Positive Action for Christ curriculum

[Rockhopper]

I'm interested in this Bible curriculum. I've read mostly universally positive reviews.

 

However, doctrinally the publishers are on a much different sheet of music than we are, and I haven't seen any reviews that address this issue. I can't get samples to download and their offices are closed til January.

 

Does anyone use Positive Action for Christ who doesn't necessarily agree with everything in their doctrinal statement (e.g. "The premillennial coming of Christ to the earth to rule and reign for one thousand years.")? Has it been an issue in the student book, or created a situation where you've had to do lots of tweaking/ re-teaching/ etc?

[FriedClams]

I tried their stuff and just really didn't like it at all. I'm partial to Kay Arthur for kids.

[Chris in VA]

We used Grade 4 and really liked it. It didn't have anything in it about Revelations or End Times because it dealt with other subject matter.

We found it very clear and interesting. Well, I did--dd wasn't a fan as much as me.

[Rockhopper]

I tried their stuff and just really didn't like it at all. I'm partial to Kay Arthur for kids.

 

Thanks. I don't care for Kay Arthur studies personally, but we've never tried one of her studies for kids. I'll take a look.

 

We used Grade 4 and really liked it. It didn't have anything in it about Revelations or End Times because it dealt with other subject matter. We found it very clear and interesting. Well, I did--dd wasn't a fan as much as me.

 

Chris, not being stalk-ish or troll-ish, I promise, but do I remember that you're Episcopalian? We're ACNA and I've had such a hard time finding Bible resources that I like, that are meaty and scriptural, but that doctrinally are sound too. Especially for the younger kids. My oldest, I figure it's just fodder for discussion. But the youngers aren't ready for that kind of analytical thought. I was excited by the samples I saw for 3rd grade for Positive Action -- but the end times stuff in their doctrinal statement really gave me pause.

[Chris in VA]

Not trollish at all :001_smile: .

 

Their end times stuff is still doctrinally sound, as it's undefined in the Anglican Church. You can just skip that part if you want to. When it comes to the very first chapter, where it talks about the Bible, you can just add that God used the unique personalities and writing styles of the people to communicate what he wanted us to know, but that God's word is so rich that it can apply to different times and places, and the Church helps us interpret what Holy Spirit is saying, as does scripture itself.

 

I think you'd be fine with it.

 

If you want to do Fourth Grade, you prolly could--it's not that difficult and some of the Paul stuff is a little more interesting than the "same old OT stories" they've prolly already heard.

 

We read thru Acts as a devotional at the table last year during Lent and had a blast--I recommend doing that, too!

 

(And I may contact you some day to talk about ACNA--)

[mom31257]

Rainbow Resourcecarries their materials and you could see limited samples there. I've used several different years of their curriculum, mostly younger. I know that the 6th grade book has a section at the end that is on Revelations. I don't believe those issues are really talked about before that grade level. I don't know your own doctrinal beliefs to address any other issues than end times. I personally have concerns about most churches interpretations of Revelations and wonder if anyone has it right. When we get to stuff like that with our kids, we teach them what our church believes and other's views on it and are honest about our own feelings, too.

 

Positive Action is very good at making statements, but then taking kids to the actual scriptures they base these on. This could be a good way to open up discussion of why your church believes differently. In the 6th grade book (which I still have dd's), statements are made as a matter of fact, such as "Certain events will happen before the Lord brings the events of Revelation 6-22 to pass. The first event is the Rapture of the Church. The word "rapture" is never used in the Bible, but it means "a snatching away." Christ will "rapture" or "snatch away" all those who have trusted Him as Savior." Then the textbook has the student read 1 Cor. 15:51-52 and 1 Thess. 4: 15-18 and describe it in their own words, read Phil. 3:20-21 and describe what will happen to our bodies, and read Titus 2:12-13 and list what is the blessed hope for Christian.

 

I hope this helps. I've used K, 1st, 3rd, 6th, Proverbs for high school, and own 4th but had to put it aside because of our church starting Awana and spending time on it. I hope to pick it back up this semester and at least pick out the most important lessons I think ds should complete.

[Rockhopper]

Not trollish at all :001_smile: .

 

Their end times stuff is still doctrinally sound, as it's undefined in the Anglican Church. You can just skip that part if you want to. When it comes to the very first chapter, where it talks about the Bible, you can just add that God used the unique personalities and writing styles of the people to communicate what he wanted us to know, but that God's word is so rich that it can apply to different times and places, and the Church helps us interpret what Holy Spirit is saying, as does scripture itself.

 

I think you'd be fine with it.

 

If you want to do Fourth Grade, you prolly could--it's not that difficult and some of the Paul stuff is a little more interesting than the "same old OT stories" they've prolly already heard.

 

We read thru Acts as a devotional at the table last year during Lent and had a blast--I recommend doing that, too!

 

Thanks! Love the Acts idea too - we do a Jesus tree each Lent but I think we're ready for a bit of a change-up/add-to.

 

 

(And I may contact you some day to talk about ACNA--)

 

Be glad to!

[Rockhopper]

Rainbow Resourcecarries their materials and you could see limited samples there. I've used several different years of their curriculum, mostly younger. I know that the 6th grade book has a section at the end that is on Revelations. I don't believe those issues are really talked about before that grade level. I don't know your own doctrinal beliefs to address any other issues than end times. I personally have concerns about most churches interpretations of Revelations and wonder if anyone has it right. When we get to stuff like that with our kids, we teach them what our church believes and other's views on it and are honest about our own feelings, too.

 

Positive Action is very good at making statements, but then taking kids to the actual scriptures they base these on. This could be a good way to open up discussion of why your church believes differently. In the 6th grade book (which I still have dd's), statements are made as a matter of fact, such as "Certain events will happen before the Lord brings the events of Revelation 6-22 to pass. The first event is the Rapture of the Church. The word "rapture" is never used in the Bible, but it means "a snatching away." Christ will "rapture" or "snatch away" all those who have trusted Him as Savior." Then the textbook has the student read 1 Cor. 15:51-52 and 1 Thess. 4: 15-18 and describe it in their own words, read Phil. 3:20-21 and describe what will happen to our bodies, and read Titus 2:12-13 and list what is the blessed hope for Christian.

 

I hope this helps. I've used K, 1st, 3rd, 6th, Proverbs for high school, and own 4th but had to put it aside because of our church starting Awana and spending time on it. I hope to pick it back up this semester and at least pick out the most important lessons I think ds should complete.

 

 

Thanks, Amy! This was very helpful,,, especially the bolded! (The Revelation stuff was easy for me to use as an example in my OP, but other things - like the Eucharist and Baptism - are of concern too. However, based on the info from you and Chris, it seems easy enough to work with -- as you said, working from the actual Scriptures to talk about our beliefs.)