Kid Orphan Sponsor Featured on TV News

KELOLife Television in Aberdeen, South Dakota ran a feature about one of our Osanidde sponsors, an energetic 10-year-old, named Ethan, who’s been selling lemonade (for three years!!!) to support his orphan friend, Allan, in Uganda. Ethan really takes his sponsorship commitment seriously!

It’s a sweet news clip . . . and a blessing!

You can view the TV station’s video file right here. And if any of you could take a moment to log in to view the article on the TV station’s website, it would be wonderful to add some positive comments about the feature. Please keep Harvest Ministry and all of our orphan children (currently over 700 kids!) in your thoughts and prayers.

P.S. Ethan was inwardly “moved with compassion” with a specific burden on his heart; he felt that if he didn’t raise that last $4, his orphan friend would “die.” We’re all so inspired by Ethan’s commitment; but be assured that if any of our sponsors are unable to meet their commitment (of $1/day), we’ll simply trust God together for His provision!!! Amen???

Mission Giving: “Can’t you do just a little bit more?”

As Christian families, we need God’s perspective on finances, and a vision for how our resources can help to expand His kingdom – especially in tough times.

In our family’s living room, a small handcrafted treasure chest displays simple coins from around the world. Most of the pieces are dull and worn, while some a new and shiny. Our children often enjoy fingering the various francs from France, pulas from Botswana, and euros from Europe, to mention just a few. My favorite is an intricate gold-and-silver-colored piece from Italy, although, as with most of these coins, I have no idea of its worth. Some of the coins are no longer in circulation; some of the countries they’re from no longer exist. All are simply extra pocket change left over from years of past mission trips, each saved as little souvenirs and little reminders that money is only a temporary “little thing.” Each coin is (or was) valuable only because some government somewhere determined it would have value.

But money is also a “big thing” – and we can’t underestimate the importance of training our children to have a godly perspective toward money and financial stewardship.

Our money represents our life; our time, our talents, our education and experiences, and our priorities. In fact, if we really want to find out what is important to us, we can simply look back through our checkbooks and credit card statements over the past few months. Our true priorities are right there in black and white (or red!); and the numbers don’t lie.

It’s really very simple. If we have a heart for the Lord and for the lost, we will give our resources to glorify Him and to help spread His Gospel message; and if our children are raised with this perspective, it will affect their bottom-line attitude toward the purpose of money. Both parents and children need to acknowledge regularly that everything we have ultimately belongs to God: our life is God’s, our home (or bedroom) is God’s, our car (or bicycle, or special toy) is God’s, our money is God’s.

We’re all simply stewards of God’s “stuff.”

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, J.G. Morrison urged Nazarenes to increase missionary support, as he earnestly pleaded:
“Can’t you do just a little bit more?”

When times are tough, our families need to “sow in famine” (like Isaac in Genesis 26:12) and “lay up treasures in heaven” (like Jesus commanded in Matthew 6:20). Physical needs worldwide are greater than ever; orphan children desperately need help; sacrificing missionaries need continual support and prayers; and billions of people need to hear the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.

During today’s economic downturn, let’s do more for the needs of world missions. Let’s be faithful stewards of the many resources God has given us, and let’s encourage our children to participate.

As mission-minded families, let’s do just a little bit more.

This article by Ann Dunagan, is an excerpt from her newest book, The Mission-Minded Family – Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny (Authentic Media). It is also published on The Christian Post’s “Better Parenting – Better Families” blog.

Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny

Often, parents and teachers ask their children, “What do YOU want to be when you grow up?” Even within the church, this present generation is fixated on obtaining fame, wealth, and pleasure. But shouldn’t we be encouraging our children’s willingness to surrender to God’s plans for their futures?

In The Mission-Minded Family, Ann Dunagan presents a plan to transform the “Me Generation” into passionate warriors consumed with God’s glory.

The Mission-Minded Family

(Authentic, 2008) – By Ann Dunagan

Download a FREE SAMPLE!

BUY NOW (including discounts for BOXES of 12 or CASES of 48!!!)

