Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is LifeSong International?

LifeSong International provides Bible-based, full-year curriculums for girls ages 7-12 that are administered through local churches. The core of the program is a lesson design which teaches girls to discern between world views and God’s Truth by becoming scholars of God’s Word.

 

What is the purpose of the program?

The goal of LifeSong International is to foster a passion in girls for our Lord Jesus Christ that is characterized by genuine relationship, effective witnessing, and dedicated service. LifeSong International provides comprehensive, ready-to-use packages of class resources, teacher guides, and lesson materials, complete with step-by-step instructions for Group Leaders. In addition, LifeSong provides live training for all Group Leaders to ensure they are equipped, confident, and able to be effective as teachers and leaders. All materials are supplied at-cost and live training is provided free of charge.

 

Girls participating in the program are referred to as “Scholars” in order to impress upon them the caliber of training they will receive. Emphasis is placed upon confidence in God’s Word and wisdom in distinguishing it from world views. A key focus of the program is to instill a sense of true Godly worth in the girls that counters the ever-pressing messages of the world.

 

What do participants in the program do?

Through engaging, lifeskill-enhancing activities, girls grow in their confidence in the Bible and knowledge of our awesome Creator, increase their enthusiasm and understanding for worship, and learn about sharing their faith and Christ’s love for others. Each lesson is age-specific and designed to provide time for fun and fellowship directed by local church members that serve as Group Leaders.

 

Overall, the program is designed to teach girls who God is through His Word so that they develop an understanding of what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior and lead a Christian life. In addition, the program teaches the girls to recognize Biblical characteristics of being a Godly young woman.

 

What is involved in each lesson?

Lessons begin with prayer and worship and then focus on learning and discussing a message from the Bible. Time is provided to scrutinize countering world views. Each lesson includes activities designed to reinforce the meaning and significance of the Biblical lesson. In addition, these activities are constructed to give the girls an opportunity to practice important lifeskills such as written and oral communication.

 

The girls are also encouraged to use their creativity and resourcefulness in a variety of activities fashioned to provide a chance to enhance and apply these skills in pursuits that range from developing mini Biblical “infomercials” to practicing a public address.

 

LifeSong-produced DVDs provide interviews with Godly women role models who are serving the Lord in a variety of capacities such as stay-at-home moms and ministry leaders. These productions as well as other LifeSong lesson materials reinforce Biblical messages.

 

In order to be as effective as possible, Group Leaders receive live training, training manuals, lesson plans and supplies, lesson instruction sheets (including worship music lyrics), and access to on-line resources. The girls each receive individual materials that support and enhance the program activities including Bibles, journals, books, pens, tee shirts, graduation ceremony awards, and access to on-line resources.

 

How do the girls learn through LifeSong?

The LifeSong curriculum is structured to progressively provide girls with training that builds upon foundational material. Each meeting will begin with prayer time and worship followed by a lesson, activity, and discussion time.

 

Through hands-on training, the girls will learn that they can become scholars of the Bible who are confident in its understanding and application in their lives. Furthermore, the LifeSong program is designed to train girls to be Bereans in their approach to the Bible. By completing multiple levels in the curriculum, the girls gain progressively higher levels of knowledge of the Bible that are reinforced trough age-appropriate activities and materials.

 

Materials used during for the lessons include: Bibles, children’s books about Jesus, journals, worship music CDs, posters on dress and appearance, and DVD interviews with Godly women role models. In addition to achieving the main goals of the program, all materials are selected to teach the girls about the importance of reading Christian books, listening to Christian music, and watching Christian movies. To spark an enthusiasm for Christian literature, an age-appropriate novel is assigned and discussed in related lessons.

 

What opportunities for Christian fellowship are provided?

The LifeSong curriculum provides girls with an opportunity to interact with Godly women from their local church in a small-group setting. In addition, the girls get to fellowship with one another in activities that provide fun and dynamic ways to learn about God’s Word and discern between God’s Truth and the messages of the world. The program also provides for positive feedback and recognition of the girl’s accomplishments so that they acquire confidence in what they have learned.

 

The LifeSong Community also provides both girls and leaders the opportunity to participate in forums with other participants either in their local church alone, or with participating churches worldwide. The choice is up to the Group Leaders and parents. LifeSong monitors all forums. Required logins and passwords assigned by LifeSong prevent unauthorized usage.

 

How does the program work?

Local churches register with LifeSong and obtain Curriculum Fact Sheets to promote interest in the program. Churches then identify Group Leaders and determine the number of girls participating in the program for the coming calendar year. LifeSong provides all the participant resources, teachers’ guides, and lesson materials. Additionally, training for all Group Leaders is provided by LifeSong in mid-January.

 

The curriculum is designed to begin in late January and end in late November or early December each year with a special graduation ceremony at the conclusion of the year. This allows the girls to participate in a graduation ceremony that is timed so as not to coincide with other graduation events.

