Even though it’s still early in the summer, many churches are beginning to plan and prepare for the new school year. At the top of the list of priorities is choosing resources that maximize biblical instruction and spiritual formation and are grounded in a larger vision of the comprehensive discipleship of children and youth. Toward that end, Truth78 has striven to develop resources that are characterized by the following values:
God-centered, Bible-saturated, gospel-focused, Christ-exalting, Spirit-dependent, doctrinally grounded, and discipleship-oriented.
These values undergird all of our resources. But the next question is, which particular Truth78 resources will be the best fit for your church? What if the structure of your classes doesn’t “fit” within a typical age-segregated model? Although, we can’t factor in all of your specific variables for the coming year, here is a list of helps and accompanying links to guide you through some common questions.
I’ve never used Truth78 curricula. Where do I start?
- Foundations for a God-Centered Ministry to Children and Youth
- An Explanation of Our Scope and Sequence
Additionally, our Customer Care team is eager to help you! They have a deep knowledge of our resources and have years of experience in children’s ministry. Call them at 877.400.1414, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Central.
What is the amount of time necessary to teach your Sunday School/Midweek Bible curricula?
Generally speaking, a minimum of 45 minutes is required to teach the curricula. Each lesson has two main “pillars”—the Large Group Lesson (20-30 minutes depending on the age group) and the Small Group Application (10-20 minutes). This time prioritizes biblical instruction and spiritual formation. If additional time is available in the classroom, we have included additional ideas for worship, prayer, Bible memory, meaningful activities, etc.
We have to combine a wide age of children in our Sunday school classes. Which curricula are most easily adaptable?
While there is no easy solution for this all-too-common situation, our resources can be adapted to meet your specific needs. That said, here are three curricula that many churches have found to be most easy to adapt, even for a wide age range (1st through 6th grade combined):
Also, here is a helpful document with additional tips: "Adapting Truth78 Curriculum to Your Specific Needs."
Why do you encourage each student to have a corresponding workbook, notebook, or journal with your curricula?
Workbooks, notebooks, and journals are a key component of the curriculum because:
- They enhance the application process. Students are encouraged to move from head knowledge to heart application—responding to the truths they’re being taught in each lesson.
- Workbooks for younger children provide opportunities for “hands-on” activities—coloring, pasting, adding stickers, etc. This helps students focus as the adult leader reviews key lesson themes and leads the discussion time.
- Notebooks and journals for older children provide the students with a variety of opportunities for note taking during the lesson, small group and individual activities, personal application, and further study.
- They ensure that every student receives a summation of the entire curriculum even if they have missed weeks of class.
Whether your church will be having in-person classes or distance learning options, workbooks, notebooks, and journals are a wonderful means to make sure students are receiving the main ideas presented in the curriculum. Workbooks, notebooks, and journals are available in spiral-bound print and/or electronic formats.
Do you have any curricula that could be used for the whole church, across all age ranges?
We have two curricula that have been specifically designed as intergenerational studies to use across the age spectrum - The Righteous Shall Live By Faith, and Lord, Teach Us to Pray. Also, many of our curricula can be adapted for intergenerational use. Here is further help for teaching and adapting our resources. Please call our Customer Care team for more specific instructions and help: 877.400.1414, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Central.
How do your curricula resources assist and encourage parents in discipling their children?
All of our curricula include take-home pages (called Growing in Faith Together Pages or GIFT Pages for the Sunday School curricula).
These take-home pages provide parents with a tool that will assist them in taking the biblical truths learned and guiding their children to personal application. Parents have the greatest opportunity for “teachable moments”—situations that arise in everyday life that can be opportunities to apply the truth of God. Real heart application of biblical truth, which changes lives, usually takes place in the context of relationship and everyday life.
These pages provide parents with the following:
- Lesson title, main ideas, selected memory verse (or key verse), and a list of Scripture presented in the lesson.
- A brief summary of the lesson.
- Questions to further spiritual discussion and heart application.
- Suggestions for acting on biblical truth.
How is your Midweek Bible Curricula different from your Sunday School curricula?
Our Midweek Bible curricula are 26-28 lessons, as opposed to our 40-week Sunday School curricula. This allows more flexibility in the midweek program (which generally has more weeks off than Sunday mornings). The Midweek Bible curricula also provide more opportunities and ideas for structuring the class time to include interactive games, earning various badges (for the younger ages), and more practical application.
Our church is using Awana for our midweek program. Can Truth78 curricula be incorporated into the program?
Definitely! Churches can use the Bible lessons of our Midweek Bible curricula along with the other components of their Awana program.
What devotional resources do you have for families?
- "A Guide to Family Devotions"
- Family Devotionals
- The Making HIM Known series (Easy-to-use, 15-minute devotionals for elementary-aged children. Each of the eight titles includes 26 chapters.) See this exampleof David Platt leading his family in a devotional from the book God's Names in the Making HIM Known series.
- Glorious God, Glorious Gospel (15 interactive chapters, with more in-depth and vigorous study.)
- The Righteous Shall Live By Faith and Lord, Teach Us to Pray Family Devotional Guides (13 lessons that provide six days of devotional ideas per lesson.)
- The Fighter Verses Study (A year-long, 52-lesson devotional for families.)
Can Truth78 curricula be readily used in Christian schools and homeschool settings?
Our curricula is easily adaptable to either setting. Each curricula has a section in the Appendix with suggestions for using it in either setting. Read this for additional help.
Don’t see your particular question listed? We would love to help you with any questions, big or small. Please email us at info@truth78.org or give us a call at 877.400.1414, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Central.
