chastitycall.org : Chastity Curriculum

Overview

The basic premise of our Chastity Program is that all of us are God's loving creations; that He has created us in His own image. Given this, we have an obligation to respect ourselves and to show respect to others. The foundation of leading a life of respect is the virtue of Chastity. All of us need to be reminded that we are special, made in God's image and all that comprises us is good. It is how we use the gifts and talents God has given us that is the difference between good and bad, moral and immoral. Because God has made us and loves us, He is constantly available to us to help and strengthen us in times of difficulty and stress. All we must do is call upon Him through prayer.

The following curriculum is designed to assist teachers who want to use the materials provided in www.chastitycall.org. The curriculum is set up in four weekly segments that may be broken down to fit into daily classes during the week, thus fitting into the classroom or youth group setting.

Treat this website as a farmer would a fertile field that is ready to be sown. The farmer is going to select the seeds for crops that will flourish in the conditions in his fields and meet the needs of his consumers. He will not over plant thus preventing good growth to full potential, nor will he plant crops with too long a growing season for his area. He will select the crops that are appropriate to his unique situation. It is up to you, the teacher, to do the same. There is a great amount of material contained in this website which can be used in many different ways to meet the specific needs of the students. It can directly involve the parents by having them attend and participate in some activities or it can involve them with a single meeting or newsletter to explain the role they are to play at home. To make the best use of this material, the following must be taken into consideration:

1. the material selected must be made age appropriate to reflect the knowledge and experiences of the students;

2. the material selected must take into account the environmental influences: neighborhoods, family structures, parental involvement, schools attended, etc.;

3. the material must be handled sensitively, not embarrassing the student, parent or teacher, and;

4. the material must be made interesting and lively to be relevant to the daily lives of the students.

To have the best response to Chastity Workshops, the parents should be involved. Ideally, they should attend and participate in each session. However, many times this is not possible. In that case, it is recommended that they be invited to attend an opening session to inform them of the material to be covered and the part they will play either at home or in a final session. When parents are involved, it lends a greater weight and importance to chastity in the eyes of the students. It shows that everyone is on the "same page." If it is not possible to involve the parents, then information about the program should be sent home to inform them of the availability of www.chastitycall.org (particularly Teaching Parents of Teens How to Teach Their Children Chastity) and to suggest that they become involved in activities at home.

Week One:

Chastity is a Lifestyle

Many young and not so young people confuse abstinence and chastity. In order to have meaningful growth in understanding the meaning of chastity, it is essential to see the difference and explore the full implication of Chastity as a lifestyle. The goal for the first week is to lay the foundation for a complete understanding of Chastity and its effects on daily life.

Suggested strategies:

Refer to Chastity Talks Given to Youth Groups at www.chastitycall.org
Define abstinence and chastity. Discuss the difference between them. Refer to Chastity Is... at www.chastitycall.org
How completely does chastity mold our daily lives? Have the students make a list which incorporates all the different aspects that shape our day to day experiences: what we wear, what we read, what we watch at the movies or on TV, what music we select, and most importantly, what people we choose to make our friends.
Discuss how all these elements display who we are and how much we respect ourselves.
Have the students write one paragraph each about 3 news articles or stories from TV, movies or books which exemplify a person showing respect for self or others. Have them use A Think Tank Experience from www.chastitycall.org for ways to evaluate the people. These examples should be basis for discussion at the next session.
Refer to Examples of Chastity in the Bible - New Testament, Two More Examples of Chastity - Old Testament, The Virgin Mary - An Example of Chastity and Bible Passages Referring to Chastity at www.chastitycall.org

Week Two:

Decision Making for a Chaste Lifestyle

Despite good intentions, many people make poor decisions that cause them to fall into an unchaste lifestyle. Very often they can't figure out why their lives seem to go so wrong. Since young people often disregard the advice and example of their parents, the remaining examples of a good and successful lifestyle which are portrayed in the press and popular culture are often the only guidelines they have, so it is understandable that their decisions are not self respectful and moral. The goal for the second week is to lay the foundation for good, moral decision making skills for choosing friends and the activities with those friends.

