Workshop Resources for Presenters

General Conference 2022 Edition

Pathfinder Basic Staff Training

CMT Curriculum Manual

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,

Youth Ministries Department
©2022—Printed and published in the USA

Gary Blanchard, Director

Andres J. Peralta, Associate Director
Pako Edson Mokgwane, Associate Director
Editor-in-Chief: Andrés J. Peralta
Senior Editorial Assistant: Kenia Reyes-de León

Designers: Zemleduch Creative

Project Manager: Nestor Osman
Editors: Cheryl Logan, Jonathan Logan
Departmental Advisor: Abner de los Santos

CMT (Club Ministries Training) is based on the AYMT curriculum (Adventist Youth Ministry
Training) developed by the North American Division.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS

Introduction 05

Pathfinder Basic Staff Training 07

Pathfinder Counselor 57

Pathfinder Club Instructor 119

Pathfinder Club Secretary/Teasurer 165

Pathfinder Club Director 187

INTRODUCTION

Club Ministry Training Manual 05

Club Ministry
Training

Club Ministries Training (CMT) is a curriculum framework that provides in-depth training for club staff in
specific roles. The certifications are designed to be completed within one year, and are meant to equip
leaders of all varieties for the ministries in which they serve. They are not levels of Investiture Achieve-
ment such as Sunbeam, Friend, or Guide, but rather opportunities for individuals to learn more about
being an effective director, instructor, counselor, etc. Certifications are earned by attending workshops,
working with a mentor, doing fieldwork, and preparing a documentation Portfolio.

CMT is based on the Adventist Youth Ministry Training (AYMT) certifications, developed by the North
American Division.

Optional 2. Receiving a CMT pin is not considered

For Divisions that would like to recognize investiture, but rather, awarding of a certif-
leaders that achieve these certifications, a icate. The highest investiture in Club Minis-
pin with the achieved certification could be tries continues to be Master Guide.
included in the official sash. 3. CMT certifications are connected to a club
shops, the participant is eligible to receive an role or position, meaning that there is no
enameled pin and certificate of completion. point to achieve them all unless you are the
only leader in a club. CMT certifications are
Notes intended for all members of a team.
1. CMT certifications are replacing the
Pathfinder Leadership Award (PLA) and
Advanced Pathfinder Leadership Award
(APLA)/Pathfinder Instructor Award (PIA).

06 Club Ministry Training Manual

 CMT Pathfinder
Basic Staff Training
Workshop Resources for Presenters
General Conference 2022 Edition

Club Ministry Training Manual 07

Pathfinder Basic
Staff Certification

Prerequisites
1. Commit to the Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer Code of Conduct
2. Be currently approved by the child protection screening verification of your Conference/ Mission

Overview of Workshops
Programming and Planning | PFAD
Club Ministry: Purpose & History | 003
PFAD 001 This workshop covers planning Pathfinder
This workshop gives an overview of club programs. It discusses the typical elements
ministry with an emphasis on Pathfinders. It of a Pathfinder year including Induction,
compares the programs, uniforms, and insig- Pathfinder Sabbath, community service, In-
nia of Adventurers, Pathfinders, and Master vestiture, and conference events. It examines
Guide, and then discusses the role of club the components of regular meetings: open-
ministry in faith development. Finally, it pro- ing ceremonies, Investiture Achievement,
vides a brief history of youth ministry in the and honors.
Seventh-day Adventist church and illustrates
God’s leading and care. Club Outreach | PFAD 004
Mentoring youth as evangelists to serve their
Club Organization | PFAD 002 community is a core goal of club ministry.
This workshop explores the structure of a This workshop explores faith development
club, from unit to executive committee. It within the Investiture Achievement curric-
outlines job descriptions for various roles ulum, particularly in the Personal Growth,
and the qualities of a servant-leader. It also Spiritual Discovery, and Serving Others sec-
covers regulations on the operation of a club tions. It discusses techniques for integrating
such as membership, records, finances, uni- outreach into all Pathfinder activities. Many
forms, and insurance. honors from the Spiritual Growth, Outreach,

08 Club Ministry Training Manual

and Heritage categories provide opportuni- encourages the use of outdoor and experien-
ties for reaching your community. tial learning.

Ceremonies & Drill | PFAD 005 Medical, Risk Management, and

This workshop provides a practical introduc- Child Safety Issues | MEDI 100
tion to using ceremonies and drill in a Path- This workshop covers introductory informa-
finder club. Included topics are fundamental tion on medical forms, release forms, abuse
stationary and marching commands, lead prevention, conference volunteer screening
opening ceremonies, and understand flag et- requirements, staffing levels, transportation
iquette. guidelines, emergency plans, and supervi-
sion issues.
Developmental Growth | PYSO 104
This workshop investigates the stages of de- Required Fieldwork
velopment in youth ages 10-15 and how to ef- Create a portfolio that contains the handouts
fectively relate to them. It will include meth- and your personal notes from the workshops
ods for mentoring them as disciples of Jesus, that you attend.
nurturing them as they mature into the full
stature of Christ. Recognition of Completion
Upon completion of the required workshops,
Introduction to Teaching | EDUC 001 the participant is eligible to receive an enam-
This seminar introduces teaching concepts eled pin and certificate of completion.
and educational objectives. It covers learning  
styles and teaching styles. It gives a summa-
ry of Investiture Achievement objectives and

Club Ministry Training Manual 09

Club Ministry:
Purpose & History—PFAD 001

Description
This workshop gives an overview of club ministry with an emphasis on Pathfinders. It compares the
programs, uniforms, and insignia of Adventurers, Pathfinders, and Master Guide, and then discusses
the role of club ministry in faith development. Finally, it provides a brief history of youth ministry in the
Seventh-day Adventist church and illustrates God’s leading and care.

Audience/Participants
New Pathfinder staff and individuals com- Club Ministries and Purposes
pleting the prerequisites for Master Guide This workshop is about understanding how
club ministries work to grow a child in Christ
Resource Material and keep them connected to the church. The
• The Pathfinder Story focus of this training is Pathfinders.
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual (Gener- • Adventurer Ministries includes children
al Conference Youth Department website: from ages four through nine. The focus of
https://www.gcyouthministries.org/resourc- this ministry is strengthening the family in
es/resource-manuals/ their faith in Jesus Christ.
What Your Participants Will Learn • Pathfinder Ministries includes children from
1. The basics of Pathfinder club ministry in- ages 10 through 15. The focus of this ministry
cluding ages and goals is to develop the faith of children and teens
2. History of Pathfinder club ministry in Jesus Christ and provide them with life-
3. Pathfinder Song, Pledge, Law and mean- long mentors.
ing of flag • Master Guide Ministries includes adults from
age 18 and above. The focus of this ministry
is to train adults for leadership in Adventurer,
Pathfinder, Youth, and Young Adult ministries
for nurture and outreach for Jesus Christ.
Workshop Content

10 Club Ministry Training Manual

Pathfinder Club Ministry and Staff 15 years of age are in a fast-growing physical
Roles stage of development. It is filled with action,
Review the philosophy, objectives and goals adventure, challenge, group activities, and
of Pathfinder club ministry. The strength and provides opportunities for the development
effectiveness of Pathfinder club ministry is of new attitudes and skills that produce per-
directly proportional to the influence of the sonal growth, team or community spirit and
staff. How staff model the Pathfinder Pledge a sense of loyalty and respect for God, His
and Law, and their facilitation of the Path- creation, and His church.
finder mission and goals will determine the While the Pathfinder Club exists primarily
strength of their club ministry. for youth, one of its basic purposes is to also
bring together parents and church members
Pathfinder Club Philosophy through active involvement with the club and
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is com- its members. Here the so-called generation
mitted to understanding young people and gap disappears as young and old worship,
training its youth for leadership and service work, and play together in a bond of com-
to humanity. mon experience. Meaningful relationships are
The Pathfinder Club is a church-centered forged as leaders and counselors join with
spiritual-recreational-activity program de- Pathfinders in sharing, building confidence,
signed for young people 10 to 15 years of and working together.
age. Pathfindering appeals to this age group The whole philosophy of Pathfindering is
because its program features activities that built on the premise that “children learn best
meet their needs and interests. Much of the by example, rather than by precept.” As they
Pathfinder Club program is built around phys- see leaders and parents model spiritual and
ical action. This is because youth from 10 to vsocial values, they too will aspire to develop

Club Ministry Training Manual 11

 high moral principles, loving and caring atti- of the young people will erect barriers to real
tudes, and determination to excel in all their spiritual growth and development and may
various pursuits. prove to be a contributing factor in making
Young people learn most effectively in a pos- the church and its mission unattractive to the
itive, happy, and secure atmosphere. The at- youth.
titude of the club leaders is therefore a vital https://www.gcyouthministries.org/minis-
ingredient in guaranteeing the success and tries/pathfinders/philosophy-objectives/
effectiveness of this ministry to youth. A fail-
ure to listen to and to understand the needs

Objectives
1. Help the young people to understand that God and His church love them, care for them, and appreciate
them. As Pathfinders are accepted and affirmed, they will appreciate the love of God revealed through the
church and its ministry, and feel a need to be more committed to and involved with its program.
2. Encourage Pathfinders to discover their own God-given potential and to use their gifts and abilities to
fulfill God’s expectations for them and the part they can play in the great plan of salvation.
3. Inspire young people to give personal expression of their love for God by uniting them together in var-
ious outreach activities.
4. Make the number one priority of your club program the personal salvation of every Pathfinder. The
Pathfinder age is a time when many decisions are being made that will affect the youth’s future relation-
ships and his or her own personal development. The peak time for discovering and making a relationship
with God appears to be around 12 years of age.
5. Build into a Pathfinder’s life a healthy appreciation and love for God’s creation by enjoying outdoor ac-
tivity (campouts, nature walks, nature honors, etc.). Pathfinders will be encouraged to experience a sense
of wonder and worship as they observe and explore the beauty, the majesty, and the creative power in
nature. Fellowship with God becoming more meaningful.
6. Teach Pathfinders specific skills and hobbies that will make their lives more meaningful and will occupy
their time with profitable accomplishments. Young people experience satisfaction and delight as they use

12 Club Ministry Training Manual

their hands to fashion useful articles from wood, plastic, steel, clay, felt and yarn and as they discover
how things work and operate.
7. Encourage the Pathfinder to keep physically fit. This is one important way to safeguard against
idlenes and boredom. Teach children to care for their body and to establish habits that will provide for
their future happiness and usefulness (cf. 2Testimonies 536, 537; Education 195).
8. Give opportunity for the development of leadership by encouraging club members to work together
and to share in leadership responsibility. This will teach them to learn the lessons of obedience, disci-
pline, resourcefulness, patriotism and the process of group dynamics.
9. Seek to foster the harmonious development of the physical, social, intellectual, and spiritual life of
the Pathfinder. The invigoration of mind and body, the fostering of an unselfish spirit, the attention to
recreational and cultural activities, will provide stimulus for personal growth and act as an outlet for
that restless energy, which is so often a destructive source of danger to the young person.
.

Mission Statement end that we bring them to self-fulfillment

Pathfinder Ministry is an organization of the and maturity in Christian faith, characterized
Seventh-day Adventist Church, dedicated by their decision to:
to meeting the mental, physical, social and • Accept Jesus Christ as a personal Savior
spiritual developmental needs of youth ages and Lord
10-15 by challenging the Pathfinder to experi- • Reflect internalized Christian values through
ence a personal relationship with Christ, have mature decision making and behavior
a sense of achievement and responsibility, • Exhibit the righteousness, true holiness,
develop respect for God’s creation, and care and fullness of stature of Christ
for each member of God’s family. • Demonstrate leadership skills, enabled and
empowered to become full partners in ac-
Goals tive, selfless service supporting the mission
Pathfinder Ministries seeks to meet the Path- of the church
finder’s present and unfolding needs, to the

Club Ministry Training Manual 13

 Activity Pathfinder History
• Facilitate a group discussion of specific Groups began forming in the late 1800s, how-
ways staff can meet the goals and objectives ever, it wasn’t until 1907 that groups became
of Pathfinder club ministry. Look specifically officially organized when the General Con-
at the verbs (action words) in the goals and ference established its youth department un-
objectives. der Elder M. E. Kern.
• Give time for participants to write at least
three ways they plan to personally emulate
the Pathfinder club ministry goals to their
Pathfinders.

Suggest Dates to Include

1852 James White edited the first The Youth’s Instructor magazine.
1879 First Young People’s Society took place in Hazelton, Michigan, USA, by teenagers Luther Warren
and Harry Fenner.
1907 A Young People’s Department was created. Later that year the name “Seventh-day Adventist
Young People’s Society of Missionary Volunteers” was chosen, also known as Missionary Volun
teers (MV).
1909 Junior Missionary Volunteer Societies were organized (JMV).
1916 First MV census results had 1,230 senior and junior societies with 24,638 members.
1919 Arthur W. Spalding organized a small group of boys in Tennessee, USA, into a club he called “Mis
sion Scouts”. Spalding also wrote a JMV Pledge and Law which became official GC 1921.
1922 JMV progressive classes involving outdoor activities were introduced by Spalding and Harriet M.
Holt: Friend, Companion, Comrade, and Master Comrade.
1927 First Conference-sponsored Pathfinder club started, Anaheim, CA; directed by John McKim and
Willa Steen, whom are believed to have introduced the “Pathfinder” name.

14 Club Ministry Training Manual

1928 Arthur Spalding and Harriet Holt with other professionals wrote the first 16 Vocational Merits
(Honors) that were introduced (Automobile Repair, Bird Study, Christian Storytelling, Colportage,
Cooking, Flower Study, Gardening, Health and Healing, Laundry Art, Needlecraft,
Photography, Poultry Raising, Radio, Shoe Repair, Star Study, Tree Study).
1930 Pre-JMV/AJY classes, Busy Bee, Sunbeam, Builder and Helping Hand were developed.
1946 Pathfinder Club triangle emblem was designed by John H. Hancock.
1948 Henry T. Bergh, youth director for the Central California Conference, started 23 Pathfinder clubs.
Bergh also appointed the first Area Pathfinder Coordinators.
1949 Henry T. Bergh wrote the Pathfinder Song.
1950 General Conference official authorized establishment of JMV Pathfinder Clubs for world field.
1951 Comrade class was changed to Guide, and Master Comrade was changed to Master Guide.
1953 First Conference Pathfinder Camporee, Southern New England Conference, was held in Camp
Winnekeag, Ashburnham, Massachusetts.
1956 Explorer Class was added.
1958 Silver Award was developed by L. A. Skinner (challenges Adventist Youth to be the finest in
physical fitness and have cultural and spiritual excellence).
1959 Gold Award was developed by L. A. Skinner (Advanced and challenging achievement standards
for college-age young people).
1965 Eager Beaver program was instituted (later added to Adventurer Club).
1966 Pioneer class was added (Renamed Ranger 1970).
1971 First Division Pathfinder Camporee: Northern Europe-West Africa Division (today’s
Trans-Europe an Division) held this event in Vasterang, Sweden.
1979 MV was changed to AY, JMV to AJY, Pre-AJY to Adventurers.
1982 Voyager class was added between Ranger and Guide classes.
1985 First North American Division Pathfinder Camporee was held, Camp Hale, Colorado.
1989 Pathfinder Leadership Award curriculum was developed (P.L.A.) Pathfinder Instructors Award
curriculum developed (P.I.A.)

Club Ministry Training Manual 15

1991 Pathfinder Basic Staff Training Course was developed
1992 Center of Youth Evangelism was established at Andrews University.
1994 Dare to Care—First NAD International Pathfinder Camporee, was held in Morrison, Colorado.
1999 Discover the Power—International Pathfinder Camporee, was held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
2004 Faith on Fire—International Pathfinder Camporee, was held in Oshkosh, WI.
2009 Courage to Stand—International Camporee, was held in Oshkosh, WI.
2014 Forever Faithful—International Pathfinder Camporee, was held in Oshkosh, WI.
2019 Chosen—International Pathfinder Camporee, was held in Oshkosh, WI. With around 57,000
participants together, it became one of the largest Camporees of all times for any scout
organization. Two Guinness World Records were achieved in this event: The Largest Master Guide
Scarf (2.204 m2) and the Largest Human Image of a Cross (13,309 people)
2019 South American Division Pathfinder Camporees—With around 95,000 participants divided into
two events (47,000 in Alpha and 48,000 in Omega), it became one of the largest combined
Camporees of all times, for any scout organization.
2020 Master Guide Club was voted by North American Division as an official ministry.
2020 World pandemic: Pathfinder Clubs from all around the world did amazing efforts to keep sharing
The Advent Message to All the World in My Generation. This history continues because of you.
THANK YOU!
Today Pathfinders continues to evolve with honor and resource additions and revisions.

Revised and updated by Dixie L. Plata, Pathfinder Historian, based on the previous document created by
Dr. David Trim (Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research).

16 Club Ministry Training Manual

Pathfinder Logo, Pledge, Law, Activities
and Song • Set up a timeline around your meeting
room. You can adjust the size according to
Pathfinder Triangle Logo the space available. You can use paper or in-
The Pathfinder Triangle was designed by El- dex cards. Print the date on one side and the
der John Hancock in 1946. Each of its com- event on the other. Hand them out to partici-
ponents has significant meaning. Teach par- pants. As you go through the dates, have the
ticipants each of the components and its participants read and then attach their date
meaning. to the timeline. Also, share one or two inter-
esting stories. You can also include dates of
Pathfinder Pledge and Law interest from your local conference.
The Pathfinder Pledge and Law are to be re- • Practice the Pathfinder Pledge, Law, and
cited at every Pathfinder ceremony and are Song with the participants. Demonstrate
the standard to which all Pathfinders and opening ceremonies of a club meeting. Use
staff are to live. the meaning of the Pathfinder Logo as the
worship thought.
Pathfinder Song • Use the meaning of the Pathfinder Logo as
The Pathfinder Song was written by Elder the worship thought. (Flag or graphic).
Henry T. Bergh in 1949. It has been translated • Demonstrate opening ceremonies of a club
into many languages and is sung around the meeting.
world.

Club Ministry Training Manual 17

Club Organization—PFAD 002

Description
This workshop explores the structure of a club, from unit to executive committee. It outlines job de-
scriptions for various roles and the qualities of a servant-leader. It also covers regulations on the oper-
ation of a club, such as membership, records, finances, uniforms, and insurance.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

New Pathfinder staff and individuals com-
pleting the prerequisites for Master Guide Introduction to Club Organization
• Give each participant a handout based on
Resource Material the local Conference guidelines on how to
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual start or re-start a Pathfinder Club.
• Encourage participants to meet with their
What Your Participants Will Learn pastor, conference Pathfinder director, and
1. Know what must be done to start or re- Pathfinder area coordinator on a regular ba-
start a Pathfinder Club sis for guidance and direction as they begin
2. Understand the club staff tasks and organ- building their church’s Pathfinder club min-
ize your staff accordingly istry.
3. Know the pieces of the Pathfinder uni-
forms, where to purchase them, and what Get Church Board Approval to Start
they cost a Pathfinder Club Ministry
4. Learn the components of a club merit sys- • Because having a Pathfinder Club is an
tem and how it is used to determine awards outreach ministry of your local church, it is
required that your church board approves it
with recorded actions in the board minutes.
• Work with your pastor and put together a
proposal to present to your church board.

18 Club Ministry Training Manual

• Get signatures from church board members tial Pathfinders and their parents. Tell them
as needed to obtain a Certificate of Opera- what Pathfinder club ministry is and the
tion from your conference Pathfinder office club’s plans for the year.
and mail or fax the completed form to your • Gather names of individuals in your church
conference office. who can support the club by sponsoring a
uniform for a Pathfinder, instructing a specif-
Gather Your Club Leadership Team ic honor, and helping with fundraising, etc.
• Get the support of your pastor and the • Give participants the forms needed to reg-
church board, and recruit church members ister their clubs with the conference. Let
to become active as staff. Share the need, them know what specific guidelines the con-
vision, and enthusiasm of what a Pathfinder ference has for Pathfinder club ministry.
club ministry can do for your youth and the
larger community around your church. Staff Organization and Tasks
• Ask your area coordinator to join you for Pathfinder leaders are volunteers who re-
staff organization meetings to help teach the ceive no pay for their service to the church.
fundamentals of Pathfinder club ministry and In many cases, those who volunteer to be
to build the vision of your staff. leaders are highly committed to Christian
ideals. This is the way it should be, since the
Recruit Pathfinders Pathfinder leader often plays a larger part
• Announce Pathfinder club ministry during in providing a Christian role model to young
the worship service. The church congrega- people than any other person in the church.
tion can give support and enthusiasm for this
ministry as you begin organizing.
• You and your staff should talk with poten-

Club Ministry Training Manual 19

Activity
Review the flow charts in the Pathfinder Administrative Manual. Give each participant time to draw the
flow chart for their club including the specific names of individuals in each position.

Staff Training and Approval secretary and treasurer. These are the prima-
To understand Pathfinder club ministry, all ry roles and each of them have specific tasks
staff should undergo basic training to help as organized by the club director.
them minister to Pathfinders. To continue Review the qualities of a good leader (Path-
effective ministry, continuing education is finder Administrative Manual).
available. • Love God supremely
Because of the significant influence and re- • Love children sincerely
sponsibility that Pathfinder staff are given by • Serve with enthusiasm
parents, as well as church leaders, all volun- • Possess emotional stability
teers working with minors must be approved • Enjoy being outdoors
by their conference prior to participating • Know the essential characteristics of
in Pathfinder club ministry. Let participants adolescents
know what is required for volunteer approval • Learn a variety of skills
in their conference. • Develop the ability to organize
• Maintain good relations with fellow workers
Club Leadership Team • Radiate a dignity of presence that assures
The Pathfinder Club leadership team consists order
of a director, at least one deputy director, • Have a sense of humor
unit counselors and instructors, and a • Be resourceful and creative

20 Club Ministry Training Manual

Activity sources of income. It is imperative that clubs
Review duties of specific club staff positions. operate with fiscal responsibility. Expenses
(Pathfinder Administrative Manual) should never exceed income.
If a participant has not been designated a
specific role in his/her club, encourage that Uniforms
person to identify a role of interest and dis- • Review the purpose of the uniform and
cuss it with the club director. when it should and should not be worn.
the Handout—Sample Weekly Club Meeting • Review the uniform standards under the
Outline. Demonstrate opening ceremonies www.gcyouthministries.org website.
with your participants. • Review specific uniform standards for your
local conference.
Club Budget and Uniforms • Calculate the cost for a uniform for a Path-
finder and an adult, including items specific
Club Budget (Pathfinder Adminis- to your conference.
trative Manual) Uniforms can have a major impact on a club
Every successful Pathfinder club operates budget. Each club should have a good plan
within a financial budget. There are common for how they will manage uniform costs.
components to a club budget. The financ- Clubs have options when considering uni-
es that flow through the Pathfinder club are form expenses. They may require parents
managed by the club treasurer in coopera- to purchase the uniform, the club may pur-
tion with the church treasurer. It is important chase the uniforms and operate an exchange
for staff to be aware of how their club’s fi- or rental program, or the club may purchase
nances work. certain pieces requiring the parents to pur-
chase the remaining items. Clubs may also
Activity find sponsors willing to cover the cost of a
Review the sample budgets in the Pathfind- uniform for a Pathfinder.
er Administrative Manual as well as possible

Club Ministry Training Manual 21

 Merit System and Awards Good Conduct Award & Path-
A club merit system provides a club a pro- finder of the Year Award
cess for fairly awarding their Pathfinders in The Club’s Investiture service is the place
participation, progress, and development. to reward club members for completing AY
Good Conduct Award and Pathfinder of the Investiture Achievement levels, honors, and
Year Awards have requirements that are met special awards such as the Good Conduct
by using the club’s merit system. Use the Award and the Pathfinder of the Year Award.
Pathfinder Administrative Manual for each
section below:
Activity
Merit System and Points Give each participant the guidelines for these
Each Pathfinder Club should have a Merit awards from the Pathfinder Administrative
System for their Pathfinder Club and develop Manual. Also include any guidelines and/or
their own Merit System point values which forms needed by the local conference office.
are agreed upon by all Staff members and
understood by all Pathfinders and parents.
The club’s Merit System will help Staff to
fairly determine awards to be given to their
Pathfinders throughout the Pathfinder year.
Simplicity is the key to a good merit system.
Review the guidelines in the Pathfinder Ad-
ministrative Manual.

22 Club Ministry Training Manual

Programming & Planning—
PFAD 003

Description
This workshop covers planning Pathfinder programs. It discusses the typical elements of a Pathfinder
year including Induction, Pathfinder Sabbath, community service, Investiture, and conference events.
It examines the components of regular meetings: opening ceremonies, Investiture Achievement, and
honors.

Audience/Participants required Friend level honors (Camping Skills

New Pathfinder staff and individuals com- 1, Christian Citizenship, Red Alert, Seeds)
pleting the prerequisites for Master Guide. 5. Handout: Sample Weekly Meeting Outline.
(Samples available in this document)
Resource Material 6. Handout: Sample Staff Meeting Agenda
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual 7. Handout: Investiture Achievement Over-
• Achievement classes view Chart, instead of Investiture Achieve-
• Pathfinder honors ment: A Director’s Guide

Handouts to be prepared based on What Your Participants Will Learn

local Conference guidelines 1. Evaluate the club’s mission and goals and
1. Handout: Calendar of Conference Events relate it to your club planning
(If available) 2. Build a yearly club calendar that incorpo-
2. Handout: Sample of a Local Club Year Cal- rates your conference and school calendars
endar 3. Incorporate aspects of Investiture Achieve-
3. Handout: Investiture Achievement Record ment into yearly club calendar
Card, Friend requirements which distinguish- 4. Plan weekly club meetings with opening
es between Friend and Trail Friend and closing ceremonies
4. Handout: Honor Requirement Sheets for

24 Club Ministry Training Manual

Workshop Content When planning your club’s calendar, begin by
Club Mission, Goals, and Planning gathering other calendars that you will need
The purpose of the Pathfinder club is to in- to coordinate with. These include church
troduce young people to Jesus Christ and to school and conference calendars. Distribute
help them grow in Him. The Pathfinder club a copy of the Conference Pathfinder newslet-
program will help them develop their body, ter and review the yearly calendar specifying
mind and spirit. With these skills, our young the events that are mandatory and those that
people are able to carry on the work of the are optional. Handout—Calendar of Confer-
church and bring others to the feet of Jesus. ence Events.
More than just skills, we want young people Once you have gathered all necessary infor-
to build a relationship with Christ as their mation, begin to set your meeting sched-
Lord and Savior, thus giving them the rela- ule, what day of the week you will meet at
tional experience with Jesus that they need what time. Some clubs meet every week, and
to lead their friends to know Him too. some meet twice a month. Determine what
Review the Pathfinder mission statement schedule works for your club. Once you know
and goals. Discuss how these are important your weekly schedule, begin planning major
to keep in mind when planning club meet- programs such as Induction, Pathfinder Sab-
ings and activities. bath, club campouts, fundraisers, Investiture,
etc. Go over a possible year calendar. Hand-
Building a Club Calendar out—Sample Club Year Calendar.
It is challenging to develop the Pathfinder
club yearly calendar. It takes time and effort Weekly Club Meeting Programming
to gather all the planning details and people Most Pathfinder clubs meet on a weekly ba-
together to make a plan, but it must be done sis; however, some only meet twice a month.
if your club is going to succeed. Know that How often a club meets, when it meets, and
your club’s calendar planning is crucial for where it meets should determine duration of
the success of your club. a club meeting.

Club Ministry Training Manual 25

Activities
• Review the Handout—Sample Weekly Club Meeting Outline.
• Demonstrate opening ceremonies with your participants.

Church Board Approval scope and sequence of Investiture Achieve-

The church board must approve the Pathfind- ment. Area Coordinators and other experi-
er Club’s annual calendar. This provides two enced Pathfinder staff are available to help
important advantages for the club. First, it you learn how to implement the many In-
builds board members’ respect for the Path- vestiture Achievement tasks into your club’s
finder Club. When the board is aware of the planning and programming. Introduce the six
club’s plans, the club is in a better position basic Investiture Achievement titles and their
to ask for monetary considerations when the corresponding grade level.
board develops the annual church budget.
Second, the church board must approve all Activity
Pathfinder activities in order for them to be Give each participant the scope and se-
covered by the church’s insurance. quence Friend and Trail Friend. Go over the
Handout Friend Requirements which distin-
Investiture Achievement Planning guishes between Friend and Trail Friend, and
Investiture Achievement (IA) is the core cur- show how they can be incorporated into the
riculum for Pathfinder club ministry. Most weekly meetings. Note that some activities
activities and events can be developed and are seasonal.
planned to fulfill the requirements through- Handout—Honor Requirement Sheets for
out the Pathfinder year. Therefore, it is im- Friend Honors (Camping Skills 1, Christian
portant that you spend time grasping the Citizenship, Red Alert, Seeds)

26 Club Ministry Training Manual

Staff Meetings • Build your yearly club calendar that incor-
In addition to club meetings, Pathfinder Club porates your conference and school calen-
Staff should meet at least once per month or dars.
more to plan all the details for club nights as • Incorporate aspects of Investiture Achieve-
well as other events and activities. Staff meet- ment into your yearly club calendar. Refer
ings are crucial to the success of a Pathfinder to Handout -Sample Year Calendar (which
club! The club mission and goals should de- incorporates both Investiture Achievement
termine the regularity of staff meetings rath- and honors over a school year).
er than the convenience of time. • Plan a weekly club meeting with opening
Give each participant Handout—Sample and closing ceremonies. (Handout—Sample
Staff Meeting Agenda and Follow-up Min- Weekly Meeting Outline).
utes. Note the importance of an agenda, and • Outline the agenda for a single staff meet-
the function of meeting minutes. ing preparing for a Friend honor, Camping
Staff meetings should include but are not Skills 1.
limited to the following:
• Opening prayer
• Treasurer’s report
• Investiture Achievement
• Honors
• Special programs (Induction, Pathfinder
Sabbath, Investiture, etc.)
• Outreach projects
• Calendar events and changes
• Conference events
• Specific items of interest for your club
• Planning session for at least 3 to 6 months
in advance
• Closing prayer Activities

Club Ministry Training Manual 27

 Simple Club Program 1
Time Activity Leader
10:00 Opening Ceremony Director
Fall in by units
Color Guard
Flag Salute (music background)
Pledge of Allegiance
Pathfinder Pledge
Inspection
Devotional and Prayer Pathfinder
10:15 Attendance Record Unit Captains
Pathfinder Class levels (check) Counselors
Unit Programming Counselors
10:30 Committee report on upcoming event Deputy Director
10:35 Games: (Emphasize the importance of obeying
the rules. Have one Pathfinder already chosen
to break the rules and help him to be a good
athlete and obey the rules)
10:35 Guest Speaker: Chief of Police
“Importance of the Law” (Present examples of
laws in nature, mechanics, etc. and why are so
important)
11:15 Announcements Director
11:20 Closing Ceremony Director
Director’s Minute (Emphasizing the importance
of keeping the law of the Pathfinder code)
Pathfinder Law Pathfinder
Prayer Pathfinder
11:27 Club meeting dismissed Director
11:30 Leave for home

Notes

1. The Pathfinders are in full class A dress uniform because of the guest speaker.
2. Every program should have a purpose. Today’s program was to help us see we have to live by law
(man’s law, recreational laws, God’s law and the Pathfinder law).
3. Keep on time according to schedule provided.
4. All adult staff members should have a copy of the program.
5. Where possible, mentor Pathfinder participation in leadership roles.

28 Club Ministry Training Manual

 Simple Club Program 2
Time Activity Leader
10:00 Opening Ceremony Director
Fall in by units
Color Guard
Flag Salute (music background)
Pledge of Allegiance
Pathfinder Pledge
Inspection
Devotional and Prayer Pathfinder
10:15 Attendance Record Unit Captains
Pathfinder Class levels (check) Counselors
Inspirational story Spiritual Cordinator
10:25 Honor clases Deputy Director
11:20 Closing Ceremony Director
Director’s Announcements Director
Pathfinder Law Pathfinder
Prayer Pathfinder Captain
11:27 Club meeting dismissed Director
11:30 Leave for home

Notes
1. The Pathfinder full class A dress uniform does not need to be worn at all club meetings.
2. This morning focused on honors.
3. Keep on time according to schedule provided.
4. All adult staff members should have a copy of the program.
5. When the weather permits, have the opening and closing ceremony outdoors.
6. Select an honorable Pathfinder to bring in the national flag.
7. File all program schedules for reference purposes.
8. Where possible, mentor Pathfinder participation in leadership roles.

Club Ministry Training Manual 29

 Simple Club Program 3
Time Activity Leader
10:00 Opening Ceremony Director
Devotional and Prayer Special Guest
10:15 Unit Meeting Counselors
Attendance Record Unit Captains
Pathfinder Class levels (check) Counselors
Unit Programming Counselors
10:30 Committee Reports on Coming Field Trip Deputy Director
10:35 Games Led by Guides
10:50 Guest Speaker Firefighter
11:15 Closing Ceremony Director
Director’s Announcements Director
Pathfinder Pledge and Law Pathfinder
Prayer Director
11:27 Club meeting dismissed
11:30 Leave for home

30 Club Ministry Training Manual

 Simple Club Program 4
Time Activity Leader
10:00 Opening Ceremony Director
Fall in by units
Pathfinder Song
Prayer Pathfinder
Captains Report Captains
Flag Ceremony
Pledge and Law Deputy Director
Devotional Guest
10:30 Unit Meeting Counselor
Pathfinder Class levels (check) Counselors
10:40 Honors Instructor
10:40 Fall in by Units Director
Drill or Inspection Drill Instructor
11:55 Director’s Announcements Director
11:27 Benediction and Dismissal Director
11:30 Leave for home

Club Ministry Training Manual 31

Club Outreach—PFAD 004

Description
Mentoring youth as evangelists to serve their community is a core goal of club ministry. This workshop
explores faith development within the Investiture Achievement curriculum, particularly in the Personal
Growth, Spiritual Discovery, and Serving Others sections. Techniques will be discussed for integrating
outreach into the Pathfinder calendar. Many honors from the Spiritual Growth, Outreach and Heritage
category provide wonderful opportunities for reaching your community.

Audience/Participants 2. Encourage spiritual discovery in Pathfind-

New Pathfinder staff and individuals com- ers through the Bible and history.
pleting the prerequisites for Master Guide 3. Engage Pathfinders in connecting with
their community through Share Your Faith
Key Texts activities.
• Luke 10:25-37; Matthew 25:31-4 4. Integrate outreach events into your club
calendar.
Resource Material
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual Workshop Content
• Serving Communities honor requirements Opening Activity: Key Texts Discussion:
• Investiture Achievement requirements for Read the key texts and discuss how we can
Companion, Explorer, Ranger apply these stories in our Pathfinder club
• Honors Requirements—Serving Communi- ministry.
ties • Luke 10:25-37: Christ shared this para-
• Pledge and Law Handout ble in response to the question, “Who is my
neighbor?” The real neighbor, Jesus says, is
What Your Participants Will Learn the person who shows mercy in concrete
1. Understand how Investiture Achievement ways. He commanded His followers, “Go and
requirements enable personal growth. do likewise.” This story is particularly impor-

32 Club Ministry Training Manual

tant because Jesus chose to make the exem- 1. Review the Pathfinder Pledge and
plary individual, the Good Samaritan, a mem- Law.
ber of an ethnic group that was despised,
looked down upon and discriminated against Activity
by the religious community to which Jesus • Download and print: Pledge and Law.
belonged. He is pointing out that following • Discuss as a group specific, engaging ways
Jesus is about the content of your character, you can help your Pathfinders understand
not your race, culture, or gender. the Pathfinder Pledge and Law. Write on
• Matthew 25:31-46: This parable is the Pledge and Law Handout some ideas of
the last in a series of four parables that Je- how you would engage your Pathfinders to
sus shared in Matthew 24-25 in response to “Learn the meaning of the Pathfinder Pledge
questions from His disciples about end-time and Law.”
events: “When will this happen, and what will
be the sign of your coming and of the end of 2.Understand how Investiture
the age? This passage teaches us that Christ Achievement requirements enable
desires us to reveal His character through personal growth.
ethical and compassion conduct. Pathfinders has proven to be one of the great
soul-winning agencies of our church, with a
The mission of Pathfinders is to bring children leadership that dedicates its time, talents,
to Jesus and to help children to grow in Je- and energy to keeping the program running
sus. The Pathfinder Pledge and Law summa- smoothly. It is designed to help Pathfind-
rize our mission. The Investiture Achievement ers sense their God-given destiny and keep
(IA) curriculum is the backbone of Pathfinder them marching together in step toward the
club ministry. It has three sections common Kingdom of God.
to each Investiture Achievement level that
intentionally facilitate spiritual development. Activity
They are: Personal Growth, Spiritual Discov- •Review the Personal Growth sections of the
ery, and Serving Others. In this module, we Investiture Achievement levels in order to
will research and explore each of these sec- grasp an overall perspective.
tions. • Have each participant look over the Com-

Club Ministry Training Manual 33

 panion and Trail Companion scope and se- who can assist you?
quence. Review the Personal Growth section,
specifically 3.b. The Pathfinder staff help 4. Engage Pathfinders in connecting
the Pathfinder understand and practice the with their community through Share
meaning of “Be pure, kind, and true” and Your Faith activities.
“Keep the morning watch” and “Go on God’s Pathfinders should teach members how to
errands.” become good citizens of their communities.
Involving Pathfinders in the community fos-
3. Encourage spiritual discovery in ters an interest in service to others. Clubs can
Pathfinders through the Bible and impact their communities in many ways.
history. Organization is one of the key components
Review the Spiritual Discovery section of to successful community service projects.
Investiture Achievement Companion notic- Community service projects also present
ing all four components that the Pathfinders great opportunities to involve parents and
are required to learn. Use the resources of other church members. Ask for their help in
your pastor and your entire church member- finding projects and organizing the finer de-
ship to come and assist you with your Path- tails. The more people you include, the more
finder’s learning. These requirements can you can accomplish.
be spread throughout the Pathfinder year.
Many of these activities can be incorporat- Activity
ed into your weekly club worship. Review the • Review the Serving Others section of the
Spiritual Discovery sections of Explorer and Investiture Achievement for the Friend, Com-
Ranger. panion, and Explorer levels.
• Study the Ranger Level Requirements,
Activity Serving Others section. You will notice that
• How can you incorporate these require- the Pathfinders are required to fulfill require-
ments into your meetings? ments within the Serving Communities Hon-
• Do you have specific individuals in mind or.

