Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose–a Review

Teaching children about great heroes of the faith can be both exciting and challenging.  It is exciting to teach about the adventures many missionaries experience in their journey to share the gospel, but it is challenging to teach about the tragedies that befall many missionaries.  YWAM Publishing, the publishing ministry of Youth With a Mission, publishes books devoted to “training and equipping believers for their part in fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19, as well as personal evangelism.”  I have been privileged to read and explore YWAM’s publication of Jim Elliot:  One Great Purpose with my children. To my delight, I also received the Unit Study Curriculum Guide for this book. I received the .pdf version of both products.  I have been using them from my Ipad and loaded them onto my kids devices for them to read.

     We have many dear friends in our area of the world who are career missionaries through YWAM.  Because of these relationships, our family is very familiar with the wonderful ministry of YWAM across the globe.  Reading Jim Elliot:  One Great Purpose has given us insight into another far-reaching and meaningful arm of the YWAM ministries.  Jim Elliot:  One Great Purpose is part of YWAM’s “Christian Heroes:  Then & Now” series.  This series includes 41 biographies of great heroes of the Christian faith, both men and women.  Books are available individually as well as in some different sets.  The entire set of books is available as well for a substantial savings.  Jim Elliot:  One Great Purpose is intended for readers ages 10+.  It is 192 pages long and sells for $6.99 on the YWAM website. The rest of the biographies in the series are in the same general age level.  We have found that the book may be a little bit of a stretch for a 10 year old to read independently, but it would work great as a read aloud or read together.  I have read it myself and my 13 year old and 16 year old read this. From a reading level standpoint, the 10+ is spot on.  From the standpoint of subject matter, I do recommend a parent read it either with a younger child or at the same time as a younger child.  The book is tremendous, but the events surrounding the death of Jim Elliot are difficult and lend themselves to open discussion about the meaning of servanthood and completely surrendering ones life to the purpose of sharing the gospel.

     On the YWAM website, one of the neat perks that I found while doing some digging around is  “Heroes Series – Bonus Material.”  This part of the website contains free extras to go with many of the books in the series including a crossword puzzle on Jim Elliot, a coloring page on Jim Elliot, suggestions for how to use the Unit Study in different setting, and other fun extras.  There is even a link for more challenging crosswords (ages 15+).  I love to be able to find extra material to enhance a study!

     Now, down to the nitty gritty!  Jim Elliot: One Great Purpose is the biographical account of Jim Elliot.  It chronicles his experiences sharing the gospel with the Auca Indians of Ecuador.  He and his coworkers knew that this group of people were known to be savage, especially with outsiders.  They worked tirelessly to build trust in hopes of being able to reach the Indians for Christ. The missionaries were fully aware that they could lose their lives in their mission, but they vowed never to spill a drop of blood of those with whom they were sharing God’s love.  In other words, if attacked they would not fight back.  This biography traces the journey that Jim Elliot takes to reach the point of trying to work with the Auca.  We trace his journey as he has to learn the Quichua language in order to share with the Quichua tribe first.  This was a rival tribe to the Auca.  Jim and one of his coworkers were able to experience mentoring and training at the hand of another missionary, Dr. Tidmarsh, who was working with the Quichua. Eventually, Jim and his family, along with the McCully family (another missionary family) settled and took up residence in the jungles of Ecuador.  Part of their work, in trying to establish a relationship with different indigent people groups, was to drop loads of groceries and other trinkets from the safety of an airplane to the people.  That is how Nate Saint (Jim’s coworker and pilot) and Jim Elliot first catch a glimpse of the elusive Auca people and how they develop a burning desire to reach them with the gospel.  Throughout the story, readers are entranced in adventure after adventure, hardship after hardship, all for the sake of Christ.  I’m not going to tell you the end of the story because I hate spoilers.  Let’s suffice it to say, God is always in control.

     We have really been enjoying the Unit Study along with the book. It is 62 pages long and retails for $7.49 on the YWAM website. I love unit studies because they are like a cafeteria of ideas and activities that can be used to enhance a study.  This guide does not disappoint. Activities, study questions, memorization suggestions, projects, and more fill this unit study guide.  The study can be cross-curricular with activities suggested in the areas of history, geography, language arts, current events, math, missions, and life skills.  I have used the discussion questions as a springboard for discussion times over chapters read.  I have also been using the essay questions for writing assignments.  We have used the provided maps and completed the geography related activities and have studied the history of Indians in Ecuador.  Next on the agenda is to try our hands at some Ecuadorian cooking.

     This book and unit study have been inspiring for our family.  My oldest daughter has spent a great deal of time this year on the mission field and is leaning toward taking a full year mission trip in the near future.  As a matter of fact, all of my kids have a heart toward missions.  I greatly appreciate books like this which give a picture of what missionary life can actually be like.  I want my kids to understand that it isn’t an easy life, but God provides all of your needs when you are serving Him.

     My friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been reviewing both this book / unit study as well as one about George Washington.  To read their reviews, click on the banner below.