Keepers of the Faith groups are independent and do not require membership in a national organization. Each club is an autonomous body operated and governed by a single family, local association, or church.
When the children are gathered together, and before they commence working on their projects, twenty to thirty minutes can be spent teaching the children a lesson in practical, daily, Christian living.
Keepers has free lessons (soon to be added to site) or you can use the Keepers Character Books or your own lesson material.
Yes, children of all ages can meet together. The lesson time can be shared by the entire group. Projects, such as decoupage, many nature badges, and a host of others, allow all ages to participate in completing the requirements. However, if quilting is to be taught to the girls or electrical wiring to the boys, obviously, the little ones would need to be busy working on simpler projects. In that case, the group would only be divided for learning the skill.
If you wish to teach the same, more difficult skill to all ages, you can scale down the skill requirements for the little ones, and allow them to earn a silver-backed award as a junior achievement award, while awarding the standard gold-backed award to the older children for completing the full set of requirements. At a later date, when the younger children become old enough, they will have already partially achieved the skill and can easily finish the remaining requirements.
Once again, this is completely up to you. Many groups started out as a single family. Sometimes, this is because the parents feel more comfortable starting something new in a family setting. Some folks limit the club to their own children because they feel that this is the most effective method. Often, a single family, after sharing the results they are having with other Christian parents, find themselves sharing their skills in a small multi-family club. Some open it up to their homeschool group and wind up with quite a large club. Many take it to their local church where it can become a very effective ministry. Some even use it as an outreach ministry to needy children in the neighborhood. The important thing to remember is to limit what you do to what you can handle well.
Yes, they can meet together. It is perfectly fine for a woman to teach both boys and girls as she is able. It is preferable for a man to teach boys, but this is not always possible. Perhaps a man would be willing to teach the boys at least once a month, or a few men would be willing to take turns teaching their particular expertise.
This is not a problem! You can learn right along with your children. Perhaps you can take a class. Maybe, you can have a friend teach you. You may need to go to the library for a book or a video on the skill. Many of the skills taught in the very first Keepers group were learned from library books. Once you have learned the skill yourself, you can teach your children. In some cases, you and your children may be able to take a class together. Perhaps you will find within your church fellowship an older person skilled in the particular area that you wish your children to learn. Invite him or her over for dinner, and then spend an evening learning the new skill!
It is perfectly fine for children to work out of both handbooks. Our goal is to present you, the parents, with materials which preserve masculinity and femininity as God decreed them. This is not to say that some of the skills in the handbooks should not at least be partially learned by members of the opposite sex. As always, this decision is up to you, as parents, to teach those things that you find needful to prepare your children for adulthood.
It is perfectly fine for children to work out of both handbooks. Our goal is to present you, the parents, with materials which preserve masculinity and femininity as God decreed them. This is not to say that some of the skills in the handbooks should not at least be partially learned by members of the opposite sex. As always, this decision is up to you, as parents, to teach those things that you find needful to prepare your children for adulthood.
The local library is an excellent resource for craft and project books. Also, do not forget human resources such as grandparents and friends. There might be an excellent woodworker down the street, or a widow who is an expert at knitting. Most likely, they would be delighted to teach others their expertise.
The handbook is a place to keep a progress record of each skill on which the child is working. Each child can easily have a number of skills in partial stages of completion at any given time. The handbook facilitates this record-keeping process. It is also a handy record of completed skills. It would difficult at best for one handbook to accomplish this for several children. We recommend one handbook per child.
However, now that there are pdfs available, one pdf for a family, and each family making copies for their own children would work out well. Or, the parent could print out one copy for the family, and then the children can peruse it and pick out what they would like to learn. The parent could put the pages being worked on by the child into a notebook just for him/her.
A club leader who is selecting certain projects for a group could print out just those pages for the group. The same thing could apply for a church group.
The restriction Keepers would apply is that the materials cannot be sold or redistributed or altered by anyone. They are still copyrighted materials.
There are two Contenders for the Faith handbooks. The first, Little Contenders for the Faith, is designed for ages four through six. The Contenders for the Faith Handbook for Young Men is designed to provide the necessary flexibility to be used by a wide variety of different ages beginning with age seven and finishing up with age fourteen to sixteen, depending on the group's interest.
There are also two Keepers of the Faith Girls handbooks, which cover a wide age group, from age four through sixteen. Little Keepers is perfect for little girls, ages four to six.
Groups can begin any time of year. You can also make your yearly changeover at any time of year, regardless of what time of year your group began. For example, you may wish to start the program immediately. However, it may be January, and you wish your program year to begin and end in September. Just start your first year in January and end it in September. Some groups opt for a change of pace during the summer months, electing to meet primarily for sports and recreation. Others take a break in June and start afresh in September. Still others continue year round without missing a beat.
The outdoor and sport skills offer a structured environment for groups that desire to meet during the summer, yet offer a change of pace for a few months. It can actually be great fun for the children and the parents. A weekday or Saturday morning is usually chosen. An area park or a large grassy area on the church property works well. There is plenty of time for songs, a good devotional, and then a morning of games and sports followed by a picnic lunch.