34 Club Ministry Training Manual

• Discuss how these can be implemented in • Conduct a Bible club for neighborhood
the club. children
• Build birdhouses and donate them to a na-
Integrate Outreach Events into Your ture center.
Club Calendar • Hold a grandparent’s tea at a local retire-
Evangelistic outreach is important to the ment home. Combine the activity with a les-
Pathfinder program. Planning group out- son on good manners.
reach activities will encourage Pathfinders • Explore more ideas with your group.
to share their faith. However, there is a dif-
ference between evangelistic outreach and Honors Relevant to Club Outreach
community service projects. Both are impor- Within the vast collection of Adventist Youth
tant to include when planning your calendar. Ministries Honors there is a group of honors
It is recommended that Pathfinder clubs in- classified as Spiritual Growth, Outreach, and
corporate an outreach event or Share Your Heritage. Within this classification there is
Faith activity once a month. Sometimes this also a subcategory of Adventist Community
may take the place of the weekly club meet- Service honors. Many of these honors are in-
ing. Other times it may be an additional event corporated into the Investiture Achievement
that happens on the weekend. curriculum as well as the Master Guide re-
quirements.
Activity
Include these in your club’s schedule, keep- Activity
ing in mind what may be appropriate for a Discuss with the participants how to incorpo-
certain month or season. rate outreach honors into club programming.
• Help clean up a public space. Share your favorites. Download and print the
• Adopt a “Grand friend” and visit or send honor requirements.
cards. https://www.gcyouthministries.org/minis-
• Collect and repair used bicycles for families tries/pathfinders/
or need.

Club Ministry Training Manual 35

 Pledge and Law Handout

Pathfinder Pledge

By the grace of God,

I will be pure and kind and true.
I will keep the Pathfinder Law.
I will be a servant of God and a friend to man.

Your Pathfinders need to understand the

meaning of their Pathfinder Pledge. As they
memorize the words have them learn what
this means to them.

Your Pathfinders need to understand the meaning of their Pathfinder Pledge. As

they memorize the words have them learn what this means to them.

By the grace of God, Only as I rely on God to help me can I do His will.
I will be pure I will fill my mind with everything that is right and true and spend my time in activi-
ties that will build a strong, clean character.
I will be kind I will be considerate and kind not only to other people, but also to all of God’s crea-
tion.
I will be true I will be honest and upright in study, work, and play, and can always be counted
upon to do my very best.
I will keep the Pathfin- I will seek to understand the meaning of the law and will strive to live up to its spi-
der Law rit, realizing that obedience to law is essential in any organization.
I will be a servant of I will pledge myself to serve God first, last, and best in everything I am called upon
God to be or do.
I will be a friend to I will live to bless others and do unto them as I would have them do unto me.
man

36 Club Ministry Training Manual

 Pathfinder Law

The Pathfinder Law is for me to:

1. Keep the morning watch.
2. Do my honest part.
3. Care for my body.
4. Keep a level eye.
5. Be courteous and obedient.
6. Walk softly in the sanctuary.
7. Keep a song in my heart.
8. Go on God’s errands.

The Pathfinder Law is a commitment by the Pathfinder club member. Make sure that
the meaning of each phrase is understood as it is memorized.

1. Keep the morning watch I will have prayer and personal Bible study each day.
2. Do my honest part By the power of God, I will help others, and do my duty and my honest
share, wherever I may be.
3. Care for my body I will be temperate in all things and strive to reach a high standard of phy-
sical fitness.
4. Keep a level eye I will not lie, cheat or deceive, and will despise dirty talk or evil thinking.
5. Be courteous and obedient I will be kind and thoughtful of others, reflecting the love of Jesus in all my
association with others.
6. Walk softly in the sanctuary In any devotional exercise, I will be quiet, careful, and reverent
7. Keep a song in my heart I will be cheerful and happy and let the influence of my life be as sunshine
to others.
8. Go on God’s errands. I will always be ready to share my faith and go about doing good as did
Jesus.

Club Ministry Training Manual 37

Ceremonies & Drill—PFAD 005

Description
This workshop provides a practical introduction to using ceremonies and drill in a Pathfinder club.
Included topics are fundamental stationary and marching commands, lead opening ceremonies, and
understand flag etiquette.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

New Pathfinder staff and individuals com-
pleting the prerequisites for Master Guide Ideas for Workshop Presentation
and Activities
Resource Material •Assemble students in Opening Exercises
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual formation and lead them through a simple
• Pathfinder Club Drill Manual club opening ceremony.
• Teach students how to perform simple drill
What Your Participants Will Learn and marching commands.
1. Know the basic marching elements for the • Share the procedure for the use of flags in
traditional Pathfinder club meeting in the your country, pointing out certain sentences
opening exercises or paragraphs that you want your students
2. Execute stationary commands with ease to grasp. Assign students to complete read-
3. Be effective using your command voice ing the entire document on their own.
4. Know the use and care of different types • Present a sample of how a Formation for
of flags Opening Exercises is done in your area.
• Explain the Philosophy of Drill in order to
compare and contrast the differences be-
tween Pathfinder drill and military drill.

38 Club Ministry Training Manual

Opening Exercises Demonstrate and practice the fol-
Traditionally many Pathfinder clubs have fol- lowing commands:
lowed a simple opening exercise ceremony at • Attention
the beginning of each weekly club meeting. • Dress right, dress and ready, front
The ceremony involves having the nation- • Present arms
al flag and the Pathfinder flag posted in the • Parade rest
front of the Pathfinder room and Pathfinders • Prayer attention
line up in single-file formation according to • Stand at ease
their unit. This ceremony may be facilitated • Rest
by the Club Director or their designee. The • Fall out
Pathfinder Administrative Manual outlines a • Fall in
simple opening ceremony process. • Right face
Explain each detail of the opening exercises. • Left face
• About face
Stationary Drill After the stationary commands have been
Stationary drill commands are basic com- learned, demonstrate the opening exercise
mands used when standing still. ceremony using the appropriate commands.
The Pathfinder Club is a place where each
youth develops his/her individual initiative Moving Commands
and personality, and he/she learns to stand Simple drill and marching are necessary for
tall and straight physically and spiritually. orderliness and for getting the Pathfinders
This individuality must not be suppressed, into position for various activities. Pathfinder
but it is also important that all learn to work drill is a game to be enjoyed and should be
together, play together, and live together in used regularly at club meetings. It should not
community. be prolonged to the point where the youth
tire of it.

Club Ministry Training Manual 39

 Demonstrate and practice the
following commands
• Forward, march and halt
• Mark time, march
• Rear, march
• Right flank, march
• Left flank, march
• Column right, march
• Column left, march
• Eyes, right and Ready, front

Flag Etiquette
Pathfindering teaches care and concern for
the national flag, state flags, and other flags.
It is vitally important that all staff and Path-
finders have a basic knowledge of the use
and care of flags.
Go over each courtesy and position as listed.
Teach the rules of saluting the flag.
Demonstrate and practice folding the flag.

40 Club Ministry Training Manual

Developmental Growth—PYSO
104

Description
This workshop investigates the stages of development in youth ages 10-15 and how to effectively relate
to them. It will include methods for mentoring them as disciples of Jesus, nurturing them as they ma-
ture into the full stature of Jesus.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

New Pathfinder staff and individuals com-
pleting the prerequisites for Master Guide Understanding Pathfinders
What is the cause of behavior? Usually it is
Resource Material an effort to meet a psychological need. Like
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual physical needs for air and food, humans have
• Pathfinder games and events emotional needs, too. Many psychologists
agree that it is not intellectual, but emo-
What Your Participants Will Learn tional growth and change that are of central
1. Know the different age characteristics of importance. A young person’s feelings, not
Pathfinders understandings, are the major forces that
2. Learn some new games that will engage move them. Effective Pathfinder leaders un-
Pathfinders in developmental learning activ- derstand a Pathfinder’s basic psychological
ities needs.
3. Discover programming concepts that Pathfinders focuses on four areas of develop-
strengthen Pathfinder involvement by meet- ment: physical, mental, social, and spiritual.
ing developmental needs To better meet the needs of Pathfinders in
4. Develop a clear understanding of appro- these areas, it is important to understand the
priate and inappropriate discipline principles Pathfinder’s characteristics in these areas as
and practices they mature. Discuss with participants the
stages of development in Pathfinders.

42 Club Ministry Training Manual

Scripture on Stages of Development Spiritual
• Infancy—Jeremiah 1:5-7, Psalm 139:13-18 • An all-knowing, loving, caring God
• Childhood—1 Timothy 4: 12; 2 Timothy 3:15; • Forgiveness of wrongs and a chance to
2 Peter 3:18; Deut. 6:6, 7 start over
• Old age—Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; Psalm 23 • Assurance of acceptance with God
• Experience in prayer, answers to prayer
Basic Needs of Children • A chance to grow in grace and in the knowl-
All children have certain basic needs as well edge of God
as needs that are specific to their age and
stage of development. The basic needs of Each Division should develop this
children are: section to fit their ethnic and cultur-
Physical al context.
• Food
• Warmth Junior Pathfinders | PREADOLES-
• Shelter CENCE (AGES 10-12)
• Safety • General description
Mental • Mental characteristics
• Power to make choices and follow plans • Physical characteristics
• Learning one’s place in family, school and • Social characteristics
church. Discovering and developing one’s • Spiritual characteristics
gifts and talents Teen Pathfinders | EARLY ADOLES-
Emotional CENCE (AGES 13-15)
• A sense of belonging • Mental characteristics
• Approval and recognition • Physical characteristics
• Expressions of unconditional love and ac- • Social characteristics
ceptance • Spiritual characteristics
• Freedom within defined boundaries
• Humor—opportunity to laugh

Club Ministry Training Manual 43

 Activity time they are 14, unless there is a new experi-
• Discuss how staff can help meet the needs ence of Pathfindering that will challenge and
of their Pathfinders. excite them to stay involved.
• Share Scriptures which address the differ- Discuss with participants appropriate activ-
ent stages of life. ities for Junior Pathfinders and Teen Path-
finders.
Motivating Pathfinders
Involving Pathfinders in activities that build Interacting and Involving Pathfind-
positive relationships among themselves ers
and adults is fundamental to a Pathfinder Along with intentional programming, there
club ministry. The use of ice-breaker games, also need to be shared responsibilities as
hands-on learning activities, teamwork, well as appropriate interaction with staff. For
group planning, practicing drill, involvement instance, what happens when a staff member
in ceremonies, earning awards, traveling to- tells a Pathfinder or staff to do something?
gether, etc. are the types of things that moti- • Junior Pathfinder: will most likely gladly do
vate Pathfinders. it.
Teach and play a game that helps Pathfind- • Teen Pathfinder: will most likely question
ers get to know each other. them.
• Collegiate Staff: will most likely tell them
Effective Program Planning what they think about the task.
When planning club programs, it is important How we treat Pathfinders at every level is vi-
to take into consideration the interests and tal to their continued involvement and effec-
developmental needs of your Pathfinders. tiveness.
What young Pathfinders experience as new
and exciting, teen Pathfinders may have al- Activity
ready been doing for two or three years and Remind participants of the qualities of a
they consider it to be “boring.” It is common Pathfinder leader as outlined in the Pathfind-
that a club will lose their Pathfinders by the er Club Handbook. Also, staff meetings are

44 Club Ministry Training Manual

vital to keeping a program running smoothly.
https://family.adventist.org/evangelistic-par-
enting/

Proper Discipline
“In a Pathfinder club, good discipline pro-
vides an environment that is conducive to
cheerful attitudes and cooperative behavior.
It emphasizes guidance rather than restraint
and is constructive rather than destructive. It
is not crippling; it is enabling. It encourages
self-control and purposeful activity and dis-
courages punishment.” NAD Pathfinder Ad-
ministrative Manual
It is vital to the success of a Pathfinder club
and the cooperative participation of the
Pathfinder staff to make sure that all staff
members agree upon and follow the same
discipline guidelines of the club.

Activity
• Share a possible discipline policy for a club.
• Discuss examples of proper and improper
discipline.

Club Ministry Training Manual 45

 Understanding Junior Pathfinders (10-12)
HOW HE/SHE WHY HE/SHE BEHAVES HOW TO HANDLE HIM/HER HOW TO TEACH HIM/HER
BEHAVES
He/She enjoys physical This is a healthy period of slow growth. Give him/her opportunities to do things. He/She admires strength and power.
activity. He/she is gaining weight, strength, Plan active assignments: help arrange Show him how God enabled men and
control of finer muscles. He/she practi- clubhouse, distribute materials, participate women in Bible to be strong to do His
ces for skill, control, speed in activities. in opening and class sessions, missionary will. Challenge him to be strong in dai-
Nothing seems too hard for him/her projects, etc. ly Christian living. Show what he can
if challenged. He/she has abundant do to serve and please God.
energy.
He/She seeks friends Both sexes are active, but boys think Appeal to his/her desire to achieve. Give Challenge him/her to live for God. Give
among his own age and themselves stronger, braver. Girls tend him/her practice in learning use of the concrete examples of what he/she can
sex, desires to achieve. to be larger than boys. This gives natu- Bible. Stimulate his/her desire to accompli- do for God: ways to help others, how
ral antagonism between genders. Both sh class level. Give him/her opportunity to to witness to others, real-life everyday
are proud of new skills, impatient with show skills through participation. situations in which he can obey God’s
younger children who can’t “keep up.” commandments, how to invite friends
to Sabbath School.
He/She begins to He’s/she’s interested in ball games, Plan group projects to give him/her Show him/her his need of belonging
enjoy teamwork, makes other activities which carry over into experience in working with others. Make to God’s army. Tell of spiritual warfare
a contest of nearly adult life. Enjoys competition. Finds projects difficult enough to challenge, but between forces of good and evil. Show
everything he does. thrill in trying to outwit his compa- not too hard. He/she gets discouraged him/her how he/she can be victorious
nions. Likes to belong to a group but easily, finds defeat hard to take. through Christ.
moves to another group if activity
looks more interesting.
He/She does everything He/she has strong likes and dislikes, Present plans enthusiastically. Show what Teach him/her to serve God who-
whole­heartedly. is developing desire for independen- he’ll/she’ll get out of project or lesson. le-heartedly. Show from the Bible- the
ce. Wants freedom from restrictions. Let him/her help plan, set rules, etc., with Christian’s guidebook—what God
Activities take him/her out of his/her guidance. Give him/her opportunities to expects of him/her. Challenge him/
home. He/she tends to ignore adults develop leadership ability but keep good her to be a leader in school and play
and pursue own interests, but he/she discipline. situations, to stand for right.
respects authority. He/she has
ambitions for leadership.

He/She is alert, eager Anything new to him/her interests Capitalize on interests. Give details on peo- Stimulate desire to know God and His
to learn. him/her, and his/her interests are ple, nature, etc. Know material thoroughly. plan of salvation. Also, to find God’s
world-wide. He’s/ she’s eager to know Check factual information. Use visuals to plan for his/her life.
more about people, geography, history, hold attention. Let him/her ask questions.
current events, nature, science, mecha-
nics. He/she wants to know
what makes things tick.

He/She is an avid Because he’s/she’s eager to learn, he/ Help him/her be selective in reading Challenge him/her to read the Bible
reader. she likes to read. And he’s/she’s likely material. Provide good reading mate­rial daily, to go to it for answers to his/
to read anything handy which he/ for him/her through the library. Encourage her problems. Present the Bible as the
she can understand. Friends, home him/her to read biography, Bible story, true, unchanging Word of God, the
and school have a big influence on nature, missions, etc. most important Book and source of all
what he/ she reads. He/she doesn’t knowledge.
like to write because forming letters is
difficult for him/her and he/she doesn’t
understand the rules: grammar, punc-
tuation, etc.
He/She has an intense He’s/she’s collector because he/she Make use of his/her collections - have Show him/her ways to use his/her time
interest in collecting wants to keep things for future use, hobby show. Ask him/her to collect rocks, and talents in serving the Lord.
things. or he’s/she’s interested in the material shells, etc., for honors.
itself. Even facts are collected. Collec-
tions serve useful purposes: shortcut
to knowledge, trains
the eye, gives practice in judgement,
forms
systematic habits.

He/She is beginning to Because of his/her wide interests, geo- Excite his/her curiosity about Bible geo- Challenge him/her to consider the
note relationships. graphy and history lessons in school, graphy, history. Present facts chronologi- “why” of people’s actions and God’s
he/she is coming to understand how cally. dealings with them. Help him/her see
things and events fit together, why and what his/her relationship is and should
how things happen. be to Christ.
He/She is extremely Imaginative play decreases. He/she Illustrate principles with true stories of Present Bible heroes for him/he r to
realistic yet enjoys is no longer interested in “made up” figures from Bible, history, sports, etc. Se- admire and imitate. Show him/her
imagination. stories. He/she wants true stories of lect those he/she admires. Also use stories what makes people great- faith in and
bold action, accurately told. Now he/ about spiritual victories in lives of leaders, obedience to God. Above all, set an
she projects himself/herself into the missionaries, etc. example for him/her in your own life.
role of the hero of these true stories.
He’s/she’s an imitator.
 Understanding Teen Pathfinders
HOW HE/SHE WHY HE/SHE BEHAVES HOW TO HANDLE HIM/HER HOW TO TEACH HIM/HER
BEHAVES
He/She enjoys physical Generally, his/her muscular abilities Give opportunity for participation in wide Show how he/she can use his/her
activity. are improving. Often there is a spurt of range of big muscle activities. He/She also energies for Christ. Involve him/her in
growth during this period. needs some less strenuous activities, plen- club duties and group activities.
ty of relaxation and rest. Week­day program
helps meet his/her needs.
He/Her has problems in Boys are beginning to become interes- Plan variety of activities and projects which Challenge him/her to participate in
social adjustment. ted in girls, but girls mature about a give opportunity for boys and girls to work discussion and activities by making it
year before them and are often much and play together in groups. Avoid placing easy for him/her to do so. Use video,
more aggressive in boy-girl relations- Pathfinder in embarrassing situations, slides, white board or felt board for
hips. Boys are often smaller, often feel such as asking him/her to repeat Scrip- presentation. Focusing attention on
and look awkward, and some withdraw ture or answer difficult questions without these aids helps overcome his/her own
from individual contacts with girls. giving him/her advance notice. Even if he/ self-consciousness and encourages
They enjoy group relationships. she knows the answer he/she might not discussion and participation.
respond.
He’s/She’s preoccupied Juniors are usually interested in team Help him/her become a part of the group. Show him/her how he/she can use
with social activities. or group projects, while Teens are Give opportunity for club members to get his/her social contacts to witness for
more interested in clubs or social to know each other Guide them in working Christ, to draw others into Sabba-
contacts. together. th School and church. Here’s a real
opportunity to teach true Christian
standards of conduct.
He’s/She’s nearing adult During this period, often there is a Because he’s/she’s trying to emerge as a Present Bible truths positively and at-
level of mental capacity. marked trend away from studiousness. social being and be accepted as one of the tractively. If God’s Word is real, vital, li-
He/She is becoming more interested in group, he’s/she’s experimenting in social ving to you, he’ll/she’ll be interested in
social activities. contacts. Make witnessing, working for ho- your talks and stories and challenged
nors, etc., the “accepted” thing to do. Enlist to study the Bible for himself/herself.
help of leaders in setting example. Use plenty of illustrations, background
material. Tie in current events, recent
archeological discoveries, etc. Make
the Bible real and living to him/her.
He’s/She’s unpredic- He’s/She’s on threshold of cutting Be his/her friend. Be sympathetic and Show him/her God’s love and provision
table. parental apron strings. He/She is emer- understanding rather than critical. Don’t for him/her. He/She can feel secure in
ging from childhood. But he’s/she’s expect him/her to always behave as an Christ. Challenge him/her to accept
not yet an adult. His/Her actions and adult. Don’t be shocked at his/her uncon- Christ as Savior and Lord, put Him
thinking are sometimes childish. He’s/ ventional behavior Never “talk down” to first in his/her life. Other things will be
She’s not sure of himself/herself or of him. Respect him/her as a person. relegated to proper place then.
others’ reaction to him/her.
He’s/She’s throwing off He/She wants to be involved in his/her Take the role of friend. He/She probably Teach him/her that independence
adult restraints. own right. He/She wants to be “on his/ does not confide in parents but does need brings greater responsibilities. Show
her own,” and resents parental or ANY adult counseling. Be sympathetic, win and through the Word the God has set
control. He/She appears to disrespect keep his/her confidence. Guide him/her specific rules. It is not “smart” to try
rules. to see truths; don’t try to boss him. This to throw off all restraints. Some are
is a crucial time in his/her life. He’ll/She’ll necessary. As adults and Chris­tians,
hero-worship the counselor whom he/she we learn to live within God’s laws. This
admires. Your love and guidance will help is a mark of maturity.
determine the course of his/her life.

He/She craves accep- He/She desperately wants to be ac- Make him/her feel wanted, needed and Show him/her the truth that all per-
tance. cepted by his/her own age group, as respected. Give him/her some responsi- sons are created equal. In Christ he/
well as by adults. bilities, expect him/her to measure up to she is a new creature, God’s child.
them. Draw him/her into the group. Avoid Christian behavior is “acceptable.”
cliques. Provide activities, participation

projects that include all members .

He’s/She’s foundering, He/She has not determined his life Guide him/her in setting goals which he/ Stress importance of submitting his/
unstable. goal. He’s/She’s confused, doesn’t she can achieve within a short time. her life to God, knowing His plan for
know what he/she wants. He’s/She’s his/her life and following it. Challenge
willing to try most anything. him/her to serve in small ways, as well
as in bigger opportunities.
Introducing to Teaching- EDUC 001

Description
This seminar introduces teaching concepts and educational objectives. It includes learning styles and
teaching styles. It gives a summary of Investiture Achievement objectives and encourages the use of
outdoor and experiential learning.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

New Pathfinder staff and individuals com-
pleting the prerequisites for Master Guide Teaching Concepts and Objectives
There are three fundamental teaching con-
Resource Material cepts we need to keep in mind as we plan our
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual Pathfinder activities, train our teachers, and
• Investiture Achievement Requirements evaluate our effectiveness. These teaching
concepts are: achievement, responsibility,
and respect for authority. Know that anyone
What Your Participants Will Learn can become a teacher and Pathfinder club
1. Know the fundamental teaching concepts ministry has teaching resources to help even
2. Discover your learning styles the least likely “teacher.”
3. Explore what styles of teaching you will Discuss the reasons we teach Investiture
use to be an effective teacher Achievement and honors. Discuss the three
4. Understand the learning objectives of all fundamentals at teaching concepts and their
eight tracks of Investiture Achievement objectives:
Achievement: Young people need to expe-
rience successful completion of worthwhile
tasks with a sense of purpose.
Responsibility: Young people should learn to
accept and faithfully carry responsibility in

48 Club Ministry Training Manual

accordance with age and experience. the physically handicapped and the disad-
Respect for authority: Young people need to vantaged.
understand and accept the principle of au-
thority. Teaching Styles
Often, teachers teach in the style with which
Learning Styles they are most comfortable. Great teachers
Learning Styles are simply different ap- use teaching styles that are most effective
proaches or ways of learning. Most of us for the learning styles of their students. It is
have a preferred style, but also have the abil- important that teachers become effective
ity to learn via other styles as well. There are with as many teaching styles as possible so
three primary learning styles: visual learn- they can adjust and adapt when needed.
er (learn through seeing), auditory learners Give specific examples of how to teach In-
(learn through listening), and tactile/kines- vestiture Achievement requirements or a
thetic learners (learn through moving, doing, Pathfinder honor in a way that engages mul-
touching). Effective teachers intentionally tiple learning styles.
teach in ways that engage their students in
as many learning styles as possible. Teaching Environments
Discuss the characteristics of each learning In Pathfinder club ministry, it is important
style. that teachers and instructors can teach in
Conduct a learning styles evaluation with varied environments such as classrooms and
your participants. outdoor amphitheaters, from driving down
Ask your participants to identify the learning the road to sitting around a campfire, from
style that describes them best. playing games in a camp lodge to rappelling
side by side. Not only does the setting deter-
Special Circumstances mine the style of teaching, but also the num-
In special cases, provisions can be made for ber of students being taught.
isolated Pathfinders to participate in the pro-
gram. Likewise, provision can be made for

Club Ministry Training Manual 49

 Activity
Discuss the different environments of Path- Activity
findering and what kinds of things staff can Discuss the resources and tools available in
teach in each environment. your area for teaching Investiture Achieve-
ment and honors.
Effective Teachers
A successful teacher has planned well, works
the plan, is able to adapt, and sees teacha-  
ble moments and responds to them. They are
also constantly looking for fresh ways and
creative activities that can accomplish their
teaching goals.

Investiture Achievement and Honors

You have already been introduced to Inves-
titure Achievement in previous modules. The
strength and stability of every Pathfinder
club is directly proportional to the integration
of the Investiture Achievement curricula and
the honor requirements that it prescribes.
Because Investiture is such an integral part of
a successful Pathfinder club, it is imperative
that club staff become outstanding instruc-
tors of the requirements and honors.

50 Club Ministry Training Manual

Medical, Risk Management, and
Child Safety Issues—MEDI 100

Description
This workshop covers introductory information on medical forms, release forms, abuse prevention, con-
ference volunteer screening requirements, staffing levels, transportation guidelines, emergency plans,
first aid and supervision issues.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

New Pathfinder staff and individuals com-
pleting the prerequisites for Master Guide • Use the material in the Pathfinder Admin-
istrative Manual, Safety and Liability, to help
Resource Material them understand the seriousness of being a
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual staff member.
• Investiture Achievement Requirements • Show them the different types of first aid
kits and who should be responsible for them.
• Using as a handout, review the Pathfinder
What Your Participants Will Learn Administrative Manual, Child Abuse section,
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual to give them an introduction to the topic.
• Adventist Risk Management Pathfinder They can read the material on their own.
Safety (adventistrisk.org) • Explore the Adventist Risk Management
website to find accurate information for your
area.

Special note
Individuals convicted or disciplined for child
abuse, child violence, or sexual abuse cannot
participate in club ministry activities.
• When dealing with perpetrators of sexual

52 Club Ministry Training Manual

abuse, it should be remembered that restoration to membership does not remove all consequences
of such a serious violation. While attendance at church activities may be permissible with properly
established guidelines, a person convicted or disciplined for sexual abuse should not be placed in a
role which could put them in contact with children, youth, and other vulnerable individuals. Neither
shall they be given any position which would encourage vulnerable individuals to trust them implic-
itly. Church Manual, Chapter 7, Discipline, pages 66 and 67

NAD - YOUTH/CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT

E
(To be adapted by SDA Legal Department of your local field)

Acknowledgment
Because I want the best possible environment for our children and youth to grow up in, it is important that
those working with children have guidelines for conduct in order to protect both themselves and those under
their care. As a ministry volunteer, I want parents and others to feel comfortable and confident with me.
PL
My Commitment to Volunteer Ministry
As a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer, I will:

1. Provide appropriate adult supervision at all times for the children for whom I am responsible.
2. Have at least one other adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, to help with the supervision of children. If I
find myself in a situation where I am the only adult present, under no circumstances will I allow myself to be
alone with one child (the “two-person rule”). This protects the child as well as protecting the adult from
possible allegations.
3. Ask a child’s permission before physically touching him/her anywhere, even when responding to an injury or
problem. This is especially true for any areas that would normally be covered by a T-shirt and/or shorts. If an
injury is within this area, make sure another adult works with you as care is provided.
M
4. Refrain from physical and verbal attacks and corporal punishment which are inappropriate behaviors and
should never be used as discipline. “Time outs” or “sit-in-that-chair” may be helpful discipline methods to
use with children.
5. Affirm children with appropriate touching by keeping hugs brief and “shoulder-to-shoulder” or “side-to-si
de.” I will keep hands at (not below) the shoulder level. For small children who like to sit on laps, I will
encourage them to sit next to me.
6.Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
7. Be aware of conducting activities in rooms that do not have an interior viewing area, or I will leave the door
SA

open during the activity to allow easy observation by others.

8. Cooperate with the volunteer screening process and complete the Volunteer Ministry Information form, as
required by the church.
9. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and aware of the legal requirements for reporting
suspected cases of abuse. In addition to any legally required reporting, I agree that if I become aware of any
behavior by another individual which seems abusive or inappropriate towards children I am supervising,
I will report that behavior to the church pastor, elder, or directly to the Conference Treasurer’s or Risk
Management Director.
10. Cooperate with church leadership in conducting children and youth ministries by being a volunteer who is
loving, kind, firm, and always a thoroughly professional person. Working with children and youth is not only
a privilege; it is also a serious responsibility that must be approached with utmost care.
11. Participate in orientation and training programs conducted by the church.
Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
12. Uphold the standards of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

* In the event I find it impossible to comply with the above, I will comply as closely as possible with the Code
of Conduct and act in good faith for the welfare of the people involved.

Club Ministry Training Manual 53

Thank You for your service as a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer
Please retain a copy of this document and keep it for reference.

54 Club Ministry Training Manual

Basic Staff Certification is something that every Pathfinder Club leader should complete. These
eight workshops are basic to leading Pathfinder Club Ministry

Workshops in the Pathfinder Basic Staff certification include:

• Pathfinder Club Ministry—PFAD 001
• Club Organization—PFAD 002
• Club Programming and Planning—PFAD 003
• Club Outreach—PFAD 004
• Basic Ceremonies & Drill—PFAD 005
• Developmental Growth: 10-15 —PYSO 104
• Introduction to Teaching—EDUC 001
• Medical, Risk Management, & Child Safety Issues —MEDI 100

Each of the workshops includes a description of the content, the audience or participants that
you can anticipate will attend, foundation of Scripture, resource material, (including Spirit of
Prophecy) what your participants will learn, basic content for the workshop and suggested
activities.

Presenters responsible for these workshops should make sure that, in addition to communicat-
ing the information, they take time to make the workshop practical and give participants time
to think about how they are going to apply this in their club.

During the workshop, the presenter may assess whether their audience understands the ob-
jectives of the lesson through activities, class demonstrations, or completion of handouts.

The Pathfinder Club Basic Staff Certification is part of the Club Ministries Training (CMT) which
includes certifications for Adventurer Club Ministry, Pathfinder Club Ministry, Master Guide
Ministry and Youth Ministry.

CMT is based on the Adventist Youth Ministry Training (AYMT) curriculum, developed by the
North American Division.

Club Ministry Training Manual 55

CMT Pathfinder
Club Counselor
Workshop Resources for Presenters
General Conference 2022 Edition

Club Ministry Training Manual 57

Pathfinder Club
Counselor Certification

Prerequisites
1. Be at least 18 years old.
2. Commit to the Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer Code of Conduct.
3. Be currently approved by your conference’s child protection screening verification.
4. Be a baptized member of the Seventh-day Adventist church.
5. Have completed the CMT Pathfinder Basic Staff Training certificate.

Overview of Workshops The Pathfinder Club Organization:

The Counselor’s Support Team |
Pathfinder Club Outreach | PFAD PFAD 100
004 This workshop discusses the proper organ-
This workshop focuses on how to minister to ization of the servant leaders who support
Pathfinders and how to enable them to minis- the ministry of the club counselor. The roles
ter to others. The Personal Growth, Spiritual of the club director, associate director, sup-
Discovery, and Serving Others sections of port staff, church board/members, pastor,
the Investiture Achievement curricula will be parents, coordinators, and the local confer-
reviewed to gain an overall understanding of ence will be reviewed as they relate to the
how the Pathfinder program intentionally in- counselor’s responsibilities.
corporates Pathfinder club outreach. Also,
some of the AY honors classified as Spiritual The Counselor’s Responsibilities |
Growth, Outreach, and Heritage will be re- PFAD 101
viewed as well as techniques for integrating This workshop focuses on the duties and re-
outreach opportunities into all Pathfinder ac- sponsibilities of the counselor and reviews
tivities. guidelines that ensure a safe environment
that fosters learning and spiritual growth. It
outlines the do’s and don’ts of counseling

58 Club Ministry Training Manual

and covers the tasks for meetings, cam- toring relationship with your Pathfinders,
pouts, outreach activities, and all phases of and what that will mean in terms of teaching
the Pathfinder year. them to relate to others and drawing them to
Jesus Christ.
Developmental Growth | PYSO 104
This workshop describes the mental, spiritual, Safety and the Counselor | RCSF 120
physical, and social growth and needs of the This workshop focuses on the moral and prac-
typical Pathfinder and how to relate to them tical obligations of the counselor to guard
effectively. It includes practical pointers on the well-being of unit members. It includes
leading, nurturing, and discipling them. The a review of physical safety issues, supervi-
objective of this seminar is to enable leaders sion policies and rationale, health concerns,
to help Pathfinders mature in the full stature transportation issues, abuse prevention and
of Jesus Christ. intervention, and accident reporting and re-
sponse, all primarily from the unit viewpoint
Discipling and Discipline | PYSO 121 rather than the club viewpoint.
This workshop will consider the Biblical
meanings of discipline and disciple. Christ Spiritual Applications in Nature |
gave us the perfect example of discipling. It NAOS 120
will look at Christ’s methods of evangelism as This workshop will help club leaders encourage
shared in Scripture and the practical lessons Pathfinders to develop a love of nature and for
that we can draw from His methods and ap- their Creator. It will use the lessons discovered
ply to our ministry. It then continues with the in nature to help Pathfinders with character de-
concept that disciplining requires the heart velopment and their walk with Jesus.
of Jesus.
Required Fieldwork
The Counselor’s Relationship to the Create a portfolio that contains the handouts
Pathfinder | PYSO 124 and your personal notes from the workshops
This workshop discusses developing a men- that you attend.

Club Ministry Training Manual 59

 Portfolios The purpose of the review is to confirm com-
The Counselor certification requires a portfo- pletion of the requirements. It is not to require
lio documenting the journey, progress, lessons conformity to any system requiring specific
learned, and completion of requirements. formats of style of presentation. Portfolios are
The portfolio should include a completed cer- reviewed to determine if they are complete or
tification check sheet and evidence confirming incomplete. An incomplete portfolio will be re-
requirement completion. This evidence can turned to the participant with a written expla-
come in the form of signed class cards or sign- nation of what needs to be added, corrected or
in sheets, class handouts and/or photographs complete. Portfolios, whether complete or in-
of participants leading or involved in, or proof complete, should be returned to the participant
of applicable research and projects completed in a timely manner.
as required fieldwork. Review of completed portfolios will be done
The purpose of the portfolio is not only to show by an invested Master Guide appointed by the
completion of all the certification requirements, Conference Youth Director or their designee.
but also to be an authoritative referral source
when faced with similar issues in the future. Recognition of Completion
The physical portfolio can be a three-ring Upon completion of the required workshops,
binder or folder in which all materials are kept. the participant is awarded an enameled pin and
However, a fully digital data collection is also certificate of completion.
acceptable. Achievement and honors. Discuss the three
The content is what counts, not the form of fundamentals at teaching concepts and their
that content. It should be well organized and objectives:
easy to check over. Achievement: Young people need to expe-
Items should be labeled for easy connection to rience successful completion of worthwhile
a specific requirement. The form will vary ac- tasks with a sense of purpose.
cording to the personality and style of the par- Responsibility: Young people should learn to
ticipant. accept and faithfully carry responsibility in ac-
Portfolio Review cordance with age and experience.

60 Club Ministry Training Manual

Respect for authority: Young people need to
understand and accept the principle of author- Teaching Styles
ity. Often, teachers teach in the style with which
they are most comfortable. Great teachers use
Learning Styles teaching styles that are most effective for the
Learning Styles are simply different approach- learning styles of their students. It is important
es or ways of learning. Most of us have a pre- that teachers become effective with as many
ferred style, but also have the ability to learn teaching styles as possible so they can adjust
via other styles as well. There are three prima- and adapt when needed.
ry learning styles: visual learner (learn through Give specific examples of how to teach Investi-
seeing), auditory learners (learn through lis- ture Achievement requirements or a Pathfinder
tening), and tactile/kinesthetic learners (learn honor in a way that engages multiple learning
through moving, doing, touching). Effective styles.
teachers intentionally teach in ways that en-
gage their students in as many learning styles Teaching Environments
as possible. In Pathfinder club ministry, it is important that
Discuss the characteristics of each learning teachers and instructors can teach in varied
style. environments such as classrooms and outdoor
Conduct a learning styles evaluation with your amphitheaters, from driving down the road to
participants. sitting around a campfire, from playing games
Ask your participants to identify the learning in a camp lodge to rappelling side by side. Not
style that describes them best. only does the setting determine the style of
teaching, but also the number of students be-
Special Circumstances ing taught.
In special cases, provisions can be made for iso-
lated Pathfinders to participate in the program.
Likewise, provision can be made for the physi-
cally handicapped and the disadvantaged.

Club Ministry Training Manual 61

Pathfinder Club Outreach—
PFAD 004

Description
This workshop focuses on how to minister to Pathfinders and how to enable them to minister to others.
The Personal Growth, Spiritual Discovery, and Serving Others sections of the Investiture Achievement
curricula will be reviewed to gain an overall understanding of how the Pathfinder program intentionally
incorporates Pathfinder club outreach. Also, some of the AY honors classified as Spiritual Growth, Out-
reach, and Heritage will be reviewed as well as techniques for integrating outreach opportunities into
all Pathfinder activities.

