Children as Missionaries

There are two ways to consider children as missionaries:

1. As a means to reach the parents – Yes, some people still hold this view and when one does, it uses the children as a tool instead of individuals that need salvation. This trend is diminishing, but I believe some will always have this view of children as missionaries.

2. Children fulfilling the Great Commission by telling others, family, friends, etc about Jesus.

Romans 10:14 says “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” and moving to verse 17, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

If we are teaching our children about Jesus, and bringing them to a saving knowledge of Jesus, then shouldn’t we be discipling them on how to share Jesus with their friends? And it really isn’t that hard, there is no special technique, no special words, just sharing what Jesus did for us. We are the ones who make it difficult.

Awana has the Gospel wheel, there is the Romans Road, “May I Ask You a Question?” and other ways provided to share the Gospel, but ultimately, if you believe, then just share. What keeps most people from sharing is fear. Fear of saying the wrong thing, fear of rejection. That same fear keeps us from teaching children to share.

Awana is based on 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Are you ashamed of the Gospel? If yes, why? If no, are you sharing it with others?

If we are ashamed and not sharing the Gospel outside of our ministry, the children will pick up on that and wonder why. Children talk to each other, we should encourage them to be missionaries and talk to others about Jesus. That is why Awana has the bring a friend section in each book, to encourage children to tell others! So don’t look for options to those sections so easily, encourage them to tell others and to be missionaries in their daily lives.