Whether your child attends Sunday School, church camp, or gets all their Bible instruction from home, it's always helpful to have a teen-focused Bible study available when they hit about 13 or 14 year of age. We were able to review the Prasso Ministries Curriculum designed just for this age group with the Teen Prasso Teacher's Manual and Teen Prasso Homework Manual.
I wasn't very familiar with Prasso before we began, and I'm always a bit cautious when introducing Bible teaching resources to my kids. I took some time to read over the materials and found out what it would cover -- along with any doctrinal differences it may have had from our own -- before starting it with my teen. There wasn't anything that struck me as a conflict, and I immediately appreciated the format of both books. It was apparent that they would be easy to use in our daily studies, and that I would probably get alot out of it, too!
What is Prasso? Coming from the Greek word that means to continually, habitually practice, it's designed to help your child get the basics of Bible understanding down pat. Since I'm a big fan of the verse "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. - Psalm 119:11", I knew that this was exactly the kind of study we could get behind.
So, let's get into the "meat and potatoes" of this program. First, both the teacher's manual (which contains many stories and read-alouds for students) is written in language all kids can understand. I would even feel comfortable reading this with my advanced 11-year-old, who is very mature for his age and is already dealing with "teen" issues. But this program isn't drowning in pop-culture. It isn't trying to be hip or cool; it's simply familiar and relevant, which means you can use it for years to come. You'd just need to buy a new student journal with each new student.
Big topics are covered, but not the ones you might first expect from a "teen" program. While other programs may be concentrating on hard-hitting "social" issues, like drugs, sex, and peer-pressure, this program takes a wholly Biblical approach to address all issues. Entire chapters devoted to forgiveness, fear, and anger are all presented in the context of two very important pillars of faith:
1) God's character, and
2) God's plan for you and your teen.
This curriculum is designed to build the foundation of a confident and humble life in Christ that allows teens and young adults to be able to rise up to the challenge of living a life of faith in today's world, as well as prepare them for whatever troubles or opportunities that may arise well into old age. I wish I had been able to enjoy a product like this when I was a teen -- instead of focusing solely on singular cultural "hot topic" issues that didn't prepare me to move beyond painful times in my life that I was overcome with anger or unforgiveness.
It's actually hard to believe how much this curriculum covers! And while the table of contents and chapter titles don't nearly give you all the insight you would expect into what you will be teaching, rest assured that there all major themes of Christianity and "religion" are explored from the perspective of what teens (and adults, for that matter) need to live a fruitful life in Christ.
Do I recommend this set? Surprisingly, I do. I usually shy away from products marketed to teens, but this is a tool that I think all Believers who have reached an age of 12+ can benefit from. (That includes you, Mom and Dad!)
This set is available now at the Prasso website for $50 for both books! It's a good value for a course that fit into daily life, is relevant, and is Biblically sound. See more reviews from parents at the link below:
I wasn't very familiar with Prasso before we began, and I'm always a bit cautious when introducing Bible teaching resources to my kids. I took some time to read over the materials and found out what it would cover -- along with any doctrinal differences it may have had from our own -- before starting it with my teen. There wasn't anything that struck me as a conflict, and I immediately appreciated the format of both books. It was apparent that they would be easy to use in our daily studies, and that I would probably get alot out of it, too!
What is Prasso? Coming from the Greek word that means to continually, habitually practice, it's designed to help your child get the basics of Bible understanding down pat. Since I'm a big fan of the verse "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. - Psalm 119:11", I knew that this was exactly the kind of study we could get behind.
So, let's get into the "meat and potatoes" of this program. First, both the teacher's manual (which contains many stories and read-alouds for students) is written in language all kids can understand. I would even feel comfortable reading this with my advanced 11-year-old, who is very mature for his age and is already dealing with "teen" issues. But this program isn't drowning in pop-culture. It isn't trying to be hip or cool; it's simply familiar and relevant, which means you can use it for years to come. You'd just need to buy a new student journal with each new student.
Big topics are covered, but not the ones you might first expect from a "teen" program. While other programs may be concentrating on hard-hitting "social" issues, like drugs, sex, and peer-pressure, this program takes a wholly Biblical approach to address all issues. Entire chapters devoted to forgiveness, fear, and anger are all presented in the context of two very important pillars of faith:
1) God's character, and
2) God's plan for you and your teen.
This curriculum is designed to build the foundation of a confident and humble life in Christ that allows teens and young adults to be able to rise up to the challenge of living a life of faith in today's world, as well as prepare them for whatever troubles or opportunities that may arise well into old age. I wish I had been able to enjoy a product like this when I was a teen -- instead of focusing solely on singular cultural "hot topic" issues that didn't prepare me to move beyond painful times in my life that I was overcome with anger or unforgiveness.
It's actually hard to believe how much this curriculum covers! And while the table of contents and chapter titles don't nearly give you all the insight you would expect into what you will be teaching, rest assured that there all major themes of Christianity and "religion" are explored from the perspective of what teens (and adults, for that matter) need to live a fruitful life in Christ.
Do I recommend this set? Surprisingly, I do. I usually shy away from products marketed to teens, but this is a tool that I think all Believers who have reached an age of 12+ can benefit from. (That includes you, Mom and Dad!)
This set is available now at the Prasso website for $50 for both books! It's a good value for a course that fit into daily life, is relevant, and is Biblically sound. See more reviews from parents at the link below:
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