Audience/Participants lem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who

Pathfinder Club Counselors stripped him of his clothing, wounded him,
and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by
Key Texts: Luke 10:25-37 NKJV. “And chance a certain priest came down that road.
behold a certain lawyer stood up and test- And when he saw him, he passed by on the
ed Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived
inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is at the place, came, and looked, and passed
written in the law? What is your reading of by on the other side. But a certain Samar-
it?’ So he answered and said, ‘You shall love itan, as he journeyed, came where he was.
the Lord your God with all your heart, with And when he saw him, he had compassion.
all your soul, with all your strength, and with So he went to him and bandaged his wounds,
all your mind; and your neighbor as your- pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on
self.’ And He said to him, ‘You have answered his own animal, brought him to an inn, and
rightly; do this and you will live.’ But he, want- took care of him. On the next day, when he
ing to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who departed, he took out two denarii, gave them
is my neighbor?’ Then Jesus answered and to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care
said: ‘A certain man went down from Jerusa- of him, and whatever more you spend, when
I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of
these three do you think was neighbor to him

62 Club Ministry Training Manual

who fell among the thieves?’ And he said, ‘He asmuch as you did it to one of the least of
who showed mercy on him.’ Then Jesus said these my brethren, you did it to Me.’”
to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”
Resource Material
Matthew 25:31-37 NKJV. “’When the Son of • Pathfinder Administrative Manual (General
Man comes in His glory, and all the holy an- Conference Youth Department website:
gels with Him, then He will sit on the throne https://www.gcyouthministries.org/resourc-
of His glory. All the nations will be gath- es/resource-manuals/
ered before Him, and He will separate them • Investiture Achievement requirements for
one from another, as a shepherd divides his Companion, Explorer, and Ranger
sheep from the goats. And He will set the • Honor Requirements—Serving Communi-
sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the ties.
left. Then the King will say to those on His
right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, What Your Participants Will Learn
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from 1. Participants will learn about the value of
the foundation of the world: for I was hun- having their Pathfinder Club involved in out-
gry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and reach and effective ways to reach out to their
you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you community.
took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison
and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will
answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see
You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give
You drink? When did we see You a stranger
and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
Or when did we see You sick, or in prison,
and come to You?’ And the King will answer
and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, in-

Club Ministry Training Manual 63

 Workshop Content and energy to keeping the program running
1. Understand how Investiture smoothly. It Is designed to help Pathfinders
Achievement requirements enable sense their God-given destiny and to keep
spiritual growth. them marching together in step toward the
The mission of Pathfinders is to bring chil- kingdom of God.
dren to Jesus. The Investiture Achievement Activity: Review the Spiritual Discovery sec-
(IA) curriculum is the backbone of Pathfind- tion of Investiture Achievement, Companion
er club ministry. It has three sections com- level, noticing all four components that the
mon to each Investiture Achievement level Pathfinders are required to learn. How can
that intentionally facilitate spiritual develop- you incorporate these requirements into your
ment: Personal Growth, Spiritual Discovery, meetings? Do you have specific individuals in
and Serving Others. In this workshop, we will mind who can assist you?
research and explore each of these sections.
Activity: Have participants look over the 3. Engage Pathfinders in connecting
Companion and Trail Companion scope and with their community through Share
sequence. Review the Personal Growth sec- Your Faith activities.
tion, specifically 3.b. The Pathfinder staff Pathfinders should teach members how to
help the Pathfinder understand and practice become good citizens of their communities.
the meaning of “Be pure, kind and true” and Involving Pathfinders in the community fos-
“Keep the morning watch” and Go on God’s ters an interest in service to others. Clubs can
errands.” impact their communities in many ways.
Organization is one of the key components
2. Encourage spiritual growth in to successful community-service projects.
Pathfinders through the Bible and Community-service projects also present
history. great opportunities to involve parents and
Pathfinders has proven to be one of the great other church members. Ask for their help in
soul-winning agencies of our church, with a finding projects and organizing the finer de-
leadership that dedicates its time, talents, tails. The more people you include, the more

64 Club Ministry Training Manual

you can accomplish. • Put together care packages for families of
Activity: Review the Serving Others section patients in the ICU.
of the Investiture Achievement for Friend, • Collect and repair used bicycles for children
Companion, and Explorer level. or families in need.
• Build birdhouses and donate them to a na-
4. Integrate additional outreach ture center.
events into your club calendar. • Mow an older person’s lawn.
Evangelistic outreach is important to the • Hold a grandparents’ tea at a local retire-
Pathfinder program. Planning group out- ment or nursing home. Combine the activity
reach activities will encourage Pathfinders with a lesson on good manners for younger
to share their faith. However, there is a dif- students and your Pathfinders will have an
ference between evangelistic outreach and opportunity to demonstrate good behavior.
community service projects. Both are impor- • Plan activities for Grandparents Day.
tant to include when planning your calen- • Clean graffiti off neighborhood walls and
dar. Look for ways to include an evangelistic buildings.
component in the club’s activities. • Explore more ideas with your group. Clos-
Activity: Include these in your club’s sched- ing Activity
ule, keeping in mind what may be appropri-
ate for a certain month or season. Closing Activity
• Make a care package for a child or youth Have your participants divide up into small
experiencing homelessness. groups to discuss how these passages apply
• Make “I Care” kits with combs, toothbrush- to Pathfinder Club Ministry.
es, shampoo, etc. for individuals experienc-
ing homelessness. 1. Luke 10:25-37
• Help clean up and mow a public place. Christ shared this parable in response to the
• Adopt a “Grand friend.” Write your “grand question, “Who is my neighbor?” The real
friend” a letter or write letters for an older neighbor, Jesus says, is the person who shows
adult. mercy in concrete ways. He commanded His

Club Ministry Training Manual 65

 followers, “Go and do likewise.” This story is
particularly important because Jesus chose
to make the exemplary individual, the Good
Samaritan, a member of an ethnic group
that was despised, looked down upon and
discriminated against by the religious com-
munity to which Jesus belonged. Following
Jesus is about the content of your character,
not your race, culture, or gender.

2. Matthew 25:31-46
This parable is the last in a series of four par-
ables that Jesus shared in Matthew 24-25
in response to questions from His disciples
about end-time events: “When will this hap-
pen, and what will be the sign of your com-
ing and of the end of the age?” At the end
of time the righteous say, “When did we see
you” as a stranger, needing clothing, impris-
oned, sick (Matt. 25: 38-39)? Discuss how
your club shows Christ’s love to others in
practical ways.
 

66 Club Ministry Training Manual

Pathfinder Club Organization:
The Counselor’s Support Team—
PFAD 100

Description
This workshop discusses the proper organization of the servant leaders who support the ministry of the
club counselor. The roles of the club director, associate director, support staff, church board, members,
pastor, parents, coordinators, and the local conference will be reviewed as they relate to the counselor’s
responsibilities.

Audience/Participants 1 Cor. 12: 4-7. “There are diversities of

Pathfinder club counselors gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differ-
ences of ministries, but the same Lord. And
Key Texts: Luke 22:24-27. “Now there there are diversities of activities, but it is the
was also a dispute among them, as to which same God who works all in all. But the mani-
of them should be considered the greatest. festation of the Spirit is given to each one for
And He said to them, ‘The kings of the Gen- the profit of all.”
tiles exercise lordship over them, and those
who exercise authority over them are called Resource Material
benefactors. But not so among you; on the • Pathfinder Administrative Manual.
contrary, he who is greatest among you, let • Books/videos on servant leadership and
him be as the younger, and he who governs mentoring approved by your Conference.
as he who serves. For who is greater, he who
sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he What Your Participants Will Learn
who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as Participants will learn about the structure of
the One who serves.” Pathfinder club ministry.

68 Club Ministry Training Manual

Workshop Content relational, safety, and eternal perspective. All
Opening Activity staff will work together to support the coun-
After you welcome your attendees, and have selor as they lead a child to Christ. We sim-
prayer, invite them to line up based on the ply must be intentional; discipleship does not
amount of time they have lived in their cur- happen by chance. It must be a consecrated,
rent home. Once they are lined up, have the focused work.
person that has lived in their current home
the longest report how long they have lived
there. Then have the person at the other end
report.
Tell your group that this could be one way
that we identify a hierarchy. There are lots of
ways we could have lined up, such as by age,
by how far we drove to come to this training,
or lots of other ways. In this workshop we are
going to talk about Pathfinder club organiza-
tion and how the counselor is an integral part
of this ministry.

Content
An organization needs to have order to func-
tion well, and Pathfinders is no exception. An
“I want to be in charge, and you should do all
the work” philosophy is inappropriate here.
Each staff member has an important role to
fulfill within the club. Everyone functions to
make the club a cohesive body and the coun-
selor has a uniquely important role from the

Club Ministry Training Manual 69

 Traditionally, organizational chain of command is top down

Conference Pathfinder Director

Area Coordinator

Pastor/Church Board

Club Director

Assistant or Deputy Director

Pathfinder Staff

Counselor

Jr Counselors

Unit Captain and Scribe

Pathfinders

Parents of Pathfinders

70 Club Ministry Training Manual

However, in Pathfinder club ministry, instead of a top-down system, we have a circle of sup-
port where counselors surround the Pathfinder and parents/family who are at the center
of the circle as the most important since they are the ones working with and serving the
young people within their unit. They have the most contact with a young person. Counse-
lors have the opportunity to have a significant influence on their lives.

The Circle of Support

Club Director
Church Area
Board Cordinator
Counselor

Support Support
Staff Staff
Jr. Counselor
Pathfinders
and Parents

Counselor

Conference
Pathfinder Director

COUNSELORS
As the one working the closest to the Path- SUPPORT STAFF
finder, you will be the one encouraging them Next come the support staff – instructors,
on as they climb the last hill on a long hike, cooks, drivers, club secretary, and treasurer
giving them high-fives for a job well done – all working to fill in the necessary functions
on the drill and marching field, praying with to ensure that clubs make the most of events
them and crying with them over a devastat- and programs.
ing event in their lives, and by God’s grace
… the one who assists them in their commit- CLUB DIRECTOR
ment to Jesus Christ and the decision to live Then comes the associate or deputy director
their lives for Him. followed by the director – each doing his or
her part to organize and coordinate activities
PARENTS AND JUNIOR COUNSE- to provide the counselor with more opportu-
LORS nities to build a relationship with their units,
You should include parents and junior coun- as well as rapport, confidence, trust, and,
selors as part of the team working with and most importantly, an opportunity to help the
for your Pathfinders. Pathfinder build a lifetime saving relationship

Club Ministry Training Manual 71

 with Jesus Christ. Once this has taken place, book Education, the chapter: Lives of Great
the cycle can begin again with the Pathfinder Men.
becoming part of a support system for the
next generation’s young people. Suggested Activities
• Have each participant create a circle of
LOCAL CHURCH support with the names of the people that
We also need the support of the local church support them (captain/scribe, if a unit has
pastor and the church board. Make sure they been assigned, other club staff, pastor/elder,
are part of the team supporting the counse- area coordinators, conference).
lors and the club, understanding the focus is • Form groups of 3 to 4. Brainstorm what
discipleship ... not just a “club for kids.” your club can do to make sure that your club
is intentionally discipling your Pathfinders.
CONFERENCE TEAM How is the counselor part of that process?
Beyond the local support comes the area Report to the entire group.
coordinator and conference director, again • Form groups of 3 to 4. From the leadership
each doing his or her part to organize and or mentoring part of the presentation, have
coordinate activities to provide the coun- participants identify an area that they are
selor with even more opportunities to work going to work on in the coming year. Share
with their Pathfinders. with their small group.
The counselor’s role is to provide intentional
discipleship to the Pathfinder.
All club energies need to focus through the
counselor to disciple the child and support
their parents or guardians.

ADDITIONAL CONTENT
Much time could be spent here talking about
servant leadership and mentoring from the

72 Club Ministry Training Manual

The Counselor’s
Responsibilities—PFAD 101

Description
This workshop focuses on the duties and responsibilities of the counselor and reviews guidelines that
ensure a safe environment that fosters learning and spiritual growth. It outlines the do’s and don’ts
of counseling and covers the tasks for meetings, campouts, outreach activities, and all phases of the
Pathfinder year.

Audience/Participants What Your Participants Will Learn

Pathfinder club counselors What are their responsibilities as counselors?

Key Texts: Micah 6:8: “He has shown Workshop Content

you, O man, what is good; and what does the
Lord require of you but to do justly, to love Opening Activity: The Observation
mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Game
Luke 10: 28b-27: “Teacher, what shall I do • Have participants form two lines of equal
to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘what number and facing each other.
is written in the law? What is your reading of • Have them introduce themselves to the
it?’ So he answered and said, ‘You shall love person they are facing and share where they
the Lord your God with all your heart, with are from.
all your soul, with all your strength, and with • Then have participants do an about-face.
all your mind and your neighbor as yourself.” Instruct them to change six things about
their appearance. After an adequate amount
Resource Material of time, have them do an about-face and then
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual. have one row of participants guess what six
• Books and videos on motivating and leading things the person in front of them changed.
adolescents approved by your Conference. Then switch and have the other row of par-

74 Club Ministry Training Manual

ticipants do the same for those in front of also watching you, so it is important that you
them. be a great role model. Here are some impor-
• The point is to see how observant we are, tant things for each counselor to model:
and what we are being careful to notice 1. Attendance and participation in all
about the Pathfinders in our care. How do Pathfinder functions.
they arrive to Pathfinders each week? a. Counselor should always be with unit unl
• How are they when we see them at church, ess pre-arranged for someone else to fill in.
at school, and in the community? Are we b. Counselors need to know their kids well
missing anything? Perhaps something im- and become acquainted with families and
portant? home conditions.
c. Counselors should always defend the
Additional Discussion Questions: standards and principles of their club and
• Did you notice the changes quickly? work together with other staff in the club.
• Or did it take you longer than you thought d. Counselors should set a good example
it would? with attitude and behavior.
• What does this teach you about how ob-
servant we should be about our Pathfinders? 2. Code of counseling: Do what you
want the kids to do; don’t do what you don’t
Content want them to do.
(This workshop encourages discussion, prior- a. Take charge and lead/teach your unit or
itization, and interaction. Allow time through- class.
out the workshop for participants to discuss b. Work and stay with your unit during all
the concepts being presented and share their programs.
experiences.) c. Encourage, teach, and test necessary level
requirements for the successful Investiture
As the counselor it is important that you pay of your club members.
close attention to each of the Pathfinders in d. Set a good example in neatness, attend-
your unit. As you are watching them, they are ance, punctuality, and with the way you wear

Club Ministry Training Manual 75

 the uniform. is flat.
e. Be a role model in Christian behavior. c. Locking the keys in your car doesn’t help
f. March and drill with your unit. you get to your destination quickly.
g. Develop understanding and friendship d. The car will hide under snow in wintertime.
within the unit. Every vehicle is different.
h.Help members with any problems and keep
the club leaders informed (respect confiden- The same is true of Pathfinder events. You
tiality when appropriate). need to know the basics of how they work
i. Encourage your unit members to partici- and the purpose of each function.
pate in all activities. For example, Inductions are a perfect way
j. Participate with your unit in campouts, ac- for new club members to commit to the club.
tivities/events, arranging all details with the We need to resist the tendency of having
deputy director/director. each event become common and dull, and
k. Attend your club’s staff meetings and re- emphasize the importance, difference, and
treats. purpose of each type of function.
l. Notify the club director in advance if una-
ble to attend a meeting. • Community service – purpose: to spread
the love of Jesus.
3. Have a working knowledge of all Pathfind- • Investiture – purpose: to honor the Path-
er functions. finder for a job well done.
What does all this mean? When you get in a • Pathfinder Sabbath – give your Pathfinders
car you have a working knowledge. You may the opportunity to share about their Path-
not understand the workings of an internal finder club with their church.
combustion engine, but you know the follow-
ing: 4. “Fall In.”
The counselor falls in at the back of the unit
a. It needs fuel. whenever the director calls, “Fall in.” Coun-
b. It doesn’t ride well when a tire on one side selors should be listening as the announce-

76 Club Ministry Training Manual

ments are given and be able to reinforce c. Everyone will have more fun.
them as the Pathfinders are doing what has d. You get to know your unit members better.
been requested. Do what you want the kids e. Often these opportunities can be used as
to do; do not do what you don’t want them “teachable moments”.
to do.
7. The Uniform
5. What is the counselor’s duty during Help the Pathfinders take pride in their uni-
craft and honor time? form by encouraging and setting a good ex-
a. The counselor is with their unit during ample with your own uniform. Uniforms are
crafts and honors as much as possible. not everybody’s favorite thing. For the kids,
b. If you are not teaching the honor, work the uniforms may be just out of style clothes.
with your Pathfinders and assist the instruc- Counselors can model pride in the uniform
tor. by wearing it with care. Remember the uni-
c. The counselor’s foremost concern should form is not just clothes, but rather, who we
be helping their Pathfinders rather than com- are and what we believe in. Ask yourself,
pleting the requirements for themselves. “Do I want to be a wrinkled Christian?”
d. Be careful just to assist, not do, the re-
quirements for the Pathfinder. 8.Am I, the counselor, responsible
for discipline in my unit?
6. What is the counselor’s respon- Yes, but do not be afraid to ask for help!
sibility during duties (camporees, Simple issues can be worked out within the
camp setup, etc.)? club. More serious issues such as inappropri-
Answer: work with the kids and not sitting, ate behavior of staff or abuse problems need
watching, and giving orders. If you get in and to go to the director, pastor, or conference
work with your kids, the following will hap- Pathfinder director.
pen:
a. The task is done quickly. 9. How do I always keep the Path-
b. The unit members will be more responsive. finders under control?

Club Ministry Training Manual 77

 a. The number one goal is to stay together
in a unit. Counselor’s Responsibilities At:
b. Have expectations for your unit. Tell your 1. Club Meetings
unit you expect them to: a. During worship: sit, listen, and pray with
I. Be quiet and respectful. Pathfinders.
II. Be with you at all times. b. During assembly: fall in and participate
III. Follow directions. with unit.
c. It is disruptive for a speaker, craft instruc- c. During crafts or honors: make sure your
tor, or director to have to ask a Pathfinder to Pathfinders are engaged and following in-
be quiet. structions.
d. Set the example and let your unit know d. During recreation: play with your unit,
your expectations ahead of time. show good sportsmanship, and set a good
example.
10. Organization: 2. Campouts
a. Conselors and staff a. Enforce sleeping arrangements as speci-
b. Director or assistant director (if director is fied by your conference.
not available) b. Make sure that your unit has the full camp-
c. Pastor and/or church board oree experience.
d. Area coordinator c. Follow camporee rules.
e. Conference Pathfinder director d. Have worship time, review the speaker’s
message to answer questions and reinforce
11. Counselors are always with their unit. the message.
We are responsible for these kids. We need to e. Get involved at all parts of setting up the
know where they are at all times, not only for camp with a positive attitude.
their safety, but also for our peace of mind. 3. Field trips: have knowledge of the trip, stay
If you can’t supervise them for any reason, with the unit, and have fun!
leave them under the supervision of another 4. Hiking: stay with your unit, follow rules of
responsible staff member. trail, enjoy, and learn from nature.

78 Club Ministry Training Manual

5. Fairs and camporees: stay with your unit, each group a scenario. Use typical situations
participate in all activities with a good atti- that might happen within a normal Pathfind-
tude, have a great time, be a good witness, er Club. For example, when a Pathfinder says,
follow all the rules, do not forget worships, “I don’t want to wear my uniform,” “I hate it
and help with the labor of set-up and striking here. I want to go home,” or “Nobody likes
camp. me. God doesn’t even like me.” Others might
6. Pathfinder Sabbath: wear full dress uni- include:
form, march with unit, complete all assign- • What to do when a Pathfinder is noisy and
ments as designated by director, encourage misbehaving during a meeting
your unit members, and talk with parents • The club or unit is out hiking, and some-
and other church members. body sits down and does not want to go any
7. District functions: stay with unit, follow farther.
rules, assist when needed—you and your unit • You have a couple that won’t do anything
have fun! unless they are allowed to be together.
8. Share your faith activities: work with your Provide group discussion time. Then have
unit! Your excitement for sharing your faith each group share, via role playing, with the
will be contagious! whole group what their scenario is and how
9. Fundraisers: stay with unit. Work alongside they have decided to resolve the issue in a
unit. Follow rules and directions. Witness to way that honors God and keeps the Path-
all involved. Make work fun! finder Law and Pledge.
What is the common thread in all these func-
tions?

Suggested Activities
Role Play
Divide your entire group into discussion
groups of no more than three to four. Give

Club Ministry Training Manual 79

Developmental
Growth—PYSO 104

Description
This workshop describes the mental, spiritual, physical, and social growth and needs of the typical
Pathfinder and how to relate to them effectively. It includes practical pointers on leading, nurturing, and
discipling them. The objective of this seminar is to enable leaders to help Pathfinders mature in the full
stature of Jesus Christ.

Audience/Participants • Pathfinder Administrative Manual

Pathfinder club counselors • Pathfinder Games & Events (choose age-ap-
propriate activities).
Key Texts: Luke 2:52: “And Jesus in-
creased in wisdom and stature, and in favor What Your Participants Will Learn
with God and men.” 1. Know the different characteristics of junior
1 Timothy 3:15: “And that from childhood and teen Pathfinders.
you have known the Holy Scriptures which 2. Study components of the Pathfinder cur-
are able to make you wise for salvation riculum which enable youth to grow as Jesus
through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” did (Luke 2:52).
1 Timothy 4:12: “Let no one despise your 3. Discover concepts that strengthen Path-
youth, but be an example to the believers in finder involvement by meeting developmen-
word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in tal needs.
purity.”
Workshop Content
Resource Material
• Desire of Ages, Chapters 7 through 9 The Pathfinder curriculum, both Investiture
Achievement and honors, is designed on
the principles of Scripture and the Spirit of

80 Club Ministry Training Manual

Prophecy. This curriculum is designed for the Pathfinders. The energy level they brought
different stages of growth and development. with them from Adventurers continues, but
It exists to lead children and young people to they have longer endurance. Sitting still can
Christ and to help them grow in Christ. From seem unbearable, especially to many boys.
our ministry, we have seen that each Path- This doesn’t mean they shouldn’t learn when
finder is unique! Yet Pathfinders share de- and where to sit still but providing opportu-
velopmental characteristics with their peers. nities for activity taps their natural inclina-
Counselors should remember this paradox tion. This includes a fair amount of noisiness,
as they make plans to mentor the children in and boys tend to be this way more than girls
their care, and to make potential necessary who seem to also be capable of high-energy
adjustments. activities but seem to be able to sit quietly
better than boys.
Mental development hits squarely on what is
Overview of Junior concrete or tangible. The vivid imagination
Pathfinders (ages 10-12) from the previous stage seems to evaporate
Activity characterizes this stage of develop- and for something to be real it must be ex-
ment, and the social group usually involves perienced. Science experiments captivate
a cluster of same-sex friends—the “friendly junior Pathfinders. This is the best stage for
gang age.” Reality as they perceive it tends quizzes because the mind is able to store an
to be dualistic with most things either right incredible number of facts but understand-
or wrong, yes or no, good or bad. Pathfind- ing them seems beyond their capability un-
ers can tap into specific rules and rewards, less they can memorize what an adult has
plus plenty of action whether it’s camping, given for the meaning. This is the stage in
service activities, fundraising, marching, or which a Pathfinder can read a passage of
camporees. The mind can absorb lots of in- Scripture flawlessly but be completely per-
formation although it might not be able to plexed when asked what the passage means
process it with depth. or to state it in their own words. But this skill
Let’s get into some specifics about junior can be learned during this stage.

Club Ministry Training Manual 81

 The noticeable social development is the cant roles in addition to adults.
separation of gender. They simply don’t want What happens spiritually with Junior Path-
to be together. With quiz time the obvious finders? Information equals spirituality—
division of teams is boys versus girls (al- whatever spirituality means. Knowing God
though the girls will usually win unless one is knowing about God more than a person-
boy is especially full of Bible trivia). al relationship with an unseen and power-
Juniors Pathfinders rarely like to be alone but ful Being or intimacy with “El Shaddai “or
prefer to be in small groups that can easily “Abba.” This is the most common age for
fluctuate with various members, rarely mix- children who grow up in the church to get
ing genders. The differences in gender start baptized. Children can understand the plan
to get noticed, and some females start pu- of salvation and how to give their hearts to
berty during these years. Pathfinders of this Christ. The Junior Pathfinder’s knowledge of
age look for heroes, such as sports, music, Scripture provides the foundation for a life-
and movie stars. The teens or young adults at long commitment to God, and the emotional
your church can fill this role more likely and anchor for the stresses of life. Junior Path-
in reality. Bible heroes may also fit. finder’s spiritual development is strength-
Fostering emotional development for junior ened through Bible stories and the spiritual
Pathfinders hits the target with acceptance. disciplines: prayer, and aspiring to: “Keep the
This can be difficult to give when they are morning watch, Walk softly in the sanctu-
noisy and restless. Be careful not to humiliate, ary, Keep a song in my heart, Go on God’s
especially around others. They can be quite errands.” The commitment Junior Pathfind-
sensitive to criticism. Being fair is important ers make to Christ is real but will need to be
but being part of the group is even more im- reviewed and deepened in the adolescent
portant. Junior Pathfinders can sometimes years.
be very mean to others, often with no ap-
parent reason. They want adult relationships, Suggested Activity
but also the ability to be part of a small peer Discuss how the Pathfinder Investiture
group, too. Teen Pathfinders can play signifi- Achievement levels accommodate the devel-

82 Club Ministry Training Manual

opmental needs of 10- to 12-year-olds. to separate them from age mates and puts
them with older teens. And boys who reach
Overview of Teen puberty early are at an advantage because
ººPathfinders (ages 13-16) it tends to engender more respect and also
The dramatic changes within these years ri- puts them more in line with females their age
val those of the first two years of life, except while the “little boys” continue their imma-
children at this age are leaving childhood, ture ways. These physical changes markedly
and at uneven and irregular times, with fe- affect the other aspects of a teen’s life.
males often changing a year or two before Teens also experience dramatic mental
most males. The onset of puberty (physical changes.
changes) affects all other areas of life as well, The brain begins another round of develop-
throwing social and spiritual certainties into ment that connects reasoning. It doesn’t hap-
disequilibrium. Authority begins to be ques- pen all at once but is a process throughout
tioned as experimentation begins regarding the teen years. The change can be seen with
one’s identity and relationships with others. thought processes of reasoning from cause
Thinking in new ways becomes possible and to effect. But this is sporadic. The teen Path-
impacts potentially positive and negative finder might seem extra mature one week
outcomes. and then backslide a year or two the next
The onset of puberty in teens marks the week. One 13-year-old might be more ad-
greatest physical impact. It affects all other vanced than a 14-year-old, at least this week.
areas of a teen’s life as well. And teens start to ask “why?” questions such
The average age for the onset of puberty in as, “Why did sin begin?” or, “Why do we go
females is 10-11, with one’s first menstruation to church?” or, “Why hasn’t Jesus returned
at the age of 12-13. Boys hit puberty a year or yet?” These questions may have been asked
two after girls do. Please note that these are and answered many times previously, but the
averages. A child has no control over when teen is now able to listen in new ways and
this begins. Unfairly, girls who reach puberty needs to hear reasons again.
early are at a disadvantage because it tends The social changes for a teen Pathfinder re-

Club Ministry Training Manual 83

 volve around peer acceptance and identity parison to the immature boys her own age),
development. With a sense of leaving child- but then feel uncomfortable when the boy
hood and entering adulthood, a teen begins tries to take advantage of her young age of
to challenge authority such as parents or development. A boy who is late reaching pu-
teachers. This can be very intimidating, so the berty may feel left out or cheated because
teen looks to other teens for acceptance and he can’t compete with those his own age.
support. The fact that a teen Pathfinder can Insecurity seems to be a common feeling
challenge the counselor or other staff mem- throughout this age, with occasional relief
ber is a “win” for the teen, even if the teen that never seems to last long enough. With
loses the challenge. This is because the teen so many changes at unpredictable rates and
Pathfinder was “in the fight.” Expect multiple times, insecurity is the normal emotional
attempts to discover what a teen Pathfinder state.
is good at in the search for identity based Spiritual development for teen Pathfinders
on achievements or relationships. Expect this can go one of several ways. With so many
to be a process, and one that causes many changes, one common route teens take is to
adults to pray with greater intensity. Teens begin to experiment with their spirituality.
who are compliant often get rewarded by Some begin to understand it in a new way. As
adults but are likely to experience a more they separate from authority figures, some
traumatic identity search later if it is put on a reject their understanding of God simply to
back burner now. differentiate from their religious parents. This
Not surprisingly, the emotional development can certainly alarm parents as they navigate
for teen Pathfinders is also rocky. In addition new waters with their early adolescents.
to the volatile physical, mental, and social Some teens continue with the spiritual exte-
changes, a teen also experiences new emo- rior they have learned, but it seems phony
tions—feelings without names to even get a or put-on to them, as though they are acting
handle on them. A female who reaches pu- on a stage for others. Doing what another
berty may feel exhilarated that an older boy person wants them to do doesn’t seem real
pays attention to her romantically (in com- to them, but they might now know what is

84 Club Ministry Training Manual

real. Hopefully, teen Pathfinders will wrestle Discuss how the Pathfinder Investiture
with God and discover God for themselves, Achievement levels accommodate the devel-
a process which may involve a rocky path all opmental needs of 13-to 16-year-olds.
its own.
This could be initiated outside of the regu-
lar routines of life, such as when away on a
mission trip or a weekend campout, or at a
summer away from home, or even in a part-
time job. This is the time that what was mem-
orized during the junior stage needs to come
off the back burner to experience meaning
and not merely be memorization. Those bap-
tized earlier often want to be re-baptized
when their spirituality becomes personal to
mark their new experience that seems so
much more real than what it had been pre-
viously.
Such radical changes can be expected with
teens in your Pathfinder Club! And what is
most challenging is that the 13- and 14-year-
olds aren’t quite youth. Often this age group
gets neglected, merging them with imma-
ture juniors or older youth. Leaders effec-
tive with either age group often give up on
Explorers and Rangers quickly because they
are in transition.

Suggested Activity

Club Ministry Training Manual 85

Summary
We have made some broad sweeps and some applications for various ages or stages of children. The
purpose is to give us an overview of what can be expected, but we will need to adapt this to meet the
specific needs of the children to whom we minister. This illustrates what a unique and creative God we
serve. And differences continue and expand into ever greater diversity into adulthood.
Let’s close with these questions. Please share them with your small group of 2-3 people and close with
prayer.

• Which age or stage do you feel best-equipped to serve?

• Why is that?


• What can you do to better meet the Pathfinders you have, based on their
current development?


• In what has God already blessed you in doing to minister to Pathfinders (age
group)?


• What is your prayer to God at this time?


 

86 Club Ministry Training Manual

 Development Ages 10-12 (Junior Pathfinders) Ages 13-16 (Teen Pathfinders)
Cognitive & Concrete Operational Period of Formal Operations, Though Achie-
Physical (Piaget) vement Largely Depends on Environment.
*Uses wide variety of concrete experiences *Thought becomes more abstract, incorporating
to help child learn. principles of logic.
*Demonstrates Intelligence through logical *Develops ability to generate abstract propo-
and systematic manipulation of symbols sitions; thinking becomes less tied to concrete
related to concrete objects. reality.
*Egocentric thought diminishes. *Multiple hypotheses and their possible outcomes
are evident.
*Is able to tell time.
*Cares for self and room and belongings. Can *Can acquire formal logical systems, but may not,
take responsibility for more complex chores. depending on opportunities in their environments.
*Has more control over small muscles. *Muscle coordination becomes better as time
passes.
*School very important; achievement can *Can use aids such as axioms to transcend human
become a major issue. Learning problems limits on comprehension.
may not be evident yet.
*Needs 9-10 hours sleep/night. *Needs 10 hours sleep/night.

*Usually has a good appetite. *Reorganizing brain often makes them less capa-
ble of following directions that when they were
age 10.
*Has thoughts beginning to be more abs- *Boys particularly seem to have a bottomless
tract by age 12. appetite.
*Is beginning to understand as-if and if-then *Girls may develop eating disorders as early as
steps. age 8 but especially during this stage.
Social & Is learning Industry vs. Inferiority. Is learning Identity vs. Identity Diffusion.
Emotional
(Erikson)
Is striving toward competence. *Fidelity—Answering Question: Who Am I?

*Relates to peers according to rules. *If they are successful during early adolescence,
they acquire self-certainty.
*Is progressing from free play to structured *Is experimenting with constructive roles and anti-
play, such as baseball. cipating achievement, rather than being frozen by
feelings of inferiority.
*Increasing in self-discipline. *Lack of success during early adolescence creates
self-consciousness and self-doubt.

*Is moving into their “declaration of indepen- *Often adopting negative roles such as delinquen-
dence”—the terrible twos revisited (a period cy—drugs, sex, gangs, crime
in a child’s early social development [typi-
cally around the age of two years] that is
associated with defiant or unruly behavior.).
*Enjoys being with parents but is moving *Peers and adults other than parents seem more
more toward peer involvement. important in their lives.
*Peers have great influence—enjoys interac- *Need to hang in because it is the parent’s values
tion especially with same-sex friends. the teen is measuring everything against

*Enjoys club and accomplishments and *Their emotions are a roller-coaster, largely
collections. because of hormones and brain develop-
ment.
*Teamwork is very important. *They seek leadership—someone to inspire
them.

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 Development Ages 10-12 (Junior Pathfinders) Ages 13-16 (Teen Pathfinders)
Moral/Ethical/ Has Synthetic-Conventional Faith, characte- Has Synthetic-Conventional Faith, characterized
Sexuality (Erik- rized by Conformity. by Conformity.
son)
Is Conventional. Is Conventional.
*By age 11 or 12 girls may be experiencing *Clear sexual identity is established by late teens.
puberty and experiencing feelings of sexua-
lity.
*Hormones cause a roller-coaster life for this *The majority of teens experiment with sex in one
age as they bounce between childhood and way or another.
adulthood.
*Children who have been molested may ex- *Drugs and alcohol often become part of their
hibit very poor boundaries as they unders- lifestyle.
tand their body to be a tool with which to
gain friends and/or attention.
*Boys may be experiencing “wet dreams”. *Those who have been molested/raped/used may
not have good boundaries.
*Is preoccupied with appearance. *Believes in fairness.
*Recognizes need for rules and fair play.

*Is generally cooperative and considerate

except when the hormones come to play.

88 Club Ministry Training Manual

Discipling and
Discipline—PYSO 121

Description
This workshop will consider the Biblical meanings of discipline and disciple. Christ gave us the perfect
example of discipling. It will look at Christ’s methods of evangelism as shared in Scripture and the prac-
tical lessons that we can draw from His methods and apply to our ministry. It then continues with the
concept that to discipline, you need the heart of Jesus.

