One Million Children meeting in Christchurch 2018
Let's reach the kids of NZ!
It’s time to reach the One Million Children of NZ! Currently 10,000 NZ children are being reached and we need to reach the rest! Tony Collis came to Christchurch as part of his South Island tour, inspiring and encouraging kids’ leaders to aim to reach more kids. He highly recommends innovating like crazy and trying new ideas. He encouraged us to help kids’ leaders to really take hold of the vision and imagine what could be, aiming to double in size for starters. Teaching kids to share Jesus with their friends was highlighted and the idea of helping parents to help their own kids in faith growth was also discussed. The question was asked as to whether there is an online version of the ‘postal Sunday School’ type resources. If you know of anything, please email it in as many people would like to be able to recommend this to families. See the ad below in the upcoming events section regarding the One Million Children conference in September.
Tony’s second visit to Christchurch
Statistics show 34% of children 14yrs and under respond positively when presented with the story of Jesus yet nine out of ten children in NZ do not have any link with a Christian community! If we are serious about evangelism, effective ministry to children must be at the very top of our priorities. It is vital to restrategise and focus on children in new ways.
Tony shared a dream/vision that God had given him: He was in a church packed wall to wall with families and outside the crowd was four deep. When he went to speak, the microphone was insufficient, and the whiteboard was too small. Tony believes that this dream was about how it is time for NZ churches to recognise the importance of reaching children and their families, and to resource and staff children’s work so the true potential can be reached.
Believe it: Believe that God wants your ministry to expand. Lost children matter to God. NZ’s 900,000 unreached kids matter to God. Let yourself be captured by God’s heart for the children of NZ. Let’s celebrate the one in ten children, but also feel called and challenged to reach the one million children and their families. Don’t just care: believe and position yourself to be part of the answer. There is a rich ripe harvest. Reach beyond the children already in your church. Reaching a child then opens a connection with their whole families.
Speak it: Articulate the vision, share what God has put on your heart and invite others to journey with you. Speak with church leaders and primary influencers and help them capture the vision. Speak with potential leaders: share the vision and invite them to join in. Invite young people to reach the children. Speak to the pray-ers. Speak to potential funders.
Claim it: If you have a group already, imagine doubling in size and put in place what would be needed for this to happen and to be sustainable: prayer, leaders, resourcing.
Mobilise kids to reach other kids! Teach every child how to share their faith with others.
CELEBRATE kid’s workers:
Call – thank them, recognising the call upon their lives
Educate – train and equip
Loose – free them up to focus on kid’s ministry
Encourage – card, phone call, gift
Back
Resource
Appreciate what they are great at
Team – ensure there is a team
Export – reach out: clubs, support other churches / groups
If you would like to connect with the One Million Children group, you can like them on facebook or email Tony on tony@hopelevin.org.nz