GOD AND CHURCH     

Eligibility Guidelines:
Girls and boys in grades 6-8 are eligible to participate in the God and Church program even if they do not belong to a Girl Scout, Boy Scout or Camp Fire group (youth group and Sunday School members are eligible to participate in this program). This program requires that students have original workbooks and present their work to the pastor for final approval.

Curriculum:
The God and Church program will lead young people on a journey. It will be a faith journey with three parts: meeting Jesus, worshiping God, and witnessing and ministering for Christ. Participants will create either a video or a photo album to share what they have learned on their faith journeys.

My Journey: Meeting Christ
1: Meeting Jesus, the Person
2: Meeting Jesus, the Son of God
3: Meeting Jesus, the Head of the Church
Project: Daily Bible Reading

My Journey: Worshiping God
4: Learning how Christ Worshiped God
5: Exploring How My Congregation Worships God
Project: Discovering How I Can Worship God

My Journey: Witnessing and Ministering for Christ
6: Learning How Christ Witnessed and Ministered to Others
7: Exploring How My Congregation Witnesses and Ministers to Others
Project: Discovering How I Can Witness and Minister to Others

The God and Church Program provides young people with the opportunity to work with their pastor or other Christian adult, to understand the church's structures and objectives, and to participate in service projects that will give them a better understanding of the mission of the church.

The God and Church program can take from three to five months to complete. The program is very flexible and can be structured in a number of different ways. Ideally, the youth will complete this program in his or her own church under the supervision of his or her own pastor. However, it is possible to teach the course to a group of young people who belong to different denominations. In this situation, the individual churches should be contacted ahead of time. The pastors need to be invited to the class sessions that deal with specific church history and doctrine. The young people can benefit from this type of comparative study and learn to appreciate the unique aspects of their own denomination.

The God and Church curriculum was developed without theological bias; yet it was designed to permit the introduction of particular theological and denominational viewpoints on the material being studied. It is the responsibility of the counselor to provide this specific instruction. Therefore all students use the standard God and Church curriculum regardless of church membership.

It is at the God and Church level (when students study their specific denomination), that the following denominational logos are available on certain recognition items: African Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbyterian Church in America, and United Methodist. Information on ordering these recognition items is contained in the Student Workbook. (Note: These denominational medals are available only at the God and Church level.)

Adult Mentor Program:
The God and Church Adult Mentor program is an optional program for parents. Rather than having just their children go through the program by themselves, parents may choose to work on the program alongside their children. In the Adult Mentor program, parents have a workbook with lessons and projects to complete just like the child. Parents will be challenged to learn more about their faith and to talk about their faith with their children.

Materials Available:
#33599 – God and Church Student Workbook – required for each student
#33600 – God and Church Counselor Manual – resource guide for pastor/counselor
#33596 – God and Church Adult Mentor Workbook – optional program for parents if they want to participate in the program alongside their children
#001CC – God and Church Counselor Patch
#001C8 – God and Church Counselor Pin

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