Audience/Participants What Your Participants Will Learn

Pathfinder Club Counselors The basics of discipling and how discipline
fits into true discipleship.
Key Texts: Matthew 28:18-20. And Jesus
came and spoke to them, saying, “All author- Workshop Content
ity has been given to Me in heaven and on Opening Activity
earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all We are going to start this workshop by stud-
the nations, baptizing them in the name of ying what Jesus did when He was on earth.
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Divide your attendees into groups and dis-
Spirit, teaching them to observe all things tribute the references below. Have the groups
that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with identify one word in each text that describes
you always, even to the end of the age.” what Jesus did to reach people with the
good news of the Gospel. Then each group
Resource Material reports that word to the entire group. If you
• Education, Chapter 34: “Discipline” have fewer than 6 groups keep going until all
• Hymn, “Seeking the Lost” (Seventh-day the verses have been covered. You may want
Adventist Hymnal, no. 373 to write these on a board or poster for future
• Books and videos on discipling youth reference.
1. Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in the

90 Club Ministry Training Manual

Jewish meeting place. Matthew 4:23
2. Jesus preached the good news about 1. What does the word disciple mean? Give
God’s kingdom. Matthew 4:23 synonyms.
3. He also healed every kind of disease and (Follower, believer, devotee, supporter, stu-
sickness. Matthew 4:23, CEV dent, apprentice, pupil, adherent, learner)
4. Jesus answered, “You give them some-
thing to eat.” Luke 9:13, CEV 2. Which of the synonyms apply to Christ’s
5. As Jesus and his disciples were on their disciples?
way, some people brought to him a man who
could not talk because a demon was in him. 3. Which of the synonyms apply to the Path-
After Jesus had forced the demon out, the finder?
man started talking. Matthew 9:32-33
6. The next morning, he called his disciples 4. How did Jesus define discipling?
together and chose twelve of them to be his
apostles. Luke 6:13, CEV 5. How many people did Christ disciple?
a. And when it was day, he called unto him
Content his disciples and of them he chose twelve.
(This workshop encourages discussion, pri- Luke 6:13
oritization, and interaction throughout. Allow b. After these things, the Lord appointed
time throughout the workshop for partici- other seventy also and sent them two and
pants to discuss the concepts being present- two. Luke 10:1
ed and to share their experience.) c. When the even was come, there came a
rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, who
Jesus discipled the 12 for three and a half also himself was Jesus’ disciple. Matt. 27:57
years. He spent much time in praying for 6. Which of these disciples were His
them, and in training them. Is there a clue main focus?
here for what our ministry methods should 7. When did Jesus teach them? (walking,
be? (Discipleship) cooking, healing, talking to others, eating)

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 Discipline – An Act of Discipling
8. What methods did Jesus use to teach His
disciples? Check out these Scriptures, then Let’s talk about some principles of discipline
draw a line from the numbers to each text, and how discipline is really an act of discipling
showing the order of priority and effective- • Education, Chapter 34: Discipline
ness you would give each method. “The object of discipline is the training of
the child for self-government. He should be
(Presenter – You may want to write these taught self-reliance and self-control. There-
up on the board and ask for people to read fore as soon as he is capable of understand-
the text – then match with the method.) ing, his reason should be enlisted on the
John 5:20 (show and tell) (1) side of obedience. Let all dealing with him
Mark 11:12-24 (demonstration) (2) be such as to show obedience to be just and
Matthew 13 (preaching) (3) reasonable. Help him to see that all things
Matthew 17:27 (action) (4) are under law, and that disobedience leads,
Mark 4:34 (parables) (5) in the end, to disaster and suffering. When
9. Any similarities to how we should teach God says ‘Thou shalt not,’ He in love warns us
Pathfinders? of the consequences of disobedience, in or-
der to save us from harm and loss.” Educ. 287
10. Which of these methods or other methods “Lead the youth to feel that they are trusted,
work best for Pathfinders? and there are few who will not seek to prove
themselves worthy of the trust. On the same
11. How did Moses suggest that we teach principle, it is better to request than to com-
God’s principles? mand; the one thus addressed has the op-
“And ye shall teach them to your children, portunity to prove himself loyal to right prin-
speaking of them when thou sit in thine house ciples. His obedience is the result of choice
and when thou walk by the way, when thou lie rather than compulsion.” Educ. 290
down, and when thou rise up.” Deut. 11:19 (em- “Rules should be few and well considered;
phasis supplied) and when once made, they should be en-

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forced.” Educ. 290 youth. They are the younger members of the
“The youth have an inborn love of liberty; Lord’s family, heirs with us of the grace of
they desire freedom; and they need to un- life Christ’s rule should be sacredly observed
derstand that these inestimable blessings toward the dullest, the youngest, the most
are to be enjoyed only in obedience to the blundering, and even toward the erring and
law of God. This law is the preserver of true rebellious.” Educ. 293
freedom and liberty. It points out and pro-
hibits those things that degrade and enslave,
and thus to the obedient it affords protection
from the power of evil.” Educ. 291
“The true object of reproof is gained only
when the wrongdoer himself is led to see
his fault and his will is enlisted for its correc-
tion. When this is accomplished, point him
to the source of pardon and power. Seek to
preserve his self-respect and to inspire him
with courage and hope. This work is the nic-
est, the most difficult, ever committed to
human beings. It requires the most delicate
tact, the finest susceptibility, a knowledge of
human nature, and a heaven-born faith and
patience, willing to work and to watch and
wait. It is a work than which nothing can be
more important.” Educ. 292
“The Savior’s rule “As ye would that men
should do to you, do ye also to the like-
wise” (Luke 7:31)—should be the rule of all
who undertake the training of children and

Club Ministry Training Manual 93

The Counselor’s Relationship to
the Pathfinder—PYSO 124

Description
This workshop discusses developing a mentoring relationship with your Pathfinders, and what that will
mean in terms of teaching them to relate to others and drawing them to Jesus Christ.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Pathfinder Club Counselors
Opening Activity: The Ball Game
Key Text: 1 Cor. 11:1. “Imitate me, just as I This activity involves passing various sized
also imitate Christ.” balls down two lines of participants who
are facing each other and whose arms are
Resource Material inter-linked. The ball must not touch the
• Books and videos on mentoring middle ground along the way. The facilitator starts
school and teenagers with a large beach ball, representing the
ideal Pathfinder who is always compliant,
What Your Participants Will Learn arrives on time, participates in all activities,
How to effectively build a relationship with wears their uniform with pride, etc. Once the
each Pathfinder in their unit. team succeeds with this challenge, you con-
tinue using progressively smaller and more
challenging sized balls or objects.
Each ball represents a type of Pathfinder one
might encounter in a club. Other balls might
include a soccer ball or football. To represent

94 Club Ministry Training Manual

a particularly challenging Pathfinder, use what more can be done.
a softball, rubber ball, tennis ball, golf ball, If done well and thoughtfully, this can and
super ball, hard-boiled egg, and marble. Use has been a fabulous, eye-opening time of
your imagination. sharing, dialogue, and realization with coun-
With a few words introduce each “Pathfind- selors/staff.
er” before placing the ball at the beginning
of the line of interlinked arms. Challenge the Additional Discussion Questions:
group to get “this Pathfinder” through the •Did you communicate?
Pathfinder year of activities and events suc- •Did a leader standout among the partici-
cessfully! pants?
At the end of the activity focus on a mean- •Did you have to work together?
ingful dialog, about what happened when •Did participants find solutions as the task
the group worked with each Pathfinder to got harder?
get them safely and successfully through a
Pathfinder year, to a greater level of maturity, Content
toward comprising a great junior staff, to a (This workshop encourages discussion, pri-
higher level of skill mastery, to a closer walk oritization, and interaction throughout. Allow
with Jesus. time throughout the workshop for partici-
What did your group do as they progressed pants to discuss the concepts being present-
through the different items representing ed and to share their experience.)
Pathfinders? You should be carefully lead-
ing them to share things like: “We got clos- In this workshop we are going to define what
er together.” “We communicated more.” a relationship is and how you, as a counselor,
“We slowed down and focused more.” “We can develop a meaningful relationship with
all worked together.” You can then expound the Pathfinders in your unit.
on other things that should be done—pray 1. Relationship = noun (according to Webster):
together about your Pathfinders; dialogue a. “The way in which two or more people or
about concerns, successes, and failures; and things are connected, or the state of being

Club Ministry Training Manual 95

 connected. words, if we want to have a positive influence
b. The way in which two or more people or on the child, it is most likely to happen within
groups regard (respect) and behave towards a positive relationship.
each other.” 6. The Counselor’s Example
2. What is my relationship in the club? You can set a good example by:
a. The club is the way you and your unit of a. Being on time
kids are connected. b. Wearing your uniform
b. You are a club counselor in charge of a c. Being involved in all the club functions
unit. d. Drinking and/or eating only healthy things
c. What else do we need? e. Praying with the child.
i. Mutual respect 7. A Child’s Perception
ii. Emotional association But if that child perceives you as uncaring,
3. Name some appropriate emotions: harsh, angry, or unfair, your influence will be
a._________________________________ minimal, and the respect quotient will be on
b. _________________________________ the low end of the scale.
c. _________________________________
d. _________________________________ The Bottom Line
e. _________________________________ You will have a relationship one way or an-
f. _________________________________ other, positive or negative. Jesus said being
(joy, exuberance, firmness, kindness, gentle- sunk to the bottom of the sea with a mill-
ness, anger, peacefulness) stone around the neck is preferred over hav-
4. Discuss: Is anger ever appropriate? ing a negative (offensive) relationship with
__________________________________ one of His little ones. You can control many
__________________________________ kids with anger and threats. They will do an-
5. Positive Relationships ything to keep you from getting angry and
Our influence on a child is usually direct- reaping the rewards, but what kind of influ-
ly proportionate to our relationship, either ence is that?
positive or negative, with the child. In other So how do we create a positive relationship

96 Club Ministry Training Manual

with each of our unit charges, even those unit.
who most challenge us? 3. Listen to what they are saying with your
1. Pray for each one of them individually in ears, mind, and heart.
your own quiet time. Do not just mention 4. Understand where your Pathfinders are in
their name or the unit as a group. Really talk developmental growth is important.
to God about each kid—something like, “Ok 5. Understand the personality of each unit
God, I know you love Johnny, and you know member.
him very well. I don’t. But I’d like to. Here’s 6. Visit the child’s home when all the family is
where I’m struggling, Lord. Johnny is always there (if possible):
talking—can’t get him to be quiet and let an- a. Be sure to call ahead for an appointed time
yone else talk. And what he says is usually to visit.
just stupid to get attention.” b. This can help you understand much about
Stop and listen to what God may put in your your Pathfinder:
mind after each sentence. You’ll be amazed i. Why he is so meticulous or messy
at how He will help you or who He may send ii. Why she whines all the time
to help you. But He will help you. Pray for the iii. Why he talks so loud and so incessantly
quiet, not-troublemakers, too—they often are iv. Why food is so important to her.
left out because of all the time and attention c. The visit can also help you determine if
Johnny takes. Yes, it takes time, but if you there are needs such as:
want to be able to help this kid to heaven, i. Loss of job/work
time is what it takes. ii. Lack of food or poor diet
Remember, Jesus spent 3 years discipling iii. Clothing needs
just 12 men. Yes 100 or so of their friends iv. How the Pathfinders or church can assist
were hanging around, but Jesus’ focus was the family
on His club unit. d. It gives opportunity to explain the Path-
2. Learn to know and understand each unit finder Club Ministry to the parents.
member. Yes, it’s a big job to know each one. e. To pray with the family. This lets the whole
But that’s why there should only be six in a family know that both you and God care

Club Ministry Training Manual 97

 about them. It usually creates a positive con- a. No shouting or giving orders from across
nection, so the family knows you are there to the gym.
support them. b. If it’s KP time for your unit, say, “Come
7. Find at least one positive thing about each on, let’s get this job done.” Then roll up your
unit member and write it down. sleeves and help. You need to delegate, but
8. At a unit meeting, have each of the kids not desert.
write one good thing about each kid in the c. Make it fun with laughter, singing, good
unit, including themselves. clean jokes.
a. Compile the list and give a copy to each 11. Engage the kids in prayer.
member. a. Help them find God as a friend.
b. You may be amazed at the fact that the b. Pray before an event. Then if things are go-
“Johnny’s” in your unit have at least 6 posi- ing rough during the event, help them stop
tive traits that you can build on. and talk about their frustrations to their best
c. It can make a great difference in their lives. Friend (God) and help them realize His calm-
d. Many times, troublemakers don’t realize ing effect.
they have anything good to offer anyone. c. Pray after or during an event. Perhaps
9. Let them know you care. there is a neat thing that happens during.an
Divide in groups of 2 and list ways to show event. Allow time with them to say thank you
you care: to their Friend and praise Him for His good-
a.__________________________________ ness.
b.__________________________________ d. Pray when someone is discouraged.
c.__________________________________ e. Pray when you don’t know why. You may
d.__________________________________ just feel impressed to pray with them and
e.__________________________________ you aren’t sure why. Tell them that and ask
f. __________________________________ them to join you in your prayer.
(appropriate touch, including in activities, lis- 12. Develop a positive relationship. Once
ten, encourage, praise) you’ve established a positive relationship
10. Lead by example and involvement. with each child, it makes all the other parts

98 Club Ministry Training Manual

of your responsibilities much easier. Kids will (involvement, listening, advice, Scripture,
do almost anything for someone who demon- discussion, remove distractions, don’t be
strates caring in a positive way. critical)
Use this positive relationship in the best inter- Here Are Some Other Ideas:
est of the child. 1. Never be critical or ignore.
a. Create teachable moments. 2. Always find something good to say about
Teachable moments can best be used when every response.
you have a good, positive relationship with 3. Use reflective listening.
the child. 4. Plan time for discussion.
What is a teachable moment? 5. Ask open-ended questions. Questions with
i. An opportunity to teach practical lessons. yes or no answers don’t lead to discussion.
ii. A time when you have the unit’s attention. 6. Ask your kids for their advice. Say, “What
iii. A time when you are willing to listen. should I do?”
b. Three types of participation: 7. Read a Scripture story and ask your Path-
i. The talker finders to explain it.
ii. The quiet child 8. Check your emotions. Are you wound up?
iii. The child who wants to answer the ques- 9. Don’t dominate the discussion. Get your
tion but never gets the answer right kids involved by asking questions and affirm-
13. How to have effective discussions. ing their answers.
In small groups, make a list of what is neces- 10. Never be afraid to admit or say, “I’m sor-
sary to have an effective discussion with your ry/ wrong.”
unit. 11. Eliminate distractions, such as:
a.__________________________________ a. Bugs
b.__________________________________ b. TVs and electronic devices
c. __________________________________ 12. Allow your unit members to state their
d.__________________________________ opinions and feelings without criticism.
e.__________________________________ 13. Is there something unresolved that
f. __________________________________ happened earlier that is distracting the minds
of the unit members?

Club Ministry Training Manual 99

 How to Handle Practical Jokes Here Are Some Tips to Make It Fun!
Discuss in small groups what you should do if 1. I must be positive about the event, even if
your unit pulls down your tent in the middle I voted against it at staff meeting. I do it for
of the night. my “kids.”
Discuss in small groups what you should NOT 2. Remember the power of prayer:
do if your tent is pulled down. a. Pray for a fun spirit.
b. Pray for an attitude adjustment.
Keys for Dealing with Problems c. Ask God to help your kids have a positive
1. Listen on their level. Physically sit or kneel experience in this activity.
for level eye contact. Emotionally listen to d. Take time to pray for each individual child
understand their developmental level. before each event.
2. Don’t lecture. 3. Show eagerness and excitement for your
3. Remember you were young once. unit and God’s sake. Get in the middle of the
4. Remember they may be feeling awkward. activity and watch your excitement rub off.
5. Show you care with your words and your 4. Remember the positive relationship you
eyes. built with all in the unit. Even the troublemak-
6. Offer help if needed. er will soon cooperate.
7. Keep confidentially (unless laws or ethics 5. Be early to events and greet each of your
require you report to authorities: i.e. law en- unit with a:
forcement, director, parents). a. Glad smile
8. Always be available. If you seem too busy b. Appropriate hug or slap on the back
or preoccupied, they won’t confide in you. 6. Make sure each child:
9. Don’t respond with big words. a. Understands the event and/or activity
10. Don’t be the know it all. They will shut you b. Knows the appropriate uniform or dress
out. they will need for the event
11. The only emotion you should show is that c. Knows what equipment they need and
you care. No gasping! No shock! how to use it
d. Knows how to do their part to be ready for

100 Club Ministry Training Manual

the event of the most effective ways to break a positive
e. Knows when, where, and what time the relationship and to let a child slip through the
event is to take place. cracks.
7. If a child is struggling to get ready for an 10. Some have never learned to enjoy the
event, be patient. If you observe frustration, sounds of nature—wind in trees, creek singing
come alongside the child to help rather than across the stones, birds singing, crickets, frogs,
reacting in an overbearing way. coyotes singing near camp at night, etc. Some
8. Give special, kind, and caring attention to may have never experienced the joy of doing
children who are having trouble with focus- something for someone else for the fun of it.
ing or staying on track. This isn’t always easy, especially if you’ve got
9. Create some type of incentive to be there kids in your group who have never learned
and do their part. Very often just knowing how to have fun without a smart phone in their
you are going to be there with them and that hands. We may need to teach them by exam-
you care about them will be all the incentive ple.
that is needed.
Make it fun and meaningful—you may be a Suggested Activity
no-nonsense person and may have to really Discuss when and how we can lead Pathfind-
work at the definition of fun as it is translated ers to Jesus: after campfire time, on a campout,
to kids. on a hike or beside the river on a Sabbath af-
When you ask your unit how to make it fun, ternoon. Sometimes kids are very quiet; this
each child may have a different definition of may be an indication that their heart has been
fun. This may be okay if you can incorporate touched. This may be a good time to interact
it all at once. with the Pathfinder and ask them if they would
Never make a child feel their idea is not a like to have Jesus live in their heart. It is very im-
good one. It may need to be put on hold, portant to pray for the salvation of each of our
but never allow an idea to be made fun of Pathfinders, and to be sensitive to the working
or ridiculed or put down by you or anyone of the Holy Spirit on a Pathfinder’s heart.
else. Using such fun-making or ridicule is one

Club Ministry Training Manual 101

Safety and the
Counselor—RCSF 120

Description
This workshop focuses on the moral and practical obligations of the counselor to guard the well-be-
ing of unit members. It includes a review of physical safety issues, supervision policies and rationale,
health concerns, transportation issues, abuse prevention and intervention, and accident reporting and
response. We will be looking primarily from the unit viewpoint rather than the club viewpoint.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Pathfinder club counselors
Key Text: Content
Matthew 19:14 KJV “Let the little children 1. Begin all activities with prayer and plan-
come unto Me, and do not hinder them, for ning.
of such is the kingdom of heaven.” “Because you have made the LORD, who is
my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwell-
Resource Material ing place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual any plague come near your dwelling; For He
• Adventist Risk Management website (www. shall give His angels charge over you, to keep
AdventistRisk.org) you in all your ways. In their hands they shall
• Adventist Screening Verification or equiva- bear you up, lest you dash your foot against
lent approved by your Conference a stone.” Psalm 91:9-13, NKJV
“My son, let them not depart from your eyes;
What Your Participants Will Learn Keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they
Their role in making sure that the Pathfinders will be life to your soul and grace to your
in their unit are safe. neck. Then you will walk safely in your way,
and your foot will not stumble.” Proverbs

102 Club Ministry Training Manual

3:21-23, NKJV b. Proper for each activity and for the age
2. Our Moral Obligation group using it
Each leader or counselor, at whatever level of c. Removed or destroyed if faulty or broken
organization, must accept the moral obliga- 5. Supervision
tion of protection from physical injury those The required degree of supervision will vary
who are under his or her care. What standard according to the grades or ages of those be-
of care is required of leaders and counse- ing supervised. Naturally 10-year-old kids will
lors? There is no easy answer, for the duty of require more supervision than someone who
care to a Friend will vary in degree from that is 15 years old and should accept a greater
which is due to an older child. The aim must degree of responsibility for his/her own ac-
always be to operate an injury-free program. tions.
3. The Premises: Inspecting for Hazards. Stress that Supervision must ALWAYS be
Name some common hazards that might be provided. Adventist Risk Management re-
found at a club meeting or event site: ports that two-thirds of all claims involve
a. Clutter, combustibles near a fire allegations of improper supervision, not re-
b. Broken glass, wet floors garding the number of supervisors but rather
c. Wet Floors the quality of supervision.
d. Inadequate lighting a. Never leave children out of your sight.
e. Exposed electrical outlets b. Establish rules and parameters/bounda-
f. Trip hazards, faulty doors ries and stick with them—Be consistent!
g. Poor visibility for supervision c. While supervising it is not time for per-
4. Equipment Safety (i.e. tables, chairs, sonal phone calls, paperwork, or talking with
camping gear, life jackets, etc.) friends and/or associates. The counselor
Is all equipment in good repair and is it safe? should eliminate all distractions while super-
Is safety equipment suited to the activity al- vising.
ways provided? d. If you have a challenging group, enlist ad-
Equipment should be . . . ditional help.
a. Kept in excellent condition e. Be willing to say, “I need a break!”

Club Ministry Training Manual 103

 f. Who can you call on for assistance? coun- 7. General Health Concerns
selors, parents, director, others a. Demonstrate good hygiene by teaching
6. High-Risk Activities and modeling good handwashing and cover-
Think twice before planning high risk activi- ing your mouth and nose when sneezing and
ties, and consider the following: coughing.
a. Suitability of the activity for the age group b. What to do in your club when a child or
involved staff has a fever?
b. The personal ability and experience of su- c. Prevent illness by encouraging drinking
pervisors enough water, eating properly, and taking
For example, a gymnastics program should medications when they are prescribed.
be operated only if there is a skilled, expe- 8. Transportation and Safety
rienced, and qualified gymnast available to a. Does each vehicle have proper insurance,
supervise. and is it road-worthy?
c. The provision of appropriate safety equip- b. Is each driver at least 21 years old? Have
ment, e.g., life jackets for boating, helmets they gone through volunteer screening and
for horse riding, helmets, and knee pads for background checks?
skating, etc. c. Driver(s) must have no more than two traf-
d. Type of activity and its inherent risks fic citations, or no accidents that resulted in
e. Number of participants staff/child ratio a conviction of a misdemeanor or criminal.
f. Location of activity and the condition of d. Driver(s) must have had no charg-
the equipment es while driving within the last three years.
g. Allotted time for the activity (Note: This must be adapted to your Confer-
h. Proper insurance coverage, and if insur- ence.)
ance riders may be needed e. There must be a seatbelt for each person
i. Counselors: Please check with your direc- in the vehicle; review the law in your country
tors before doing unit activities. They can for children and transportation requirements.
secure church board approval for activities f. Gross vehicle and tire ratings must not be
done by unit groups. exceeded, and pre-trip inspections must be

104 Club Ministry Training Manual

done. Check to see if an electronic option is availa-
g. Have no transportation in open vehicles. ble for your club
h. Pray with each driver. Pray for God’s pro- 11. Local Club General Permission Forms May
tecting angels and guidance. Cover Things Like:
i. A great resource is AdventistRisk.org safe- a. Club meetings and local activities
ty-resources. b. Camporee, Fairs, and Fun Days
Check out their webinars and videos as well. c. Pathfinder Sabbath
9. Forms That Provide Protection for Coun- d. Inductions and Investitures
selors and their Unit. 12. Sometime Special Permission Forms
a. Conference Pathfinder Club Application Might Be Needed. These may include:
Form a. Camping trips and Field trips
Check with your conference office to know b. Outreach projects
when club applications are due each year. c. Swimming, boating, or other outdoor ac-
b. Medical Release Forms tivities
c. Local Club Application Form d. Other off-site activities
d. Specific Activity Permission Forms 13. Know the Parents and Their Available
e. Volunteer staff background checks and Medical Expertise
screening List what medical professionals you might
10. Parent Signed Forms. find in your church:
a. When completed and signed by parents, a.__________________________________
forms: b.__________________________________
Indicate their permission c.__________________________________
Indicates they will assist if needed d.__________________________________
Indicates they will be supportive e.__________________________________
b. Forms should be kept in a secure location: f. __________________________________
Original kept by club director, secretary, or 14. Do You Know What to Do If an Accident
club designee Happens?
Copies carried on all activities Ask your club director about the procedures

Club Ministry Training Manual 105

 for all emergencies: a. First Aid
a. Fire b. Fire Extinguisher
b. Abuse c. Cell phone
c. Car accident 18. Do you know where are they located?
d. Power outage ____________________________________
e. Tornado or storm ____________________________________
f. Earthquake ____________________________________
g. Cuts Abuse
h. Fainting Counselors have a frontline opportunity to
i. Burns make a difference in an abused young per-
j. Hypothermia son’s life.
k. Heat exhaustion Intercession to find hope and help for an
l. Broken bones abused young person will likely make a dif-
15. What Safety Classes/Qualifications Would ference in their choice of eternal life in Christ.
Be Beneficial for You as a Counselor to Ob- 1. What is abuse? Name as many forms of
tain? abuse as you can:
a. CPR a. Physical neglect
b. First Aid b. Moral neglect
c. Lifeguard c. Medical neglect
d. Parenting abuse d. Emotional neglect
16. Name Some Pathfinder Honors That Cov- e. Community neglect
er and Train in Safety f. Educational neglect
a. First Aid g. Physical abuse
b. Basic Rescue h. Sexual abuse
c. Red Alert i. Psychological abuse
d. CPR j. Emotional abuse
17. Name at Least Three Pieces of Emergency 2. What can counselors do about abuse?
Gear That Should Always Be Available: They can:

106 Club Ministry Training Manual

a. Learn about abuse symptoms and how to ence or any other appropriate entity.
discern those symptoms. 3. In some countries, child abuse must be
b. Notify the director when they suspect reported immediately or at least within 48
abuse. hours.
c. Refrain from “counseling” regarding abuse. 4. Who is responsible for reporting?
d. Be observant of possible abuse and pro- 5. Resources:
tect unit members from further abuse. Find the official government authority web-
e. Care about each member equally and de- site for this topic.
velop their trust. Adventist Risk Management Website: Ad-
f. Provide adequate and appropriate super- ventistRisk.org. Check out their video library.
vision.
g. Provide and be respectful of privacy. Activity – discuss the following safety list.
h. Allow no private one-on-one activities. Have candidates keep it in their portfolios.
i. Provide separate accommodations for boys Safety List
and girls. • Equipment Selection and Maintenance
j. Allow no secret organizations. • Personal Safety Equipment Safety Proce-
k. Make sure their unit members wear appro- dures
priate clothing. • Policies Skill Level Limits
l. Avoid harmful/hurtful teasing. • Qualified Supervision Planning
m. Give and allow only appropriate touch. • Communications
• Following Applicable Laws
Reporting • CPR/First-Aid
1. All accidents and abuse should be reported • Resources
to your club director as soon as possible. • Discipline
Please do not attempt to begin any abuse in- • Safe Area
vestigation on your own. Leave that to the
professionals.
2. The director is to then report to the confer-

Club Ministry Training Manual 107

Spiritual Applications
in Nature—NAOS 120

Description
This workshop will help club leaders encourage Pathfinders to develop a love of nature and for their
Creator. It will use the lessons discovered in nature to help Pathfinders with character development and
their walk with Jesus.

Audience/Participants 3. Spiritual lessons that point us to our Cre-

Pathfinder club counselors ator, and how they can guide us to a closer
Key Text: walk with Jesus.
Gen. 1:1 to 2:8; Job 38-40; 4. IA and Honors that provide nature instruc-
Psalms 104, 137; Jesus’ Parables. tion.
5. Practical and relevant ways of teaching les-
Resource Material sons from nature and where to find resources
• Pathfinder Bible, NKJV and tools to help in teaching.
• Education by Ellen White, p. 99-120 Workshop Content
• Any current nature field guide/pocket nat- Opening Activity: Find Bible verses which fit
uralist guide into these three columns: Nature before sin,
• Various internet articles on how to teach Nature during sin, Nature in the new earth af-
children through nature ter sin.
• People who are content specialists
Workshop Content
What Your Participants Will Learn Start your workshop with prayer. Ask the
1. The importance of nature in the nurture Holy Spirit for wisdom to be able to discern
and character development of Pathfinders nature’s lessons.
(nature an essential source of instruction in
conjunction with God’s Word). According to Education, “Nature
2. Lessons from the natural world that can be Teaching” (pp. 99-120), nature is
applied in our everyday lives. important because:

108 Club Ministry Training Manual

1. It is an unfailing source of instruction. Next we take time to understand the mysteries of
to the Bible, nature is to be our great lesson God’s creative works, we stretch the imagina-
book. tion. We marvel at each delicate and intricate
2. It helps us to understand God. In the Gar- design. Every created thing moves in perfect
den of Eden, Adam and Eve gained wisdom order and harmony. “God has provided for
and communed with God through nature. man subjects of thought which will bring into
3. God’s character is revealed in every living activity every faculty of the mind. We may
thing He created. read the character of the Creator in the heav-
4. It illustrates Bible lessons. ens above and the earth beneath, filling the
5. Nature reveals a knowledge of evil. While heart with gratitude and thanksgiving. Every
we can see God’s character in nature, we can nerve and sense will respond to the expres-
also see some of sin’s effects on our world. sions of God’s love in His marvelous works.”
(Ellen White, Child Guidance, p. 50)
Nature is beneficial to the character 4. As children get older and begin to better
and spiritual development of a child: comprehend the teachings of God’s Word,
1. Younger children may not fully compre- nature can help illustrate Bible lessons:
hend lessons from printed pages. However, a. “Many illustrations from nature are used by
if encouraged to spend time outdoors in na- Bible writers and as we observe the things of
ture, a child will develop a curiosity for their the natural world, we shall be enabled, un-
natural habitat. der the guiding of the Holy Spirit, more fully
2. God will become relevant to children to understand the lessons of God’s Word.”
through trees, flowers, animals, and sunrises (Child Guidance p. 46)
and sunsets. They can hear God’s voice in the b. The Bible helps interpret nature’s myster-
songs of birds, rolling thunder, and crashing ies:
waves. They can feel God’s handiwork in the i. When we see thorns, thistles, and tares, the
texture of bark, leaves, or the surface of an Bible reminds us that this was not what God
animal. intended. These are the results of sin! Satan,
3. Nature study strengthens the mind. When the enemy, brought these on God’s perfect

Club Ministry Training Manual 109

 creation. “An enemy has done this.” (Matt. self-disciplined.
13:28) g. Outdoor education improves communi-
ii. The story of redemption at Calvary shows cation skills among students. It gives them
God’s love that restores us. When we see opportunities to problem solve and lead
the changing of the seasons, rain turning to discussions, and it sometimes helps resolve
sunshine, and blossoms closing and opening, conflict.
they speak of God’s goodness and restoring h. Being outdoors allows children to develop
power. new skills. They can learn about gardening,
5. Studies show that when children and using a compass, building a fire, identifying
young people are allowed to learn outdoors, edible wild plants, etc.
they do much better than those who only i. Outdoor learning can help enhance a child’s
study indoors. self-reliance, confidence, and self-esteem.
a. Students get better grades when they j. As young people learn about natural dis-
study an outdoor curriculum. asters, environmental emergencies, or wild-
b. Children who spend more time playing or life crises, they begin thinking of ways to im-
moving around outdoors are healthier than prove their environment.
those who are indoors all day. k. Memory is enhanced when children discov-
c. Children’s stress levels are lower when they er and experience new and unfamiliar things
spend time listening to the sounds of nature. outdoors.
d. When children spend time in outdoor
classes, they are highly motivated to learn. Lessons from nature help us see
e. As students learn how things in nature re- practical applications and find an-
late to each other, their awareness leads to swers to challenges in our everyday
more responsible behavior toward their nat- lives. Here are five items found in
ural environment. nature and the lessons we can learn
f. When the classroom is outside, teachers from them:
notice a significant improvement in students’ 1. Trees
behavior. They are more cooperative and • Characteristic: There is a symbiotic rela-

110 Club Ministry Training Manual

tionship between trees and humans/ ani- Life application: We all experience obstacles
mals. Trees give fruit, shade, and vital oxygen and challenges, but with God’s help we can
to both people and animals. Humans and an- successfully maneuver through them.
imals give off carbon dioxide that is vital to 3. Birds
the survival of trees. • Characteristic: Birds wake up early to hunt
Life application: We should learn to use our for worms, to feed their young, or to build
resources to help others. their nests. They sing in order to communi-
• Characteristic: When there is a fierce storm, cate.
a tree does not stay rigid; it bends and sways • Life application: Matt. 6:26 says, “Look at
with the wind. It adapts to changing circum- the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor
stances and is flexible. reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly
Life application: We should learn to embrace Father feeds them. Are you not of more value
change and be flexible even in the face of than they?” We can sing to communicate our
adversity. Change can be good for renewed gratitude to God.
growth. 4. Mountains
2. Streams • Characteristic: Mountains are magnificent
• Characteristic: Streams need to flow in or- in their beauty and size. Mountain climbing
der to remain uncontaminated and pure. A may look intimidating, but it can be accom-
stagnant stream will become muddy and un- plished with planning and preparation.
clean. Life application: God can help us prepare for
Life application: We need to keep actively the future and face all challenges that come
working for Christ and or we will become our way.
stagnant and ineffective. 5. Flying Geese
• Characteristic: As a stream flows, there • Characteristic: Geese fly in a “V” forma-
are stones, rocks, and even boulders that can tion because it conserves their energy by re-
hinder the flow. Instead of stopping, a stream ducing wind resistance. They take turns be-
changes its course and flows over or around ing in front and fall to the back when they
the obstacle. get tired. This formation also allows them to

Club Ministry Training Manual 111

 keep visual contact with each other, so they will have a different perspective. Keep the
keep going in the right direction. following in mind:
Life application: God created us to live and a. Don’t be afraid to try new methods.
work in community. When we work together b. Be patient and allow each Pathfinder to
to accomplish a task, the load is lighter for grow in their own time. Remember, your pri-
everyone. Working together also helps us to mary role is to help facilitate an environment
stay focused and keep making progress. for growth in their walk with Jesus.
c. Allow each Pathfinder to be creative and
Important things to keep in mind use their imagination.
as you teach lessons from nature to 5. Encourage Pathfinders to write down their
Pathfinders: thoughts, experiences, and the lessons they
1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you and are learning.
give you wisdom as you teach valuable les- 6. Invite Pathfinders to praise God through
sons from nature. Pray that your Pathfinders music while in nature. We feel thankfulness
will learn lessons that will have a positive im- and adoration as we see all that God created.
pact on their lives. Psalmist David wrote songs and poetry that
2. You don’t have to be an expert or know expressed his gratitude to God while out in
everything. Part of being an effective teacher nature. When you go on campouts with your
is your willingness to learn. A great teacher is Pathfinders, sing songs that express praise to
also a good student! God.
3. Remember that teaching is journey of ad- 7. Go on short hikes. City and state parks are
venture, discovery, and growth in your own great places to go. Go on weekend campouts
spiritual life. If you don’t make it a priority to and teach nature honors. Visit zoos, libraries,
stay closely connected to Jesus, you cannot natural history museums, national parks, and
expect your Pathfinders to make it a priority natural environments in your area. Another
in their lives. great way to expose Pathfinders to nature is
4. There is more than one way to teach by watching videos and documentaries.
spiritual lessons through nature. Each person 8. Recruit an expert! You don’t have to know

112 Club Ministry Training Manual

everything about nature. Perhaps your com- 2. As you gather your samples, place them in
munity has someone with a passion for the bags provided. Label bags with the name
teaching about God’s creation. Ask for their of object, where it was found, and the date it
help! was collected. (You can use this again for an
object lesson in a club worship talk.)
Application Activity: “God Speaks 3. Respect the local rules protecting the en-
to Me Through...” vironment. You may not be allowed to take
samples of protected wild plants or flowers,
Materials etc. In this case, take a photo of the object
• Pathfinder Bible you want to use during the sharing time. You
• Walk, Gather, Share handout can also take a photo if the item is too large
• Pencils/pens to fit in a bag.
• Two bags for each participant to carry their Example:
collected objects from nature Verse Nature Object Lesson
Proverbs 30:25 Ant Diligence
Activity Overview Luke 8:5-8 Seed Human response
Each participant will collect one or two ob- to God’s Word
jects in nature that show how God reveals His John 15:5 Grapevine Believer’s
love and care for us. The last five minutes of abiding faith in
this activity should be dedicated to sharing. God
Make sure that each participant has a chance Isaiah 9:2 Light Christ is the Light
to share. of the world
Isaiah 40:25-28 Stars God’s knowledge
Instructions and power
1. You will have 12-15 minutes for this activity. Psalm 19:7-9 Nature God’s transfor-
Explore and collect objects and then report ming power.
on your discoveries by answering the ques-
tions on the handout.

Club Ministry Training Manual 113

 Application Activity: Creature/ it should be blank. The presenter can print
Character Trait Comparison and cut apart the chart for each person to
assemble on their own piece of paper.)
Materials
• Creature/Character Trait Comparison hand-
out
• List of character traits to be used with the
handout
• Pencils/pens
Object: To see who can be first to correctly
match the animal listed to the character trait
described. There will be a total of 15 differ-
ent animals and 15 matching character traits.
Fill in the blanks and draw a line or fill in the
blanks on the handout.

Activity Overview
1. You will have 10-12 minutes to do this activ-
ity. Match as many as possible.
2. Work individually without comparing an-
swers.
3. In the description column, fill in the blanks
with either the name of the animal or the
character trait. Draw lines from column 2 and
3 to the correct description.
4. Bonus point: Write the opposite character
trait in the last column. (On the sample chart,
the trait is filled in, however, on the handout

114 Club Ministry Training Manual

 Description Character Trait Animal Opposite Character
Trait
The___________________ BOLDNESS MONARCH BUTTERFLY Fearfulness
is an example of_________ Confidence to do or say
as it maneuvers itself into something when I know it is
whatever position is neces- right and just in the sight of
sary to carry out its work. God
This agile, 3.5-inch creature
can move forward, bac-
kward, up, down, sideways,
or hover in one place.
_______________ is FLEXIBILITY WOLVERINE Resistance
exhibited as the chrysalis of Not getting upset when my
a _____________________ plans or expectations are
finally splits open after changed by God or others
10 days of waiting and
the must quickly free
itself. After emerging from
the chrysalis, it must pump
fluid from its abdomen into
its wings to expand them.
Then it must wait several
hours for its wings to dry
before it can take off.
The____________________ PATIENCE RUBY-THROATED Restlessness
illustrates having the cha- Waiting for God to solve a di- HUMMINGBIRD
racter of _______________ fficult problem without giving
_______________. It is a Him a deadline
fearless and tenacious figh-
ter and does not back away
from any opponent, even
one that is many times its
size. It will even drive away
a bear or a mountain lion.

Suggested Activities
• Volunteer your time or support an organization that advocates good stewardship and care of the environ-
ment. Spending time taking care of the environment will foster a love of nature and encourage us to help
preserve our natural world so we can enjoy it for years to come.
• Incorporate Bible learning and memorization with nature. Go on a Bible scavenger hunt. Use scripture verses
that mention objects found in nature as clues.
• Act out one of Jesus’ nature parables.

Club Ministry Training Manual 115

 NAD - YOUTH/CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT

E
(To be adapted by SDA Legal Department of your local field)

Acknowledgment
Because I want the best possible environment for our children and youth to grow up in, it is important that
those working with children have guidelines for conduct in order to protect both themselves and those under
their care. As a ministry volunteer, I want parents and others to feel comfortable and confident with me.

PL
My Commitment to Volunteer Ministry
As a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer, I will:

1. Provide appropriate adult supervision at all times for the children for whom I am responsible.
2. Have at least one other adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, to help with the supervision of children. If I
find myself in a situation where I am the only adult present, under no circumstances will I allow myself to be
alone with one child (the “two-person rule”). This protects the child as well as protecting the adult from
possible allegations.
3. Ask a child’s permission before physically touching him/her anywhere, even when responding to an injury or
problem. This is especially true for any areas that would normally be covered by a T-shirt and/or shorts. If an
injury is within this area, make sure another adult works with you as care is provided.
M
4. Refrain from physical and verbal attacks and corporal punishment which are inappropriate behaviors and
should never be used as discipline. “Time outs” or “sit-in-that-chair” may be helpful discipline methods to
use with children.
5. Affirm children with appropriate touching by keeping hugs brief and “shoulder-to-shoulder” or “side-to-si
de.” I will keep hands at (not below) the shoulder level. For small children who like to sit on laps, I will
encourage them to sit next to me.
6.Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
7. Be aware of conducting activities in rooms that do not have an interior viewing area, or I will leave the door
SA

open during the activity to allow easy observation by others.

