Ministry Monday: How to mold mission-minded children

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Welcome to Ministry Monday at Hive Resources! Today’s guest post is written by one of my dearest “real-life” friends. She blogs about her adventures in homeschooling, crafts, and motherhood at Jessica’s Jabber. Here’s what I love about Jess (and what I think you will too): her heart for instilling a passion for God’s Commandments and God’s Commission in her daughters.

I grew up in a mission-minded church – annual mission conferences, weekly prayer letters, personal support, and lots and lots of meals together.  I have many fond memories of missionaries coming to our home and the stories they told.  Stories that would make us laugh, make us cry, and amaze us with God’s faithfulness.

That experience stamped a deep love for the mission field on my heart.  A love that I hope to help cultivate in my children.    While we can’t always have missionaries over to our house, we can still share their stories with our children.  Recently I read a  book that helped recreate my youthful experience at the dinner table,  Missionary Stories with the Millers by Mildred A. Martin.

Highlights For Missionary Stories with the Millers:

• God’s faithfulness is central to each story
• The action and adventure of these stories grabbed my children‘s attention, as they listened wide-eyed to the re-tellings.
• Each chapter introduces children to a different mission field showcasing God’s work even “unto the ends of the earth.
• Chapters are supplemented with a  historical note, giving context to the stories.

Additional Considerations For Missionary Stories with the Millers

• While these stories are based on real people and events, Martin has taken some creative license in the retelling.
• These stories may be intense for younger listeners.  Plot elements include fierce animals, hate-filled guerillas, disease, witch doctors, wild weather, and even martyrdom.   My girls (4 and 6) handled them well, but consider the age appropriateness for your own children.

The book From Akebu to Zapotec: A Book of Bibleless Peoples introduces you to twenty-six of them, providing a good conversation starter to talk to your children about how they can be involved in the mission field.

 Highlights for From Abeku to Zapotec:

• The book uses simple language to describe the cultures of these people groups.
• Stylized illustrations reinforce the descriptions and help hold the attention of younger listeners.
• Each description ends with a reminder that these people still need the Bible.

• Since this is an alphabet book, it is geared for younger children.
• This is actually the second A to Z book about Bibleless people groups published by Wycliff Bible Translators.  Because of the prayers of many boys and girls around the world, most of the people groups from the first edition now have some part of the Bible in their own language.
• These books will help your elementary age children connect with what God is doing on the mission field today, and provide opportunities for further discussion about their involvement in God’s great work.

GET INVOLVED

Adopt a Bible-less people group, and commit to pray for them. The Wycliffe Bibleless Peoples Prayer Project is a great place to start.

You can also learn more about the different people groups around the world at IMB Embrace or Peoplegroups.org – two more great resources for teaching your children about God’s heart for the nations.

CREATE A PRAYER POSTER

Select a country or people group.

Include some of the following sections:

• Geography
• Languages
• Fun Facts
• Supporting Mission Agencies
• Ways To Pray

About Jessica: I’m just a simple girl, with a lot of enthusiasm. Come have fun with me on this adventure called motherhood. Learn about bento lunches, muffin tin meals and preschool crafts. 

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