What Others Are Saying:

GIVE YOUR FAMILY A DANGEROUS DESTINY! “I loved this book! In a time in our country where the tendency is to keep our money and time and children very safe, this book encourages – even pushes – us to get out in the world and make a real difference with the resources we’ve been given. Ann Dunagan is no arm-chair missionary…the pages of the book are filled with actual experiences that she and her husband and kids have done for many years. It totally inspired me to take some big risks and help my kids learn to love the world beyond our doorstep.” - Bo Stern – Bend, Oregon

EDUCATIONAL . . . AND THE COOLEST BOOK! – “The Mission Minded Family” by Ann Dunagan is the coolest book! It has everything: hymns, stories of missions, mini biographies of missionaries, skits, a calendar of international holidays and suggestions for how to pray on those days, tools for teaching mission-mindedness, and even practical tips for missionary travel. This is an educational and informative book whether you’re planning to be a foreign missionary, a local missionary, or just learn about the field.” – Stacey, Las Vegas, NV

ABSOLUTELY INSPIRING! - “In our busy lives, very seldom, do we stop to ask God if we’re truly fulfilling His purposes in our lives. “The Mission Minded Family” opens that line of communication between you and God to have a discussion about His will for your life…Don’t be surprised if you hear God speaking to you in greater ways than you ever imagined. If you are a church leader, I can’t imagine a better resource to promote to your congregation and a better gift to give to your missionary families. Ann Dunagan walks you through her and her husband’s lives as a missionaries and sprinkles it with wisdom coming from her young children who have experienced the power of God in and through their lives. The book is not only a resource that provides you with countless “how-to’s,” but it is filled with the Dunagan family’s missionary experiences that will inspire you and draw you nearer to God.”- CHERI HILL

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Seeking First the Kingdom in a Self-Absorbed Culture

A Press Release – by The B & B Media Group

Often, parents and teachers ask their children, “What do YOU want to be when you grow up?” In a world that is increasingly self-seeking, self-centered, and self-absorbed, the answers are consistently more egocentric–”a movie star,” “a rock star,” “a dance star.”

Even within the church, this present generation is fixated on obtaining fame, wealth, and pleasure. But shouldn’t we be encouraging our children’s willingness to surrender to God’s plans for their futures? Shouldn’t our question instead be, “Oh, I wonder what awesome plans God has for your life! When you grow up, will you do whatever GOD wants you to do?”

In her new book, The Mission-Minded Family: Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny (Authentic, July 2008), author, teacher, and missionary, Ann Dunagan shows parents how to combat the influence of the “Me Generation” by giving readers the tools to revolutionize their families into ones dedicated to fulfilling God’s will and potential, instead of their own. In the first chapter of her book, Dunagan quotes David Shibley as he clearly addresses the current crisis within the church.

“We whine, ‘I just want to know my purpose; I’ve got to reach my destiny.” We race all over the country to attend ‘destiny conferences,’ and we devour tapes and books on ‘reaching your full potential . . . ‘ Even cloaking our self-centeredness in Christian garb and jargon cannot cover the nakedness of this cult of self that has infested much of the church . . . How can we ever hope to discover our purpose in the earth with little or no interest in His purpose?”

Dunagan, who also wrote The Mission-Minded Child, brings the same perspective to what it means to be a mission-minded family. Her goal is to equip today’s godly parents to train our next generation to make a powerful impact for Jesus Christ by directing their focus outward. “Every day, approximately 150,000 people die; the majority of these people are not saved, and far too many have never even heard God’s Good News of salvation,” says Dunagan. “How can we sit back and hear the Gospel again and again, while many are still waiting to hear it for the first time? [adapted from a mission quote by Oswald J. Smith]. Today’s Christian families desperately need to remember that our purpose in this world involves so much more than what we can attain for ourselves. We’re here to reach the lost.”

The Mission-Minded Family includes suggested activities for families to participate in missions together, as well as resources to help families develop the desire to become more missions-focused. Dunagan discusses the need for families to balance and prioritize their everyday lives and delves into what a family’s finances would look like if they were focused on missions. Families who read and practice principles from this book will receive a rekindled closeness as they participate in ministry together.

“In a mission-minded family, there’s a God-infused energy,” Dunagan explains. “There’s a focus on God’s worldwide purpose and a passion for the lost.” There’s a spiritual depth and hunger that reaches beyond the maintenance mode of cultural Christianity.”

Packed with motivating missions stories, hymns, and quotes, The Mission-Minded Family is a quick resource tool with examples of missionary family heroes, ministry ideas, exciting prayer projects, and even practical tips for international travel. Filled with passionate inspiration, The Mission-Minded Family will be picked up again and again, read aloud, and used as a reference for years to come.