8. Cooperate with the volunteer screening process and complete the Volunteer Ministry Information form, as
required by the church.
9. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and aware of the legal requirements for reporting
suspected cases of abuse. In addition to any legally required reporting, I agree that if I become aware of any
behavior by another individual which seems abusive or inappropriate towards children I am supervising,
I will report that behavior to the church pastor, elder, or directly to the Conference Treasurer’s or Risk
Management Director.
10. Cooperate with church leadership in conducting children and youth ministries by being a volunteer who is
loving, kind, firm, and always a thoroughly professional person. Working with children and youth is not only
a privilege; it is also a serious responsibility that must be approached with utmost care.
11. Participate in orientation and training programs conducted by the church.
Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
12. Uphold the standards of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

* In the event I find it impossible to comply with the above, I will comply as closely as possible with the Code
of Conduct and act in good faith for the welfare of the people involved.

116 Club Ministry Training Manual

Thank You for your service as a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer
Please retain a copy of this document and keep it for reference.

Club Ministry Training Manual 117

 The Pathfinder Club Counselor Certification is something that every Pathfinder Club coun-
selor should complete. These eight workshops are basic to leading Pathfinder Club Ministry.

Presenters responsible for these workshops should make sure that, in addition to commu-
nicating the information, they take time to make the workshop practical and to give partici-
pants time to think about how they are going to apply this in their club.

Workshops in the Counselor Certification include:

• Pathfinder Club Outreach—PFAD 004
• The Pathfinder Club Organization: The Counselor’s Support Team—PFAD 100
• Discipling and Discipline—PYSO 121
• Developmental Growth—PYSO 104
• The Counselor’s Relationship to the Pathfinder—PYSO 124
• The Counselor’s Responsibilities—PFAD 101
• Safety and the Counselor—RCSF 120
• Spiritual Applications in Nature—NAOS 120

Each of the workshops includes a description of the content, the audience, or participants
that you can anticipate will attend, resource material, what your participants will learn, basic
content for the workshop, and suggested activities.

Pathfinder Club Counselor Certification is part of the Club Ministries Training (CMT) which
includes certifications for Adventurer Club Ministries, Pathfinder Club Ministries, Master
Guides, and Youth Ministries.

CMT is based on the Adventist Youth Ministry Training (AYMT) curriculum, developed by the
North American Division. 

118 Club Ministry Training Manual

CMT Pathfinder
Club Instructor
Workshop Resources for Presenters
General Conference 2022 Edition

Club Ministry Training Manual 119

Pathfinder Club Instructor

Prerequisites
1. Be at least 18 years old
2. Commit to the Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer Code of Conduct (p 23)
3. Be currently approved by your conference’s child protection screening verification
4. Be a baptized Seventh-day Adventist Christian who loves Jesus and is willing to share this love in
both word and deed
5. Complete Pathfinder Club Basic Certification

styles, considers how to best reach a learn-

Overview of Workshops er, and what not to do. Participants are en-
Understanding Teaching couraged to evaluate the learning styles of
the children in their club and determine what
Styles | EDUC 002 teaching changes they should make to be-
This workshop gives a more in-depth look come more effective in reaching their youth.
at the concept of teaching styles introduced
in EDUC 001 (taught in Basic Staff Certifi- Working with Children
cation). It gives a survey of historical styles with Special Needs | EDUC 006
and introduces new styles. Strengths and This seminar gives an overview of common
weaknesses of each style are discussed, and types of special needs and promotes com-
participants are encouraged to evaluate their munication with parents and caregivers of
own style of teaching and take the necessary Pathfinders who have them. It also provides
steps to become more effective instructors. suggestions about how to adapt Pathfinder
activities for children with special needs to
Understanding Learning ensure that all Pathfinders can participate
Styles | EDUC 003 and be successful.
This workshop gives a survey of the learning

120 Club Ministry Training Manual

Teaching Christian
Values | EDUC 150 Practical Applications for Teaching
This seminar covers the faith development Investiture Achievement | EDUC 210
stages of Pathfinders and gives participants This workshop considers the challenges
ideas about how to nurture faith at each and opportunities of leading and instruct-
stage. It identifies the Biblical values upon ing the Investiture Achievement curriculum.
which the Pathfinder Pledge and Law are Practical ideas for creative and dynamic in-
based and teaches how to use strategies that struction focused on active learning will be
model Christian principles to Pathfinders. included. A variety of teaching methods are
introduced to encourage instructors to use
Teaching Investiture Achievement: different techniques.
Intent and Organization | EDUC 200
This workshop presents the general outline Teaching Honors | EDUC 230
and structure of the “Investiture Achieve- This workshop will inform students of the in-
ment Curriculum.” Special attention is given tent, value, variety, and exploration potential
to the objectives, or intent, of the eight tracks of teaching honors. It will discuss what to
of each level. These tracks are: Personal consider when selecting honors for instruc-
Growth, Spiritual Discovery, Serving Others, tion, including integration of honors required
Making Friends, Health and Fitness, Nature by Investiture Achievement levels. Guidelines
Study, Outdoor Activities, and Honor Enrich- for teaching include creating learning activ-
ment. Understanding the intent supporting ities to complete the honors as well as how
each track will help leaders implement spe- to balance integrity of learning with conflicts
cific Investiture Achievement requirements of time, funding, and safety. Information will
and/or modify and combine them as need- be provided on where to find honor require-
ed for teaching their unique group of young ments and answers.
people. The workshop will include practical
suggestions for creative and dynamic in- Introduction to Discipline | PYSO
struction focused on active learning. 120

Club Ministry Training Manual 121

 This workshop introduces various views and firming requirement completion. This evi-
definitions of discipline. It then covers princi- dence can come in the form of signed class
ples of Christian discipline and specific tech- cards or sign-in sheets, class handouts and/
niques for effective discipline. or photographs of participants leading or in-
volved in, or proof of applicable research and
Required Fieldwork projects completed as required fieldwork.
1. Establish a mentoring relationship with an The purpose of the portfolio is not only to
experienced instructor, or, even better, with a show completion of all the certification re-
professional teacher. Document the conver- quirements, but also to be an authoritative
sations and advice that they share with you referral source when faced with similar issues
over the course of a Pathfinder year. in the future.
2. Lead a group of Pathfinders to Investiture. The physical portfolio can be a three-ring
3. Lead a group of Pathfinders to successful binder or folder in which all materials are
completion of an honor. kept. However, a fully digital data collection
4. Create a portfolio that contains the hand- is also acceptable.
outs and your personal notes from the work- The content is what counts, not the form of
shops you attend and the mentoring you re- that content. It should be well organized and
ceive. In your portfolio, place copies of your easy to check over.
teaching plans and records as your complete Items should be labeled for easy connection
requirements 2. and 3. to a specific requirement. The form will vary
according to the personality and style of the
Portfolios participant.
The Pathfinder Instructor Certification re-
quires a portfolio documenting the journey, Portfolio Review
progress, lessons learned, and completion of The purpose of the review is to confirm com-
requirements. pletion of the requirements. It is not to re-
The portfolio should include a completed quire conformity to any system requiring
certification check sheet and evidence con- specific formats of style of presentation.

122 Club Ministry Training Manual

Portfolios are reviewed to determine if they
are complete or incomplete. An incomplete
portfolio will be returned to the participant
with a written explanation of what needs to
be added, corrected or complete. Portfolios,
whether complete or incomplete, should be
returned to the participant in a timely man-
ner.
Review of completed portfolios will be done
by an invested Master Guide appointed by
the Conference Youth Director or their de-
signee.

Recognition of Completion
Everyone likes to have their efforts recog-
nized. Youth leaders who put in untold hours
of prayer, planning, counseling, and training
are no exception.
Upon successful review of the portfolio the
participant is eligible for an enameled pin
and certificate of completion.

Club Ministry Training Manual 123

Understanding Teaching
Styles—EDUC 002

Description
This workshop gives a more in-depth look at the concept of teaching styles introduced in EDUC 001
(taught in Basic Staff Certification). It gives a survey of historical styles and introduces new styles.
Strengths and weaknesses of each style are discussed, and participants are encouraged to evaluate
their own style of teaching and take the necessary steps to become more effective instructors.

Audience/Participants
This workshop is for all staff who have com- Workshop Content
pleted the Basic Staff Certification. Most staff
teach honors or Investiture Achievement Jesus demonstrated a variety of methods
Curriculum at some time and would benefit in His teaching. He used stories and illustra-
from this class. tions, parables, questions, discussion, lecture,
object lessons, and debates to communicate
Resource Material His message in a way that connected to His
• Internet learners.
• Handout—Friend record card 1. Jesus adapted His teaching style to fit the
• Handout—Honor requirement sheets for a specific situation. For example, when teach-
level-one honor ing the multitude on a mountainside, He ad-
dressed His learners using lecture (Matt 5-7).
What Your Participants Will Learn However, when He was alone with the disci-
1. Compare the pros and cons of the different ples, He used object lessons, (John 13:5-20).
styles of teaching. 2. Jesus matched His teaching method with
2. Adjust styles to match the teaching situa- the message He needed to communicate. For
tion and students. example, in His encounter with the Samaritan

1 24 Club Ministry Training Manual

woman at the well, He used questions to lead higher-education disciplines and auditorium
her to explore the truth of His message (John settings with large groups of students. The
4:7-30). pure lecture style is most suitable for sub-
3. Jesus led His learners in moving jects like history that necessitate memoriza-
from concrete experiences to abstract prin- tion of key facts, dates, names, etc.
ciples. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Cons: It is a questionable model for teaching
He taught His learners what it meant to be a children because there is little or no interac-
good neighbor (Luke 10:30-37). In the Para- tion with the teacher.
ble of the Sower, He demonstrated how the
kingdom of God would develop (Matthew Demonstrator—This approach concen-
13:3-23). trates on the performance of an academic
4. Jesus taught to transform lives rather than procedure. The instructor defines the steps
to impart information. For example, He used that an expert in the field would use to ac-
mentoring assignments to teach His disciples complish necessary tasks as well as defines
how to share their faith (Luke 10:1-20). the standards that would indicate mastery
in applying these procedures. The instructor
Types of Teaching Styles then develops situations in which these steps
Formal Authority—The Formal Authori- can be performed, and results observed. The
ty approach focuses on content and can be instructor may be the one who demonstrates
very instructor-centered. The instructor de- the procedures; students may be the ones
fines the theories, principles, concepts, or practicing the procedures; or some combi-
terms that the student needs to learn and or- nation of both.
ganizes them into a sequenced set of goals Pros: This style gives teachers opportunities
or objectives. Evaluations are a necessary to incorporate a variety of formats includ-
part of course planning as they allow the in- ing lectures, multimedia presentations, and
structor to ascertain the amount of student demonstrations.
learning that has occurred. Cons: Although it’s well-suited for teaching
Pros: This style is acceptable for certain mathematics, music, physical education, and

Club Ministry Training Manual 125

 arts and crafts, it is difficult to accommodate plementing their own complex learning pro-
students’ individual needs in larger class- jects and will act in a consultative role.
rooms. Pros: Guided discovery and inquiry-based
learning places the teacher in an observer
Facilitator—Teachers who have a facilita- role that inspires students by working in tan-
tor model teaching style tend to focus on dem toward common goals.
activities. This teaching style emphasizes Cons: Considered a modern style of teach-
student-centered learning and there is much ing, it is sometimes criticized as newfangled
more responsibility placed on the students to and geared toward the teacher as consultant
take the initiative for meeting the demands rather than as the traditional authority figure.
of various learning tasks. Teachers typically
design group activities that necessitate ac- Suggested Activities
tive learning, student-to-student collabora- Break into groups. Using a record card or
tion, and problem solving. honor, choose a requirement and explore
Pros: This style trains students to ask ques- how the instructor can teach it to Pathfinders
tions and helps develop skills to find answers using the four teaching styles.
and solutions through exploration; it is ideal
for teaching science and similar subjects.
Cons: It challenges teachers to interact with
students and prompt them toward discovery
rather than lecturing facts and testing knowl-
edge through memorization.

Delegator—Teachers who practice a del-

egator teaching style tend to place control
and responsibility for learning on individuals
or groups of students. This teacher will often
give students a choice in designing and im-

126 Club Ministry Training Manual

Understanding
Learning Styles—EDUC 003

Description
This workshop gives a survey of the learning styles, considers how to best reach a learner, and dis-
cusses what not to do. It encourages participants to evaluate the learning styles of Pathfinders they
will instruct and to determine what teaching changes they should make to become more effective in
reaching their youth.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

These include all staff who have completed the
Basic Staff Certification. Most staff teach hon- Learning Styles
ors or Investiture Achievement Curriculum at INNOVATIVE
some time and would benefit from this class. Strengths
• Imaginative
Resource Material • Understands people
• Internet • Recognizes problems
• Handout—Learning Styles Test • Good at brainstorming
• The conscience for the group
What Your Participants Will Learn Weaknesses
1. Compare the pros and cons of the different • Prefer to observe
styles of teaching. • Often won’t make decisions
2. Adjust styles to match the teaching situa- • Can be paralyzed by alternatives
tion and students. In Your Pathfinder club
• Artistic expressions (poetry, songs, stories)
• Posters, drawings, bulletin boards
• Express personal feelings

1 28 Club Ministry Training Manual

ANALYTIC • Making something
Strengths • Drama/plays
• Good at planning • Solving problems that apply to life
• Creating models
• Defining problems DYNAMIC
• Remembering facts Strengths
• Reasoning • Problem solving
Weaknesses • Decision making
• So involved in thinking that they don’t make • Defining problems
any practical application • Applying new ideas to new situations
In Your Pathfinder club Weaknesses
• Quizzes • May solve a problem that isn’t there
• Discussions • May make hasty decisions
• Coded Scriptures and puzzles • Lack of focus
• No testing of ideas
COMMON SENSE In Your Pathfinder club
Strengths • Will question everything
• Problem solving • Will expand on everything
• Decision making • Will think about how this affects them (not
• Defining problems necessarily others)
• Applying new ideas to new situations • Needs instructors and leaders who are pa-
Weaknesses tient and understanding
• May solve a problem that isn’t there
• May make hasty decisions WHEN LEARNING SOMETHING
• Lack of focus NEW, WE REMEMBER
• No testing of ideas • 10 % of what we hear
In Your Pathfinder club • 15% of what we see
• Experiments • v20% of what we both see and hear

Club Ministry Training Manual 129

 • 40% of what we discuss
• 80% of what we experience directly or
practice doing
• 90% of what we attempt to teach others

Suggested Activities
Take the learning styles inventory at the start
of your workshop.

130 Club Ministry Training Manual

Working with Children with
Special Needs—EDUC 006

Description
This seminar gives an overview of common types of special needs and promotes communication with
parents and caregivers of Pathfinders who have them. It also provides suggestions about how to adapt
Pathfinder activities for children with special needs to ensure that all Pathfinders can participate and
be successful.

Audience/Participants (biausa.org)
These include all staff who have completed • Canadian Association of the Deaf website
the Basic Staff Certification. Most staff teach (cad.ca)
honors or Investiture Achievement Curric- • Pathologists & Audiologists website (casl-
ulum at some time and would benefit from pa.ca)
this class. • Canadian National Institute for the Blind
website (cnib.co)
Resource Material • Center for Autism & Related Disorders web-
• American Association on Intellectual and site (CenterforAutism.com)
Developmental Disabilities website (aamr. • Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/
org) Hyperactivity Disorder website (chadd.org)
• American Foundation for the Blind website • Deaf Ministries International website (Deaf-
(afb.org) Hope.org)
• American Society for Deaf Children website • Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation In-
(DeafChildren.org) ternational website (jdrf.org)
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Asso- • Learning Disability Association of America
ciation website (asha.org) website (ldaamerica.org)
• Brain Injury Association of America website • Muscular Dystrophy Association website

131 Club Ministry Training Manual

(mda.org) needs.
• National Association for Down Syndrome • Examples for how to adapt or modify Path-
website (nads.org) finder activities for children with disabilities
• Spina Bifida Association website (SpinaBi- so that each child can be successful as part
fidaAssociation.org) of each activity.
• United Cerebral Palsy website (ucp.org) • How to identify areas and activities that
• Explore new resources in your country and might pose an accessibility challenge.
language.
Suggested Activities
What Your Participants Will Learn • Ask a special needs professional (teacher,
1. To understand the different disabilities chil- therapist, etc.) to speak with the class.
dren can have, to foster communication with • Ask parents to meet one-on-one with staff
parents and caregivers of Pathfinders who to discuss child’s specific needs.
have disabilities. • Reach out to university students studying
2. To adapt Pathfinder activities for children in the field of special needs and invite them
with disabilities, to make sure that each Path- to volunteer to share at trainings or to vol-
finder can participate and be successful. unteer consistently at club meetings as a big
3. To ensure that the Pathfinder Club meet- brother or a big sister.
ing site is physically accessible. • Ask your local health department or hospi-
tal for additional resources.
Workshop Content • Ask church members to volunteer as a con-
• Challenges that children with disabilities sistent mentor for child with special needs.
encounter. • Demonstrate how to adapt activities for a
• How to identify any disabilities or modifica- child with special needs.
tion needed during registration.
• How to communicate with parents and car-
egivers to gain insight about how to modify
or adapt activities for their individual child’s

Club Ministry Training Manual 132

Teaching Christian
Values—EDUC 150

Description
This seminar covers the faith development stages of Pathfinders and gives participants ideas about
how to nurture faith at each stage. It identifies the Biblical values upon which the Pathfinder Pledge
and Law are based and teaches how to use strategies that model Christian principles to Pathfinders.

Audience/Participants
These include all staff who have completed Workshop Content
the Basic Staff Certification. Most staff teach
honors or Investiture Achievement Curric- Bible passages that show Christ-centered
ulum at some time and would benefit from values You can use the following verses as
this class. examples:
• Galatians 2:20
Resource Material • Romans 12:2
• Teaching the Faith by Donna Habenicht and • Matthew 6:33
Larry Burton • 1 Corinthians 11:1-2
• Explore other materials approved by your • John 1:12
Conference. • Romans 8:38-39
• John 3:16-17
What Your Participants Will Learn • 2 Timothy 3:16-17
1. To identify the values that are impor- • Ephesians 5:21
tant for Pathfinders to learn and practice, to • Psalm 28:7
describe the faith development stages chil- • Romans 3:23
dren in Pathfinders progress through, to rec- • Romans 6:3-4
ognize the values upon which the Pathfinder • Hebrews 13:17
Pledge and Law are based, and to use strat- • Proverbs 3:5-6
egies that teach and model values to Path- • John 5:24
finders. • Philippians 4:13

133 Club Ministry Training Manual

• Galatians 3:28 ly, the statement clearly recognizes wisdom
Values that should be taught (mental) and stature (physical) as separate
and modeled for Pathfinders. areas of development. But Luke adds, “and in
favor with God and man,” suggesting spiritual
Values and principles are so important be- and social growth or faith development.
cause values have an influence in Pathfind-
ers’ behaviors and attitude, and have a great Stages
effect in our decisions and relationship with • Stage 1: Experienced Faith—Birth to two
the world, society, parents, families, friends, years
church, and God. • Stage 2: Belonging Faith—Ages two to sev-
When we as teachers, parents, and leaders of en
the church model appropriate values behav- • Stage 3: Searching Faith—Ages seven to
iors, this is a powerful way to transmit values eleven
to our Pathfinders and youth. • Stage 4: Owned Faith—Ages eleven into
Some values that you can teach are honesty, adult years
respect, generosity, justice, courtesy, respon- • Analysis of each part of the Pathfinder
sibility, sincerity, obedience, consistency, loy- Pledge and Law and recognition that Jesus
alty, sympathy, and honor. can help each one of us be more like Him

Main points for each stage of The Pathfinder Pledge and Law is an impor-
faith development tant part of Pathfinder Club Ministry. Each
Review the different types of faith-develop- year thousands of Pathfinders learn and
ment stages based on the Pathfinders’ ages. choose to abide by the Pathfinder Pledge
Luke’s simple statement, “And Jesus in- and Law for growing closer to their fellow
creased in wisdom and stature, and in favor men and women, and to their Creator.
with God and men” (Luke 2:52 NKJV) sums
up Jesus’ development through the ages and
stages of childhood. Even more important-

Club Ministry Training Manual 13 4

 Pledge and Law Handout

Pathfinder Pledge

By the grace of God,

I will be pure and kind and true.
I will keep the Pathfinder Law.
I will be a servant of God and a friend
to man.

Your Pathfinders need to understand the meaning of their Pathfinder Pledge.

As they memorize the words have them learn what this means to them.

By the grace of God, Only as I rely on God to help me can I do His will.
I will be pure I will fill my mind with everything that is right and true and spend my time in activi-
ties that will build a strong, clean character.
I will be kind I will be considerate and kind not only to other people, but also to all of God’s crea-
tion.
I will be true I will be honest and upright in study, work, and play, and can always be counted
upon to do my very best.
I will keep the Pathfin- I will seek to understand the meaning of the law and will strive to live up to its spi-
der Law rit, realizing that obedience to law is essential in any organization.
I will be a servant of I will pledge myself to serve God first, last, and best in everything I am called upon
God to be or do.
I will be a friend to I will live to bless others and do unto them as I would have them do unto me.
man

135 Club Ministry Training Manual

 Pathfinder Law
Pathfinder Pledge

The Pathfinder Law is for me to:

1. Keep the morning watch.
2. Do my honest part.
3. Care for my body.
4. Keep a level eye.
5. Be courteous and obedient.
6. Walk softly in the sanctuary.
7. Keep a song in my heart.
8. Go on God’s errands.

The Pathfinder Law is a commitment by the Pathfinder club member. Make

sure that the meaning of each phrase is understood as it is memorized.

1. Keep the morning watch I will have prayer and personal Bible study each day.
2. Do my honest part By the power of God, I will help others, and do my duty and my honest
share, wherever I may be.
3. Care for my body I will be temperate in all things and strive to reach a high standard of phy-
sical fitness.
4. Keep a level eye I will not lie, cheat or deceive, and will despise dirty talk or evil thinking.
5. Be courteous and obedient I will be kind and thoughtful of others, reflecting the love of Jesus in all my
association with others.
6. Walk softly in the sanctuary In any devotional exercise, I will be quiet, careful, and reverent
7. Keep a song in my heart I will be cheerful and happy and let the influence of my life be as sunshine
to others.
8. Go on God’s errands. I will always be ready to share my faith and go about doing good as did
Jesus.

Club Ministry Training Manual 137

 Suggested Activities
• Plan activities that reinforce the values for
your Pathfinder Club.
• Discuss what values are important to your
church community and deciding which val-
ues your club will emphasize.
• Find or create your own activities that teach
the values upon which the Pathfinder Pledge
and Law are based.
• Discuss creative methods. Give an exam-
ple of a sermon on the meaning of the altar.
Break into groups and work together on how
they would use visuals or illustrations of the
altar or other creative methods to deliver the
sermon.
• Role-play how to handle a situation well.
Model good values by how you treat them.
• Select an award or curriculum item and
show specifically how you will teach Chris-
tian values as part of that activity.
• Before the workshop section, assign some
participants to interrupt/disrupt, etc. like
Pathfinders would. Use the opportunity to
address the behavior demonstrating the use
of Christian values.

138 Club Ministry Training Manual

Teaching Investiture
Achievement—EDUC 200

Description
This workshop presents the general outline and structure of the “Investiture Achievement Curriculum.”
Special attention is given to the objectives, or intent, of the eight tracks of each level. These tracks are:
Personal Growth, Spiritual Discovery, Serving Others, Making Friends, Health and Fitness, Nature Study,
Outdoor Activities, and Honor Enrichment. Understanding the intent supporting each track will help
leaders implement specific Investiture Achievement requirements and/or modify and combine them as
needed for teaching their unique group of young people. The workshop will include practical sugges-
tions for creative and dynamic instruction focused on active learning.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors,
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors Ideas for Workshop Presentation
and Activities
Resource Material The objective of Investiture Achievement is
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual to provide a means by which Pathfinders can
• Investiture Achievement cards, journals, be trained in service for God and as good cit-
and posters izens of their communities. There are six lev-
els of Investiture Achievement determined
What Your Participants Will Learn by age: Friend (10), Companion (11), Explor-
1. The purpose and objectives of Investiture er (12), Ranger (13), Voyager (14), and Guide
Achievement (15).
2. How the Investiture Achievement curricu-
lum fits into your Pathfinder calendar The eight tracks and the intent for
3. The eight Investiture Achievement tracks each track
and the intent beneath each track 1. Personal Growth: Understanding that God
4. Teaching Investiture Achievement to Path- values each Pathfinder contributes to the
finders Pathfinders’ development of positive self-

140 Club Ministry Training Manual

worth and encourages confidence in the abil- of service through outreach, friendship evan-
ities given to them by God. To aid Pathfinders gelism, and other church or community ac-
in this understanding, the Personal Growth tivities.
track encourages each Pathfinder to have a 4. Making Friends: Establishing friendships
personal relationship with Jesus through a promotes positive spiritual and social growth.
daily devotional life, Bible study, and prayer. In the Making Friends track, Pathfinders learn
The daily devotional life aids the Pathfind- about being a friend to others, to the com-
er in creating a personal habit of daily time munity, and to the planet. Pathfinders have
with God that can set the foundation for the the opportunity to model the positive bene-
rest of their life. In this track, Pathfinders also fits of a Christian lifestyle, develop and apply
learn how to apply the Pathfinder Pledge and morals and values, and demonstrate civic re-
Law to words, actions, and beliefs. sponsibility.
2. Spiritual Discovery: Hearing stories of 5. Health and Fitness: Learning God’s princi-
God’s love, protection, and guidance in the ples for a healthy life teaches Pathfinders of
lives of real people encourages in Pathfind- God’s concern for their physical, emotional,
ers the awareness that God is alive. In the and mental health. In the Health and Fitness
Spiritual Discovery track, Pathfinders grow track, Pathfinders apply health and fitness
spiritually through the study of real people principles, share these principles with others,
in the Bible and Christian history. Each IA and practice basic First Aid and safety pro-
class explores doctrines of the Seventh-day cedures.
Adventist church, laying a strong foundation 6. Nature Study: Exploring nature is an excit-
for Pathfinders to understand what active ing way for Pathfinders to experience God.
membership means and commit to being In the Nature Study track, Pathfinders learn
baptized, active members. about God through observation of nature,
3. Serving Others: Focusing on the needs of time spent outdoors, and environmental
others encourages Pathfinders to embrace stewardship.
all of God’s diverse family. In the Serving 7. Outdoor Living: Practicing outdoor living
Others track, Pathfinders experience the joy skills is a fun and challenging way for Path-

Club Ministry Training Manual 141

 finders to develop life and problem-solving
tools. In the Outdoor Living track, Pathfind-
ers perform outdoor skills, solve outdoor
challenges, and participate in outdoor team
activities. Outdoor activities offer Pathfind-
ers relationship building time with their men-
tors.
8. Honor Enrichment: Once a Pathfinder has
completed an Investiture Achievement level,
she or he can then complete the honor enrich-
ment and other advanced-level activities for
that Investiture Achievement level. Honor en-
richment promotes personal growth and al-
lows Pathfinders to explore their interests by
earning new honors, learning new skills, and
studying new content areas. Honor enrich-
ment provides opportunities for Pathfinders’
accomplishments to be acknowledged pub-
licly by the church and community. Public ac-
knowledgment increases Pathfinders’ sense
of self-worth. At the close of the school year,
Pathfinder Investiture services provide a
meaningful affirmation of the responsibilities
and accomplishments of each Pathfinder.

When and how Investiture Achieve-

142 Club Ministry Training Manual

ment might be taught in your club can be effective as well.
year
It is important that staff understand the Practical application of ideal, crea-
scope and sequence of Investiture Achieve- tive instruction
ment, how their individual level of curriculum The ideal model for teaching Investiture
fits into the big picture, and how to teach it. Achievement incorporates lecture, group ac-
There is a variety of methods for tracking tivity, and synthesis and application. These
the Pathfinders’ progress such as using wall three components often can be given equal
charts, record cards, and journals. time depending on the content of the lesson.
Following this model, class participants can
Teaching Investiture Achievement be instructed to create and present a plan for
to Pathfinders teaching or adapting an Investiture Achieve-
Investiture Achievement (IA) is the core cur- ment lesson to one of the suggested activi-
riculum for Pathfinder ministry. It needs to ties. Many members have helped the cause
be taught in a way that meets the individ- of Pathfinders especially if the members
ual needs of the Pathfinders. This may look have children in the club.
different from one year to the next. Due to
time limitations, it is not possible to com- Suggested Activities
plete all of the requirements during a Path- • Review 2 to 3 club calendar examples of
finder meeting. At-home work teaches the incorporating Investiture Achievement work
Pathfinder responsibility and accountability. into the Pathfinder schedule and create a
Instructors should follow up with Pathfinders calendar for your club.
between meetings to encourage and remind • Accommodate Investiture Achievement to
them of at-home work. Finding the best way individual and special needs.
to connect with the Pathfinder whether it be • Adapt Investiture Achievement to different
by text, sending a note home or on social ages.
media is key for success in this area. Involv- • Teach an Investiture Achievement level to
ing parents in encouraging their Pathfinder teach the skills they are learning to others

Master Guide Card 143

 (i.e., another level). Serving Others—Focusing on the needs
• Explore honors which can be taught during of others encourages Pathfinders to em-
campouts. brace all of God’s diverse family. In the Serv-
Investiture Achievement Structure ing Others track, Pathfinders experience the
Track Objectives joy of service through outreach, friendship
Personal Growth—Understanding that evangelism, and other church or community
God values each Pathfinder contributes to activities. Use their spiritual gifts and witness
Pathfinders’ development of positive self- for Jesus.
worth and encourage confidence in the abili- Making Friends—Establishing friendships
ties given to them by God. To aid Pathfinders promotes positive spiritual and social growth.
in this understanding, the Personal Growth In the Making Friends track, Pathfinders learn
track encourages each Pathfinder to have a how to be a friend to others, to the commu-
personal relationship with Jesus through a nity, and to the planet. Pathfinders have the
daily devotional life, Bible study, and prayer. opportunity to model the positive benefits
In this track Pathfinders also learn how to ap- of a Christian lifestyle, develop and apply
ply the Pathfinder Pledge and Law to words, morals and values, and demonstrate civic re-
actions, and beliefs. Jesus is relevant in all sponsibility. Exhibit the characteristics of be-
facets of the Christian way of life. ing a good friend. Appreciate all peoples and
Spiritual Discovery—Hearing stories of cultures in your community.
God’s love, protection, and guidance in the Health and Fitness—Learning God’s prin-
lives of real people makes God come alive for ciples for a healthy life teaches Pathfinders
Pathfinders. In the Spiritual Discovery track, of God’s concern for their physical, emo-
Pathfinders grow spiritually through the tional, and mental health. In the Health and
study of real people in the Bible and Chris- Fitness track, Pathfinders apply health and
tian history. Become familiar with the Bible’s fitness principles, share these principles with
structure by being able to find its books. Ap- others, and practice basic first aid and safe-
preciate its relevance and apply its principles. ty procedures. Good health and physical fit-
Discover God’s will for our lives in the Bible. ness are an integral part of practical religion.

144 Club Ministry Training Manual

Know and choose the God-given principles their interests by earning new honors, learn-
of good health in our lifestyle. ing new skills, and studying new content ar-
Nature Study—Exploring nature is an ex- eas. Honor enrichment provides opportuni-
citing way for Pathfinders to experience God. ties for Pathfinders’ accomplishments to be
In the Nature Study track, Pathfinders learn acknowledged publicly by the church and
about God through observation of nature, community. Public acknowledgment increas-
time spent outdoors, and environmental es Pathfinders’ sense of self- worth. Develop
stewardship. Learn that God’s character is re- skills to prepare for future situations in life.
vealed in nature. Appreciate nature through
observation and taking care of their environ-
ment.
Outdoor Living—Practicing outdoor liv-
ing skills is a fun and challenging way for
Pathfinders to develop life and problem-solv-
ing tools. In the Outdoor Living track, Path-
finders perform outdoor skills, solve outdoor
challenges, and participate in outdoor team
activities. Use Christian standards to guide
our choice of recreational activities. Biblical
principles should influence our attitude while
participating.
Honor Enrichment—Once a Pathfinder
has completed an Investiture Achievement
level, she or he can then complete the honor
enrichment and other advanced level activi-
ties for that Investiture Achievement level.
Honor enrichment promotes personal
growth and allows Pathfinders to explore

Club Ministry Training Manual 145

 NAD FRIEND COMPANION EXPLORER
SAMPLE
Personal 1. Be in Grade 5 or its equivalent. 1. Be in Grade 6 or its equivalent. 1. Be in Grade 7 or its equivalent.
Growth 2. A. Develop your devotional life 2. A. Develop your devotional life by 2. A. Develop your devotional life
by studying the Weekly Devotional studying the Weekly Devotional Guide by studying the Weekly Devotional
Guide (weeks
1-13) and the book of (weeks 14-26) and the book of Genesis Guide (weeks 27-39) and the book
Matthew utilizing printed or electro- utilizing printed or electronic resources. of Acts utilizing printed or electro-
nic resources. B. Journal your thoughts by asking these nic resources.
B. Journal your thoughts by asking questions: B. Journal your thoughts by asking
these questions: - “What did I learn about God?” these questions:
● “What did I learn about - “What did I learn about myself?” - “What did I learn about God?”
God?” - “How can I apply this to my life today?” - “What did I learn about myself?”
- “What did I learn about myself?” You may journal through writing, drawing - “How can I apply this to my life
- “How can I apply this to my life or electronic processes. today?”
today?” You may journal through writing,
You may journal through writing, drawing or electronic processes.
drawing or electronic processes.

3. Memorize the Pathfinder Pledge & 3. A. Memorize/review the Pathfinder 3. A. Memorize/review the Pathfin-
Law. Pledge & Law. 
 der Pledge.

B. Learn the meaning of the Pathfinder, B. Illustrate your understanding of
Pledge & Law. the Pathfinder Pledge in an interes-
ting way.

4. Learn the Pathfinder Song. 4. A. Learn/review the Pathfinder Song. 
 4. Learn the meaning of the Path-
B. Illustrate its meaning. finder Emblem.

Spiritual 1. A. Memorize in order the names 1. A. Memorize in order the names of 1. Learn how to use a Bible concor-
Discovery of the New Testament books of the the Old Testament books of the Bible dance by selecting two topics and/
Bible and know the four areas into and the five groups into which they are or words to discover how it is used
which the books are grouped. grouped.
 in the Bible.
B. Demonstrate your ability to find B. Demonstrate your ability to find any
any New Testament book. Old Testament book.

2. Memorize a Bible text for the fo- 2. Memorize a Bible text (not previously 2. Memorize a Bible text (not pre-
llowing subjects: learned) for the following subjects: viously learned) for the following
- Prayer - Prayer subjects:
- Doctrine - Behavior - Prayer
- Behavior - Relationships - Behavior
- Salvation - Doctrine - Relationships
- Relationships - Great Passages - Doctrine
- Promises/Praise - Salvation - Great Passages
- Great Passages - Promises/Praise - Salvation
- Promises/Praise

3. Participate in a skit on a story 3. Participate in a skit on one of the fo- 3. Role-play the experience of
about the life of Jesus such as: llowing Old Testament characters: a person of the New Testament
- Jesus in the temple at 12 - Joseph Church in the book of Acts.
- Jesus being tempted in the wilder- - Esther
ness - Jonah
- Jesus feeding the 5,000 or another - Ruth
favorite story about Jesus

4. Learn about the worldwide Advent 4. Research two early Adventist Pioneers 4. A. Learn stories of eight missio-
Awakening (late 1700s to 1844 time (1844 to 1900) and present what you naries (to at least four continents)
period) by identifying seven people have learned. who served during the Seventh-day
and three events explaining why they Adventist mission expansion (1900
are important. to 1950).

B. On a world map, plot their coun-
try of service.
C. Make a presentation about your
favorite missionary.
 NAD RANGER VOYAGER GUIDE
SAMPLE
Personal 1. Be in Grade 8 or its equivalent. 
 1. Be in Grade 9 or its equivalent. 1. Be in Grade 10 or its equivalent.
Growth 2. A. Develop your devotional life 2. A. Develop your devotional life by 2. A. Develop your daily devotional
by studying the Weekly Devotional studying the Senior Weekly Devotional life by studying the Senior Weekly
Guide (weeks 40-52) and the book Guide (weeks 1-26) and the book of Devotional Guide (weeks 27-52)
of John utilizing printed or electronic Romans utilizing printed or electronic and the book of Revelation utilizing
resources. resources. printed or electronic resources.
B. Journal your thoughts by asking B. Journal your thoughts by asking ques- B. Journal your thoughts by asking
questions like: tions like: questions such as:
- “What did I learn about God?” - “What did I learn about God?” - “What did I learn about God?”
- “What did I learn about myself?” - “What did I learn about myself?” - “What did I learn about myself?”
- “How can I apply this to my life - “How can I apply this to my life today?” - “How can I apply this to my life
today?” - “What in this text is meaningful to me?” today?”
- “What in this text is meaningful to - “What is the theme in the verses I You may journal through writing,
me?” read?” drawing, or electronic process.
- “What is the theme in the verses I You may journal through writing, drawing
read?” or electronic processes.
You may journal through writing,
drawing or electronic processes.
3. A. Memorize/review the Pathfinder 3. Memorize the AY Aim. 3. Memorize the AY Motto.
Law.

