My week 12/6/2020-12/18/2020

1300 Miles

3 Different Hotel Rooms

2 Big Bags of Sunflower Seeds

Lot's of desert out the window

Numerous beautiful sunsets

I started the week spending my birthday with Judy, Jack, Ryan and Maggie at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno. We had a great time bowling, swimming at the outdoor pool, working our way through the escape room and spending time together over meals...a great reminder of what is important. 

I had the opportunity to drive out and visit churches and pastors in Utah and Northeast Nevada. Sunsets in the desert are beautiful. 

Tuesday, I visited the club at Midvalley Bible Church in Bluffdale, UT. Midvalley has had an Awana Ministry for 53 years! What a legacy, as many generations of families have come to know Jesus through the ministry of Awana at Midvalley...Praise God!

I met with pastor Andrew Peterson at Kaysville Bible Church in Kaysville, UT. Pastor Andrew is the youth pastor at KBC and he shared with me how God is working here in spite of Covid. Praise Him!

Wednesday, I visited Grace Community Bible Church in Sandy, UT. Grace has two groups of kids attending. One group comes live and wearing masks, the other group stays home and watches club through Zoom. As a way to mitigate Covid-19, rather than sitting in rows, the Grace congregation sits together at tables. It has been so much fun to see the creativity of churches as they continue to evangelize and disciple the children and families in their communities. 

Thursday I was blessed to have lunch with Jim and Pauline Thacher. Jim and Pauline have served as Awana Ministry Directors at Midvalley Bible for 52 years. So much fun to spend the afternoon hearing the stories of how God has worked at Midvalley over the years. This is a photo with Jim and Pauline and Awana Missionary Joel Culberson at the 50 year celebration of the Thacher's ministry.  Joel was a clubber as a boy at Midvalley and years later, now serves as Awana Missionary in Kansas and Missouri. 

I stopped by Wells Baptist Church in Wells, NV on my way west. After a great start last year, due to Covid, Wells Baptist has had to put Awana on hold. Please be in prayer for all of these "hold" clubs that they will find a way to reach kids with the love of Jesus. 

There was quite a bit of excitement Friday night at the club at Ruby Mountain Bible Church in Spring Creek Nevada. Awana Ministry Directors Tim and Seri Orr have built a great team of student and adult leaders who disciple the kids at RMBC. 

I left Elko a day early to avoid the snowy roads coming home, but couldn't escape the snow in Truckee.

Awana Christmas party on Zoom. I think I've heard "We've never done it that way before" so many times in 2020, with the employee Christmas party being no different.

I spent the rest of the week working with my missionary team preparing our January online training event. There are many churches who may either launch their club mid year or just need a little encouragement as this has been a very difficult year of ministry. You can register at events.awana.org Look for "Equipped to Run the Race". 

We'll spend the rest of 2020 celebrating the birth of our Savior with family and friends. 

Thank you again for all you do to reach kids with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. For your prayers, your passion for kids, your financial support, your faithfulness in this season and most of all for your friendship. TOGETHER, we are working to give children the greatest gift they will ever receive. 

"For unto us a child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 

Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas!

My Week 11/8/2020-11/15/2020

1451 Miles Driven

Slept in 3 Different Beds

3 States

3 Clubs Visited

Shared Awana at a New Church

Plenty O' Starbucks

2 Big Bags of Sunflower Seeds for the Road

I had the opportunity to visit the club at First Baptist Battle Mountain. Awana Ministry Director Darlinda Sorenson shared with me that they've had many new children coming to club this year, many of these children are unchurched. Very exciting to see God working in Battle Mountain.

Wednesday I drove 523 miles to visit First Southern Baptist Church in Kingman, AZ. God is certainly working in Kingman as AMD Kim Felton reports of new kids and new leaders. Games can be played anywhere and the T&T Bible Lesson was wonderful. Praise God!

The road from Battle Mountain to Kingman is long and lonely, yet beautiful as God's creation is evident. The 523 miles gave me the chance to "read" a complete audio book.

One of my responsibilities is to look for new places to have Awana. On my way from Kingman to Boulder City, I stopped at several churches to see if I could make contact with anyone. This church in AZ used to have Awana, however, they had to drop several years ago as the church burned down. As you can see, the Awana game circle is still there. Our prayer is that this and other churches will rekindle their passion to reach kids with the love of Jesus. 

I was blessed to share with the congregation here, at Amargosa Christian Fellowship about how they can use Awana to reach the children and families in Amargosa Valley with the love of Jesus. Praise God, they've asked me to schedule a training for them to start club in January. 

Sunday, I got to visit the club at Highland Hills Baptist in Henderson. It has been so exciting to see the creativity from our clubs in how they can still reach kids with the love of Jesus in spite of Covid. Highland Hills has done a variety of different things this year to make coming to club as safe as possible.

