Preparing for your next missions conference? Here are some good ideas we have heard about. And if you have ideas of your own, we’d love to see them.
There are nearly 7,000 languages in the world today, with the entire Bible translated into 438 of them. This service is designed to help us understand how that might feel and to consider how God might use our unique gifts and skills to participate in His plan bring all Scripture to all people in a language they can understand. Used by permission from College Church, 332 E. Seminary Ave, Wheaton, IL
At a dinner sometime toward the end of the missions conference, spread out the missionaries at different tables and then ask a person (not the missionary) at each table to share something they learned about the missionary or their ministry. To facilitate discussion, there might be a small sheet of general questions on the table. Used by permission from Westminster Presbyterian Church, Lancaster, PA
Great for children's ministries. The church chooses six projects and makes up a children’s workbook with each project. The church hands out the books seven weeks before the mission fair; the children work on them and hand them back on the Sunday prior to the fair. Used by permission from Westminster Presbyterian Church, Lancaster, PA
On the Sunday after your missions activities, host a debrief luncheon with just your missionaries, pastoral staff and missions committee. Give an encouraging devotional. Allow for good quiet discussion, pray as they go on their way. Used by permission from Lancaster Evangelical Free Church, Lancaster, PA
Congregations are often told that they are the senders, the ones to give and to pray. Yet frequently, apart from passing the offering plate and poorly attended Wednesday evening prayer meetings, Joe Pew-Sitter has no clue how to be involved praying for missions. Every other year, Calvary Church holds an all-church concert of prayer during Global Missions Week. All other Wednesday night family ministries become part of this all-church event in the sanctuary. Used by permission from Calvary Church, Lancaster, PA
This is a program for a church that has a large number of missionaries come together for a conference. Instead of introducing individual missionaries, they are involved throughout the entire service. The morning’s message is a Readers Theater style of presentation. Everyone’s role is important in communicating this message. Used by permission from College Church, 332 E. Seminary Ave, Wheaton, IL 60187
Great for children's ministries. Have missionaries send in the description of an item or two from their display table that children can check off from a list. Print up some “missions bucks” for the kids to collect either from the missionary, or from a cashier based on found items and then allow the kids to buy items from the store, or better yet from the missionaries who came prepared. Gifts can include interesting candies or global snacks, small cultural icons, pencils or pens, small books, etc. This gets the kids involved and they often sweep their parents into the action. Used by permission from Westminster Presbyterian Church, Lancaster, PA
