Investiture Achievement/Companion/Personal Growth

Requirement 1

Be in Grade 6 or its equivalent.

The Investiture Achievement Companion level has been designed to be within reach of a person in the sixth grade or higher. It should be challenging, yet achievable for a child at this point in his or her formal education.

Requirement 2a

Develop your daily devotional life by studying the Weekly Devotional Guide (weeks 14 – 26) and the book of Genesis utilizing printed or electronic resources.

Weekly Devotional Guide

Week 14: HOPE Psalms 94:12-19 Psalms 95 1 Kings 3 Psalms 63 Psalms 59	Week 18: CELEBRATION Philippians 1 Psalms 1 Ezekiel 15 Malachi 1	Week 22: DEVOTION Psalms 103 Lamentations 3 Job 40-42
Week 15: LOVE Philippians 2 Psalms 136 Psalms 100 Ephesians 5	Week 19: PROMISES Psalms 118 Deuteronomy 31 Psalms 23 Daniel 7:9 Romans 8:38, 39	Week 23: DECISIONS Matthew 4 Matthew 16 Mark 8 Luke 14
Week 16" JOY Isaiah 9:2-10:19 Isaiah 49 Psalms 28 Habakkuk 3:17-19	Week 20: FAITHFULNESS Esther 1-2 Esther 3-4 Esther 5 Esther 6 Esther 7 Esther 8 Esther 9	Week 24: EXAMPLE Mark 10:32-45 Acts 10 Galatians 6:1-8 Luke 23 1 John 2 2 Peter 1-3
Week 17 ADVENTURE Psalms 37 1 John 1 1 Thessalonians 1-3 Psalms 51 James 1:22, 23 Revelation 3:15, 16 Matthew 14:25-33	Week 21: CHRISTIANITY Ephesians 4 Matthew 10 Proverbs 25 Micah 6 Proverbs 14	Week 25: LIFE WITH GOD Hebrews 13 John 3 Revelation 21 Leviticus 19 1 Peter 1
		Week 26: OBEDIENCE Romans 12 Matthew 6:1-25 Isaiah 14:14-32 Jonah 1 Jonah 2 Jonah 3 Jonah 4

Genesis

Genesis 1	Genesis 11	Genesis 21	Genesis 31	Genesis 41
Genesis 2	Genesis 12	Genesis 22	Genesis 32	Genesis 42
Genesis 3	Genesis 13	Genesis 23	Genesis 33	Genesis 43
Genesis 4	Genesis 14	Genesis 24	Genesis 34	Genesis 44
Genesis 5	Genesis 15	Genesis 25	Genesis 35	Genesis 45
Genesis 6	Genesis 16	Genesis 26	Genesis 36	Genesis 46
Genesis 7	Genesis 17	Genesis 27	Genesis 37	Genesis 47
Genesis 8	Genesis 18	Genesis 28	Genesis 38	Genesis 48
Genesis 9	Genesis 19	Genesis 29	Genesis 39	Genesis 49
Genesis 10	Genesis 20	Genesis 30	Genesis 40	Genesis 50

Requirement 2b

Journal your thoughts by asking these questions: “What did I learn about God?” “What did I learn about myself?” “How can I apply this to my life today?” You may journal through writing, drawing or electronic process.

The questions are to be asked in relation to the Bible texts read in Requirement 2a. The point of having the Pathfinder answer these questions is to encourage him think about the text in a way that he may not have before. It is easier than we like to admit to read a long passage and not even think about it. Journaling should help prevent this.

How the journaling is done should be left to the Pathfinder.

Writing

Some people are more comfortable writing things down. This can be done with a pencil (or pen) and paper in a notebook, in a diary, on a word processor, or even on a blog or social network posting.

Drawing

Some children do not like to write and will resist it mightily. For such children, the thought of not being invested in not likely to be an effective motivator. They may prefer to illustrate the concepts instead, and that is a valid way for them to journal their thoughts.

Electronic Process

The Pathfinder may choose to write his journal entries in a word processor, a blog, or a social network. While these may be considered either writing or an "electronic process," there are other options available. For instance, Pathfinders may wish to make an audio or video recording of their thoughts. If they have the equipment, this should be encouraged. If they are not comfortable sharing the material with the club, do not force them to.

Requirement 3a

Memorize the Pathfinder Pledge & Law.

The Pathfinder Pledge and Law are listed below. These should be recited during a Pathfinder Club's opening exercises at the beginning of each meeting. By the end of the Pathfinder year, every Pathfinder in regular attendance will know them by heart without any effort on the part of the instructors (or the Pathfinders).

Pathfinder Pledge

Pledge	Meaning
By the grace of God	Only as I rely on God to help me can I do His will
I will be pure,	I will fill my mind with that which is right and true and spend my time in activities that build a strong, clean character.
I will be kind	I will be considerate and kind, not only to my fellow men, but also to all of God’s creation.
I will be true	I will be honest and upright in study, work, and play and can always be counted upon to do my very best.
I will keep the Pathfinder Law	I will seek to understand the meaning of the law and will strive to live up to its spirit, realizing that obedience law is essential in any organization.
I will be a servant of God	I will pledge myself to God first, last, and best in everything I am called to do.
and a friend to man.	I will bless others and do to them what I would have them do to me.

For something different, do the Pledge and Law in sign language.

Pathfinder Law

Every young person should have a code by which to shape his life. For the Adventist youth, the Pledge and Law is that code. These must be learned and their principles put into practice.

