Children’s ministry leaders understand the importance of teaching children about missions, but sometimes mission education is difficult to incorporate into limited programming time. Mission education gives children an opportunity to see God at work in the world. So, how do you incorporate mission education into your ministry with kids?
1. Pray for missions:
• Create a prayer calendar that includes the missionaries your church supports. Focus on one missionary per month.
• Create a special prayer reminder token (bracelet, fridge magnet, etc.).
• Pray for missionaries during class, worship times, etc.
2. Learn about missions:
• Invite your missions pastor to share about the mission focus of your church.
• Invite a missionary on furlough to speak to your kids during Sunday or mid-week programming.
• Learn about other countries and cultures through books, videos, and web searches.
3. Engage in mission action:
• Adopt a missionary that has children or works with children.
• Participate in a local mission activity, involving serving those in poverty, senior adults, or after a disaster.
• Sponsor a child or support a community in poverty.
4. Support missions:
• Find out the birthday of the missionaries your church supports. Write and send birthday cards.
• Plan a special offering each month or quarter to support a missionary or mission action.
• Collect items to give to a local mission project.
5. Develop a mission life:
• Model for kids the necessity of prayer, Bible study, and dependence on God. Challenge them to memorize Scripture related to missions.
• Be intentional in planning mission related activities for kids. Include the entire family!
• Engage parents on mission with their kids.
6. Be a part of mission work in your church and denomination:
• Attend mission events at your church and encourage leaders to plan something for kids.
• Plan a mission trip for preteens or families in a neighboring community.
• Go on a short-term mission trip.
www.wmu.com: includes links to Families on Mission, Molly’s Mission Adventures, Mission Explorers, Mission Friends, Children in Action, Girls in Action, Royal Ambassadors, and more from the WMU of the Southern Baptist Convention.
www.namb.net/children: includes mission project ideas, lessons, and videos for kids from the North American Mission Board.
www.kidsonmission.org: includes full missions experience resources (video, lessons, activities) to help children become kids on mission from the International Mission Board.
www.weavefamily.org: weekly activities and articles to engage the whole family in the Great Commission from the Center for Mission Mobilization.
www.compassion.com/kids-magazine: on online kids magazine that includes activities and devotions for kids from Compassion International.
Web sites were current as of the submission date of this article.
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