As Seventh-day Adventist parents, we are blessed with a wealth of inspired material to aid us in helping each of our children grow in their walk with God. Ellen G. White’s Messages to Young People is an especially beloved resource for guiding our youth as they grow up into christian manhood/womanhood.
It helps to have a study guide to use along with reading the book to aid in the comprehension of this book. E.J. Dold’s Messages to Young People- A Study Guide is an extremely helpful resource perfect for guiding a student thoughtfully through the book.
What I appreciate most about the study guide is that is not solely a list of questions requiring rote answers. There are many questions where it is appropriate to lift the answer directly from the reading. However a large percentage of the questions require the student to use higher level thinking skills for summarizing passages or making a personal application of the principle discussed. The student may also be asked to make connections with Bible characters or stories. The variety of ways the student is required to interact with the material keeps the study guide interesting.
The book Messages to Young People is divided into fifteen main sections, and the study guide organizes the questions into several smaller sub-sections for each main section, making it easy to assign manageable portions of reading for the student. Interspersed within the sections are inspirational stories and readings that further reinforce the theme of that particular sub-section.
This study guide is appropriate for personal study for a high school aged student. Upper elementary and middle school students can also benefit from this guide, but may need occasional assistance with some of the vocabulary. Taking the time to work through any unfamiliar vocabulary can easily add a cross-curricular component to the study with English/Language Arts. Some students may find the space for writing answers to be a bit small for legible responses, however that can be easily remedied by having the student complete their work on a separate sheet of paper.
Although the study guide was largely intended as a resource for individual learning, I can attest that it also works very well in a group setting. I am currently ‘teaching’ the book to a group of adults and youth as a Wednesday prayer meeting study which includes my own children. The study guide questions have generated valuable discussions among our group of both new and seasoned believers.
Currently Messages to Young People – A Study Guide is available for purchase online through the following links:
Laymen’s Ministries Resource Materials- MYP Study Guide
and
The Bible should be the child’s first textbook. From this book, parents are to give wise instruction. The Word of God is to be made the rule of the life. From it the children are to learn that God is their father, and from the beautiful lessons of His Word they are to gain a knowledge of His character. Through the inculcation of its principles, they are to learn to do justice and judgment.
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 108, 109
The Pilgrim’s Progress written in 1687 by John Bunyan is listed as one of the most widely-read books in the world. Several audio versions of this story are online for listening. AudioVerse has Jim Pappas’ The Dramatized Pilgrim’s Progress available to listeners for free. This unabridged, amplified, and richly narrated version of Bunyan’s beloved allegory will bring the timeless story to life. Both Part 1- Christian, and Part 2 – Christiana are featured on the site.
There is another audiobook version is available as well. The unabridged, non-dramatized reading of The Pilgrim’s Progress can also be found on AudioVerse.
“Very early the lesson of helpfulness should be taught the child. As soon as strength and reasoning power are sufficiently developed, he should be given duties to perform in the home. He should be encouraged in trying to help father and mother, encouraged to deny and to control himself, to put others’ happiness and convenience before his own, to watch for opportunities to cheer and assist brothers and sisters and playmates, and to show kindness to the aged, the sick, and the unfortunate. The more fully the spirit of true ministry pervades the home, the more fully it will be developed in the lives of the children. They will learn to find joy in service and sacrifice for the good of others.”
The Ministry of Healing, 401.
Parents, help your children to do the will of God by being faithful in the performance of the duties which really belong to them as members of the family. This will give them a most valuable experience. It will teach them that they are not to center their thoughts upon themselves, to do their own pleasure, or to amuse themselves. Patiently educate them to act their part in the family circle.
The Review and Herald, November 17, 1896
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
James 1:5
The Adventist Home Educator 