Play and pray: A missions study

It’s time to plan missions studies for children, youth, and adults (Expanded studies for children and youth are available online )

Since the 2014 MIO is about kids, decorate with toys and play board games such as the Illinois version of Monopoly Or assemble a jigsaw puzzle featuring Illinois scenes A scrapbooker could easily turn the “2014 Mission Illinois” poster into a jigsaw puzzle Serve kids’ favorite desserts

Give each participant a copy of this special section You can download extras at IBSA org/MIO

Solicit two testimonies: one from a person who accepted Christ as a child, and another who followed Christ as an adult. Ask the group to compare the testimonies What makes them alike and different?

Read: Matthew 18:1-6; 19:13-15

Discuss: What are the characteristics of child-like faith that you think are important to Jesus?

Read the statistics about the “4-14 window” on the front of this special section Why do you think it is easier for some people to come to faith in Christ while they are young?

From these biblical scenes, how would you describe Jesus’ feelings toward children?

Show the videos: Depending on the time you have available, you may show the “MIO Overview Video” (8:03); or you may show the three missions stories individually Another alternative is to have volunteers read and summarize the three missions stories included in this special section

Discuss the following questions: Overcoming the Odds

(Chet Cantrell and Christian Activity Center):

Marcus struggled to answer the question “Where would you be if not for CAC?” Considering the crime and gang activity in East St Louis, what do you think was his probable future?

Marcus succeeded because of the influence of caring people at CAC If you were to try to do a similar ministry in your community, what aspects of Chet Cantrell’s work would want to focus on?

Reaching College Students

(Scott Kelly and campus ministry):

The years between “driver ’s license” and “marriage license” are when many young adults stop attending church Why?

If Henry and Kathy in the mission story were your children or grandchildren, what would you want a local church to do for them?

Ask someone to share about making a stranger welcome, either a personal story or an account from the Bible. How does God feel about welcoming strangers?

There’s a buzz about CAC, and it’s not only from word of mouth There’s an actual buzz. The ministry has purchased several nearby blocks with plans to create a large recreation center and park Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers, accustomed to felling trees with chainsaws, are clearing the lots Architect’s drawings of future facilities show ball fields and bleachers, walkways and fountains, and expansive green space where dilapidated houses long ago collapsed They’re redeeming East St Louis from decades of decay, and leading children and families to Christ. With missions giving through IBSA, Baptists in Illinois are helping too, bringing hope where it’s most needed “God is doing amazing things here,” Cantrell said “God shows up if we d

The Kelly family makes outreach to international students a particular emphasis of their ministry How are they fulfilling the biblical instructions for hospitality toward strangers?

New Rural Church (Brad Pittman, Grace Fellowship in Davis Junction):

Much of our church planting focuses on our major metropolitan cities, because that’s where the majority of people in Illinois live Yet, four million people live in non-urban communities in our state Does that surprise you?

From your understanding, what are the characteristics of rural communities that make church planting there different from planting in the cities?