The NAD Adventurer program serves an intercultural community of children ages 0 - 9 years old and their parents and care givers through a holistic ministry.

The purpose of the program is to support parents and care givers in leading and encouraging their children in a growing, joyful, love relationship with Jesus Christ.

It offers instructional curriculum, family enrichment, supplementary resources, and volunteer training from within the Seventh-day Adventist philosophy.

The Adventurer program should work to fulfill the gospel commission (Matthew 28:18-20) and depends on the support of a congregation strong in mission and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Adventurer program was created to assist parents in their important responsibilities as a child’s primary teachers and evangelizers.  The program aims to strengthen the parent/child relationship and to further the child’s development in spiritual, physical, mental, and social areas.  Through the Adventurer Program, the church, home and school can work together with the parent to develop a mature, happy child.

The church’s greatest resource is our children; therefore, it is imperative that as a church we meet the challenge to provide a program for our children during their early, formative years.  We want right habits, thoughts, motives, dispositions, and attitudes to be established. The Wise Man wrote, "Bring up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Prov. 22:6 (NIV).

The Adventurer Club was created to give children an opportunity to belong to an organized peer group.  Children are invited to participate in various activities which will improve their social skills.  From the time children start school until they reach puberty, their need to be with and be accepted by their peer group is increasingly strong.

The Adventurer Club involves children in grades 1 - 4 and their parents.  The programming and planning for Adventurers should be simple and short, but creative.  Parental involvement provides opportunities for parents to participate in the learning experience.  One of the Adventurer Club objectives is to provide a meaningful and exciting experience as the children look forward with anticipation to some day being Pathfinders.

Many parents are willing to help in Adventurer Clubs if their younger children can participate.  To allow these children to join, the club must:

1. Include these children in registration and insurance.

2. Use the Little Lamb or Eager Beaver curriculum for these children, so they can participate in the club within their range of ability. These programs should have minimal structure and sufficient staff to work with the children on an individual basis. Their program should last no longer than one hour.

3. Pre-Adventurer age children should wear the appropriate T-shirt and scarf for the group.

LITTLE LAMBS

The Little Lambs program is for pre-kindergarten children, 0 months to 4 years.  Parents are welcome to do this program at home, but since 2002, it can be part of the Adventurer program if clubs wish to use it.  Curriculum and supplies are available at the SECC Youth Ministries Department.  This program has now been adopted and will be maintained by the NAD Adventurer Committee.  In the past it was developed by the Florida Conference.  The new curriculum should be available by Fall 2006.

EAGER BEAVERS

Eager Beavers is designed for kindergarten age children.  Parents are welcome to do this program at home, but since 2003, it can be part of the Adventurer program if clubs wish to use it.  A choice of curriculums and other supplies are available at the SECC Youth Ministries Department.  This program is maintained by the NAD Adventurer Committee.