The Pathfinder Law is for me to:

Law	Meaning
Keep the morning watch	I will have prayer and personal Bible study each day.
Do my honest part	By the power of God, I will help others and do my duty and my honest share, wherever I may be.
Care for my body	I will be temperate in all things and strive to reach a high standard of physical fitness
Keep a level eye	I will not lie, cheat or deceive and will despise dirty talk and evil thinking
Be courteous and obedient	I will be kind and thoughtful of others, reflecting the love of Jesus in all my associations with others.
Walk softly in the Sanctuary	In any devotional exercise, I will be quiet, careful, and reverent.
Keep a song in my heart	I will be cheerful and happy and let the influence of my life be sunshine to others
Go on God's errands	I will always be ready to share my faith and go about doing good as did Jesus

Requirement 3b

Learn the meaning of the Pathfinder Pledge & Law.

Pledge

A good time to address this requirement is just before the Induction Ceremony. At this time, the Companion class should re-study the pledge and law, and dive deeper into its meaning. Then during the Induction, those Companions who were inducted during the previous year can be assigned to explain a point of the pledge and law to the new inductees.

By the grace of God

This means that the Pathfinder will rely on God for the strength, courage, and determination to keep the Pathfinder Pledge.

I will be pure

The Pathfinder will avoid those things which lead into temptation, and seek to fill himself with heavenly thoughts rather than worldly pleasures.

I will be kind

I will be true

I will keep the Pathfinder Law

I will be a servant of God

I will be a friend to man

Law

Keep the Morning Watch

This means that the Pathfinder will devote time to studying the Bible every day. Taking time for devotional study as the first thing in the morning sets the course and tone for the day. However, more important than the time of the study is the study itself.

Do my honest part

The Pathfinder will perform every task to the best of his or her ability. The Pathfinder will follow the spirit of the law rather than just the letter of the law. This is especially true as it applies to IA or Honor requirements.

Care for my body

Because the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19), the Pathfinder will always strive to take the best care of it. This means that the Pathfinder will get plenty of exercise, maintain a healthy diet, and avoid drugs, tobacco, and alcohol.

Keep a level eye

The Pathfinder will always tell the truth so that he may look others straight in the eye without a downcast face. If a Pathfinder makes a mistake, he admits it and seeks to correct it rather than trying to hide it from others.

Be courteous

The Pathfinder will treat others courteously. This includes people of all ages, young and old, as well as animals.

Be obedient

The Pathfinder will obey those who are placed in authority over him. This includes parents, Pathfinder leaders, and teachers. However, the Pathfinder must always obey God first.

Walk softly in the sanctuary

The Pathfinder will treat the church sanctuary as a holy place, because that is what it is. A Pathfinder knows that the sanctuary is not a place for horseplay, joking around, or running. It is a place where people come to worship the Lord.

Keep a song in my heart

The Pathfinder will remain cheerful even when circumstances dictate otherwise. A useful model of this behavior is that of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25-34. The result of their cheerfulness was the salvation of an entire household.

Go on God's errands

The Pathfinder will seek to do the Lord's will. If he is called to cut grass for an elderly person, he will rush to do this. If he is asked to read the scriptures during the worship service, he will answer "yes." The Pathfinder will remember the words of Isaiah when he said, "Here I am, send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

Requirement 4a

Learn or review the Pathfinder Song.

The Pathfinder Song should be sung during the opening ceremonies at the beginning of each regular Pathfinder Meeting. By the end of the year, every Pathfinder in regular attendance will know the song without any additional effort on their or on the instructor's part.

The words to the song are below, and a link to the sheet music can be found after that.

Oh, we are the Pathfinders Strong,
The servants of God are we
Faithful as we march along,
In kindness, truth, and purity
A Message to tell to the world
A truth that will set us free!
King Jesus the Savior's coming back
For you, and me!

Oh We Are the Pathfinders Strong Sheet Music with Guitar Chords

Requirement 4b

Illustrate its meaning.

Before the meaning of the Pathfinder Song can be illustrated, it must be understood.

Oh we are the Pathfinders Strong

The Pathfinders are not the General Conference, Division, Union, or local Conference leadership. Yes, those people are Pathfinders, and they contribute greatly to the program, but without the children in the local clubs, there would be no Pathfinders. We are the Pathfinders. And we are strong. As Pathfinders, we make an impact in our church and community. Pathfinders is one of the more visible arms of our church, and without them, many people would not know that a Seventh-day Adventist Church met in their communities.

The servants of God are we

Pathfinders seek to do the will of the Creator. We look to Him for guidance and direction by reading His written word in the Bible. When we understand His will, we then seek to do it to the best of our ability.

Helpful as we march along

Pathfinders look for opportunities to help others. They put the needs of others ahead of their own, and they do this in every aspect of their lives (not just at Pathfinder meetings).

In kindness, truth, and purity

The astute Pathfinder will immediately recognize that this phrase comes directly from the Pathfinder Pledge. Kindness, truth, and purity are central to the Pathfinder mission.

A message to tell to the world

Once Pathfinders have the attention of their community, and once that attention is positive, the community will more readily receive from them the good news of the gospel. While the message goes out to the entire world, it does so one community at a time.

A truth that will set us free

When the community accepts the message, they will be set free from the bondage of sin.

King Jesus the Savior's coming back for you and me

The "good news" is that we can have eternal life in Jesus. When an end is made of sin, those who have placed their faith in Jesus will be freed not only from sin, but from death which is caused by sin. Eternal life!