You can also find The Mission-Minded Family at e316.com, ChristianBook.com, YWAM’s WorldChristian.com, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, CBN’s Parable.com, and STL – Authentic Books

Ann’s Books & Mission-Minded Resources

Books for Families and Children:

Click on each book cover for more information.

IMPACT FAMILIES FOR WORLD MISSIONS

The Mission-Minded Child and The Mission-Minded Family

Both books are now available in BOXES of 12 and CASES of 44 (TMMC) & 48 (TMMF)

to help you & your church or ministry to IMPACT families for MISSIONS!

See Biblica for special prices!

Free Teaching Materials and Curriculum:

(Mission-Minded Curriculum for Homeschool Families, Churches, & Christian Schools)

Be sure to see all of our FREE Mission-Minded Family Resources!

Articles & Devotionals:

On-Line articles:

• @ Crosswalk.com – Training Teens On-Target – Part I
• @ Crosswalk.com – Training Teens On-Target – Part II
• @ Crosswalk.com – Striking Balance as a Mission-Minded Family
• @ Crosswalk.com – God Has a Mission for Your Family (By Whitney Hopler, featuring Ann’s book, The Mission-Minded Family)
• @ The Christian Post – “Better Parents, Better Families” – Ann is a regular feature writer for this national and international on-line news source.
• @ The International Faith Telegraph – World Christian News & Missions News – Ann has contributed several mission articles for this missions news source.

Example of Ann’s speaking and preaching:

• OCEANetwork – Homeschooling Workshop: “Playing the College Game – Winning Admissions and Scholarships . . . for God’s Glory!”
• OCEANetwork – Homeschooling Workshop:  “The Mission-Minded Homeschool – Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny”

The Mission-Minded Child

David Livingstone once said, “This generation can only reach this generation.” But will we raise our children to effectively impact their generation for Jesus Christ?

In The Mission-Minded Child, Ann Dunagan equips and motivates parents and teachers to raise a new generation for God’s mission, whatever that may be!

The Mission-Minded Child
Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose

By Ann Dunagan (Authentic, 2007)

Download a FREE SAMPLE!
BUY NOW (including discounts for BOXES of 12 or CASES of 44!!!)

Also, see Ann’s newest book:
The Mission-Minded Family: Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny

Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose

The Mission-Minded Child is a practical book to encourage Christian parents and teachers placed in the strategic position of impacting the next generation. As a guide to world missions, The Mission-Minded Child is filled with facts, information, and tools for teaching. It focuses on the “why” of missions—including our Biblical basis, historical heritage and the world’s need—and contains over 25 mini-missionary biographies, motivational mission stories, classic poems, hymns, and hundreds of easy-to-use ideas.

The Mission-Minded Child will inspire teachers and parents to look for God’s potential in their child, “release” their little one to God for His purposes, and “raise” their child to fulill God’s specific mission. As a resource tool, this book will be referred to again and again.

Endorsements

Ann, you have done a fantastic job [in writing The Mission-Minded Child] . . .Just think, the mature (31-year-old) missionary of 2025 is 10 years-old-today! May this generation rise up and fulfill the Great Commission, hastening the coming of our LORD!”
– Dorothea Lander, Children’s Mobilization Coordinator for Wycliffe USA

May the Lord bless you in your publishing of this needed book. We are truly hoping the Lord will open our children’s eyes and hearts to the tremendous harvest field that they may be called to work in someday. I know that living in a Third-World country broadens our perspectives and helps us to see the bigger picture of God’s redemptive plan, so that’s what we’re praying for our children. May the Lord bless The Mission-Minded Child and your efforts for Him. – Mrs. Valerie Shepard, Pastor’s wife, missionary, homeschooling mother, and daughter of Jim & Elisabeth Elliot

We pray that The Mission-Minded Child will be a continued encouragement to your readers, to God’s glory. – Helen Davidson, assistant to the director, THE JESUS FILM

You can find The Mission-Minded Child at e316.com, ChristianBook.com, WorldChristian.com, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, STL – Authentic Books,

Balancing Missions & Family

How can we balance our passion for missions with our hearts for our homes? Do we have to choose between “raising our kids” and “reaching the lost”—or is it possible to do both?

As parents, we’re called to raise our kids; and as Christians, we’re called to reach the lost. We really can’t fulfill one of these callings, if we choose to neglect the other.

As I was writing The Mission-Minded Family, I felt especially led to evaluate the homes and family-lives of well-known missionaries. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long to realize that many missionary heroes with families were not heroes of the family. Some of the most prominent names in mission history had horrible problems at home; while other leaders (such as William and Catherine Booth of the Salvation Army or Hudson and Maria Taylor) found a powerful ministry-family balance.

