Resources
"...Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength - with all that you are."
Jim Nizza passed from this life on August 11, 2010, having battled cancer for eight years. His was an academic mind but his heart was intent on getting people firmly planted in the Kingdom. Right to the end he still dreamed of training more people in restricted nations so that they could train others.
Once immersed in a background of cults and the occult, Jim became a Christian at age 21, and immediately had an insatiable hunger for the Word. He had to start from scratch, not really knowing who Abraham or Peter or Isaiah were. A missions trip to Mexico led to enrolling in Bible college, which led to another missions trip, which led to meeting some YWAM'ers in Germany. He soon joined YWAM himself, first living in Germany, then Kona, Hawaii, and finally pioneering YWAM Ozarks in Arkansas. He worked for years with the School of Biblical Studies, and his hunger for more understanding of how to train people in Bible study led to the completion of his Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies. Thus, this thesis.
Studying and teaching the Word stoked Jim’s fire and passion. Students would tell him, “When you teach I see the fire of God in you.” He could get teenagers and grandmothers both excited about digging into a passage for treasure. “I never knew that was in there...!” they would exclaim. When people in other language groups did skits during his Inductive Bible Study Seminars they would erupt in peals of laughter, a reaction so different from what they thought was Bible study.
This thesis encourages you to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength—with all that you are. Use it and pass its principles on to others. It would bless Jim immensely to see it multiplied through your life into many others.
- Barb Nizza, YWAM Ozarks Director
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
A Biblical Foundation for Early Childhood Education, a unique preschool curriculum created to speak to the heart of a young child, was published by YWAM’s University of the Nations. Barb Nizza directed the publishing project and continues its oversight and distribution from our YWAM Ozarks campus.
A Biblical Foundation for Early Childhood Education helps you
• Nurture a young child's relationship with God
• Instill biblical values deeply into a child's heart
• Build a biblical foundation precept by precept
• Create an environment where children are loved and valued
A Biblical Foundation for Early Childhood Education is user friendly, making room for creative, innovative, confident teaching. It has been:
• Used in preschools around the world for 30 years
• Taught by teachers of diverse cultures, skill-levels, and church backgrounds
• Experienced by children of many nationalities and backgrounds
A Biblical Foundation for Early Childhood Education is a tool designed for those who believe children can know God and for those who want to lead them into that very meaningful relationship.
The Curriculum Package Consists of Seven Components
Teacher’s Guide:
Manual 1, The Teacher's Guide: An introductory manual of teacher tips and tools, compiled from a host of educators
Three Lesson Plan Manuals: Forty-two complete teaching units in three manuals, each rooted in the character of God
Manual 2, Knowing God our Father
Manual 3, Knowing Jesus, God With Us
Manual 4, Knowing Jesus, Because of the Holy Spirit
A Biblical Discipline Manual:
Manual 5, Training in Righteousness, a classroom handbook designed to lead children to the Scriptures concerning behavior difficulties
Music CD: produced by Scripture in Song (a division of Integrity Music).
I Hide Away Your Word in My Heart contains 42 Scripture songs, put to lively, easy-to-learn music, featuring Barry McGuire, Evie Karlsson, and a talented children's choir
Creation Posters: Twelve full-color teaching posters by artist Bryan Pollard, and two matching sets for children's hands-on use, dramatically depicting The Creation. Includes the script, "Long, Long Ago."