My Week 11/1/2020-11/7/2020 "We were created to be together"

 

It was so wonderful to drive out to Fallon, NV and see old friends there. The thing I've missed the most about the pandemic is seeing my friends. Although being a missionary is "my job", it is more importantly "my life". I often tell people that I'm never working, but I'm never not working. The relationships I have with the pastors, leaders and clubbers in our area are REAL relationships...it has been so hard not being with those people who I have a shared calling, passion and love for. 

Sparky Letters- The Sparks Club in Fallon wrote letters to me and gave them to me while I was there. What an encouragement!! 

My Week 10/25/2020-10/31/2020

It was SO much fun to get out and start seeing the clubs in our area again this week. I often tell people that in my role as Awana Missionary, "I'm never working, but I'm never not working". The relationships I have with our churches, pastors and leaders are real. Video chat is a good temporary substitute, but I have missed seeing everyone in person. 

On Monday, I was invited to be with the Trek and Journey group from Sierra Bible Church Truckee as they prepared "Homeless Care Packs" for the homeless in Truckee. What a great way to teach these students that God loves all and that the local church needs to reach out to their community. 

Social Distancing

Summit Christian Church in Sparks, NV started this year right on time. It was very encouraging to hear from Awana Ministry Directors Dan and Karla Harker how over the summer they gathered their club directors together to assess and plan how they will do club this year in spite of Covid-19. Karla reported that without exception, the directors said that the mission of reaching kids at Summit MUST go on and "we will find a way". 

Summit Sparkies have two ways to do club; live-traditional and a Zoom option available for kids who are still not ready to attend club in person. The Sparks Director sends out a Bible Lesson online, and then a "Zoom Leader" listens to children recite their verses over the Marco Polo App. The night I visited, there was an "online store". Clubbers received a video of what was available in the store and they phoned in what they'd like to purchase from the store. 

At game time, the Game Director has developed unique games that do not require kids touching game equipment.

The Summit Trek and Journey club have developed a way for some teenagers to participate in club via Zoom video chat. 

Wednesday I spent the night at Sierra Bible Church- Reno. Sierra Bible Church is the oldest club in Nevada. What a legacy! Awana Ministry Director Christy Cronk has set up an "Old School Awana" display to reflect the long term ministry impact that SBC has had in reaching child in Reno with the love of Jesus. Thanks Christy!!

October 2020 Ministry Update

 You can download a PDF of this Ministry Update HERE.

Caring For The Children in Your Ministry

 

How can you show the children in your ministry that you genuinely care? What does it require of you as a leader? What attitudes or actions are most appropriate? The Apostle Paul exemplifies a model of caring for others in the second chapter of 1 Thessalonians. 

Be Gentle- 1 Thessalonians 2:7  But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. The word "gentle" means to be kind, sensitive, not rushing. Every leader should be sensitive to each child's personality, background, intellect, emotions, and will. This sensitivity is achieved through a gentle spirit. 

Be Relational- 1 Thessalonians 2:8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. "Affection" means having a deep longing for and maintaining a close intimate relationship with another person. Leaders need to have affection for the children in their ministry. If these children feel close to their leaders, they will open up and share their thoughts, prayers and struggles. They will trust them with their feelings, both good and bad. 

Give of Yourself- 1 Thessalonians 2:8b we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. Leaders need to give of themselves to the children they serve. As you get to know these children better, it becomes easier to share more of your life with them. You may want to plan activities outside of club with them and their families (child protection rules apply). This takes extra time and effort, but a little extra time goes a long way for many of the kids with whom you are in contact with. 

Work Lovingly- 1 Thessalonians 2:9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. In this verse, Paul is talking about how he worked to support themselves financially. He didn't want to be a burden to people, and he didn't to give anyone an opportunity to accuse him of taking advantage of them. Paul made tents, working early in the morning and late into the night...this was hard work. Awana is hard work, but what other work lasts for eternity. 

Be an Example- 1 Thessalonians 2:10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. Awana leaders should be an example of what a Jesus follower should be. Children can't handle inconsistency. They want a leader who "walks the talk". When you ask your clubbers what is a disciple, rather than think of someone with a rob and a beard as they have seen in drawings, they should think of you. You should be a model of what a disciple is.

Be an Encourager and a Motivator- 1 Thessalonians 2:11b For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children. As an Awana leader, you need to be like a father. Encourage the children in your ministry to keep attending club, to pay attention during the Bible lesson, learn their verses and stay involved with the club. Maybe all it takes is for you to say, "You're a great kid, Jesus loves you, we love you...keep coming".

This is why Paul labored day and night for the Thessalonians. And that's why leaders must care for the children in their ministry. So that someday these children who God has entrusted to your care will trust Christ as their Savior and begin to grow and walk in a manner worthy and pleasing to God.

Build Your Team