Pioneer Clubs is a proven church-sponsored midweek club program for today’s kids, preschool through middle school. Each week this Christ-centered program integrates spiritual and personal development to help boys and girls build healthy relationships with caring Christian adults, peers, and most importantly, Christ. Thousands of churches choose Pioneer Clubs for its application-oriented inductive Bible study, Scripture memory, life-skills development, and emphasis on discipleship and outreach. Headquartered in Wheaton, IL, Pioneer Clubs has been meeting the changing needs of children with an unchanging message since 1939.
What programs does Pioneer Clubs offer?
Three program options are available:
Why does my church need a children’s club program?
We already have Sunday school.
A Pioneer Clubs program complements Sunday school. Pioneer Clubs’ informal format:
- translates Sunday’s lessons into terms children can grasp for themselves and apply to their lives
- lets children practice applying these principles in everyday, practical situations
- helps scriptural principles take on lifelong meaning as children learn to make Christ Lord in every aspect of their lives
Because Pioneer Clubs and Sunday school work hand-in-hand so well, Pioneer Clubs is as important as Sunday school to the training of young people in the church.
^ back to topWhat do kids learn at Pioneer Clubs?
Not only do kids get to memorize verses, but they also will learn how to study the Bible and apply it to their lives. Kids earn badges as they learn life-application skills, like cooking, money management and caring for the environment.
Check out the scope and sequence pages to see what club members will be learning each week.
Pioneer program Exploring program Discovery program^ back to topHow many volunteers will I need?
Each church sponsoring a Pioneer Clubs program should appoint a club coordinator to oversee the program. The club coordinator’s responsibilities include recruiting, supervising, encouraging and training club leaders. Because Pioneer Clubs is a relationship-oriented program, we recommend one leader for every 8-10 club members. Groups with younger children should have one leader for every 4-5 club members.
Prayer Pals will support your Pioneer Clubs ministry by praying regularly for specific club groups or individual club members. Parents, husband-wife teams, senior adults, and singles make great leaders. Don’t forget to include teenagers as assistant leaders. Pioneer Clubs is a wonderful way to give them on-the-job ministry experience.
^ back to topWhat is Pioneer Clubs’ Statement of Faith?
Is Pioneer Clubs affordable?
Pioneer Clubs wants its ministry to be accessible to everyone, so we work hard to keep participation costs reasonable. Pioneer Clubs asks that churches send a registration fee for each club.
| Club Program | Registration Fee |
| Pioneer program | $60/age level |
| Exploring program | included in cost of kit |
| Discovery program | included in cost of kit |
Depending on the options selected and the additional resources, churches can conduct a Pioneer Clubs ministry for as little as $1.50 per child a week.
^ back to topWhat does a Pioneer Clubs meeting look like?
The only thing typical about a Pioneer Clubs meeting is that it’s never typical! While each meeting has an underlying routine that everyone can count on, a great deal of variety will round out a child’s experience. Meetings are designed for 1½ to 2 hours. However, Pioneer Clubs programs are designed to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of your children and your church.
Every meeting includes:
- Bible Exploration
- Bible Memory
- Skill-Building Activities
Optional activities can be included in meetings, such as:
^ back to topHow long are Pioneer Clubs meetings?
Meetings are designed for 1½ to 2 hours. If your club has less time available, the material tells you how to adjust the plan to cover the essentials of the meeting—Opening, Activity Award, Bible Exploration, Bible Memory, and Closing. Pioneer Clubs’ programs are designed to be flexible and adaptable to the needs of your children and your church.
^ back to topWhat materials are needed to run a successful
Pioneer Clubs program?
The essential materials for club are children’s handbooks, Bible awards, activity awards and leader plan books. Leader plan books contain materials for 1½ to 2 hours of activities each week, but can be easily adjusted to adapt to your specific needs. Materials are simple to understand and use. Any extra supplies required are inexpensive and easy to round up, and leader preparation time is reasonable.
^ back to topHow can I learn more about a Pioneer Clubs program?
Check out the Pioneer Clubs program pages:
Pioneer Program Exploring Program Discovery Program^ back to top
