The Secret to My Knowledge of Awana

(Updated Nov. 20, 2015)

I have asked Awana missionaries questions that seem to surprise them. I have stumped Awana customer service with questions about products. Some people refer to me as the ultimate resource for anything that is Awana and now I am going to share the secret to my knowledge of Awana.

Keep in mind that I am not an employee of Awana. I do not volunteer at Awana Headquarters or the Warehouse. I don’t even live in the Chicago area. I am not an Awana missionary nor do I have a red phone that connects me directly to Art Rorheim, Jack Eggar, Larry Fowler or any other “key” Awana personnel. I am someone who serves in the local church as a commander. A typical leader, just like thousands of others across the U.S. (and the world).

So here is the secret:

  • I frequently visit Awana.org
  • I frequently visit the A.R.T. area of the Awana web site – This is a great place to keep up to date with what Awana is doing. From the new club clinic, to clip-art, the area has what you need to help you stay informed and run your club at its optimum performance.
  • Follow Awana on Twitter – this is how I found out that the New Awana @ Home Kit was available and in stock (or would be soon). I was so quick to order that I stumped customer service who wasn’t aware it was available. 🙂
  • Follow Awana on FaceBook – a place to interact with others though most of the info about new things I have found to be tweeted and not always on the FaceBook Page.
  • I subscribe to the various e-mail newsletters provided by Awana – a note in the inbox every now and then to keep me informed.
  • I serve with Awana missionaries – okay, this may not be one that everyone can do, but some of you can. Contact your local Awana missionary and see how you can serve along side of them as they serve your region. It is very rewarding.

I admit, there is no BIG secret as to how I gain knowledge as to what is happening in Awana. I encourage you to use the resources available to keep informed as to what is happening in Awana. The purpose of my site, the CommanderBill.net Community, is not to replace, or compete, with the Awana website, but to be a compliment to it to help people network and to help their clubs be all that they can be, and all God would have them be.

Don’t be alone in ministry. Use, and be a participant, in all of the resources and tools available to you from Awana – and from me 🙂

6 Comments

  1. Steve Hydanus

    I want to comment on the statement that not everyone may be able to work with the Awana Missionaries. I am one of those Awana Missionaries. I do not know a single missionary who would turn away someone with a servants heart who desires to serve. A major part of the path to my being on was serving along side several Missionaries as a part of their ministry teams. We all need help in doing our jobs, and could not do it without the help of our very dedicated ministry team members. Make your Missionaries day, call and volunteer.

  2. Steve,

    Thank you for your response! Let me clarify what I meant by that statement. I know that Awana missionaries are always receptive to ministry team members, but not everyone may be able to make the time commitment (although even that is flexible!) to be a part of the team. Also that missionaries would be overwhelmed if every one of the tens of thousands of those serving in Awana clubs would step up to serve alongside of a missionary (but wouldn’t that be great!)

    So let me re-iterate what Steve has stated, “make your missionary’s day, call and volunteer”, there is so much you can offer to support the ministry in your area.

  4. As I was reading your post, I was checking the ‘secrets’ off in my head….and hey, I do all those too! But surely not at the level of involvement as you. 🙂 I have never listed them before, I just everyone did the same or close. Truth is, I wished my leaders would at least be involved with two or three of the points you listed. It is taking a lot of effort to get leaders into A.R.T. and I admit, it is a bit overwhelming to understand quickly. I don’t mind updating their leadership history in ART. If they would just read the newsletters and follow Awana in FaceBook and Twitter would be awesome. One tip I could share is that the ‘live chat’ in the Awana Store is the FAST way to communicate about back orders or anything store related. Do you bleed in red, blue, green and yellow as well? 🙂

  5. Dave, thanks for the response. It would be nice if leaders took more initiative, but at a minimum what I’d like to see is the commander of each club taking a greater initiative to know about Awana by using some of these “secrets”.

    Okay, I do have to admit that occasionally I may get some “inside” info (can’t reveal my sources you know – need to protect my “moles”) but that is very seldom and I have attended pretty much all of the available training, even the former Rorheim Institute ones.

    But seriously, I’m not “in the loop” much more than anyone else could be, I just take a greater initiative maybe.

    Do I “bleed” RBGY? Maybe, but not as much as some may think. Sometime I’ll have to share ab out CC301 and a comment I made that almost caused a “fight” 🙂

    Again, thanks for the feedback and reposting the FB link on the Sacrifice Post, I really appreciate it.

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