Do you know the story of Jim Elliot? I did not. We didn’t have the opportunity to read about such wonderful Christian Heroes as Jim Elliott when I was in school. Though I was familiar with the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series from YWAM Publishing but had not added them to our school until this year. When given the opportunity to review Christian Heroes: Then and Now – Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose by Janet and Geoff Benge I decided it was a great opportunity to try out the series. I can tell you – it was not disappointing.
If you have never heard of Jim Elliot, he was a missionary in Ecuador in the 1950s. He believed from the beginning that God had called him to be a missionary and felt there was no greater purpose than to bring the word of God to those who did not know Him. The story is amazing, inspiring, uplifting and exciting. It will keep you hooked from start to finish.
We were given a pdf copy of Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose from the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series as well as a copy of the Jim Elliot Unit Study Curriculum Guide that accompanies it to review. However, it is available in hard copy as well as a Kindle version.
We used the book as a read aloud. Both my 8 year old and my 4 year old listened intently. My 8 year old daughter and I definitely found the book fascinating and enjoyed the read together. The book is stated to be for ages 10 and up but my almost 9 year old was very intrigued and enjoyed the book so that may be based on reading ability. Though we have not done a large variety of unit studies, we have done some and were intrigued on beginning this book and using the accompanying unit study.
The unit study includes essay writing, hands-on projects, scripture memorization, cultural foods, and arts and crafts, to name a few. There is more than any family would have time to do offered in the curriculum guide. The geography and culture extras were of great interest to my daughter and we focused on these. We had fun doing a country study of Ecuador to go along with the beginning of the book, working on a map of South America and Ecuador, and locating geographical characteristics that were suggested in the unit study.
The chapter questions were very helpful. We enjoyed going through them and it helped us do some deeper thinking on the chapters. There was also some great suggestions on field trips, related vocabulary words, and even how to host a “culminating event” to bring the unit study to a close with a final presentation on what the child has learned. There are many suggestions on how to host the event, what to serve, what to present, and how to have fun with it.
Overall, Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose was an excellent book and the unit study was a fun way to study missionaries, Ecuador, South America, and South American culture. We are looking forward to reading more of the Christian Heroes: Then and Now series such as Amy Carmichael, C. S. Lewis, and David Livingstone. Additionally, we hope to include YWAM Publishing’s Heroes of History series which includes such heroes as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Harriett Tubman.
You can check out YWAM Publishing’s books on their website. You can see what is included in the Christian Heroes: Then and Now series and the Heroes of History series. You can read a sample from the Christian Heroes: Then and Now – Glayds Aylward book and unit study here.
You can purchase Christian Heroes: Then & Now – Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose from YWAM for $6.99 and the corresponding Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose Unit Study Curriculum Guide for $7.49.
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