B. Illustrate your understanding of
the
Pathfinder Law in an interesting
way.



4. Learn the meaning of the AY Em- 4. Illustrate the meaning of the AY Aim in 4. Illustrate the meaning of the AY
blem. an interesting way. Motto in an interesting way.

Spiritual 1. Participate in a Bible-marking pro- 1. Review the Biblical reasons for the 28 1. Write and share your personal
Discovery gram on the inspiration of the Bible. Fundamental Christian Beliefs of the testimony.
Seventh-day Adventist Church.

2. Memorize the 10 Commandments 2. Memorize five Bible texts that support 2. Memorize one key text for each
in Exodus 20:3-17. one of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs. of the following Bible teachings:
- Second Coming of Christ
- Seventh-day Sabbath
- State of the Dead
- Law & Grace
- Conversion
- Judgment
- Inspiration of the Bible
- Spirit of Prophecy
- The Saint’s Reward 

3. Read the 13 Baptismal Vows of the 3. Prepare and present a Bible study on 3. Learn the principles of leading a
Seventh-day Adventist Church and one of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs. person to Jesus.
share why each of them is important.

4. Read The Pathfinder Story (current 4. Read The AY Story (current edition). 4. Tell a story of a church pioneer to
edition) a group.
 NAD FRIEND COMPANION EXPLORER
SAMPLE
Serving 1. In consultation with your leader, 1. In consultation with your leader, plan 1. Be familiar with the community
others plan ways and find opportunities ways and find opportunities to spend services in your area and give assis-
to spend time being a friend with at least two hours helping an elderly tance for at least four hours.
someone in need. person.

2. Spend at least four hours partici- 2. Spend at least four hours participating 2. Participate in at least two church
pating in projects that benefit the in projects that benefit the church or programs for a total of four hours.
church or school. school.

Making 1. Discover ten qualities of being a 1. Discuss how the media strengthens or 1. Participate in a panel discussion
Friends good friend and share two that are weakens our relationship with others. or skit on peer pressure and its role
most important to you. in your decision making.

2. Fulfill requirements #1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements#1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements #1, #11, #1,
of the Christian Citizenship Honor. of the Cultural Diversity Appreciation and #14 of the Christian Grooming
Honor. and Manners Honor.
Health and 1. Learn about the value of good nu- 1. Learn about the value of temperance, 1. Learn about the value of exercise,
Fitness trition & water by discussing: by: fresh air & sunshine, by:
- The Choose My Plate guidelines. A. Memorizing and signing the Tempe- A. Giving two reasons why physical
- The daily servings for each food rance Pledge.
 fitness is important.
group. B. Memorizing two of the following Bible B. Explaining the relationship
- The importance of a balanced diet. texts: Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Cor. 10:31; Prov. between proper diet, exercise, and
- The importance of drinking a 20:1; 3 John 1:2.
 weight control. 

healthy amount of water (these are C. Discussing all the following situations C. Explaining the benefits of fresh
requirements #1 and #6 of the Nutri- and role-play one: Your best friend asks air and sunshine. 
(A. & B. fulfill
tion Honor) you to try a cigarette; An older relative requirement #7 of the Christian
offers you a drink of beer; The smoke Grooming and Manners Honor).
from a stranger’s cigarette is bothering
you. (A. fulfills requirement #1, B. & C.
fulfill parts of requirements #2 & #7 of
the Temperance Honor)

2. Earn the Red Alert Honor. 2. Earn the First Aid Basic Honor. 2. Earn the Basic Rescue Honor.

3. Complete the Basic Water Safety 3. Complete the Basic Water Safety OR 3. Complete the Basic Water Safety
OR Beginner Swimming Honor, if not Beginner Swimming Honor, if not pre- OR Beginner Swimming Honor, if
previously earned. viously earned. not previously earned.
 NAD RANGER VOYAGER GUIDE
SAMPLE
Serving 1. Fulfill requirements #7 and #8 of 1. Fulfill requirements #1, #2, and #3 of 1. Fulfill one of the following honor
others the Serving Communities Honor. the Identifying Community Needs Honor. requirements: #3 of Crisis Interven-
tion, #4 of Community Improve-
ment, #3 of Teaching, #3 of Rural
Development Honor.
2. Fulfill requirement #9 of the Ser- 2. Fulfill requirement #4 of the Identif- 2. Fulfill one of the following honor
ving Communities Honor. ying Community Needs Honor. requirements: #4 of Crisis Interven-
tion, #6 of Community Improve-
ment, #s 5 or 6 of Teaching, #5 of
Rural Development.
Making 1. Role-play the story of the Good 1. Discuss the needs, plan, and participate 1. Through discussion and personal
Friends Samaritan and think of ways you can in an activity for physically challenged research examine your attitudes on
serve your neighbors and carry out individuals. two of the following topics:
three of your ideas. - Attitudes toward moral issues in
sex and dating.
- Self-concept as it affects choices
of a husband/wife.
- How peer pressure affects rela-
tionships with parents, family, other
relatives, and friends.

2. Fulfill requirements #1, #5, and #10 2. Fulfill requirements #3, #5 and #6 of 2. Fulfill requirements #5 and #6 of
of the Family Life Honor. the Stewardship Honor. the Language Study Honor.
Health and 1. Learn about the value of divine 1. Earn the Physical Fitness Honor, if not 1. Under the guidance of an adult
Fitness power & rest by: 
 previously earned. staff member, choose one of the
A. For 5 consecutive days, spend ei- following:
ght minutes each day in a quiet spot ● Teach the Red Alert Honor.
(no electronics, books, or distrac- ● Teach requirement #1 of
tions) and reflect on ways God has Health & Fitness for Friends.
touched your life during the last 24 ● Teach requirement #1 of
hours. Health & Fitness for Companion.
B. Share what you liked and did not
like about your quiet time with a
friend or your group.
C. Keep a sleep log for seven days.
D. Find an article on how a lack of
sleep affects the body and make a
presentation about what you have
learned (are you getting enough
sleep?).
E. Read these texts: Ex. 31:17; Ez.
20:20; Isa. 58:13 & 14; Matt. 12:11 & 12.
F. Discuss with your group, How will I
keep the Sabbath so it will be a mea-
ningful experience in my relationship
with God and positively impact my
physical health?

2. Earn the First Aid Honor. 2. Earn the CPR Honor. 2. Complete a Health & Science
honor not previously earned.
3. Complete the Basic Water Safety 3. Complete the Basic Water Safety OR 3. Complete the Basic Water Safety
OR Beginner Swimming Honor, if not Beginner Swimming Honor, if not pre- OR Beginner Swimming Honor, if
previously earned. viously earned. not previously earned.
 NAD FRIEND COMPANION EXPLORER
SAMPLE
Nature 1. In consultation with your leader, 1. In consultation with your leader, plan 1. Be familiar with the community
study plan ways and find opportunities ways and find opportunities to spend services in your area and give assis-
to spend time being a friend with at least two hours helping an elderly tance for at least four hours.
someone in need. person.

2. Spend at least four hours partici- 2. Spend at least four hours participating 2. Participate in at least two church
pating in projects that benefit the in projects that benefit the church or programs for a total of four hours.
church or school. school.

Outdoor 1. Discover ten qualities of being a 1. Discuss how the media strengthens or 1. Participate in a panel discussion
Living good friend and share two that are weakens our relationship with others. or skit on peer pressure and its role
most important to you. in your decision making.

2. Fulfill requirements #1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements#1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements #1, #11, #1,
of the Christian Citizenship Honor. of the Cultural Diversity Appreciation and #14 of the Christian Grooming
Honor. and Manners Honor.
 NAD FRIEND COMPANION EXPLORER
SAMPLE
Nature 1. In consultation with your leader, 1. In consultation with your leader, plan 1. Be familiar with the community
study plan ways and find opportunities ways and find opportunities to spend services in your area and give assis-
to spend time being a friend with at least two hours helping an elderly tance for at least four hours.
someone in need. person.

2. Spend at least four hours partici- 2. Spend at least four hours participating 2. Participate in at least two church
pating in projects that benefit the in projects that benefit the church or programs for a total of four hours.
church or school. school.

Outdoor 1. Discover ten qualities of being a 1. Discuss how the media strengthens or 1. Participate in a panel discussion
Living good friend and share two that are weakens our relationship with others. or skit on peer pressure and its role
most important to you. in your decision making.

2. Fulfill requirements #1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements#1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements #1, #11, #1,
of the Christian Citizenship Honor. of the Cultural Diversity Appreciation and #14 of the Christian Grooming
Honor. and Manners Honor.
Practical Applications for
Teaching Investiture
Achievement—EDUC 210

Description
This workshop considers the challenges and opportunities of leading and instructing the Investiture
Achievement Curriculum. Practical ideas for creative and dynamic instruction focused on active learn-
ing will be included. A variety of teaching methods are introduced to encourage instructors to use
different techniques.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

All staff who have completed Basic Staff Plan Ahead
Training would benefit from this class. Staff • Yearly calendar should list schedule of when
who teach Investiture Achievement Curricu- Investiture Achievement requirements are
lum are the target audience. taught.
• Monthly staff meetings should review Inves-
Resource Material titure Achievement status and make adjust-
• gcyouthministries.org ments.
• Handout—Investiture Achievement card • All weekly meetings can incorporate Investi-
• Handout—Calendar showing the scheduling ture Achievement requirements.
of Investiture Achievement instruction
What Makes Requirements Fun
• Flexibility/adaptability—must still meet the
What Your Participants Will Learn intent.
1. Consider suggestions for accomplishing • Meaningful— explain the purpose for the re-
Investiture Achievement in your club’s pro- quirement.
grams. • Experiential/interactive. Listening to some-
2. Incorporate Investiture Achievement re- one talk can be boring, especially for wiggly
quirements when scheduling yearly calendar. Pathfinders, so give them something to do
3. Develop a variety of methods to teach In- while you talk, such as coloring supplies or
vestiture Achievement. Play-Doh.

152 Club Ministry Training Manual

Suggestions • Small group discussion
• Small clubs with only one or two Pathfinders • Case study
in each level may consider teaching Friend/ • Panel
Explorer one year and Companion/Ranger • Guest speaker
the next. • Brainstorming
• Some clubs dedicate one meeting per month • Group work
to focus only on Investiture Achievement. • Role play, skit, pantomime
• Start working on some of the requirements • Field trip
with the beginning of the Pathfinder year. • Individual study—especially when Pathfind-
• Work with parents, the local church school, ers miss a meeting
and Sabbath School to complete Bible read- • Exhibit
ings and memorization. • Laboratory
• Leaders can program Area (District) cam- • Demonstration
pouts to help clubs get a good start on meet- • Report
ing Investiture Achievement requirements. • Games
These campouts give good opportunity to • Visual—slides, video
teach all of the Camping Skills levels and • Test
some nature honors, plus recreational honors Be creative and dynamic in activities and
on Sunday. presentations, including using older Pathfind-
• Conference Camporees can also be pro- ers as teachers.
gramed to provide Investiture Achievement
requirements. Suggested Activities
• Break into small groups. Assign each
Teaching Methods group a track requirement of an Investiture
There are multiple methods to teach a sub- Achievement card. Have each group develop
ject, rather than just lecture. Use a variety of at least three methods to use when teaching
methods when teaching honors and Investi- the requirement.
ture Achievement. Consider: • Develop a calendar, show the scheduling of
• Class discussion Investiture Achievement instruction.

Club Ministry Training Manual 153

Teaching Honors—EDUC 230

Description
This workshop will inform students of the intent, value, variety, and exploration potential of teaching
honors. It will discuss what to consider when selecting honors for instruction, including integration of
honors required by Investiture Achievement levels. Guidelines for teaching include creating learning
activities to complete the honors as well as how to balance integrity of learning with conflicts of time,
funding, and safety. Information will be provided on where to find honor requirements and answers.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

All staff who have completed the Basic Staff What is the Value or
Certification. Most staff teach honors or In- Purpose of Honors?
vestiture Achievement Curriculum at some • Alternative to secular activities
time and would benefit from this class. • Spiritual benefits
• Physical activity
Resource Material • Learning about God through nature study
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual • Learning something new: skills, vocation
• gcyouthministries.org • Hobby: desire to create, work habits, reward
• Handout—requirements for several honors
• Handout—lesson plan outline When Choosing Honors Consider
Principles of Learning
What Your Participants Will Learn Students learn more and retain it longer
1. Appreciate the benefits of teaching honors. when there is:
2. Choose honors that meet the Pathfinders’ • Student interest
needs. • Student needs
3. Practice habits of an effective honors • Thinking stimulated
teacher. • Active participation
• Use of more senses
• Positive reinforcement

154 Club Ministry Training Manual

Selecting Honors—What to Consider 5. Teach responsibility—Folder with honor
in Selecting Honors? worksheets.
• Investiture Achievement level requirements Work habits—Show up all the time, reward
• What do Pathfinders enjoy? At our District timeliness and quality.
Honors Days, each Pathfinder chooses the Initiative—Encourage them to do honors at
honor they want to complete. home.
• Large variety of honors meets the interests 6. Complete most honors within three
of all Pathfinders. months.
• Find instructors throughout your church, 7. Club secretary should keep a record of
other clubs, and coordinators, not just staff honors earned.
members.
• Discussion—Are experts in a subject good Where to Find Honor Requirements?
teachers? • gcyouthministries.org

Guidelines That Will Help When Pre- Where to Find Honor Answers?
paring to Teach Any Honor • Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book
1. Preparation—Develop a lesson plan. (sponsored by NAD) http://wiki.pathfinder-
2. Complete study—Before teaching, learn sonline.org/w/Adventist_Youth_Honors_An-
more than required; waive requirements only swer_Book
rarely and replace with another requirement. • Internet
3. When to teach? Meetings, campouts, Sab- • Experts in your church
bath afternoon, school, home.
4. Make it fun, interesting. Use different Where Can I Obtain Honor Patches
methods involving collections, discussion, and Master Awards?
question and answer, brainstorm, game, re- • Conference office or their designee
source person, video, field trip, worksheets,
lab, case study, skit, demonstration. What are Suggested Activities
some activities beyond requirements? Ideas? • Explore the Adventist Youth Honors An-

Club Ministry Training Manual 155

 swer Book website (wiki.pathfindersonline.
org). Materials, Equipment, Audio-visual Aids
• Given the requirements for an honor, devel- 1.
op a lesson plan. 2.
• Break in groups, choose an honor, and de- 3.
velop creative methods to teach an honor.
• Brainstorm ideas on which methods to use References
to teach an honor. Introduction/Motivation
Subject Matter Outline/Questions
Lesson Plan Handout/Student Activity/Method
Area or Course:

Lesson Title:
Closure/Summary
No. Periods: Evaluation, Quizzes, Exam
Assignments: Student activities designed to
Teacher Goals: Discuss, encourage, instill, meet objectives
guide, inform, improve
1.
2.
3.

Objectives—Student will be able to: assist,

answer, brainstorm, create, appreciate, de-
velop
1.
2.
3.

156 Club Ministry Training Manual

Introduction to
Discipline—PYSO 120

Description
This workshop introduces various views and definitions of discipline. It then covers principles of Chris-
tian discipline and specific techniques for effective discipline.

Audience/Participants ter the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was

Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors, not in the fire; and after the fire a still small
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors voice.” (1 Kings 19:11-12).
Turning up the volume often does not get
Resource Material the response we want in a discipline situation
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual because it triggers defensive fear or flight re-
• Education by Ellen White actions that shut down productive thought.
God spoke in a still, small voice when He
needed to discipline His weary prophet.
What Your Participants Will Learn
4. What is the purpose of discipline? What is the purpose of discipline? The pur-
5. How to educate staff pose of discipline is to win disciples for Christ.
6. When and how it is best Discipline has both an outward and an inward
emphasis, each with different purposes. Ex-
Workshop Content ternal discipline is correction from someone
Key Text: 1 Kings 19:11-12. “Then He said, ‘Go else to change or correct bad behavior. In-
out, and stand on the mountain before the ternal discipline sets a precedent for the fu-
LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, ture by internalized moral guidelines that we
and a great and strong wind tore into the are determined not to violate. This workshop
mountains and broke the rocks in pieces be- examines both types of discipline within the
fore the LORD, but the LORD was not in the context of being a director of a Pathfinder
wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but club. We are working with a group of young
the LORD was not in the earthquake; and af- people transitioning between a need for ex-

158 Club Ministry Training Manual

ternal discipline (called “punishment”) to in- don’t mean them. If you do, then you have
ternal discipline (that is needed for life). In to follow through. Don’t threaten, as you will
our clubs will be young people in all areas of have to follow up.
this transition. • Keep rules to a minimum. It is better to set
the rule and let it be. Many clubs have three:
When and how it is best to discipline don’t lie, don’t disobey, and don’t be disre-
Techniques of discipline spectful. Others have: Don’t hurt yourself,
• Establish rapport with Pathfinders. When don’t hurt others, don’t hurt things. If these
a child experiences a relationship character- are broken, take the Pathfinder to the side
ized by warmth, love, understanding, accept- and talk with them; if it continues, talk with
ance, etc. there is a natural tendency to want them with their parents. Additional steps are
to please by doing what is asked. needed for persistent problems.
• Set a good example. Speak often about • Don’t punish energy. Most kids are not “bad”
doing what is right because it is right. Talk kids (meaning disobedient, disrespectful and
about doing good even when no one is look- liars).
ing; about character building being a person- Most have a lot of energy. This is not bad.
al effort. But do not say these things if you We actually want that. We want young peo-
are not going to live up to them for you will ple who are on fire. We just need to have
do much harm if you are caught not living up patience and direct that energy into useful
to these words. tasks. Sometimes it helps a young person
• Be “in charge” naturally. Assume that you with a lot of energy to “shadow” the director.
are in charge and that Pathfinders also know •Plan program carefully. Any spare moments
this. that are unused by you (the leaders) will be
• Don’t be impulsive or inconsistent. Two cul- used by Pathfinders in a chaotic manner.
prit areas are: the rules, and consistency. “Say Start and end on time. Move from activity to
what you mean and mean what you say.” activity with energy, knowing what is coming
Don’t let your words fall to the ground. But next.
at the same time, do not speak them if you • Anticipate. See potential problems before

Club Ministry Training Manual 159

 they happen, and you will be able to warn the • Take time to learn the facts. Try to hear
child. Often a gentle pat on the shoulder is all all sides before making a judgement. Often
that is needed to help the Pathfinder know there are good reasons for what happened.
that you know what is happening or about Never accuse. If you do make a mistake and
to happen. jump to conclusions, you need to admit your
Sometimes a kind word helps a child through mistake. Young people are forgiving. They
a trouble spot. Another tactic is diversion. are also resilient.
A dose of reality helps through frustrated • Realize what hat you are wearing. We are all
times. Praise the positive. Allow a child to volunteers; we may have minimal counseling
save face. skills. But we can try to see the real problem.
• Allow honesty. It should be a place where Sometimes outward expressions are just the
they can feel “peace” (within the Club)—this smoke of the fire that is burning inside. Often
is at “Church”. We should encourage honest all a young person needs is to have someone
answers (as long as Pathfinders are respect- who is willing to listen. To help with this, see
ful) so that we can help them to see all sides if you can have the young person evaluate
and to expand their thinking. We should chal- their own actions. Remember, the goal is in-
lenge them. And we certainly should make ternal discipline.
them feel like their ideas are welcome and • Never ridicule. Self-worth is fragile in adults,
often useful. but extremely so in young people. Pathfinder
• Stay cool. Don’t overreact. The worst thing club is all about building this up, not tearing it
you can do is lose your mind in a crisis or in down. We correct for the purpose of building
a heated moment. Your calm will be like cold better people for service to God and others.
water on a fire.
Remember that young people reflect the How to educate staff
mood of the leaders (especially the ones It is important to know what our response is
they respect.) So when we need to adopt a before we get into a discipline situation. As
posture of correction, we should convey the directors, it is equally important that we get
attitudes we want to see reflected back. all of our staff on the same page regarding

160 Club Ministry Training Manual

discipline before that situation arises. ate suspension without these four steps: sub-
stance abuse, sexual violation, use of weap-
Development of club strategies on.
• What is effective discipline? Discipline is
effective when a person learns what behav- Now we will have you write your behavioral
ior is not acceptable and why. It may include management plan. You will need to decide
punishment, explanation (hinders relation- on rules you want for you club (probably
ship with God, keeps one from achieving want to keep these simple) and what proce-
goals, infringes on rights of others), a behav- dures you will follow in discipline situations.
ior contract.
• When we understand what the Pathfinder Suggested Activities
is going through, the discipline we employ is • Write a Behavioral Management Plan.
as effective as possible. External discipline • Establish rules for your club.
should be redemptive, not vindictive. Vio- • Establish discipline procedures for your
lence of any type is never to occur. Never club.
punish in anger or to get revenge. Always
correct with thought in mind that you want
this person to be close to you in the future,
not that you want them to “go away”.
• Verbal Interaction—what we normally do
with our voices.
• Caution Ticket—a method of warning them
that they are going too far.
• Isolation & Written Contract—for situations
that need one-on-one attention.
• Parent Conference—just prior to potential
suspension.
NOTE that some situations call for immedi-

Club Ministry Training Manual 161

 NAD - YOUTH/CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT

E
(To be adapted by SDA Legal Department of your local field)

Acknowledgment
Because I want the best possible environment for our children and youth to grow up in, it is important that
those working with children have guidelines for conduct in order to protect both themselves and those under
their care. As a ministry volunteer, I want parents and others to feel comfortable and confident with me.

PL
My Commitment to Volunteer Ministry
As a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer, I will:

1. Provide appropriate adult supervision at all times for the children for whom I am responsible.
2. Have at least one other adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, to help with the supervision of children. If I
find myself in a situation where I am the only adult present, under no circumstances will I allow myself to be
alone with one child (the “two-person rule”). This protects the child as well as protecting the adult from
possible allegations.
3. Ask a child’s permission before physically touching him/her anywhere, even when responding to an injury or
problem. This is especially true for any areas that would normally be covered by a T-shirt and/or shorts. If an
injury is within this area, make sure another adult works with you as care is provided.
M
4. Refrain from physical and verbal attacks and corporal punishment which are inappropriate behaviors and
should never be used as discipline. “Time outs” or “sit-in-that-chair” may be helpful discipline methods to
use with children.
5. Affirm children with appropriate touching by keeping hugs brief and “shoulder-to-shoulder” or “side-to-si
de.” I will keep hands at (not below) the shoulder level. For small children who like to sit on laps, I will
encourage them to sit next to me.
6.Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
7. Be aware of conducting activities in rooms that do not have an interior viewing area, or I will leave the door
SA

open during the activity to allow easy observation by others.

8. Cooperate with the volunteer screening process and complete the Volunteer Ministry Information form, as
required by the church.
9. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and aware of the legal requirements for reporting
suspected cases of abuse. In addition to any legally required reporting, I agree that if I become aware of any
behavior by another individual which seems abusive or inappropriate towards children I am supervising,
I will report that behavior to the church pastor, elder, or directly to the Conference Treasurer’s or Risk
Management Director.
10. Cooperate with church leadership in conducting children and youth ministries by being a volunteer who is
loving, kind, firm, and always a thoroughly professional person. Working with children and youth is not only
a privilege; it is also a serious responsibility that must be approached with utmost care.
11. Participate in orientation and training programs conducted by the church.
Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
12. Uphold the standards of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

* In the event I find it impossible to comply with the above, I will comply as closely as possible with the Code
of Conduct and act in good faith for the welfare of the people involved.

162 Club Ministry Training Manual

Thank You for your service as a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer
Please retain a copy of this document and keep it for reference.

Club Ministry Training Manual 163

 Pathfinder Club Instructor Certification is something that every Pathfinder Club lead-
er should complete. These eight workshops will increase learning as curriculum and
honors are taught.

Presenters responsible for these workshops should make sure that, in addition to
communicating the information, they take time to make the workshop practical and
give participants time to think about how they are going to apply this in their club.

Presenters are encouraged to build their presentation upon the foundation of Scrip-
ture.

Workshops in the Instructor Certification include:

• Understanding Teaching Styles—EDUC 002

• Understanding Learning Styles—EDUC 003
• Working with Children with Special Needs—EDUC 006
• Teaching Christian Values—EDUC 150
• Teaching Investiture Achievement: Intent and Organization—EDUC 200
• Practical Applications for Teaching Investiture Achievement—EDUC 210
• Teaching Honors—EDUC 230
• Introduction to Discipline—PSYO 120

Each of the workshops includes a description of the content, the audience, or partic-
ipants that you can anticipate will attend, resource material, what your participants
will learn, basic content for the workshop and suggested activities.

Pathfinder Club Instructor Certification is part of the Club Ministries Training (CMT)
which includes certifications for Adventurer Club Ministries, Pathfinder Club Minis-
tries, Master Guides, and Youth Ministries.

CMT is based on the Adventist Youth Ministry Training (AYMT) curriculum, devel-
oped by the North American Division.

164 Club Ministry Training Manual

CMT Pathfinder Club
Secretary/Treasurer
Workshop Resources for Presenters
General Conference 2022 Edition

Club Ministry Training Manual 165

Teaching Honors—EDUC 230

Prerequisites
1. Be at least 18 years old.
2. Commit to the Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer Code of Conduct.
3. Be currently approved by the child protection screening verification of your Conference/ Mission.
4. Be a baptized Seventh-day Adventist Christian who loves Jesus and is willing to share this love in
both word and deed.
5. Complete the Pathfinder Club Basic Staff Certification.

Overview of Workshops is crucial for the success of your club. This

Reports, Records and Merit workshop will describe the club secretary’s
Systems | PFAD 140 role in the Pathfinder calendar development.
One of the primary tasks of the club secretary
is to keep all kinds of records and reports. Forms: Health and Medical,
This session will explain what these are, how Permission, Volunteer and Vehicle
to keep them, and why they are important. Driver | PFAD 142
The session will also cover conference-re- This workshop will describe the forms a club
quired reports and their use. It will present secretary is responsible for and why they are
tracking options (online versus paper). important.

Annual Calendar Introduction to Budgeting | FINA 101

Development | PFAD 141 This workshop will focus on the steps to fol-
It is a challenging task to develop the Path- low to prepare a budget. It will explore in-
finder club yearly calendar. It takes time and come sources and expenses to budget.
effort to gather all the planning details and
people together to make a plan, but it must Club Finances | FINA 100
be done if your club is going to succeed. This workshop will introduce the basic in-
Know that your club’s calendar planning formation needed to keep accurate financial

166 Club Ministry Training Manual

records for your club. This class should be 2. Read the Pathfinder Administrative Man-
taught in conjunction with FINA 101—Intro- ual.
duction to Budgeting, knowing that the ma- 3. Create a Portfolio that contains your notes
terial may intermingle. and activities from the workshops and your
paperwork for the year.
Introduction to 4. In areas where there is an official Club Ad-
Fundraising | FINA 110 ministration software or website, a course
This workshop presents an introduction to should be taken to become acquainted with
fundraising principles and will address issues that tool and to complement this workshop.
regarding why to fundraise and to whom to
reach out for funding. The session will ex- Portfolios
plore appropriate and successful ideas clubs The Pathfinder Secretary/Treasurer Certifi-
have used for fundraising activities, guide- cation requires a portfolio documenting the
lines to consider, and safety concerns. journey, progress, lessons learned, and com-
pletion of requirements.
Practical Communication The portfolio should include a completed
| CMME 104 certification check sheet and evidence con-
The session will address the advantages and firming requirement completion. This evi-
disadvantages of public announcements, fly- dence can come in the form of signed class
ers, posters, email, social media, phone calls, cards or sign-in sheets, class handouts, and/
text messages, and face-to-face presenta- or photographs of participants involved in, or
tions. Attendees will develop a communica- leading, applicable activities. The evidence
tion action plan for their own club during the will also include proof of applicable research
session. and projects completed as required field-
work.
Required Fieldwork The purpose of the portfolio is not only to
1. Establish a working relationship with your show completion of all the certification re-
Pathfinder director. quirements, but also to be an authoritative

Club Ministry Training Manual 167

 referral source when faced with similar issues by an invested Master Guide appointed by
in the future. the Conference Youth Director or their de-
The physical portfolio can be a three-ring signee.
binder or folder in which all materials are
kept. However, a fully digital data collection Recognition of Completion
is also acceptable. Everyone likes to have their efforts recog-
The content is what counts, not the form of nized. Youth leaders who put in untold hours
that content. It should be well organized and of prayer, planning, counseling, and training
easy to check over. are no exception.
Items should be labeled for easy connection Upon completion of the required workshops,
to a specific requirement. The form will vary the participant is eligible to receive an enam-
according to the personality and style of the eled pin and certificate of completion.
participant.  

Portfolio Review
The purpose of the review is to confirm com-
pletion of the requirements. It is not to re-
quire conformity to any system requiring
specific formats or style of presentation.
Portfolios are reviewed to determine if they
are complete or incomplete. An incomplete
portfolio will be returned to the participant
with a written explanation of what needs to
be added, corrected, or completed. Portfoli-
os, whether complete or incomplete, should
be returned to the participant in a timely
manner.
Review of completed portfolios will be done

168 Club Ministry Training Manual

Reports, Records and
Merit Systems—PFAD 140

Description
One of the primary tasks of the club secretary is to keep all kinds of records and reports. This session
will explain what these are, how to keep them, and why they are important. The session will also cover
conference-required reports and their use. It will present tracking options (online versus paper).

Resource Material o Staff/parents meeting minutes

• Pathfinder Administrative Manual: https:// o Injury reports
www.gcyouthministries.org/ministries/path- o Allergies
finders/) o Special needs
• Conference Handouts o Permission slips
What Your Participants Will Learn o Investiture Achievement curriculum levels
1. Participants will identify the purpose of o Honors and master awards
keeping records and maintaining confidenti- • Confidentiality issues
ality. • Different options for filing and maintaining
2. Participants will identify which reports are information within the club
required to be sent to the conference and • Child-protection screening verification.
which records should be kept for the club.
3. Participants will explore different options Suggested Activities
for tracking information within the club. • Show options for tracking information
(charts, Google or Excel spreadsheets, bind-
Workshop Content er, etc.).
• Identify the purpose of record keeping • Show how to build a database in Google
• Information the club should keep track of: sheets to track each class, awards taught,
o Attendance birthdays, contact information, etc.
o Birthdays • Demonstrate how to report (send forms) to
o Phone numbers the conference office.

170 Club Ministry Training Manual

Annual Calendar
Development—PFAD 141

Description
Developing The Pathfinder Club yearly calendar is a challenging task. It takes time and effort to gather
all the planning details and people together to make a plan, but it must be done if your club is going to
succeed. Know that your club’s calendar planning is crucial for the success of your club. This workshop
will describe the club secretary’s role in the Pathfinder calendar.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

All Pathfinder club staff who have complet-
ed Basic Staff Certification should attend this • Start planning your yearly calendar at least
class. two months before the beginning of the
Pathfinder year.
Resource Material • Obtain school and church calendars before
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual determining yearly club schedule.
• Handout— “Calendar of Conference and • Begin calendar including conference events/
District Events” fair, camporee, Bible and youth events.
• Handout— “Sample Calendar” including In- • Include district events—campout, honors
vestiture Achievement Schedule day.
• Include possible participation in local gov-
What Your Participants Will Learn ernment events.
1. The various factors to consider when de- • Club meeting schedule should adjust for
veloping the Pathfinder calendar Christmas, winter and summer breaks.
2. How to build your yearly club calendar • Schedule special events and staff meetings
which incorporates your conference and dis- once a month.
trict events • Schedule Pathfinder Sabbath with your
pastor.

172 Club Ministry Training Manual

• Induction, Investiture, and can collecting
should be planned once a year.
• Set your meeting schedule, on what day
of the week you will meet, and at what time.
Some clubs meet every week; some meet
twice a month.
• Plan and schedule honors to be taught.
• Investiture Achievement requirements
should be scheduled to complete levels with-
in a year.
• Calendar must be approved by local church
board and events must be covered by insur-
ance. This coordination builds board mem-
bers’ respect for the Pathfinder Club. When
the board is aware of the club’s plans, the club
can justify funding requests from the church
budget. Second, the church board’s approval
of Pathfinder activities provides evidence of
coverage by the church’s insurance. Include
your budget with your calendar.
• Initiate a long-range calendar which
includes Union and Division camporees and
the next year’s Conference events.

Suggested Activities
Develop a calendar in a Google or Excel
spreadsheet or on paper which includes
Conference and District events.

Club Ministry Training Manual 173

Forms: Health and Medical,
Permissions, Volunteer and
Vehicle Driver Forms—PFAD 142

Description
This workshop will describe the forms for which a club secretary is responsible and why they are im-
portant.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Secretaries/treasurers who have completed Why Policies and Forms
Basic Staff Certification are the primary stu- 1. For safety—get parental approval for activ-
dents. Club directors will benefit by knowing ities that are planned well.
what is required of their staff. 2. Forms are to be secure, sensible, and log-
ical.
Resource Material 3. Show structure and organization; keeps in-
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual formation together.
• Handout— “Permission and Medical Con- 4. Save money.
sent Form” (Conference/Union) 5. Save lives.
• Handout—“Health and Medical Record” 6. Save time, simplifies, streamlines—for
(Conference/Union) events, trips, fundraisers.
• Handout— “Volunteer Information” (Risk 7. Show pride—makes the organization look
Management form) professional.
8. Build trust and confidence. Staff kept en-
What Your Participants Will Learn gaged and informed.
1. Why forms are required. 9. Support each staff member—makes team-
2. What forms are required for specific activ- work easier:
ities and how to complete them. • Church board/pastors
• Schools/principals/teachers
• Parents/guardians/grandparents

174 Club Ministry Training Manual

• Director Suggested Activities
• Counselors Fill out Permission and Medical Consent
• Pathfinders forms.
10. Show accountability for setting goals,
reviewing accomplishments, and recording
points.
11. Provide statistical information for church,
conference, insurance—Adventist Risk Man-
agement.
12. Are satisfying—give a purpose.

Forms
1. “Volunteer Information”
2. “Permission and Medical Consent”
Must be completed for all Pathfinder activi-
ties. (All activities onsite and offsite require
medical consent.) If not completed, Path-
finder cannot travel nor participate.
3. “Health and Medical Record”
4. “Driver Transport Form”
5. “Documentation of Injuries & Incidents”
6. “Conference Medical Payment Claims
Form”
7. “Conference Medical Payment Statement
of Loss Forms” should be stored securely for
3 years.

Club Ministry Training Manual 175

Club Finances—FINA 100

Description
This workshop will introduce the basic information needed to keep accurate financial records for your
club. This class should be taught in conjunction with FINA 101—Introduction to Budgeting knowing that
the material may intermingle.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Secretaries/treasurers who have completed Introduction
Basic Staff Certification are the primary stu- • You have a moral and ethical obligation to
dents. Club directors will benefit by knowing parents, children, and your church to be a
what is required of their staff. good steward of the income and expenses
of a club.
Resource Material • Club finances give a picture of what you
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual consider to be important.
• Handout—Receipt Book • Just like a tent, craft supplies, etc., money
is a tool used to support your club and ulti-
What Your Participants Will Learn mately to share Jesus.
1. Accurate financial accounting of the club’s • There are expenses to operating a club.
revenue and expenses To provide the right kind of training for the
2. Financial guidelines to be followed by the youth you need things (supplies, equipment,
club treasurer food, etc.)
• You need to be able to see where the mon-
ey is coming from and where the money
should be spent.
• Planning gives the framework for your year.

176 Club Ministry Training Manual

• Basic accounting records are a must to er informed of finances at every staff meet-
keep track of spending. ing
• A simple spreadsheet could be used to
chart income versus expenses. Set up a filing system. Paper and/or elec-
tronic spreadsheet using Google or Excel will
Issues for discussion work.
• Pros and cons of a club having its own Keep it up to date. Document with notes so
account versus finances handled by local all questions are answered.
church treasurer
• Timely bank reconciliations each month (if Income Folders
club has own bank account) or church treas- • Dues and fee records
urer (if treasurer handles your account) • Church subsidy budget funds
• Immediate receipt of dues or other monies • Fundraising
• Dues should be a reasonable cost
• Charging fees for certain activities is an op- Expense Folders
tion • Honors
• Dues and uniform fee collected once a year • Uniform
versus once a month • Activities
• Keep petty cash only as needed (preferably • Bills paid
not at all; carry cash only as an event dic-
tates)
• Director and treasurer review all reimburse-
ment requests
• Make sure you properly use donations indi-
cated by donor for a specific use
• Maintenance of records (either physical or
electronic)
• Keep club director, staff, and churchtreasur-

Club Ministry Training Manual 177

Introduction to
Budgeting—FINA 101

Description
This workshop will focus on the steps to follow to prepare a budget. Income sources and expenses to
budget will be explored.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Secretaries/treasurers who have completed Introduction
Basic Staff Certification are the primary stu- Definition: A budget is a financial plan that
dents. Club directors will benefit by knowing guides you to reach your goals for your club
what is required of their staff. fundamentally, spiritually, and financially.
The budget helps us plan for today, tomor-
Resource Material row, and the distant future. It helps us think
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual about realities, priorities, necessities, and the
• Handout— “Create a Sample Spreadsheet wants. Budgeting is the map of where we are
Showing Income and Expenses” going, where we have been, and whether we
are staying on course.
Simple Equation: Pathfinders is a charity/
What Your Participants Will Learn non-profit; how do we have a net profit? Net
1. Steps to follow in creating a budget profit doesn’t have to be 0. You just don’t
2. Exploring the sources of income want it to less than 0.

Define Your Objectives for the Year

• Number of Pathfinders
• Events to attend

178 Club Ministry Training Manual

• Honors completed

Define Your Objectives for the Next

5 Years
Examples could be:
• Attend a Division or International Campo-
ree
• Buy new tents
• Buy a kitchen tent

What will your club be doing to achieve

these objectives? What resources will be
needed? What finances are necessary to pro-
vide those resources? Where will the money
come from? Large objectives are not needed
every year. The cost is too much for one year
of income, so what do we need to do? Allo-
cate some money each year.

