Home Archive by category "Missions"

Category: Missions

Kids Around the World… with ALL their toys

Years ago I stumbled upon a powerful collection of photos of kids. It explored a global photo project where children from around the world were photographed with all of their toys. The striking contrast between abundance and scarcity serves as a thought-provoking springboard for teaching kids (and ourselves) about contentment, gratitude, and generosity. Through personal reflection, biblical insight, and the invitation to use these images in ministry, readers are encouraged to shift their perspective from materialism to meaningful compassion. View all the pictures and download them at: Kidology.org/kidsaroundtheworld to use in your ministry to show our kids just how blessed they are and the challenge generosity and giving to missions.

Continue reading

A Pen-Pal in the Philippines

It was a Sunday night in high school. And even though I was sitting in the back pew with my buddies, it was a day that would change my life forever. We had chosen these seats, the farthest possible away from the action because there was a guest speaker from out of town. A missionary who had asked if he could come preach in Chicago because they happened to be in town, even though most of his supporters were out West. My dad had offered his pulpit. I knew the missionary sermon all too well. Matthew 28… Great Commission… pictures of the mission field… challenge to pray, give, or go. I probably could have stepped in if he’d gotten a sore throat and needed me to. But then, I saw it – the picture of his family – and heard him talking about his daughter, Sara. I had just returned from a mission trip to Honduras the week before and perked up. (She was cute.) As her dad talked about some of the dangers they had faced as a family – including hiding her in a hidden compartment when soldiers came through the neighborhood – my buddies and I all…

Continue reading

Ikinagagalak akong makillala kayo! HUH!?

What if I said to you “Ikinagagalak akong makillala kayo! Would you know what I meant? Likely not! What if I said it more slowly, enunciating each syllable clearly? Or perhaps more loudly? Or I could have some dancing armless vegetables sing it to you in a clever rhyming song? No matter what I did, unless you were Filipino and spoke Tagalog, the native language of the Philippines, you’d have no idea that I just said, “Nice to meet you.” It wouldn’t be your fault. It would just be that I wasn’t speaking your language. I’ve been to Manila, Philippines a few times. In fact, it’s where I met my wife. She grew up there as a missionary kid. While I was there, I quickly discovered I had to adapt my American ways. Luckily for me, they spoke English, so I only learned a few phrases in Tagalog for fun, but I did have to learn some things about the culture in order to more effectively minister to the kids there. I had to change my humor because my jokes fell flat. I had to adjust my stories so they could relate to them. I had to eat some things that…

Continue reading

How to Start a School from SCRATCH!

Concerned about the direction of public schools? Looking to team up with other home school families? Contemplating starting a school on the mission field? Don’t know where to start? Everyone knows the Great Commission which compels us to go into all the world and share the Gospel. What is often forgotten is the second half of that commission, the educational mandate, “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20a) Yes, we need to reach the lost, and Doug Crowder has been on the front lines of mission work for his entire ministry, but he also understands the need to disciple those who come to Jesus so they can grow and get to the work of the Kingdom. It is critical that we do everything we can to not only teach the Bible, but to do so in a way that transforms lives. In Nehemiah 8:8, we read, “They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.” But what do you do when there is a need for biblical education and the schools available to help evangelize and educate the…

Continue reading

The 3 Penny Missionary Game

This simple, fun game helps children understand how a church is planted on the mission field. Help children understand the process of a missionary planting a church. As kids play this game, they will learn the up and downs (or forward and backwards) progress of planting a church. All that is needed is the PDF Game Board linked below (best printed on card stock) along with second page of explanation. (Which can be printed on the opposite side if you’d like.) Each child needs a small marker of some kind – a coin, bean, bead or other small item that looks different from whatever the other players use. 3 Pennies are used instead of dice to help emphasize the need to raise money. You can either give every child their own playing board, or they can team up in groups of two or three. This basic board game takes them through the stages of planting a church. The second page (or backside if you print two-sided) explains each step. As you play, the leader can be reading the explanations as a child reaches them. Let the kids keep a copy of the game to take home. They can play again…

Continue reading