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LifeWay building variety of resources for Christian schools, home schoolers

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–LifeWay Christian Resources can help fulfill the needs of parents and churches who have decided to make the move to Christian-based education.
While the Southern Baptist agency doesn’t have a full complement of curriculum, Christian school resources director Glen Schultz feels it’s a good start.
“A home school parent can’t simply say, ‘Send us your material,’ but when you look at what we’ve done in two years, God has been with us,” Schultz said of LifeWay’s entry into the field in behalf of the SBC.
The increasing demand for Christian educational materials has even surprised Schultz.
For example, when LifeWay issued its “Quest” Bible series for young teens in March 1998, its most optimistic sales target was 6,000 copies. Orders topped 10,000 and the teacher’s edition is in its third printing, he said.
“We’ve tried to put out significant products,” Schultz said. “There’s such a big need out there. I’ve cringed at how much time and money it takes to develop curriculum. I fear we won’t have enough to [meet demand].”
LifeWay’s material for Christian and home schoolers encompasses offerings for students and teachers, including:
— Preschoolers. The primary resource is known as the “WEE Learn” series. It includes curriculum guides for ages 2 through 5, with home and group activities and practical helps. Picture-teaching books for each of those ages and a “Read to Me Bible 4 Kids” also are available. The teacher training guide is “Teaching Christian Weekday Early Education.”
— Elementary students. The leading resource is “Across the Centuries,” a two-volume set that covers grades 1-8, and a newly published volume for pre-kindergarten and kindergartners. This package of teacher’s guides aims at enhancing teaching of children’s literature. “Storytelling in a Nutshell” helps show teachers how to better communicate with students.
— Middle-school ages. “Character Quest” is a two-volume set for children (and teachers) in seventh grade teaching different character traits. “Survival Quest,” for eighth-graders, looks at the lives of Old and New Testament characters to help students overcome life’s daily challenges.
Administrative and counseling guides include three books written or compiled by Schultz:
— “Kingdom Education: God’s Plan for Educating Future Generations,” which spells out how parents and educators can join together to present a God-centered worldview to students.
— “Teaching for the Master” is a 10-part teachers’ series which reviews various educational issues from a Christian perspective. A second volume has been compiled by Charles Schneider.
— “A Parent’s Greatest Joy” is a booklet that encourages parents to take full advantage of a Christian education.
Other, similar resources in this area are “Kingdom Leadership,” a book that examines the difference between secular and Christ-centered leadership; “The ABCs of Selecting a School for Your Child;” and “The ABCs of Selecting a Christian School for Your Child.”
Resources produced in other areas of LifeWay and which may help Christian schools and home-school families with educating children include:
— Bible class resources such as “Bible Buddies” kits, activity books and cassette tapes for children in grades two and three and “Bible Drill” workbooks, games and activities for those in grades four through six. There are several other biblically based games and books aimed at enhancing children’s spiritual lives.
— Bible resources for preteens and youth include editions of the popular “Experiencing God” study and a youth video series; youth editions of “The Mind of Christ” and “When God Speaks;” and Josh McDowell’s “Setting You Free To Make Right Choices.”
— For high school ages, LifeWay also offers a True Love Waits manual and other abstinence-based resources and “The 24-Hour Counselor” tape and CD ROM series about serious issues facing young people, and several college and career planning guides.
For teachers, several series of workbooks, videos and texts are offered, including “The 7 Laws of the Learner,” “Teaching With Style” and “The Glad Scientist.” The latter covers creation, space, weather and the human body. Other books review educational psychology, careers, the alphabet, the senses and Bible devotions.
Other teachers’ guides include the “Celebrate!” series, which covers teaching the Bible with arts and crafts, as well as the names of Jesus, creation, God’s Word, holidays and walking with Christ. Other resources are in drama, Bible pronunciation, Bible study guides, a Bible dictionary and a media journal.
LifeWay also offers a variety of music books, tapes, CDs and musical scores for children from elementary through high school ages. And it publishes several books and games related to athletics and physical education.
To order any of these materials, call 1-800-458-2772.