Club Ministry Training Manual 179

Introduction to
Fundraising—FINA 110

Description
This workshop presents an introduction to fundraising principles and will address issues regarding why
to fundraise and to whom to reach out for funding. The session will explore appropriate and successful
ideas clubs have used for fundraising activities, guidelines to consider, and safety concerns.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Secretaries/treasurers who have completed • Presenter should bring some fundraising
Basic Staff Certification are the primary stu- ideas and suggestions.
dents. Club directors will benefit by knowing • Guidelines to consider:
what is required of their staff. o Pathfinders and parents should both be in-
volved in the fund-raising activity.
Resource Material o Appoint a contact person with good com-
• Search fundraising ideas that promote Bib- munication skills for each fundraiser.
lical principles, like a 5K walk/run fundraiser o All funds (income and expenses) need to
be tracked accurately and verified with re-
What Your Participants Will Learn ceipts.
1. To share different sources of finding funds • Safety concerns:
for your club o Pathfinders should not be knocking on
2. To identify guidelines to follow doors in neighborhoods (Advertise in church
3. To identify safety concerns bulletins, ask family, friends, and church
members).
o Children should never be left unsupervised.
o Children should be involved as much as
possible, but activities with safety issues,

180 Club Ministry Training Manual

such as running a hot stove, should be con-
ducted by the adults.

Activity
• Present options for fundraising approved
by your Conference.
• List businesses that might help with fund-
raising.
• Participants share ideas that have worked
well for them and are in support of biblical
doctrine as taught by the Seventh-day Ad-
ventist Church.

Club Ministry Training Manual 181

Practical Communication
—CMME 104

Description
The session will address the advantages and disadvantages of public announcements, flyers, posters,
email, social media, phone calls, text messages, and face-to-face presentations. Attendees will develop
a communication action plan for their own club during the session.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Secretaries/treasurers who have completed • Demonstrate a variety of communication
Basic Staff Certification are the primary stu- examples.
dents. Club directors will benefit by knowing o Identify advantages and disadvantages for
what is required of their staff. each type.
o Identify a scenario/event where each type
Resource Material of communication would be the most useful.
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual • Electronic examples and methods suggest-
• Communication Department of your Divi- ed in this workshop should be revised, adapt-
sion, Union, or Conference ed, and updated every year by presenters.
• NAD Social Media Department, www.sda- • Give examples of how to keep a communi-
data.org cation contact list for club members/parents
and types of information to keep, such as:
What Your Participants Will Learn o Full name of child and parents
1. Identifying advantages and disadvantages o Mobile numbers
of different types of communication o Email
2. Creating a communication plan for their o Mailing address
club o Birthdays
• Attendees should write an action plan of

182 Club Ministry Training Manual

communication for their club.

Suggested Activities
• If possible, split into mixed generational
groups and have each person in the group
describe how they would communicate
about an event. Discuss commonalities.
• Brainstorm effective methods that clubs
are using.
• Have each group analyze an announce-
ment/email and discuss whether or not the
method or wording would encourage them
to respond.
• Demonstrate apps that track responses.
• Role-play a communication being read by
someone who is not of the same culture and
how their interpretation of it might be differ-
ent.
• On a whiteboard or poster board, brain-
storm advantages/disadvantages of each
type of communication.
• Work in small groups to write a communi-
cation plan.
• Demonstrate how to set up a group email.
• Demonstrate reminder apps.

Club Ministry Training Manual 183

 NAD - YOUTH/CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT

E
(To be adapted by SDA Legal Department of your local field)

Acknowledgment
Because I want the best possible environment for our children and youth to grow up in, it is important that
those working with children have guidelines for conduct in order to protect both themselves and those under
their care. As a ministry volunteer, I want parents and others to feel comfortable and confident with me.

PL
My Commitment to Volunteer Ministry
As a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer, I will:

1. Provide appropriate adult supervision at all times for the children for whom I am responsible.
2. Have at least one other adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, to help with the supervision of children. If I
find myself in a situation where I am the only adult present, under no circumstances will I allow myself to be
alone with one child (the “two-person rule”). This protects the child as well as protecting the adult from
possible allegations.
3. Ask a child’s permission before physically touching him/her anywhere, even when responding to an injury or
problem. This is especially true for any areas that would normally be covered by a T-shirt and/or shorts. If an
injury is within this area, make sure another adult works with you as care is provided.
M
4. Refrain from physical and verbal attacks and corporal punishment which are inappropriate behaviors and
should never be used as discipline. “Time outs” or “sit-in-that-chair” may be helpful discipline methods to
use with children.
5. Affirm children with appropriate touching by keeping hugs brief and “shoulder-to-shoulder” or “side-to-si
de.” I will keep hands at (not below) the shoulder level. For small children who like to sit on laps, I will
encourage them to sit next to me.
6.Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
7. Be aware of conducting activities in rooms that do not have an interior viewing area, or I will leave the door
SA

open during the activity to allow easy observation by others.

8. Cooperate with the volunteer screening process and complete the Volunteer Ministry Information form, as
required by the church.
9. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and aware of the legal requirements for reporting
suspected cases of abuse. In addition to any legally required reporting, I agree that if I become aware of any
behavior by another individual which seems abusive or inappropriate towards children I am supervising,
I will report that behavior to the church pastor, elder, or directly to the Conference Treasurer’s or Risk
Management Director.
10. Cooperate with church leadership in conducting children and youth ministries by being a volunteer who is
loving, kind, firm, and always a thoroughly professional person. Working with children and youth is not only
a privilege; it is also a serious responsibility that must be approached with utmost care.
11. Participate in orientation and training programs conducted by the church.
Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
12. Uphold the standards of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

* In the event I find it impossible to comply with the above, I will comply as closely as possible with the Code
of Conduct and act in good faith for the welfare of the people involved.

184 Club Ministry Training Manual

Thank You for your service as a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer
Please retain a copy of this document and keep it for reference.

Club Ministry Training Manual 185

 Pathfinder Club Secretary/Treasurer Certification is something that every staff mem-
ber responsible for records or money should complete. These seven workshops pres-
ent the basics for tracking information and funds that your club needs to be success-
ful.

Presenters responsible for these workshops should make sure that, in addition to
communicating the information, they take time to make the workshop practical and
to give participants time to think about how they are going to apply this in their club.

Workshops in the Secretary / Treasurer Certification include:

• Reports, Records and Merit Systems—PFAD 140
• Annual Calendar Development—PFAD 141
• Forms: Health and Medical, Permissions, Volunteer and Vehicle Driver forms—
PFAD 142
• Club Finances—FINA 100
• Introduction to Budgeting—FINA 101
• Introduction to Fundraising—FINA 110
• Practical Communication—CMME 104

Each of the workshop summaries includes: a description of the content, the audience
or participants that you can anticipate will attend, resource material, what your par-
ticipants will learn, basic content for the workshop and suggested activities.

Pathfinder Club Secretary/Treasurer Certification is part of the Club Ministries Train-

ing (CMT) which includes certifications for Adventurer Club Ministries, Pathfinder
Club Ministries, Master Guides, and Youth Ministries.

CMT is based on the Adventist Youth Ministry Training (AYMT) curriculum, devel-
oped by the North American Division.

186 Club Ministry Training Manual

 CMT Pathfinder
Club Director
Workshop Resources for Presenters
General Conference 2022 Edition

Club Ministry Training Manual 187

Pathfinder Club
Director Certification

Prerequisites
1. Be at least 18 years old
2. Commit to the Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer Code of Conduct
3. Be currently approved by your conference’s child protection screening verification
4. Be a baptized Seventh-day Adventist Christian who loves Jesus and is willing to share this love in
both word and deed
5. Complete the Pathfinder Club Basic Staff Certification

Overview of Workshops pectations, guidelines and requirements

Introduction to Leadership provided by the local conference to local
Skills | LEAD 001 church ministries. The structure of Pathfind-
This workshop provides a quick review of the er and Adventurer ministry within the con-
duties of various leadership positions for the ference will be outlined and suggestions
ministry being taught, then focuses on desir- will be made on dealing with conflicts that
able attitudes, traits, and qualities of Chris- might arise between local directors and co-
tian leaders. It covers the pluses and minuses ordinators or the conference. The workshop
of different styles of leadership and shares presents this same kind of information, but
practical tips on how to lead, with special in more general terms, concerning the local
emphasis on tips for leading in a specific director’s interaction with the local church
ministry. board. The presentation gives specific strat-
egies for promoting ministry and building re-
The Conference and Your lationship with the board, including informa-
Local Church Board | LEAD 122 tion on dealing with a non-supportive board.
This workshop focuses on the specific ex-

188 Club Ministry Training Manual

Introduction to Recruiting, sion and spiritual components.
Screening and Training
Staff | LEAD 150 Teaching Investiture
This workshop introduces concepts of vol- Achievement | EDUC 200
unteer staff recruiting, screening (including This workshop presents the general outline
vetting volunteers), training, and apprecia- and structure of the “Investiture Achieve-
tion. It will offer suggestions on where and ment Curriculum.” Special attention is given
how to look for volunteers with the character to the objectives, or intent, of the eight tracks
and personality needed to support club min- of each level. These tracks are: Personal
istry. It reviews screening requirements of the Growth, Spiritual Discovery, Serving Others,
local conference, along with brief sharing of Making Friends, Health and Fitness, Nature
suggestions for training curriculum and set- Study, Outdoor Activities, and Honor Enrich-
tings. The session also includes basic infor- ment. Understanding the intent supporting
mation on how to evaluate staff in order to each track will help leaders implement spe-
help them improve their ministry, and shares cific Investiture Achievement requirements
ways to thank them for their service. and/or modify and combine them as need-
ed for teaching their unique group of young
Survey of Camping and people. The workshop will include practical
Campout Planning | WILD 101 suggestions for creative and dynamic in-
This workshop briefly covers the philosophy struction focused on active learning.
of camping and types of camping. It will fo-
cus on issues and techniques of planning and Club Finances | FINA 100
programing an interesting and safe camping This workshop introduces the basic infor-
experience. Topics include but are not limit- mation needed to keep accurate financial
ed to: location selection, promotion, book- records for your ministry. Topics include: set-
ing, transportation, activities, food and meal ting and collecting dues and fees, proper re-
preparation, safety (including fire, animal, ceipting, issues with separate bank accounts
weather, and human), equipment, supervi- from those of the church, the importance

Club Ministry Training Manual 189

 of reconciliation of accounting records be- • Clear guidelines on parent ‘role’ when they
tween ministry and the church, dealing with are also a staff member; and
accounts receivable, and budgeting and cost • A parent’s commitment to allow the child
projections. to attend ministry events and to avoid deny-
ing participation as a form of punishment for
Introduction non-related problems
to Discipline | PYSO 120
This workshop introduces various views and Required Fieldwork
definitions of discipline. It then covers princi- 1. Establish a relationship with your Pathfind-
ples of Christian discipline and specific tech- er coordinator.
niques for effective discipline. 2. Have and read the Pathfinder Club Hand-
book and compile a list of action items for
Working and Communicating the upcoming Pathfinder year.
with Parents | PYSO 207 3. Create a portfolio that contains the hand-
This workshop presents strategies and tac- outs and your notes from the workshops you
tics for establishing trusting relationships be- attended, your Pathfinder calendar, meeting
tween your staff and parents. This includes schedules, and other paperwork for the year.
but is not limited to:
• Documents that present your philosophy Portfolios
and practice of supervision, discipline, and The Director certification requires a portfolio
care documenting the journey, progress, lessons
• Candid discussion of ministry protocol for learned, and completion of requirements.
complaints or charges of inappropriate be- The portfolio should include a completed
havior certification check sheet and evidence con-
• Establishment of regular, frequent, two-di- firming requirement completion. This evi-
rection communication dence can come in the form of signed class
• Open discussion of parent expectations cards or sign in sheets, class handouts and/
and parent participation or photographs of participants leading or in-

190 Club Ministry Training Manual

volved, or proof of applicable research and os, whether complete or incomplete, should
projects completed as required fieldwork. be returned to the participant in a timely
The purpose of the portfolio is not only to manner.
show completion of all the certification re- Review of completed portfolios will be done
quirements, but also to be an authoritative by an invested Master Guide appointed by
referral source when faced with similar issues the Conference Youth Director or their de-
in the future. signee.
The physical portfolio can be a three-ring
binder or folder in which all materials are Recognition of Completion
kept. However, a fully digital data collection is Everyone likes to have their efforts recog-
also acceptable. The content is what counts, nized. Pathfinder leaders who put in untold
not the form of that content. It should be well hours of prayer, planning, counseling, and
organized and easy to check over. training are no exception.
Items should be labeled for easy connection Upon successful review of the portfolio, the
to a specific requirement. The form will vary participant is eligible for an enameled pin
according to the personality and style of the and certificate of completion.
participant.

Portfolio Review
The purpose of the review is to confirm com-
pletion of the requirements. It is not to re-
quire conformity to any system requiring
specific formats or style of presentation.
Portfolios are reviewed to determine if they
are complete or incomplete. An incomplete
portfolio will be returned to the participant
with a written explanation of what needs to
be added, corrected or completed. Portfoli-

Club Ministry Training Manual 191

Introduction to Leadership
Skills—LEAD 001

Description
This workshop provides a quick review of the duties of various leadership positions for the ministry
being taught, then focuses on desirable attitudes, traits, and qualities of Christian leaders. It covers the
pluses and minuses of different styles of leadership and shares practical tips on how to lead, with spe-
cial emphasis on tips for leading in a specific ministry.

Audience/Participants 3. Key Texts: Phil. 2:5-11, Eph. 4:25-32

Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors, 4. Advantages and disadvantages of differ-
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors ent styles of leadership
5. Practical tips on how to lead
Resource Material
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual (General Workshop Content
Conference Youth Department website: Roles of leadership within Pathfinders
https://www.gcyouthministries.org/minis- Review and list Pathfinder roles within the
tries/pathfinders/) club. What strengths and spiritual gifts are
• Education, by Ellen White needed for each role: delegator, facilitator,
• There are many books available on lead- organizer, teacher?
ership. Use resources that focus on Bibli-
cal-centered leadership. Key Texts
• Philippians 2:5-11
What Your Participants Will Learn • Ephesians 4:25-32
1. Leadership roles within Pathfinders, Leadership in Pathfinders is radically differ-
strengths, and spiritual gifts needed ent from that of secular leaders as often por-
2. Characteristics of leadership in Pathfinders trayed; Biblical leadership involves servant-

192 Club Ministry Training Manual

hood and submission to Christ. Strengths and weaknesses of
As Pathfinders, we should define leadership different styles of leadership.
from Scripture, rather than from our own
opinions or cultural norms. Christ is our ul- Team-builders
timate model of leadership. We are to follow The key to a positive and focused team is af-
Him as our Leader, as well as to imitate His firmation to all as much as you possibly can.
example of servanthood and follower of His You should have at least twice as many pos-
Father. As leaders, listening and watching are itive comments as suggestions/constructive
crucial skills that are often forgotten in the criticisms. Tell others about good things oth-
rush to organize and delegate. ers have done and tell the criticism only in
private and surrounded with praise. Be vocal
As imitators of Christ, serving others is our with your praise, especially to those whom
focus, not gratifying our desires for power or you least want to praise and thank! Remem-
superiority. In reality, all humans are leaders, ber that your words will change your own
and should always seek to act as if others will thoughts about people. Live a life of integri-
be following and listening. For instance, be- ty; no ambiguity, only consistency (Ps 78:72).
fore sin Adam and Eve were servants and rep- Do not tell one thing to one person that con-
resentatives of God, but also servant-leaders tradicts what you tell others. Network in a
of the rest of God’s creatures. God’s intent positive sense, not to gossip. Biblical servant
was for Israel to be a kingdom of priests, for leadership is really about the good side of
each individual to preach God’s message of politics! You are setting out to build a team.
good news and grace to the world, not to
rely on a few in power to spread the Word. Facilitators
Christ perfectly exemplified the servanthood The goal of a leader is to empower staff and
and submission of a true leader. Pathfinders, not to dictate to them what you
want them to do. Then you will have a team
of people who are confident in themselves
and can do what they need to with joy and

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 enthusiasm, rather than their resenting your you can appropriately intercede.
impositions. Help others think of things to Leaders should be pure, peace-loving, con-
do, especially by asking questions and giv- siderate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial,
ing hints, so that they come up with the ide- sincere (James 3:17).
as, rather than using top-down instruction.
Then, support them in it, even if it is not ex- Practical tips on how to lead
actly how you would have done it. Students of People
It is very natural as a human to react to attack
Peacemakers with defense, justifying what you have done
Sometimes this can be the most difficult el- and taking action to avoid further hurt. How-
ement when you just want to escape the an- ever, Biblical leadership calls us to look for
ger and frustration of those speaking to or the need/hurt behind the attack, rather than
attacking you. It is utterly crucial to exhibit being offended. Especially when interact-
calmness even in the face of anger. This dif- ing with difficult people, speak the truth of
fuses the anger, and helps the person realize their value, rather than saying what you want
that you really care about what they are say- them to do. This is important all the time but
ing, even though you may disagree. Go for- is often forgotten during times of hardship.
ward into crises, rather than stepping away. Never pass up an opportunity to talk with
The temptation is to do away with anger, dis- someone about Jesus or their needs and de-
miss crises, but instead be proactive and take sires. The easier road is to think that times
the chance to build bridges and encourage will come again, but they may not. The Holy
those who are discouraged. Seize opportuni- Spirit will empower you and give you words
ties to speak to those who are most troubled, in situations that seem impossible.
even when it is easier to ignore the situation.
Pray for discernment and wisdom (example: Expect Wounds
Nehemiah’s prayer even as he was speaking). Criticism happens, and often is unavoidable.
The description of a mediator in Proverbs 8 We are all different people, with different per-
shows that you must know both sides before sonalities and backgrounds, and respond/re-

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act differently to different situations. There- This provides encouragement and support
fore, it is important to remember that your as well as good and creative ideas.
value is ultimately in God, not in what others
think of you. If you hold onto this, you can see Learn and Practice Public Speaking
criticism as constructive, rather than wound- Take any opportunity to plant seeds of God’s
ing. You can take it to God and ask what He grace. Avoid clichés, speak with clarity about
wants you to learn or change from the criti- the Bible. Illustrate with real-life examples.
cism. With God’s help, you can even use past Be authentic, not artificial. Study thorough-
failure to inspire success in the future. As you ly, but be succinct. Read faces; if it matters
see how God has worked through your weak- to you, it will matter to them. Address head,
nesses, you will be more and more confident heart, and will.
in His strength, and willing to listen/change/
hear what needs to be different in yourself. Spiritual Influence
Have realistic expectations about your own This is not magic or based on some sort of
abilities, as well as of the response of others. formula. It is really about intentionally culti-
vating in your own life the things that were
Make Space for Ideas important to Christ. People come before
To lessen unnecessary confusion or frustra- tasks. Living life comes before accomplish-
tion, take time to think through suggestions ments. Priorities are focused on God and
or concerns that come to you, even if they others, not self. Values are based on Scrip-
are bizarre and impossible. ture, not on secular norms. Time with others
Many times, others will realize on their own in relationship is key, not just words or deeds.
that the idea will not work, rather than blam- Character is built of the small things that you
ing you for a lack of consideration. Don’t be do reflecting Christ in your daily life.
content to rely on your previous knowledge
and experience. One of the most helpful Lead by Example
ways to continue learning is to be in close Of ultimate importance as a leader is to build
conversation with other Pathfinder leaders. your own character. You must be who you

Club Ministry Training Manual 195

 want others to be. If you react to difficulties
with humor, and face each task with genu-
ine enthusiasm, you will naturally encourage
others to have the same characteristics. Your
perseverance under duress and faithfulness
in the little things will help those working
with you to exhibit the same traits. If your life
is consistent and Christ-like, leadership will
happen, but not as something you seek. God
will work in you to make you into His image,
and you will reflect the servant leadership of
Christ in all that you do.

Suggested Activities
Split into groups and examine the following
passages. Compare the characteristics of a
leader in each passage: 1 Timothy 3, Micah
6, 1 Corinthians 13, Jeremiah 22:3, Zechariah
7:9-10, Sermon on the Mount. What does this
mean for Pathfinder leaders?
As a full group, ask how the above passages
apply to the following topics today:
• Moral confusion
• Social media to fool others
• Alienation in families
• Depression/despondency
• Competition

196 Club Ministry Training Manual

The Conference and Your Local
Church Board—LEAD 122

Description
This workshop focuses on the specific expectations, guidelines and requirements provided by the local
conference to local church ministries. The structure of Pathfinder and Adventurer ministry within the
conference will be outlined and suggestions will be made on dealing with conflicts that might arise
between local directors and coordinators or the conference. The workshop presents this same kind of
information, but in more general terms, concerning the local director’s interaction with the local church
board. The presentation gives specific strategies for promoting ministry and building relationship with
the board, including information on dealing with a non-supportive board.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors, • Pathfinders is a ministry within the body
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors of Christ and as such needs to interface and
work with the body in different ways. Under-
Resource Material standing the purpose and value of interfac-
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual ing with the conference, church board, and
• Conference Area Coordinators local congregation is crucial to the ministry
• Conference and Union personnel and web- of an effective Pathfinder Club.
sites • Key Text: “For in fact the body is not one
member but many. If the foot should say, ‘Be-
What Your Participants Will Learn cause I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’
1. To understand the responsibility the club is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear
leader has to the conference and local church should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not
board of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body?
2. To communicate effectively with the con- If the whole body were an eye, where would
ference and local church board be the hearing? If the whole were hearing,

198 Club Ministry Training Manual

where would be the smelling? But now God Suggestions for dealing with conflicts that
has set the members, each one of them, in might arise between local directors and co-
the body just as He pleased. And if they were ordinators or the conference
all one member, where would the body be? (1 • The Church Board: the local director’s inter-
Corinthians 12:13–19). action with the local church board. Specific
• The Conference: the structure of Pathfinder strategies for promoting ministry and build-
and Adventurer ministry within the confer- ing relationship with the board, including in-
ence. formation on dealing with a non-supportive
Conference Events for Pathfinder Leader- board:
ship: o Existence of the club
o Coordinator training o Pathfinder Calendar
o Staff training o Budget
Conference Events for Pathfinders: o Regular Reports
o Pathfinder Day The Church:
o Conference Camporee Regular Bulletin Updates for the Church
o Union Camporee o Invitations to Pathfinder events
The specific expectations, guidelines and re- o Get individuals involved in teaching honors
quirements provided by the local conference o Help out church members in need
to local church ministries: o Inform, inform, inform
o Reports and Forms The Church Services of Inspection and Inves-
o Club Registration titure
o Staff Registration o Register with the conference as soon as
o Event Registration possible
o Monthly Reports o Read the conference guidelines to prepare
o Club Inspections for these events
o Yearly Reports • Contact Personnel for Problem Resolution
o Event Reports
o Risk Management

Club Ministry Training Manual 199

 Suggested Activities
• Review your conference and union policies
on establishing a club, ceremonies proce-
dures, and report forms.
• Research your conference website for lo-
cating forms and uploading them.
• Compile contact information for key re-
source contacts, including area coordinators.

200 Club Ministry Training Manual

Introduction to Recruiting,
Screening and Training
Staff—LEAD 150

Description
This workshop introduces concepts of volunteer staff recruiting, screening (including vetting volun-
teers), training, and appreciation. It will offer suggestions on where and how to look for volunteers with
the character and personality needed to support club ministry. It reviews screening requirements of
the local conference, along with brief sharing of suggestions for training curriculum and settings. The
session also includes basic information on how to evaluate staff in order to help them improve their
ministry, shares ways to thank them for their service.

Audience/Participants 3. Volunteer training opportunities, curricu-

Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors, lum, and settings
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors 4. Ways to express appreciation and thank
volunteers for their service.
Resource Material
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual Workshop Content
• Pathfinder Basic Staff Training course Working with volunteers is much different
• Adventist Risk Management website: Ad- than working with paid employees. The goal
ventistRisk.org. is to connect God’s mission with their pas-
• Adventist Screening Verification or equiva- sion and to find God’s call for them within
lent approved by your Conference the ministry of the club. Once they have been
recruited, training them into an effective
What Your Participants Will Learn team is the ultimate goal. This must be ac-
1. Concepts of volunteer staff recruiting complished around a shared vision of God’s
2. Screening requirements of the church work to save youth through the Pathfinder
(vetting volunteers) ministry.

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Key text: “Then He said to them, “The har- the club, the more time we spend investing
vest truly is great, but the laborers are few; in volunteers.
therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to • Where officially approved by the local Con-
send out laborers into His harvest.” (Luke ference, a Master Guide Club should be an
10:2 NKJV). ideal source for volunteers.
With these things in mind, here are keys to a
Strategies of volunteer recruitment successful volunteer recruitment:
Great youth ministry volunteers who pas- • Know your vision.
sionately care for students, help plan events, • Know your needs.
teach, and disciple are the common thread You need to develop a primary volunteer
among every good youth ministry. If you recruitment chart. How many volunteers do
struggle to find these amazing people, then you need? Take the time to list all the areas
take some comfort knowing that many oth- where you have a need: Spiritual Coordina-
er youth ministers also struggle to recruit tor, Treasurer, Secretary, Counselors, Instruc-
volunteers. It is time to study how to recruit tors, etc. If you have something that you wish
them to your team. someone were volunteering to lead, then be
sure you put it on your list. For example, if
Veteran youth leaders who have excellent you really need a volunteer to take on at-
volunteer teams know these three secrets: tendance records, then put it on your list. If
• We realize that if our youth ministries are you do not list it, you may prevent anyone
going to grow, thrive, and someday survive else from knowing that you need help in that
after we leave them, it will be because of area. Organizing this information in some
great volunteers, not because of us. type of chart makes it easy to track, so that
• Building and nurturing a solid volunteer when people start saying yes, you can fill in
team is one of the most important things that each area and see easily where you still have
we do, and therefore we invest a significant holes.
portion of our time to recruiting, training, • Know what you are asking them to do People
and supporting our volunteers. The larger are most likely to say “yes” when asked to do

Club Ministry Training Manual 203

 something when the expectations are clear. (what adults in the church do they look up to
We recommend developing job descriptions because of their faith?). Ask questions like,
for all major volunteer positions. The job de- “Who used to volunteer in youth ministry
scriptions should include time commitment, that doesn’t anymore? What adults do you
responsibilities, and training requirements. want mentoring our youth?” Once you have
When you are recruiting someone, they will your list, make a note next to each person of
want to know what you are asking them to the top two areas in which they might serve.
do. A good job description should answer all You want to be as prepared as possible when
their questions and set you up for success by you call them.
allowing you to define the expectations of
that position. When a volunteer has not been The Big Ask
told what to do, do not be surprised when • Discover their “why”. You know why you
they do not do it. want volunteers: there is a lot of work to be
• Know who you are targeting. done and not enough hands on deck! We
Create a list of potential youth volunteers. are all at different levels of spiritual maturity;
Your list should be at least three times longer many people who could be great volunteers
than the number of volunteers you need, be- may need to hear a “why” that is a bit easi-
cause some people are going to say “no.” A er to connect with. Start by considering how
good place to start is the church directory: working with Pathfinders can fulfill their pas-
write down everyone you know who could fill sions. Will they make new friends? Have fun?
one of your needs. You might consider divid- Get to use a skill that’s not valued as much in
ing your list into two groups—those who will their day-job? Those are all great motivations
work hands-on with the youth and those who to volunteer. When inviting people to serve,
will organize and play “behind-the-scenes” give them all the positive reasons they will
roles. Next, start asking other people for want to serve on your team.
suggestions of volunteers. Ask your pastor, • Tell them they are needed. Create a vid-
your current volunteers, other ministry lead- eo of current volunteers talking about how
ers in the church, and definitely ask the youth volunteering has benefitted them and how

204 Club Ministry Training Manual

much they enjoy it. Make it easy to sign up aging are essential to volunteer retention.
for more info on your website and via social Training opportunities include Pathfinder
media. Make personal contacts with people. Staff Training events, staff meetings, one-on-
• Address their fears. Why would anyone be one interactions.
afraid of volunteering? Mostly it is simply an Once you have done the hard work of find-
issue of the unknown. Put yourself in a po- ing people to help you, you certainly want to
tential volunteer’s shoes for a minute and keep them around so that your recruiting ef-
consider these questions: forts get a little easier every year.
o What are they going to ask me to do? Express appreciation and thank volunteers.
o Am I qualified? Develop short descriptions Send handwritten notes, pray with and for
of each volunteer role, include the time com- your volunteers, ask for their input and fol-
mitment, frequency, and skills needed. low-up on their suggestions, be prepared
• Respond quickly. Make sure your process and have supplies and information ready for
for receiving and assigning people is efficient. them each time, keep them informed about
The key is to get them involved and to equip changes, events or special announcements
them with the information they need to be so they can answer questions from visitors
successful. If formal training is not available intelligently.
right away, pair them up with an experienced It takes a concerted effort to build strong,
volunteer. healthy, and committed volunteer teams.
Planning, preparation, and well-thought-out
Screening requirements required by the communication are all part of the package.
church. So, what is the reward for all this hard work?
• Why Screening (background check) The reward is volunteers who are excit-
• Pathfinder leaders background checks ed about serving each week, who are con-
• Vetting Volunteers necting with each other, and who minister
through their service to your members and
Training and encouraging. guests.
Training, equipping, supporting, and encour-

Club Ministry Training Manual 205

 Suggested Activities
Show the Adventist Screening Verification or
equivalent approved by your Conference.

206 Club Ministry Training Manual

Survey of Camping and
Campout Planning—WILD 101

Description
This workshop briefly covers the philosophy of camping and types of camping. It will focus on issues
and techniques of planning and programing an interesting and safe camping experience. Topics include
but are not limited to: location selection, promotion, booking, transportation, activities, food and meal
preparation, safety (including fire, animal, weather, and human), equipment, supervision, and spiritual
components.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors,
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors The philosophy of and types of camping
Philosophy/Objectives of Campouts:
Resource Material 1. To help youth feel the nearness of God and
• Explore camping and recreation activities to learn more about Him His creation
approved by your Conference. 2. To develop an at-homeness in the out-of-
doors
What Your Participants Will Learn 3. To teach self-reliance
1. The philosophy of camping, and different 4. To prepare youth for coming events as un-
types of camping derstood from prophecy
2. Proper preparation for a campout 5. To satisfy the spirit of adventure
3. Safety measures 6. To teach ability to cope with natural ele-
4. Spiritual emphasis ments
7. To learn to enjoy the challenges of adver-
sity
8. To challenge and overcome fears of the
unknown
9. To provide activities and settings in which

208 Club Ministry Training Manual

leaders and Pathfinders may enjoy fellowship quired (non-consumable), materials needed
10. To teach skills such as observation, track- (consumable, i.e. toilet paper), appropriate
ing, orientation, and survival transportation, First Aid supplies, and cook-
Hiking, backpacking, canoeing, biking, ori- ing equipment.
enteering, winter camping, and wilderness Promotion for each campout should begin
survival are some of the types of camping in with the Pathfinder year so that parents can
which Pathfinders may participate. mark the dates on their calendar and prepare
for the financial and supply needs of their
Planning and promoting the campout Pathfinders.
Planning for each campout should be initi-
ated in the pre-Pathfinder year planning. Pathfinder involvement in planning and im-
Counselors and class instructors can then plementation
incorporate the planning aspects in which The Friend through Voyager classes all have
their class is to be involved into their curric- camping-related honor requirements to re-
ulum schedule. Before planning a campout, ceive their basic IA pin. Guides have the op-
the leaders must decide what is the purpose tion to complete an “Outdoor Living” hon-
of the campout. A clear goal should be set. or they have not previously earned for the
With the goal clearly in mind, all activities Advanced IA curriculum. See the Handout
will take on meaning and planning becomes to cross-reference responsibilities in which
much simpler. Have a schedule for the entire each class must participate or complete be-
campout so that staff members know what is fore, during, and after a campout.
expected of them and their units, and when
it is expected. Each type of campout may re- Safety precautions
quire different needs and planning. Safety is a key component to a successful and
enjoyable campout and should have signifi-
Differences in the requirements include but cant attention during the planning process.
are not limited to: proper clothing, bedding A word of caution: negligence could lead to
choices, food choices, fuel supplies, tools re- a lawsuit and may involve all leadership, in-

Club Ministry Training Manual 209

 cluding those who may not even have been tool by which the purposes of camping are
camping. A complete First Aid kit should be realized.
assembled for the club prior to a campout. 2. Programs ought to be planned with the
Individual First Aid kits can be packaged in members of the group which are to be served
bags for individual Pathfinders as well. (each class has worship or skit requirements
The types of fires, procedures for starting in the personal growth and spiritual discov-
fires in cold/wet weather, and fire usage safe- ery tracks).
ty rules as outlined in the honor should be re- 3. All phases of the program should be relat-
viewed with Pathfinders before participating ed to the developmental levels of the camp-
in the activities. At least one staff member ers who are to participate.
(preferably all) will have additional First Aid/ 4. The program should be child-centered, not
CPR training and have current certification. activity- or adult-centered.
Keep in mind that all class levels have a First 5. The program content should be based
Aid-type requirement under the Health and upon sound educational principles.
Fitness track. It may be helpful to start these 6. The program should consist of an integrat-
honors before a campout as a component of ed series of experiences consistent with the
your camping-safety plan. overall purposes of the organization rather
than a hodgepodge of opportunistic stunts
Spiritual emphasis and isolated events.
Particular attention should be given to the 7. Sabbath activities should be planned
spiritual emphasis of the campout. If it is not, with the proper observance of the Sabbath.
then a more worldly view of worship may Campers need carefully planned and struc-
overtake Sabbath and some of the special tured activities during the Sabbath hours.
blessing of Sabbath worship may be lost. The We often plan the Sabbath schedule around
following are some scheduling guidelines our own desires for the day, rather than
which can help keep Sabbath scheduling ap- around the needs of the campers for a full,
propriate and of value: enjoyable and meaningful day. Often wake-
1. The program is not an end in itself; it is a up time is delayed compared to other days’

210 Club Ministry Training Manual

schedules, even though most campers are need to keep in mind when choosing a lo-
up early and excited about their first day cation?
camping. In the afternoon, “free time” is set • What are the camping skills requirements
aside so we may rest; however, the camp- for each of the classes attending the cam-
ers then find themselves with unsupervised, pout?
unstructured time which will often be filled • Which parts of planning and preparation
with non-Sabbath-type activities. We should will be delegated to the classes?
clearly understand the purpose God chose
for setting this day apart from the rest—as a
time for communion with Him, a time to learn
more about Him through the means He has
provided. Sometimes we plan our Sabbaths
at camp with more of a world’s view of wor-
ship, which translates, “Spend a little time in
‘church’, then the rest of the time is yours.”

Suggested Activities
Plan a campout for your club using the in-
formation from this course. Outline specif-
ic responsibilities that will be designated
to each class for planning, preparation and
implementation during the campout. Plan a
schedule for the campout. Use the following
questions to help guide you in beginning the
planning process.
• What type of campout will it be?
• Where will the campout be? What special
considerations of club/staff members do I

Club Ministry Training Manual 211

Teaching Investiture
Achievement—EDUC 200

Description
This workshop presents the general outline and structure of the “Investiture Achievement Curriculum.”
Special attention is given to the objectives, or intent, of the eight tracks of each level. These tracks are:
Personal Growth, Spiritual Discovery, Serving Others, Making Friends, Health and Fitness, Nature Study,
Outdoor Activities, and Honor Enrichment. Understanding the intent supporting each track will help
leaders implement specific Investiture Achievement requirements and/or modify and combine them as
needed for teaching their unique group of young people. The workshop will include practical sugges-
tions for creative and dynamic instruction focused on active learning.