As I began to delve deeper into these examples, I searched for clues and common-denominators for those godly world-changing leaders who had God-glorifying homes. And I believe I found the key. It’s PRAYER. The men and women of God who focused primarily on seeking the Lord and their personal devotion to Him (rather than focusing on a merely a successful ministry) seemed to find God’s divine balance for each day. As a result, not only did their ministries glorify God, but their families did as well.

Author and international minister Dr. David Shibley says, “The normal Christian life is anything but balanced, as popularly defined . . . The normal Christian life is high risk and high joy. The normal Christian life releases the temporal to embrace the eternal . . . God is not calling us to win the world and, in the process, lose our families. But I have known those who so enshrined family life and were so protective of “quality time” that the children never saw the kind of consuming love that made their parents’ faith attractive to them. Some have lost their children, not because they weren’t at their soccer games or didn’t take family vacations, but because they never transmitted a loyalty to Jesus that went deep enough to interrupt personal preferences.”

I want my family to have that kind of consuming love, with high risk and high joy. I want to live out my faith in a way that is not only attractive, but also compelling and irresistible! I want to be moved by the passions of God’s heart—and for my kids to take these godly passions to a deeper level. I want to hand off the baton to my descendants, and have them run faster and farther than I ever did.

Let’s raise our kids; let’s reach the lost; and let’s challenge the next generation to live for God with even greater boldness, wisdom, and effectiveness. Through Christ, all things are possible.

What is a mission-minded child?

Follow CAELA’S 1st MISSION TRIP:  MARCH – This month, mission-minded Caela Rose Dunagan (age 12) went on her first missionary adventure with her mom, Ann Dunagan . . . to UGANDA, E. AFRICA!!! Highlights included updates/checkups on over 700 children at Harvest Ministry’s two orphan ministries (Osanidde Village and Guma Na Yesu Children’s Center), sharing at several village churches, and ministering at an African Women’s Conference.

Read Caela’s personal mission updates on our twitter-feed (or see the side bar right here on this website for recent entries) -#CaelaOnMission.

A mission-minded child may want to become a missionary–or a teacher or a doctor or a newspaper reporter or a state governor or a pastor or a businessperson or an airplane pilot or an author or a florist or a mother–as long as its what God wants.

The following excerpt is a highlight from the introduction of The Mission-Minded Child – Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose (Authentic, 2007). Hope you enjoy it!

So, what is a mission-minded child?

A mission-minded child . . .

• dreams of fulfilling God’s destiny.
• prays for that next-door neighbor.
• A mission-minded child may want to become a missionary–or a teacher or a doctor or a newspaper reporter or a state governor or a pastor or a businessperson or an airplane pilot or an author or a florist or a mother–as long as its what God wants.
• is not a picky eater!
• takes home a photo magnet from the visiting missionary family and puts it on the kitchen refrigerator.
• is healthy, active, and adventurous.
• spends a summer night sleeping outside on the trampoline, gazes up at a sky filled with twinkling stars, and realizes God’s plan is infinitely bigger than his or her own backyard.
• imagines rollerblading on the Great Wall of China!
• recognizes the names of David Livingstone, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, and Loren Cunningham.
• knows how to use chopsticks.
• has a reputation for thoroughly enjoying the Bible sword drills and memory verse contests at church.
• puts extra money in the monthly missions offering and feels extra good inside.
• thinks it could be fun to sleep in a mud hut in Africa!
• reads all the way through the Bible by the age of ten (or eleven or twelve)–and is excited to start again!
• stares at the photos in the new geography textbook or magazine and imagines climbing to the top of that Egyptian pyramid, snorkeling in those tropical-blue waters, and giving a new outfit to that poor boy with the ripped-up shirt.
• befriends the new kid at school.
• thinks beyond the “box” of what’s merely expected and hopes to do something big, or something little, for God.
• wants to obey (even when no one is looking).
• loves Jesus!

For Christian parents and teachers, “world missions” is not just an extracurricular subject to teach our kids, it’s the core of our curriculum. Let’s raise the next generation to have a passion for God’s Great Commission. As Hudson Taylor (a famous missionary to China) often said, “The Great Commission is not an option to consider, it’s a command to obey.”

