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The Master Guide Program is at the highest level of Adventist Youth Ministries. You could well say that it is the PhD of Youth Ministries within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its curriculum is designed for youth and adults (ages 16 and up) and emphasizes in-service training and active involvement. It teaches new skills and helps develop different methods for successful leadership in youth ministries, most specifically in the areas of Pathfinders and Adventurers.

 

 

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR MASTER GUIDES (16 years old-lifetime)

• Identify all invested Master Guides in each church and conference of the Atlantic Union.

• Provide an opportunity for inactive Master Guides to be updated and reenlisted in ministry.

• Promote the deployment of active Master Guides to help plant Adventurer and Pathfinder clubs in churches where clubs are nonexistent.

• To study and find a way to align the Master Guide Curriculum across the conferences of the Atlantic Union (leaving some flexibility for conferences to address unique needs to their area).

• To emphasize the evangelism/mission component of this ministry. (Master Guides exist for more reasons than just patches, pins, and great-looking uniforms).

• Emphasize the existing continuing education programs for Master Guides and create new ones according to the needs of the conferences of the Atlantic Union.

• Creation of an Atlantic Union Conference Uniform Code.

• Establish an official Master Guide Flag (if there is one official General Conference Master Guide Flag, we will adopt it. If there is not an official Master Guide Flag, we will create one for the Atlantic Union.)

MASTER GUIDE REQUIREMENTS

1. Prerequisites

A. Be at least 16 years of age.
B. Be a baptized member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
C. Complete a Basic Staff Training Course in one of the following:

1. Adventurer Ministries
2. Pathfinder Ministries
3. Youth Emergency Service
4. Young Adult

 2. Spiritual Development

A. Read the book Steps to Christ.
B. Complete the devotional guide Encounter Series I, Christ the Way.
C. Keep a devotional journal for at least four weeks, summarizing what you read each day.
D. Demonstrate your knowledge of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs by completing one of the following:
1. Write a paper explaining each belief.
2. Give an oral presentation of each belief.
3. Give a series of Bible studies covering each belief.
4. Conduct a seminar, teaching each belief.
E. Enhance your knowledge of church heritage by:
  1. Reading The Pathfinder Story by John Hancock.
  2. Earning the Adventist Church Heritage Award.
  3. Reading a book about church heritage such as:
a.  Anticipating the Advent by George Knight (a brief history of Seventh-day Adventists)
 b. Tell it to the World, by Mervyn Maxwell (the story of Seventh-day Adventists)
c. Light Bearers to the Remnant (Denominational History College Textbook)
Books are available at the ABC store or Advent Source

3. Skills Development

A. Supervise participant(s) through either the Adventurer Class Curriculum OR the AY Class Curriculum.
B. Have or earn the following AY Honors:
   1. Christian Story Telling
   2. Camping Skills I
C. Earn two additional AY honors not previously earned.
D. Hold a current Red Cross First Aid and Safety certificate or its equivalent.
E. Attend and complete a two-hour seminar in each of the following areas:
  1. Leadership skills
  2. Communication skills
  3. Creativity and resource development
  4. Child and youth evangelism

4. Child Development

A. Read the book Education.
B. Read either the book Child Guidance or the book Messages to Young People
C. Read a book or attend a three-hour seminar dealing with child development about the age group of your ministry.

5. Leadership Development

A. Read the book Leadership is an Art by Max Depreez (available at Advent Source), or a current Leadership book of your choice.
B. Demonstrate your leadership by doing all of the following:
  1. Develop and conduct three worships.
  2. Participate with your local church children’s/youth group in a conference-sponsored event.
  3. Teach three Adventurer Awards or two AY Honors.
  4. Assist in planning and leading a field trip for a group of Adventurers, Pathfinders or Sabbath School field trip.
  5. Be an active Adventurer, Pathfinder, Yes Corps or AY Society staff member for at least one year and attend at least 75% of the staff meetings.
C. Write goals which you would like to accomplish in your ministry.
D. Identify three current roles in your life, one of which is spiritually oriented, and list three goals for each.

6. Fitness Life-style Development

A. Participate in a personal physical fitness plan for a minimum of three months, and evaluate and show improvement. (recommended: The Aerobics Program for Total Well-Being, by Kenneth Cooper).

 

Pathfinder Instructor’s Award

pia_lgThe Pathfinder Instructor Award Program is a continuing education class for those who have been invested as Master Guides, have completed the PLA continuing education course, and are actively working within the Pathfinder Club organization.

This program will teach the candidate how to organize curriculum materials needed to instruct Pathfinder staff. It will train the candidate to present seminars and workshops in an informative and interesting manner. The program will also ensure that there is a pool of qualified staff instructors available to the Pathfinder clubs of the conference.

Pathfinder Instructor’s Award Record Card

Pathfinder Instructor’s Award Teachers Resource Manual – purchase at Advent Source

Pathfinder Leadership Award

The Pathfinder Leadership Award Program (PLA) is a continuing education class for those who have been invested as Master Guides and are active within the Pathfinder Club organization.

The PLA Curriculum will help you discover leadership qualities that will allow you to become a more efficient and dynamic Pathfinder Leader. Some of these qualities are “how to” skills and aptitudes; others involve philosophies and attitudes. This curriculum will definitely equip you with skills, tools, and techniques to maximize your natural leadership talents.

Pathfinder Leadership Award Record Card

Pathfinder Staff Manual – purchase at Advent Source