Audience/Participants finders
Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors,
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors Workshop Content

Resource Material Ideas for Workshop Presentation

• Pathfinder Administrative Manual and Activities
• Investiture Achievement cards, journals, The objective of Investiture Achievement is
and posters to provide a means by which Pathfinders can
be trained in service for God and as good cit-
What Your Participants Will Learn izens of their communities. There are six lev-
1. The purpose and objectives of Investiture els of Investiture Achievement determined
Achievement by age: Friend (10), Companion (11), Explor-
2. How the Investiture Achievement curricu- er (12), Ranger (13), Voyager (14), and Guide
lum fits into your Pathfinder calendar (15).
3. The eight Investiture Achievement tracks
and the intent beneath each track The eight tracks and the intent for
4. Teaching Investiture Achievement to Path- each track

212 Club Ministry Training Manual

1. Personal Growth: Understanding that God others encourages Pathfinders to embrace
values each Pathfinder contributes to the all of God’s diverse family. In the Serving
Pathfinders’ development of positive self- Others track, Pathfinders experience the joy
worth and encourages confidence in the abil- of service through outreach, friendship evan-
ities given to them by God. To aid Pathfinders gelism, and other church or community ac-
in this understanding, the Personal Growth tivities.
track encourages each Pathfinder to have a 4. Making Friends: Establishing friendships
personal relationship with Jesus through a promotes positive spiritual and social growth.
daily devotional life, Bible study, and prayer. In the Making Friends track, Pathfinders learn
The daily devotional life aids the Pathfind- about being a friend to others, to the com-
er in creating a personal habit of daily time munity, and to the planet. Pathfinders have
with God that can set the foundation for the the opportunity to model the positive bene-
rest of their life. In this track Pathfinders also fits of a Christian lifestyle, develop and apply
learn how to apply the Pathfinder Pledge and morals and values, and demonstrate civic re-
Law to words, actions, and beliefs. sponsibility.
2. Spiritual Discovery: Hearing stories of 5. Health and Fitness: Learning God’s princi-
God’s love, protection, and guidance in the ples for a healthy life teaches Pathfinders of
lives of real people encourages in Pathfind- God’s concern for their physical, emotional,
ers the awareness that God is alive. In the and mental health. In the Health and Fitness
Spiritual Discovery track, Pathfinders grow track, Pathfinders apply health and fitness
spiritually through the study of real people principles, share these principles with others,
in the Bible and Christian history. Each IA and practice basic First Aid and safety pro-
class explores doctrines of the Seventh-day cedures.
Adventist church, laying a strong foundation 6. Nature Study: Exploring nature is an excit-
for Pathfinders to understand what active ing way for Pathfinders to experience God.
membership means and commit to being In the Nature Study track, Pathfinders learn
baptized, active members. about God through observation of nature,
3. Serving Others: Focusing on the needs of time spent outdoors, and environmental

Club Ministry Training Manual 213

 stewardship. ment might be taught in your Club
7. Outdoor Living: Practicing outdoor living year
skills is a fun and challenging way for Path- It is important that staff understand the
finders to develop life and problem-solving scope and sequence of Investiture Achieve-
tools. In the Outdoor Living track, Pathfind- ment, how their individual level of curriculum
ers perform outdoor skills, solve outdoor fits into the big picture, and how to teach it.
challenges, and participate in outdoor team There is a variety of methods for tracking
activities. Outdoor activities offer Pathfind- the Pathfinders’ progress such as using wall
ers relationship-building time with their men- charts, record cards, and journals.
tors.
8. Honor Enrichment: Once a Pathfinder has Teaching Investiture Achievement
completed an Investiture Achievement level, to Pathfinders
she or he can then complete the honor enrich- Investiture Achievement (IA) is the core cur-
ment and other advanced-level activities for riculum for Pathfinder ministry. It needs to
that Investiture Achievement level. Honor en- be taught in a way that meets the individ-
richment promotes personal growth and al- ual needs of the Pathfinders. This may look
lows Pathfinders to explore their interests by different from one year to the next. Due to
earning new honors, learning new skills, and time limitations, not all of the requirements
studying new content areas. Honor enrich- possible to complete during a Pathfinder
ment provides opportunities for Pathfinders’ meeting. At-home work teaches the Path-
accomplishments to be acknowledged pub- finder responsibility and accountability. In-
licly by the church and community. Public ac- structors should follow up with the Path-
knowledgment increases Pathfinders’ sense finders between meetings to encourage and
of self-worth. At the close of the school year, remind Pathfinders of at-home work. Finding
Pathfinder Investiture services provide a the best way to connect with the Pathfinder
meaningful affirmation of the responsibilities whether it be by text, sending a note home
and accomplishments of each Pathfinder. or on social media is key for success in this
When and how Investiture Achieve- area. Involving parents in encouraging their

214 Club Ministry Training Manual

Pathfinder can be effective as well. (i.e., another level).
• Explore honors which can be taught during
Practical application of ideal, campouts.
creative instruction
The ideal model for teaching Investiture
Achievement incorporates lecture, group ac-
tivity, and synthesis and application. These
three components often can be given equal
time depending on the content of the lesson.
Following this model, class participants can
be instructed to create and present a plan for
teaching or adapting an Investiture Achieve-
ment lesson to one of the suggested activi-
ties. Many members have helped the cause
of Pathfinders especially if the members
have children in the club.

Suggested Activities
• Review 2 to 3 club calendar examples of
incorporating Investiture Achievement work
into the Pathfinder schedule and create a
calendar for your club.
• Accommodate Investiture Achievement to
individual and special needs.
• Adapt Investiture Achievement to different
ages.
• Teach an Investiture Achievement level to
teach the skills they are learning to others

Club Ministry Training Manual 215

 NAD FRIEND COMPANION EXPLORER
SAMPLE
Personal 1. Be in Grade 5 or its equivalent. 1. Be in Grade 6 or its equivalent. 1. Be in Grade 7 or its equivalent.
Growth 2. A. Develop your devotional life 2. A. Develop your devotional life by 2. A. Develop your devotional life
by studying the Weekly Devotional studying the Weekly Devotional Guide by studying the Weekly Devotional
Guide (weeks
1-13) and the book of (weeks 14-26) and the book of Genesis Guide (weeks 27-39) and the book
Matthew utilizing printed or electro- utilizing printed or electronic resources. of Acts utilizing printed or electro-
nic resources. B. Journal your thoughts by asking these nic resources.
B. Journal your thoughts by asking questions: B. Journal your thoughts by asking
these questions: - “What did I learn about God?” these questions:
● “What did I learn about - “What did I learn about myself?” - “What did I learn about God?”
God?” - “How can I apply this to my life today?” - “What did I learn about myself?”
- “What did I learn about myself?” You may journal through writing, drawing - “How can I apply this to my life
- “How can I apply this to my life or electronic processes. today?”
today?” You may journal through writing,
You may journal through writing, drawing or electronic processes.
drawing or electronic processes.

3. Memorize the Pathfinder Pledge & 3. A. Memorize/review the Pathfinder 3. A. Memorize/review the Pathfin-
Law. Pledge & Law. 
 der Pledge.

B. Learn the meaning of the Pathfinder, B. Illustrate your understanding of
Pledge & Law. the Pathfinder Pledge in an interes-
ting way.

4. Learn the Pathfinder Song. 4. A. Learn/review the Pathfinder Song. 
 4. Learn the meaning of the Path-
B. Illustrate its meaning. finder Emblem.

Spiritual 1. A. Memorize in order the names 1. A. Memorize in order the names of 1. Learn how to use a Bible concor-
Discovery of the New Testament books of the the Old Testament books of the Bible dance by selecting two topics and/
Bible and know the four areas into and the five groups into which they are or words to discover how it is used
which the books are grouped. grouped.
 in the Bible.
B. Demonstrate your ability to find B. Demonstrate your ability to find any
any New Testament book. Old Testament book.

2. Memorize a Bible text for the fo- 2. Memorize a Bible text (not previously 2. Memorize a Bible text (not pre-
llowing subjects: learned) for the following subjects: viously learned) for the following
- Prayer - Prayer subjects:
- Doctrine - Behavior - Prayer
- Behavior - Relationships - Behavior
- Salvation - Doctrine - Relationships
- Relationships - Great Passages - Doctrine
- Promises/Praise - Salvation - Great Passages
- Great Passages - Promises/Praise - Salvation
- Promises/Praise

3. Participate in a skit on a story 3. Participate in a skit on one of the fo- 3. Role-play the experience of
about the life of Jesus such as: llowing Old Testament characters: a person of the New Testament
- Jesus in the temple at 12 - Joseph Church in the book of Acts.
- Jesus being tempted in the wilder- - Esther
ness - Jonah
- Jesus feeding the 5,000 or another - Ruth
favorite story about Jesus

4. Learn about the worldwide Advent 4. Research two early Adventist Pioneers 4. A. Learn stories of eight missio-
Awakening (late 1700s to 1844 time (1844 to 1900) and present what you naries (to at least four continents)
period) by identifying seven people have learned. who served during the Seventh-day
and three events explaining why they Adventist mission expansion (1900
are important. to 1950).

B. On a world map, plot their coun-
try of service.
C. Make a presentation about your
favorite missionary.
 NAD RANGER VOYAGER GUIDE
SAMPLE
Personal 1. Be in Grade 8 or its equivalent. 
 1. Be in Grade 9 or its equivalent. 1. Be in Grade 10 or its equivalent.
Growth 2. A. Develop your devotional life 2. A. Develop your devotional life by 2. A. Develop your daily devotional
by studying the Weekly Devotional studying the Senior Weekly Devotional life by studying the Senior Weekly
Guide (weeks 40-52) and the book Guide (weeks 1-26) and the book of Devotional Guide (weeks 27-52)
of John utilizing printed or electronic Romans utilizing printed or electronic and the book of Revelation utilizing
resources. resources. printed or electronic resources.
B. Journal your thoughts by asking B. Journal your thoughts by asking ques- B. Journal your thoughts by asking
questions like: tions like: questions such as:
- “What did I learn about God?” - “What did I learn about God?” - “What did I learn about God?”
- “What did I learn about myself?” - “What did I learn about myself?” - “What did I learn about myself?”
- “How can I apply this to my life - “How can I apply this to my life today?” - “How can I apply this to my life
today?” - “What in this text is meaningful to me?” today?”
- “What in this text is meaningful to - “What is the theme in the verses I You may journal through writing,
me?” read?” drawing, or electronic process.
- “What is the theme in the verses I You may journal through writing, drawing
read?” or electronic processes.
You may journal through writing,
drawing or electronic processes.
3. A. Memorize/review the Pathfinder 3. Memorize the AY Aim. 3. Memorize the AY Motto.
Law.

B. Illustrate your understanding of
the
Pathfinder Law in an interesting
way.



4. Learn the meaning of the AY Em- 4. Illustrate the meaning of the AY Aim in 4. Illustrate the meaning of the AY
blem. an interesting way. Motto in an interesting way.

Spiritual 1. Participate in a Bible-marking pro- 1. Review the Biblical reasons for the 28 1. Write and share your personal
Discovery gram on the inspiration of the Bible. Fundamental Christian Beliefs of the testimony.
Seventh-day Adventist Church.

2. Memorize the 10 Commandments 2. Memorize five Bible texts that support 2. Memorize one key text for each
in Exodus 20:3-17. one of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs. of the following Bible teachings:
- Second Coming of Christ
- Seventh-day Sabbath
- State of the Dead
- Law & Grace
- Conversion
- Judgment
- Inspiration of the Bible
- Spirit of Prophecy
- The Saint’s Reward 

3. Read the 13 Baptismal Vows of the 3. Prepare and present a Bible study on 3. Learn the principles of leading a
Seventh-day Adventist Church and one of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs. person to Jesus.
share why each of them is important.

4. Read The Pathfinder Story (current 4. Read The AY Story (current edition). 4. Tell a story of a church pioneer to
edition) a group.
 NAD FRIEND COMPANION EXPLORER
SAMPLE
Serving 1. In consultation with your leader, 1. In consultation with your leader, plan 1. Be familiar with the community
others plan ways and find opportunities ways and find opportunities to spend services in your area and give assis-
to spend time being a friend with at least two hours helping an elderly tance for at least four hours.
someone in need. person.

2. Spend at least four hours partici- 2. Spend at least four hours participating 2. Participate in at least two church
pating in projects that benefit the in projects that benefit the church or programs for a total of four hours.
church or school. school.

Making 1. Discover ten qualities of being a 1. Discuss how the media strengthens or 1. Participate in a panel discussion
Friends good friend and share two that are weakens our relationship with others. or skit on peer pressure and its role
most important to you. in your decision making.

2. Fulfill requirements #1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements#1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements #1, #11, #1,
of the Christian Citizenship Honor. of the Cultural Diversity Appreciation and #14 of the Christian Grooming
Honor. and Manners Honor.
Health and 1. Learn about the value of good nu- 1. Learn about the value of temperance, 1. Learn about the value of exercise,
Fitness trition & water by discussing: by: fresh air & sunshine, by:
- The Choose My Plate guidelines. A. Memorizing and signing the Tempe- A. Giving two reasons why physical
- The daily servings for each food rance Pledge.
 fitness is important.
group. B. Memorizing two of the following Bible B. Explaining the relationship
- The importance of a balanced diet. texts: Romans 12:1, 2; 1 Cor. 10:31; Prov. between proper diet, exercise, and
- The importance of drinking a 20:1; 3 John 1:2.
 weight control. 

healthy amount of water (these are C. Discussing all the following situations C. Explaining the benefits of fresh
requirements #1 and #6 of the Nutri- and role-play one: Your best friend asks air and sunshine. 
(A. & B. fulfill
tion Honor) you to try a cigarette; An older relative requirement #7 of the Christian
offers you a drink of beer; The smoke Grooming and Manners Honor).
from a stranger’s cigarette is bothering
you. (A. fulfills requirement #1, B. & C.
fulfill parts of requirements #2 & #7 of
the Temperance Honor)

2. Earn the Red Alert Honor. 2. Earn the First Aid Basic Honor. 2. Earn the Basic Rescue Honor.

3. Complete the Basic Water Safety 3. Complete the Basic Water Safety OR 3. Complete the Basic Water Safety
OR Beginner Swimming Honor, if not Beginner Swimming Honor, if not pre- OR Beginner Swimming Honor, if
previously earned. viously earned. not previously earned.
 NAD RANGER VOYAGER GUIDE
SAMPLE
Serving 1. Fulfill requirements #7 and #8 of 1. Fulfill requirements #1, #2, and #3 of 1. Fulfill one of the following honor
others the Serving Communities Honor. the Identifying Community Needs Honor. requirements: #3 of Crisis Interven-
tion, #4 of Community Improve-
ment, #3 of Teaching, #3 of Rural
Development Honor.
2. Fulfill requirement #9 of the Ser- 2. Fulfill requirement #4 of the Identif- 2. Fulfill one of the following honor
ving Communities Honor. ying Community Needs Honor. requirements: #4 of Crisis Interven-
tion, #6 of Community Improve-
ment, #s 5 or 6 of Teaching, #5 of
Rural Development.
Making 1. Role-play the story of the Good 1. Discuss the needs, plan, and participate 1. Through discussion and personal
Friends Samaritan and think of ways you can in an activity for physically challenged research examine your attitudes on
serve your neighbors and carry out individuals. two of the following topics:
three of your ideas. - Attitudes toward moral issues in
sex and dating.
- Self-concept as it affects choices
of a husband/wife.
- How peer pressure affects rela-
tionships with parents, family, other
relatives, and friends.

2. Fulfill requirements #1, #5, and #10 2. Fulfill requirements #3, #5 and #6 of 2. Fulfill requirements #5 and #6 of
of the Family Life Honor. the Stewardship Honor. the Language Study Honor.
Health and 1. Learn about the value of divine 1. Earn the Physical Fitness Honor, if not 1. Under the guidance of an adult
Fitness power & rest by: 
 previously earned. staff member, choose one of the
A. For 5 consecutive days, spend ei- following:
ght minutes each day in a quiet spot ● Teach the Red Alert Honor.
(no electronics, books, or distrac- ● Teach requirement #1 of
tions) and reflect on ways God has Health & Fitness for Friends.
touched your life during the last 24 ● Teach requirement #1 of
hours. Health & Fitness for Companion.
B. Share what you liked and did not
like about your quiet time with a
friend or your group.
C. Keep a sleep log for seven days.
D. Find an article on how a lack of
sleep affects the body and make a
presentation about what you have
learned (are you getting enough
sleep?).
E. Read these texts: Ex. 31:17; Ez.
20:20; Isa. 58:13 & 14; Matt. 12:11 & 12.
F. Discuss with your group, How will I
keep the Sabbath so it will be a mea-
ningful experience in my relationship
with God and positively impact my
physical health?

2. Earn the First Aid Honor. 2. Earn the CPR Honor. 2. Complete a Health & Science
honor not previously earned.
3. Complete the Basic Water Safety 3. Complete the Basic Water Safety OR 3. Complete the Basic Water Safety
OR Beginner Swimming Honor, if not Beginner Swimming Honor, if not pre- OR Beginner Swimming Honor, if
previously earned. viously earned. not previously earned.
 NAD FRIEND COMPANION EXPLORER
SAMPLE
Nature 1. In consultation with your leader, 1. In consultation with your leader, plan 1. Be familiar with the community
study plan ways and find opportunities ways and find opportunities to spend services in your area and give assis-
to spend time being a friend with at least two hours helping an elderly tance for at least four hours.
someone in need. person.

2. Spend at least four hours partici- 2. Spend at least four hours participating 2. Participate in at least two church
pating in projects that benefit the in projects that benefit the church or programs for a total of four hours.
church or school. school.

Outdoor 1. Discover ten qualities of being a 1. Discuss how the media strengthens or 1. Participate in a panel discussion
Living good friend and share two that are weakens our relationship with others. or skit on peer pressure and its role
most important to you. in your decision making.

2. Fulfill requirements #1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements#1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements #1, #11, #1,
of the Christian Citizenship Honor. of the Cultural Diversity Appreciation and #14 of the Christian Grooming
Honor. and Manners Honor.
 NAD FRIEND COMPANION EXPLORER
SAMPLE
Nature 1. In consultation with your leader, 1. In consultation with your leader, plan 1. Be familiar with the community
study plan ways and find opportunities ways and find opportunities to spend services in your area and give assis-
to spend time being a friend with at least two hours helping an elderly tance for at least four hours.
someone in need. person.

2. Spend at least four hours partici- 2. Spend at least four hours participating 2. Participate in at least two church
pating in projects that benefit the in projects that benefit the church or programs for a total of four hours.
church or school. school.

Outdoor 1. Discover ten qualities of being a 1. Discuss how the media strengthens or 1. Participate in a panel discussion
Living good friend and share two that are weakens our relationship with others. or skit on peer pressure and its role
most important to you. in your decision making.

2. Fulfill requirements #1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements#1, #2, and #3 2. Fulfill requirements #1, #11, #1,
of the Christian Citizenship Honor. of the Cultural Diversity Appreciation and #14 of the Christian Grooming
Honor. and Manners Honor.
Club Finances—FINA 100

Description
This workshop introduces the basic information needed to keep accurate financial records for your
ministry. Topics include: setting and collecting dues and fees, proper receipting, issues with separate
bank accounts from those of the church, the importance of reconciliation of accounting records be-
tween ministry and the church, dealing with accounts receivable, and budgeting and cost projections.

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Current and future Club Directors, Associate
Directors and Deputy Directors The purpose of finances in the Path-
finder club
Resource Material • The goal of finance is to teach salvation
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual through Pathfinder activities and to minister
• Sample of Pathfinder Club Budget to our church and community.
• Sample Income and Expense journal • The objective of the budget is to provide
• Education by Ellen White equipment, supplies, and club facilities to
• Conference Youth Leadership make the club attractive and to provide the
right kind of training for the youth of the
What Your Participants Will Learn church.
1. The purposes of finances in the club
2. Information for obtaining funds in the club Sources of income for the club
3. Information for dispersing funds in the club • Annual membership fees. These are the pri-
4. How to maintain accurate financial records mary revenue of a club. Every member should
5. Fundraising ideas and guidelines be expected to pay a moderate amount per
year as part of their membership obligations.
This fee should not be heavy or cause any

222 Club Ministry Training Manual

prospective member to forgo the privilege of every member. The new clubhouse or the
membership. new equipment will then mean much more
• Church subsidy. Churches must include to the Pathfinders.
the Pathfinder Club in the church budget. • Fundraising campaigns. These are an im-
Churches that realize the operation of a good portant, supplementary source of income.
club is of great importance to the whole Pathfinders should not be overburdened
church program will be willing to contribute with campaigns.
a regular amount toward the club expenses.
All club leaders should urge that this matter Basic information needed to dis-
be considered by the church board. burse funds in the club
• Offerings. An offering is taken on Path- • The equipment, supplies, and club facilities
finder Sabbath. This offering is usually ear- needed for the club
marked for a special club project as outlined • Annual expenditures for the Pathfinder club
in the budget. accounting procedures
• Sponsorship by church members. Here is an
excellent way to finance special projects and Steps for better financial manage-
trips. ment
Church members can be persuaded to spon- • Handling of funds is to be done by the club
sor a club or some of the activities and needs treasurer under the local church accounting
of the club. Many members have helped the procedures.
cause of Pathfinders, especially if they have • Delineate protocol of handling finances,
children in the club. within the club structure.
• Special projects. While it is not the duty • Have a carefully prepared budget.
of Pathfinders to spend too much time in • Take care in the distribution and handling
fundraising projects, some time can be spent of funds.
each year for special projects like obtaining • Each club needs a designated treasurer; a
new equipment, new clubhouse, etc. This can designated treasurer is sometimes a deputy
capture the enthusiasm and imagination of director.

Club Ministry Training Manual 223

 • All funds received by the club treasurer • Any conflict with other local Pathfinder
should be turned over to the church treas- Clubs?
urer. • Is the fund-raising service/product in sup-
• The club should always receive a receipt for port of Biblical doctrine as taught by the
all funds received. Seventh-day Adventist Church?
• The church books will be audited at least • Is the community invited to participate?
once every two years which will provide a
protection to the officers of the club. Salesmanship
• Club treasurer should obtain spending • Set up goals and work toward them.
money from the church treasurer in the form • Have small incentives for Pathfinders in the
of petty cash. form of ribbons or prizes.
• Petty cash spent should be accounted for • It is better to set attainable goals so that
with supporting receipts. the Pathfinders will have the satisfaction of
• Major payments should be paid by church reaching or going beyond their goal, rather
treasurer upon request by club treasurer. than being disappointed.
• Where two or more churches form a single • Witnessing through gifts of literature
Pathfinder Club, they should elect a treasurer
to serve the large club which holds all club Financial Records
funds. In that case, the club books should be • Sample Income and Expense Journal from
audited once a year. Pathfinder Administrative Manual
• A Sample Pathfinder Club Yearly Budget
Fundraising ideas and guidelines from Pathfinder Administrative Manual
General Guidelines
• Has it been approved? Suggested Activities
• Harmony with local ordinances • Resource: Sample blank templates
• No resemblance to gambling • Sample Income and Expense Journal
• Will product be sold on its own merit? • Sample Pathfinder Club Budget
• Will purchasers get money’s worth? • Think, pair, share, using blank Income and

224 Club Ministry Training Manual

Expense Journal. Using the sample Income
and Expense Journal as an example, have
candidates work on completing a blank jour-
nal in small groups. Discuss.
• Think, pair, share, using blank Pathfinder
Club yearly budget. Using the sample Path-
finder Club Budget as an example, have can-
didates complete blank club budget. Discuss.

Club Ministry Training Manual 225

Introduction to
Discipline—PYSO 120

Description
This workshop introduces various views and definitions of discipline. It then covers principles of Chris-
tian discipline and specific techniques for effective discipline.

Audience/Participants mountains and broke the rocks in pieces be-

Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors, fore the LORD, but the LORD was not in the
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but
the LORD was not in the earthquake; and af-
Resource Material ter the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was
• Pathfinder Administrative Manual not in the fire; and after the fire a still small
• Education by Ellen White voice.” (1 Kings 19:11-12).
Turning up the volume often does not get
What Your Participants Will Learn the response we want in a discipline situation
1. What is the purpose of discipline? because it triggers defensive fear or flight re-
2. How to educate staff actions that shut down productive thought.
3. When and how it is best God spoke in a still, small voice when He
needed to discipline His weary prophet.

Workshop Content What is the purpose of discipline? The pur-

Key Text: 1 Kings 19:11-12. “Then He said, pose of discipline is to win disciples for Christ.
‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before Discipline has both an outward and an inward
the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed emphasis, each with different purposes. Ex-
by, and a great and strong wind tore into the ternal discipline is correction from someone

226 Club Ministry Training Manual

else to change or correct bad behavior. In- to these words.
ternal discipline sets a precedent for the fu- • Be “in charge” naturally. Assume that you
ture by internalized moral guidelines that we are in charge and that Pathfinders also know
are determined not to violate. This workshop this.
examines both types of discipline within the • Do not be impulsive or inconsistent. Two
context of being a director of a Pathfinder culprit areas are: the rules, and consistency.
club. We are working with a group of young “Say what you mean and mean what you
people transitioning between a need for ex- say.” Do not let your words fall to the ground.
ternal discipline (called “punishment”) to in- But at the same time, do not speak them if
ternal discipline (that is needed for life). In you do not mean them. If you do, then you
our clubs will be young people in all areas of have to follow through. Do not threaten, as
this transition. you will have to follow up.
• Keep rules to a minimum. It is better to set
When and how it is the rule and let it be. Many clubs have three:
best to discipline don’t lie, don’t disobey, and don’t be disre-
Techniques of discipline spectful. Others have: Don’t hurt yourself,
• Establish rapport with Pathfinders. When don’t hurt others, don’t hurt things. If these
a child experiences a relationship character- are broken, take the Pathfinder to the side
ized by warmth, love, understanding, accept- and talk with them; if it continues, talk with
ance, etc. there is a natural tendency to want them with their parents. Additional steps are
to please by doing what is asked. needed for persistent problems.
• Set a good example. Speak often about • Do not punish energy. Most kids are not
doing what is right because it is right. Talk “bad” kids (meaning disobedient, disrespect-
about doing good even when no one is look- ful and liars).
ing; about character building being a person- Most have a lot of energy. This is not bad.
al effort. But do not say these things if you We actually want that. We want young peo-
are not going to live up to them for you will ple who are on fire. We just need to have
do much harm if you are caught not living up patience and direct that energy into useful

Club Ministry Training Manual 227

 tasks. Sometimes it helps a young person • Stay cool. Don’t overreact. The worst thing
with a lot of energy to “shadow” the director. you can do is lose your mind in a crisis or in
• Plan program carefully. Any spare a heated moment. Your calm will be like cold
moments that are unused by you (the lead- water on a fire.
ers) will be used by Pathfinders in a chaotic Remember that young people reflect the
manner. Start and end on time. Move from mood of the leaders (especially the ones
activity to activity with energy, knowing they respect.) So when we need to adopt a
what is coming next. posture of correction, we should convey the
• Anticipate. See potential problems before attitudes we want to see reflected back.
they happen, and you will be able to warn the • Take time to learn the facts. Try to hear
child. Often a gentle pat on the shoulder is all all sides before making a judgement. Often
that is needed to help the Pathfinder know there are good reasons for what happened.
that you know what is happening or about Never accuse. If you do make a mistake and
to happen. jump to conclusions, you need to admit your
Sometimes a kind word helps a child through mistake. Young people are forgiving. They
a trouble spot. Another tactic is diversion. are also resilient.
A dose of reality helps through frustrated • Realize what hat you are wearing. We are all
times. Praise the positive. Allow a child to volunteers; we may have minimal counseling
save face. skills. But we can try to see the real problem.
• Allow honesty. It should be a place where Sometimes outward expressions are just the
they can feel “peace” (within the club)—this smoke of the fire that is burning inside. Often
is at “church.” We should encourage honest all a young person needs is to have someone
answers (as long as Pathfinders are respect- who is willing to listen. To help with this, see
ful) so that we can help them to see all sides if you can have the young person evaluate
and to expand their thinking. We should chal- their own actions. Remember, the goal is in-
lenge them. And we certainly should make ternal discipline.
them feel like their ideas are welcome and • Never ridicule. Self-worth is fragile in adults,
often useful. but extremely so in young people. Pathfinder

228 Club Ministry Training Manual

club is all about building this up, not tearing it • Verbal Interaction—what we normally do
down. We correct for the purpose of building with our voices.
better people for service to God and others. • Caution Ticket—a method of warning them
that they are going too far.
How to educate staff • Isolation & Written Contract—for situations
It is important to know what our response is that need one-on-one attention.
before we get into a discipline situation. As • Parent Conference—just prior to potential
directors, it is equally important that we get suspension.
all of our staff on the same page regarding NOTE that some situations call for immedi-
discipline before that situation arises. ate suspension without these four steps: sub-
stance abuse, sexual violation, use of weap-
Development of club strategies on.
• What is effective discipline? Discipline is
effective when a person learns what behav- Now we will have you, the directors, write
ior is not acceptable and why. It may include your behavioral management plan. You will
punishment, explanation (hinders relation- need to decide on rules you want for you
ship with God, keeps one from achieving club (probably want to keep these simple)
goals, infringes on rights of others), a behav- and what procedures you will follow in disci-
ior contract. pline situations.
• When we understand what the Pathfinder
is going through, the discipline we employ is
as effective as possible. External discipline Suggested Activities
should be redemptive, not vindictive. Vio- • Write a Behavioral Management Plan.
lence of any type is never to occur. Never • Establish rules for your club.
punish in anger or to get revenge. Always • Establish discipline procedures for your
correct with thought in mind that you want club.
this person to be close to you in the future,
not that you want them to “go away.”

Club Ministry Training Manual 229

Working and Communicating
with Parents—PYSO 207

Description
This workshop presents strategies and tactics for establishing trusting relationships between your staff
and parents. This includes but is not limited to:
• Documents that present your philosophy and practice of supervision, discipline, and care
• Candid discussion of ministry protocol for complaints or charges of inappropriate behavior
• Establishment of regular, frequent, two-direction communication
• Open discussion of parent expectations and parent participation
• Clear guidelines on parent ‘role’ when they are also a staff member; and
• A parent’s commitment to allow the child to attend ministry events and to avoid denying participation
as a form of punishment for non-related problems

Audience/Participants Workshop Content

Current and future Pathfinder Club Directors, Establishing trusting relationships between
Associate Directors and Deputy Directors staff and parents. Dealing with parents is
similar to appropriate Christian relationships
Resource Material with any human being. Focusing on suffi-
1. Strategies for establishing trusting rela- cient communication, honesty, and affirma-
tionships between your staff and parents tion builds rapport. Treat each situation sep-
2. Communication characteristics arately and learn to speak the truth with love.
3. Sharing your philosophy and practice The need for communication: This is proba-
4. Techniques for relating with difficult situ- bly the most crucial element of dealing with
ations parents.
5. How to engage parents in your club and Expectations for Pathfinders, as well as
communicate effectively schedule updates, can be given out by email,
as well as in a parent meeting. When new

230 Club Ministry Training Manual

children join, it is helpful to give the parents process of growth and relationship is reward-
a questionnaire to ascertain any important ing, even when there are bumps along the
things to know about the Pathfinders. Par- road. One good way to connect parents and
ents also love to know when their kids suc- Pathfinders and staff is to do service projects
ceed and are a help in the club. Do not just together.
communicate with them when difficulties Sharing your philosophy. Share your philos-
arise. ophy. Pathfinders provides a safe place for
kids to grow in Christ and community. One
Key Texts: 1 Timothy 4:12-16, Ephesians difficulty is that in this postmodern society,
4:25-32 kids often do not come from strong, safe,
Christian families. So, it is even more crucial
Communications characteristics to model to parents this safety and commu-
The following characteristics flow out of a nity support. Rather than reacting to diffi-
Christlike life and from how you would want culties, try to anticipate and prevent them
a leader to treat you as a parent: clarity, suc- before they can arise. Make sure that any
cinctness, frequent communication, using di- sensitive conversations remain confidential,
verse methods of communication so every- unless abuse is involved. Share with parents
one understands, confidence in what Christ how you plan to empower their children to be
has set before you to do/say. leaders, which will involve making mistakes.
Affirmation. The more good things that you This is complicated, as some kids are pun-
can say about a child to the parents, the ished harshly for any small mistakes, while
more the parents will trust that you care others are never allowed to make mistakes,
about their child. It is also important to look so individualized discussion with parents and
for ways to affirm parents as well. Positivity treatment of situations is a must. When it
and compliments not only encourage bet- comes down to deciding between protecting
ter behavior, but even can change your own kids and having parents like you, kids must
mindset towards difficult situations/families. come first.
Remember that many times, the journey and Be your honest self. People can usually tell

Club Ministry Training Manual 231

 when others are not genuine and sincere. Be separate parents and kids as much as pos-
yourself, and don’t be ashamed of that, re- sible. However, no matter what is done, fa-
alizing that not all families may fully agree voritism will be present, mostly unintention-
with you. Live each moment as if you are in ally, but there, nonetheless. If you expect it,
the presence of Jesus. Be open and honest though, it loses at least some of its power.
about mistakes you have made; this goes a You may have to take criticism from both
long way towards building trust with parents. sides, so be willing to stand firm on your po-
Be the first to apologize and make things sition to protect kids and remain calm and
right, don’t wait for others to do so, even if kind at all times.
they may have been upset unnecessarily. Learn to laugh. Almost every interaction with
parents provides an opportunity to laugh.
Techniques for relating with difficult And if you love to be with people, all peo-
situations ple, even the difficult ones, you will find even
Be willing to take criticism. This is one of the more chances to laugh, rather than times of
most complicated and difficult parts of be- frustration. Many of the most amusing times
ing a director. Some parents either help too are with parents.
much or criticize too much and can be a hin- Making a mental or actual notebook of
drance as staff. things that amuse you can help to alleviate
Ideally, Pathfinders are at the age when they the stress of difficult interactions. If there
need and even thrive under small amounts of is nothing that you can find to laugh about
separation from parents. in the situation, spend more time than you
However, it is unavoidable in small churches/ normally would in talking to God about your
clubs, and most clubs would not exist with- confusing and painful experiences. He is the
out parental help. Therefore, it is crucial to only one who can turn our mourning and tri-
have very clear communication about expec- als into joy and peace through His presence
tations for parental staff from the very begin- and strength.
ning of each year. Each situation and interaction with parents
When setting up staff for various classes, is different. You cannot usually directly apply

232 Club Ministry Training Manual

one response to the next instance. Therefore, Suggested Activities
it is always crucial to listen, listen, listen, and Split the class into groups, and ask them to
to watch body language and tone, before use the principles above to discuss how to
you respond. It is better to remain silent for deal with the following situations:
a while or to say gently that you need more • Parents complaining about discipline
time to think before responding, rather than • Two parents complaining about bullying –
saying something you may regret for years. same kids
Choose to speak love into crisis, being the • Parent staff making decisions that go above
first to apologize, rather than reacting to the yours, regarding their kids
escalation of others. • Visit the Adventist Risk Management web-
Take every opportunity possible to affirm kids site (adventistrisk.org) and study their spe-
to parents, parents to kids, as well as both to cific guidelines for children’s protection in
their faces. Look for ways to bridge gaps be- your country.
tween people and to encourage community
and support.
Discern as much as you can of the backsto-
ry before you enter a situation with recom-
mendations or decisions. Pray, pray, pray
for wisdom as you interact with parents and
Pathfinders. Always love, but never hesitate
to speak the truth (in love) where it needs to
be spoken.
Treat parents the way you would want to
be treated. Communicate clearly, speak the
truth in love, and live with consistent integ-
rity.

Club Ministry Training Manual 233

 NAD - YOUTH/CHILDREN’S MINISTRY VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT

E
(To be adapted by SDA Legal Department of your local field)

Acknowledgment
Because I want the best possible environment for our children and youth to grow up in, it is important that
those working with children have guidelines for conduct in order to protect both themselves and those under
their care. As a ministry volunteer, I want parents and others to feel comfortable and confident with me.

PL
My Commitment to Volunteer Ministry
As a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer, I will:

1. Provide appropriate adult supervision at all times for the children for whom I am responsible.
2. Have at least one other adult, eighteen (18) years of age or older, to help with the supervision of children. If I
find myself in a situation where I am the only adult present, under no circumstances will I allow myself to be
alone with one child (the “two-person rule”). This protects the child as well as protecting the adult from
possible allegations.
3. Ask a child’s permission before physically touching him/her anywhere, even when responding to an injury or
problem. This is especially true for any areas that would normally be covered by a T-shirt and/or shorts. If an
injury is within this area, make sure another adult works with you as care is provided.
M
4. Refrain from physical and verbal attacks and corporal punishment which are inappropriate behaviors and
should never be used as discipline. “Time outs” or “sit-in-that-chair” may be helpful discipline methods to
use with children.
5. Affirm children with appropriate touching by keeping hugs brief and “shoulder-to-shoulder” or “side-to-si
de.” I will keep hands at (not below) the shoulder level. For small children who like to sit on laps, I will
encourage them to sit next to me.
6.Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
7. Be aware of conducting activities in rooms that do not have an interior viewing area, or I will leave the door
SA

open during the activity to allow easy observation by others.

8. Cooperate with the volunteer screening process and complete the Volunteer Ministry Information form, as
required by the church.
9. Be aware of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and aware of the legal requirements for reporting
suspected cases of abuse. In addition to any legally required reporting, I agree that if I become aware of any
behavior by another individual which seems abusive or inappropriate towards children I am supervising,
I will report that behavior to the church pastor, elder, or directly to the Conference Treasurer’s or Risk
Management Director.
10. Cooperate with church leadership in conducting children and youth ministries by being a volunteer who is
loving, kind, firm, and always a thoroughly professional person. Working with children and youth is not only
a privilege; it is also a serious responsibility that must be approached with utmost care.
11. Participate in orientation and training programs conducted by the church.
Provide extra care when taking small children to the restroom. I will take another adult along, or leave the
door open.
12. Uphold the standards of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

* In the event I find it impossible to comply with the above, I will comply as closely as possible with the Code
of Conduct and act in good faith for the welfare of the people involved.

23 4 Club Ministry Training Manual

Thank You for your service as a Youth/Children’s Ministry Volunteer
Please retain a copy of this document and keep it for reference.

Club Ministry Training Manual 235

 Pathfinder Club Secretary/Treasurer Certification is something that every staff mem-
ber responsible for records or money should complete. These seven workshops pres-
ent the basics for tracking information and funds that your club needs to be success-
ful.

Presenters responsible for these workshops should make sure that, in addition to
communicating the information, they take time to make the workshop practical and
to give participants time to think about how they are going to apply this in their club.

Workshops in the Secretary / Treasurer Certification include:

• Reports, Records and Merit Systems—PFAD 140
• Annual Calendar Development—PFAD 141
• Forms: Health and Medical, Permissions, Volunteer and Vehicle Driver forms—
PFAD 142
• Club Finances—FINA 100
• Introduction to Budgeting—FINA 101
• Introduction to Fundraising—FINA 110
• Practical Communication—CMME 104

Each of the workshop summaries includes: a description of the content, the audience
or participants that you can anticipate will attend, resource material, what your par-
ticipants will learn, basic content for the workshop and suggested activities.

Pathfinder Club Secretary/Treasurer Certification is part of the Club Ministries Train-

ing (CMT) which includes certifications for Adventurer Club Ministries, Pathfinder
Club Ministries, Master Guides, and Youth Ministries.

CMT is based on the Adventist Youth Ministry Training (AYMT) curriculum, devel-
oped by the North American Division.

236 Club Ministry Training Manual