How can I get my family involved in missions?

Families that do missions together, grow together

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Missionary's Family, Personal Involvement

Families on mission together help children grow as World Christians and can access a wider range of opportunities than men or women alone can. Before getting involved in missions as a family, gauge your whole family's interest and availability. Start at a level reasonable for everyone. Here are some first steps.

Begin praying as a family for nations and people groups. If your children are younger, use kid-friendly resources such as a large world map or globe, and pictures of the places for which you're praying (such as Children Just Like Me, available at Amazon.com). Many fascinating books about the lives of children from other countries and cultures are available through homeschool resources.

Include the world in your kid's education plans. For example, If you homeschool, take your kids to a local college campus to meet with an international student who can teach your kids about the history and culture of their nation. (They gain English practice!)

Host missionaries for family meals regularly to learn about their location and ministry.

Go out to eat at the same ethnic restaurant regularly, and get to know the staff.

Get involved in local cross-cultural ministry opportunities such as attending cross-cultural festivals or helping refugees move into their new homes.

"Adopt" a local international student and include him or her in your normal family activities. Most universities offer programs to help this happen, as international students are eager to experience American family life. Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are wonderful opportunities to invite international families over and explain the biblical meaning behind the holiday.

An excellent resource for more ideas is Building A Missional Family, available at https://www.vergenetwork.org/building-a-missional-family/

Pray for missionaries and people groups and countries; with the family worship and devotional sessions.

Use prayer cards and letters of current missionaries and the book, Operation World.

Look into going on a vision mission or short-term missions trip together.

Do a Bible Study on God's glory among all nations with your children.

Have your children pick an unreached people group or restricted access country and do research on that people group or country.

Pick a missions biography for your children to read for summer reading and have discussions over the content.

Watch a missions film together, such as (google the names and titles):

  • Dispatches from the Front - A memoir of author Tim Keesee's mission travels
  • A Cry from Iran - Haik Hovsenpian Mehr and Mehdi Dibaj
  • The End of a Spear: Beyond the Gates of Splendor - Jim and Elizabeth Elliot
  • Peace Child - Don Richardson
  • More Than Dreams - 5 stories of 5 different Muslims who had dreams of Jesus and then they were directed to the Bible or a person who shared the gospel with them.
  • Films about: David Livingstone, Gladys Alyward, William Carey – Candle in the Dark, First Fruits, Beyond the Next Mountain, Amy Carmichael

Resources

David C. Meade

David is the founder and Director of Propempo International. He has over 40 years of experience in church planting, pioneering field ministry among UPGs, and leadership both on the field and in nonprofit organizations. He is local church oriented, serving as a Missions Elder for over 20 years. He loves teaching and mentoring church leaders and missionaries preparing for service in the tough places of the world. David loves being a husband, dad and grandfather, fishing, traveling, and being omnivorous. He continues to be an avid proponent of and participant in church planting.
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