that outreach was important as some 70-80% of children come from unchurched regions, such as Native American reservations.
The curriculum is developed professionally with attention to age-appropriateness and differences in developmental stages and learning processes. Currently the curriculum is undergoing refreshing revision.
Not only are churches involved but other ministries also utilize the materials that Pioneer Clubs provides. In addition, home clubs are abounding. "These are where parents start one in their neighborhood," said Powers.
A ministry that is similar to Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts in their award recognition system (giving decorative patches to wear on bright blue vests), what makes them different from the secular organization is the emphasis on achievement via cooperation, rather than competition.
""Because of the different activity rewards, there's something for everybody. I think that's some of the reasons why it's so popular" says Powers. "It's also non-competitive, which makes us distinctive. There is an emphasis on cooperation."
The program was started in 1939 on Weedon College Campus in Weedon, Illinois. Young college students took on the challenge to build a Jr. High School club for girls, which became Girls' Gild. The students graduated and expanded the ministry nationally, and Pioneer Clubs was born. The founder is still living today.
Operating with a national headquarter staff of 30, the operation depends on the 22,000 volunteers who "are really the heart and soul of the ministry because they work directly with the children," said Powers.
Powers emphasized that the "relationship aspect" is very important. She said, "When we talk to people who were involved in 20-30-50 years ago, they remember the relationships they had with their club leaders and with each other."
Pioneer Clubs stated that they have a "holistic philosophy" when it comes to a child's development. There is a sensitivity that spirituality is related to the social world.
"We're working with the spiritual, but also working with the social, relationship aspect of their lives. So we help children build their self-esteem," said Powers.