 

The curriculum is designed to provide 16 classes between late January and May (one per week with a week off for Spring Break) and then 14 classes between August and November. There are a total of 30 lessons for the year, each lasting approximately 1.5 hours. Girls that participate in the program one year may continue to participate in future years by advancing through progressively higher levels of the curriculum.

 

Why are the participants referred to as Scholars?

Girls participating in the program are referred to as “Scholars” in order to impress upon them the caliber of training they will receive. Emphasis is placed upon confidence in God’s Word and wisdom in distinguishing it from world views. A key focus of the program is to instill a sense of true Godly worth in the girls that counters the ever-pressing messages of the world.

 

What are the kinds of materials are provided by LifeSong?

LifeSong-produced DVDs provide interviews with Godly women role models who are serving the Lord in a variety of capacities such as stay-at-home moms and ministry leaders. These productions, as well as other LifeSong lesson materials, reinforce Biblical messages.

 

In order to be as effective as possible, Group Leaders receive live training, training manuals, lesson plans and supplies, lesson instruction sheets (including worship music lyrics), and access to on-line resources. The girls each receive individual materials that support and enhance the program activities including Bibles, journals, books, pens, tee shirts, graduation ceremony awards, and access to on-line resources.

 

How does our church get started?

To get your church started with implementing a LifeSong program, begin by completing a registration form and submitting the registration fee. Your church will receive a start-up packet with a complete set of instructions on how to get started. The start-up packet will include Program Fact Sheets and flyers for your church to use to promote interest in the program. Churches then identify Group Leaders and determine the number of girls interested in participating in the program for the coming year. Your church then orders the appropriate number of teacher and participant materials.

 

Is this a Sunday School class curriculum?

The curriculum is designed to be taught in once-a-week classes that last approximately one and half hours. Your local church can decide when is the best day of the week to offer the program. We suggest Sundays as the logical choice for when more girls will be at church and available to participate in the program.

 

How is the curriculum set-up?

The LifeSong curriculum is divided into nine age and level-specific groups designed to allow girls to participate for up to a total of six years in the program. Depending upon the age of the girl when she enters the program, each curriculum level provides a wide range of activities and studies that increase their knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and help them to develop confidence in who they are in Christ. The curriculum is intended to encourage the development of key Biblical characteristics and promote growth towards becoming mature young women of God.

 

Ideally, girls begin the program at age 7 and have the opportunity to participate in all curriculum levels. However, the program is designed so that girls may start at any age between 7 and 12. Girls that matriculate at an older age can still experience the core portions of the curriculum.

 

The program is divided into progressive categories as follows: Levels I through III, Apprentice I and II, and Senior Scholars. The progression through the program is designed to be stepped, with each higher level building upon material presented in previous years.

 

All girls begin at Level I for their age group – either Level I for ages 7-9 or Level I for ages 10-12. After completing Level I, each girl may advance to the next curriculum level sequentially. Girls that begin at age 7 and complete Levels I through III may elect to take Apprentice I and II. Girls that complete the Apprentice programs may then enroll in the Senior Scholars program – the highest level available.

 

What is the best enrollment age?

Girls may start LifeSong at any age between 7 and 12. Girls that are able to start at age 7 can participate in all levels of the program.

 

How are the lessons designed?

Each lesson builds confidence in the Bible as the inerrant Word of God, and is founded upon Scriptural excerpts as the basis. All classes are designed to present a world view that is analyzed in the context of Biblical Truth. While growing in confidence in God’s word, the girls are taught to recognize the world’s messages lead to confusion and separation from God, while the Bible’s Truth leads to life and purpose.

 

A host of different materials are utilized to make each lesson as effective and engaging as possible, with personalized DVD messages from Godly women role models, worship music CDs, lesson posters, art supplies, and much more. In addition, both the leaders and the girls will have access to on-line resources and email forums to allow for discourse on the materials being taught.

 

What is expected of Group Leaders?

LifeSong provides Group Leaders with comprehensive training and materials to ensure that they are well prepared to lead the girls. Group Leaders are equipped through training materials, training events, and on-line resources. Group Leaders are then responsible for following lesson guides and leading the girls as outlined through the activities for each class. Before beginning, all Group Leaders have the opportunity to participate in a live training session.

 

Group Leaders should be women of God who 1) feel committed to working with the girls; 2) agree with the goals of the program; 3) can serve as Godly role models for the girls; 4) complete the LifeSong training, and; 5) agree to serve for at least 1 year in the program.

 

Is there flexibility in how a church administers the LifeSong program?

Each registered local church will have the ability to customize the program to meet their individual needs. Although complete curriculum usage is encouraged, a subset of materials and lessons may be selected in order to design the local program around other course offerings at the church.