Recreational outdoor activities can be enjoyable and promote good exercise. The outdoor program is designed to help children develop proficiency in physical activities, which will give them the confidence and ability to enjoy such times when opportunity presents itself.
The outdoor program is just another teaching time. It is very important to avoid allowing the environment to become competitive, lest learners on lesser planes become timid and discouraged. Whatever game is chosen, rules, scoring, and playing skills need to be taught in a plain and simple manner. Again, do not emphasize competition or winning.
The importance of these activities, especially at younger ages, is to develop physical abilities, confidence, and the principles of teamwork. Especially in the beginning, individual skills should be stressed. No team is any better than its components or individuals. Remember that individual skills are best taught with one-on-one coaching. Each member has his own peculiar areas needing improvement. For example, in tennis: Is the child swinging too soon? Are the child's hands placed properly on the racket? Is his/her stance correct? If the children are going to improve, they need to know what mistakes they are making and learn how to play properly.
Never assume that your leaders know how to teach these things. Even high level coaches and "naturals" tend to focus much more on team strategies rather than fundamental, individual skills.
Always remember that any children's program, including sports and games, should be intended to help and instruct each and every participant.
Give your children a healthy environment to acquire new skills. By healthy environment, we mean free from criticism and unkind remarks. Teach your children to be cheerleaders for each other, encouraging one another to do better.
Uniforms are not necessary. The decision to have the children wear any group specific clothing is left up to the discretion of the family or group. Uniforms can be helpful, but are not the most important thing on a ladder of priorities--the children are. Uniforms also can be costly due to how fast children grow. Following are some suggestions to have a uniformity of appearance if so desired.
Rather than an expensive uniform on which awards can be worn, why not use a banner or sash? Banners/sashes can be made from the pattern found in the Essential Guide. They should be made from a sturdy fabric such as trigger or a heavy poplin. The banners usually are worn draped over one shoulder and fastened at the waist on the opposite side. They are not sewn at the bottom but rather are joined with a large gold safety pin, thus allowing for growth. The banners are normally worn from left to right.
We want to share a word about copyrights and trademarks, so you will know what you may do in regards to copying the materials. It was and continues to be our intention to allow our Keepers of the Faith groups and families to use our materials freely. However, without our taking legal steps to copyright and trademark our materials, we might not preserve the individuality of the program. Following is a brief synopsis of copyright explanation and what families and clubs may do.
You may:
- use and adapt the program to the particular needs of your family or group.
- alter the requirements for earning certain badges to fit special needs particular to your family or group.
- reproduce forms for individual club use.
- reproduce the art work contained in the handbooks, including the Contenders for the Faith logo and the Keepers Girl, for newsletters, stationery, etc. to be circulated or used within your particular club (as in newsletters, banquet decorations, etc.) for nonprofit purposes.
You may not:
- use the Contenders for the Faith logo or Keepers Girl girl as logos for a program other than a Keepers of the Faith program. You may give your local club a title or name, but these logos are to be used only for a club using a Keepers of the Faith program.
- reproduce or modify logos, emblems, awards, or other program specific items for distribution or resale.
- PDF TERMS OF USE
Keepers of the Faith retains all copyrights for these materials. With that said, you may print the books in whole or in part. As with any other of our materials, you are free to use them to suit the needs of your church, homeschool, or family group. They should not be modified, distributed, sold, or relicensed. We have put much thought and prayer into how and why this program works, and we wish to preserve that formula. From time to time, you will certainly use additional resources for projects or activities. We ask that you do not include them as part of the original work, but simply make them available as resources, so that people know that it is a distinct piece of intellectual property. We are happy for everyone to make what customizations they feel necessary for their groups. We would simply like new users to start with a program from the source, rather than something heavily modified that they might think came from Keepers of the Faith. If you have any questions, please feel free to write us at
sales@keepersofthefaith.com.
Keepers of the Faith is not affiliated with any denomination, but totally affiliated with the Word of God. We are a family company serving other families.
Our name, Keepers of the Faith, indicates our purpose and goal. We want to keep all of God's Word, not just some. And we wish to make no doctrinal additions to God's Word. We want to be faithful to God in everything, not just a few things. We want to pass on the truth of God's Word to the next generation.
We believe:
- The Bible to be the inspired and infallible Word of God.
- In God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
- God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
- Salvation is a free gift to all who believe in and trust Jesus Christ to redeem them through His death and resurrection. A person's works do not earn salvation but are a necessary proof of it.
- That Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His Word need not be amended or re-evaluated for this or any other generation.
- We should conform ourselves to God's Word, not conform God's Word to changing times or situations.
- A man is the head of his family and is responsible before God to lead and provide for them.
- That God created a woman to be a helpmeet for man and her mission in life is to help her husband accomplish his mission. We believe in old-fashioned femininity and are totally opposed to the feminism of this generation.
Keepers of the Faith hopes to provide information, support, and inspiration to families and churches. We promise to only use materials consistent with God's Word. We also use the King James Version of the Bible.
Lastly, our purpose and mission is to not only be keepers of the faith but to help others back to the truths of God's Word and help them to be keepers of the faith also. Please join with us in this endeavor.