One Million Children - Let's reach the kids of NZ!
One Million Children is a movement of organisations and churches committed to reaching out to all our kiwi kids. "We have one million 0 - 15 year old's in New Zealand, with only 100,000 somehow connected to the church. Nine out of ten kiwi kids have yet to be connected to the wonderful person and hope-filled message of Jesus. And yet our everyday kiwi values come from this faith, and with our declining mental health statistics as just one example, there has never been a time in which hope has been more needed by our nation's children and families!
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 Collis shared the dream God gave him. He was in a church packed wall to wall with families. Outside the crowd was four deep. When he went to speak, the microphone was insufficient and the whiteboard was too small. Tony's deep conviction about this dream is that God is calling NZ churches to recognise the strategic importance of reaching children and their families, and to resource and staff children’s work so its true potential can be reached.
Believe it: NZ’s 900,000 unreached kids matter to God! Let yourself be captured by God’s heart for the children of NZ. Believe that God wants your children's ministry to expand. Celebrate the one in ten children with a connection to the Christian community, but sense the call and the challenge to reach the other 9 out of 10 children (and their families) who don't. Believe and position yourself to be part of the answer. There is a rich ripe harvest waiting!
Speak it: Articulate your vision; share what God has put on your heart; invite others to journey with you. Speak with church leaders and primary influencers helping them capture the vision. Speak with potential children's leaders, including young people, and invite them to join in. Speak to the pray-ers. Speak to potential funders.
Imagine it: If you have a group already, imagine doubling in size. 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 kids' ministry
Encourage – card, phone call, gift
Back them
Resource them
Appreciate what they are great at
Team – ensure there is a team around them
Export – reach out: kids clubs, support other churches / groups
If you would like to connect with the One Million Children group, like them on facebook or email Tony on tony@hopelevin.org.nz
Tony Collis came to Christchurch as part of his 2018 South Island tour inspiring and encouraging kids’ leaders 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 and the idea of helping parents to help their own kids grow in faith was also highlighted because two hours per month of Christian input is unlikely to be enough to counteract the ideas and views they hear in the rest of their week. The question arose 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 recommend this to families.