Suggested strategies:

Review the stories chosen by the students in the assignments from last week. If the class does not have access to a computer at home to go to the website, also review the examples from the Bible.
Have the students create a list with the requirements for good friends, good books, movies, TV shows and good social activities that can be fun, but also reinforce self respect and foster a chaste lifestyle.
Utilize the materials available on the website to generate more ideas. (eg. A Real Man, A Real Woman and Letters about Chastity, Abstinence and Dating on www.chastitycall.org)
Start a second list with the qualities needed for person to be a chaste and respectful date.
Interview a parent, grandparent, an aunt or uncle about what they experienced on a first date when they were younger. Ask how they dressed and behaved, where they went, who paid, what was expected, what were their parental limits, what time home? Be prepared to share next session.
Write a conversation between two friends explaining the phrase, "Chastity is a Lifestyle."

Week Three:

Friends Becoming More Than Friends, Long Term Relationships:

Usually it is from our friends, the people we like, whom we spend time with on a regular basis, who become the long term, important people in our lives. They are also the group from which we choose our husbands and wives. It is important that young people take a clear-eyed look at the people they select to surround them, the people they consider worthy and who respectful of their value. If these are not good people now, the pattern is being set for their future. It is important to stress that it is never too late to make changes that will have an impact on the rest of their lives. Success in selecting a lifestyle and having the friends to support us in our choices, as well as setting goals and reaching them depend on those around us. It is important to be careful and set high standards for the people we associate with. They have more of an impact on us than we realize.

Suggested strategies:

Review the stories of parents, grandparents, etc. dating experiences. Relate to dating practices today. What traditions should we bring back? Which one are better forgotten? Relate to the lists the students made of what makes a chaste and respectful date.
Go to the chastitycall website and read I Want To Be Your Husband, I Want To Be Your Wife, Marriage Takes 3. Discuss the insights it give you.
Make a list of qualities you would like to have in a person who would be a good choice as a spouse. What characteristics would definitely NOT want in your spouse?
Break up group into pairs and set up role playing. Give students scenarios from the following suggestions. (Add others that are appropriate to the group):
A girl complains that her parents are "really strict." Include the characteristics the define "really strict."
A guy gets nervous that his date is moving too fast. He tries to get her to see the image she is giving of herself.
A girl wants to clearly set limits before she goes out with a new guy. What should she tell him and when?
A guy wants to find out if the girl he wants to date has a spiritual life and whether or not she prays. How does he find out?

Review with the students that Chastity is a Lifestyle which encompasses every aspect of life. It involves everything that we do...the friends we pick, how we dress, what we read and see on TV and the movies, whether or not we "do drugs," whether or not we have sex before marriage. Everything we do should show self-respect for this marvelous person God has made us. Everything we do either enhances us or diminishes who we are and has an effect on the rest of our lives. It is important to pray about it and ask for God's help to make the right choices, so that we can fulfill all the potential we have.

Week Four

It's Never Too Late To Be Chaste

In every group there is a least one person and usually more who have listened and participated in the class activities and who now feel that it is too late for them because they have made some very poor choices. They may be hanging out with the wrong group, have tried drugs or had sex. They might be in an abusive relationship or have a family which is stretched to the limits by problems within it. They may have long ago turned away from God and feel that He will never forgive them for their behavior. Now is the time to reassure them that they can turn their lives around.

"If you are headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-Turns." In fact, He encourages them. Stress that God forgives everything. He sent His Own Son to redeem everyone, not just some. All we must do is ask for forgiveness and change. We should never be afraid to talk to God about anything and everything. Talking to God is prayer. It is that simple.

Suggested strategies:

To reinforce the benefits of asking forgiveness and choosing to live a chaste life, use Chastity Protects and Second Chance, You Can Start Over from the website as the basis for discussion.
To provide further support to young people who choose to live a chaste lifestyle, discuss The Chastity Ring on the website. Point out that it is a visible and touchable reinforcement of a promise of chastity.
Ask group to brainstorm about how a girl/guy who has a bad reputation should go about changing it.
Discuss why so many people are afraid to talk about God, prayer and faith as a powerful force in their lives. How can we work to overcome that fear in our own lives and those around us?
Work together to write w pledge of chastity. Have the students take it home and ask their parents to help them live with Chastity as their Lifestyle.

God bless us all.