REACHING BEYOND THE WALLS By: TERI USSERY, Missional Lifestyle Strategist for Preschool, Children, Youth and Young Adults
I remember when all my children were still at home and life got really crazy. Schedules. Games. Activities. Church. We were running all the time. One word that soon became a “bad word” in our house was the “f” word. Slow down. NOT what you’re thinking. My kids got so tired of hearing that we needed to be “flexible,” that they soon just called it the “f” word. I’m beginning to feel the same way about the “c” word. I’m tired of “COVID-19” dictating everything we do and how we are allowed to do it. I’m weary of having a pop-up window on every website I visit giving me that website’s “COVID-19” information. I don’t know if you are having “COVID-19 fatigue” or not, but I know that the last few months have completely changed the way we all do life.
While the “c” word has brought many challenges, it has also opened new doors of opportunity to truly reach beyond the walls of the church as we make disciples who make disciples.
ONLINE ACTEENS. FREEMAN HEIGHTS IN GARLAND moved their Acteens meetings online. A part of their gathering included a virtual prayerwalk using Google Maps. SOCIAL DISTANCING MISSIONS PROJECTS. Retama Park in Kingsville challenged their Acteens to get involved. The Acteens leader dropped off materials on front porches and provided an online video instruction for making masks. They mailed the masks to the national WMU offices, Baptist Friendship House in Louisiana, and a NAMB missionary ministering in Detroit. MISSIONS MONDAY. WMU OF TEXAS provided a weekly opportunity for children across the state to join in and experience missions discipleship online. Stories, activities and prayer for missionaries were hallmarks of the weekly video posted at 10am on Mondays.
AS PRESCHOOL, CHILDREN AND STUDENT MISSIONS LEADERS, I can only imagine how you have been stretched to be ultra-creative in how to provide missions discipleship via distance learning. So many of the groups across our state have really stepped up to the plate to provide experiences and learning activities so far outside of the box, that we can’t even find the box. Here are just a few ideas I’ve seen happening around the state. VIRTUAL MISSION FRIENDS. First Baptist, Grand Prairie created “drive-by” experiences to stay connected with their preschoolers. Teachers filled goodie bags with activities, snacks and even treats for parents to help continue to provide missions discipleship. They had a Zoom meeting where they enjoyed stories and online connection as a group. They even did a Mission Friends song tag! 10
We know that there is a power within each girl to change the world. You can allow this power to work through you to change your life, your community, and your world for Jesus Christ. THE BRIDGE