And how about adding to our list!!!  How are you raising your children to have God’s heart for the world and His Great Commission, and in your childrens lives (in day-to-day routines and in your “where-the-rubber-meets-the-road” reality) what is it like to be a genuine mission-minded child in your experience?

Now it’s your turn:

A mission-minded child . . .

Black Friday, Money, & Missions

In the United States, the day after Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as “Black Friday.” It’s often the CRAZIEST and busiest shopping day of the year. For many, it’s the beginning of busy Christmas preparations, and annual traditions of giving . . . and often needless overspending. It’s a good day to realign our priorities and our pocketbooks to line-up with God’s purposes, and to remember what’s really important. How we spend our money is a direct reflection of where our heart is focused.

How your family views money and possessions is intrinsically connected with how you view God’s priorities in life. As Christians, we should have the perspective that everything belongs to God: all of our time, all of our talents, all of our life decisions, and yes, all of our money.

I believe it’s important to teach our children about God’s principle of tithing (giving 10 percent of our income to Him), but even more importantly, we need to instill in our family that 100 percent of everything in our lives belongs to God. This principle is much easier caught—by our example—than taught by our words.

Even if your family never lives in a foreign country, you’re still called to be fulltime mission-minded followers, and to participate in expanding God’s kingdom—both locally, and throughout the world.

As Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China, often said, “The Great Commission is not an option to consider, but a command to obey.”

There are many ways your family could raise extra money to support international mission projects. Here is a list of activities commonly used by children’s churches, youth groups, and short-term mission teams. The time will come, however, when these efforts won’t be enough.

A true mission-minded family just needs to earn and save money, step out in faith and trust, and manage (or “steward”) those resources according to what’s important . . . for eternity.

Ten Ways to Raise Money for Missions

• Have your children decorate a special container, perhaps with a photo, and begin saving coins for a specific mission project.
• Make a “thermometer” to chart a specific family mission goal, and put it on your refrigerator.
• Have a yard sale with all proceeds going for a specific mission project.
• Have each family member offer to do work for relatives or friends (such as housecleaning, laundry, child care, or yard work) in exchange for people donating toward a special mission project.
• Collect newspapers for recycling.
• Recycle aluminum (and go around neighborhoods to get even more).
• Organize a car wash; rather than charging a set amount, receive donations.
• Make and sell something, like a craft project or a baked item.
• Receive mission donations fo r after-church lattes and espressos.
• Have a “multiply your talents” project. Give each family member a certain amount of money with the mission-minded purpose of using this money, along with his or her talents, abilities, and creativity, for a specified length of time (perhaps two weeks, or one month) to raise money for a specific mission project. A child could use the money to buy gas for a lawn mower, to buy lemonade to sell on the corner, or to buy ingredients for a neighborhood bake sale. At the end of the designated time have each family member return the original money, along with the surplus he or she raised, and give it toward the mission project.
• Remember, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” A great way to “earn money” for missions is simply to SAVE MONEY for MISSIONS. Instead of window-shopping through the malls, or overspending on too many Christmas gifts, stay away from the stores and be on-the-lookout for international mission needs and local benevolence projects.

Motivating for Missions at FamilyLife

THE MISSION-MINDED FAMILY on FamilyLifeToday:
Ann Dunagan with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine – Click on each link for the broadcast and full transcript of each interview

DAY #1 of 3 on FamilyLifeToday – “Living a Life of Surrender”
DAY #2 of 3 on FamilyLifeToday – “Leading Your Family in the Great Commission”
DAY #3 of 3 on FamilyLifeToday – “Preparing for Missions”

More about Ann’s Mission-Minded books featured on the broadcast:
The Mission-Minded Family – Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny
The Mission-Minded Child – Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose

Ann traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas to record six radio programs at the ministry studios of Family Life (three programs for Family Life Today with Bob Lepine and Dennis Rainey and three programs for the women’s ministry of Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss, which will broadcast at a later date). The shows focused on the importance of God’s Great Commission and being a “Mission-Minded Family.” It was an amazing experience! Thank you for your prayers (and thank you, Jesus!!!).

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Mission-Minded Passports

Have you considered traveling internationally or taking a family mission trip?

If you want to be a part of God’s Great Commission (Matthew 26:19 and Mark 16:15 – to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel”), here’s a little question with BIG implications:

DO YOU HAVE YOUR PASSPORTS YET?

I just wrote my first article for Heart of the Matter Online, a great homeschooling website. In this article I share instructions to make mission-minded “Passports” — as a fun craft project and learning tool (including a FREE pdf file with passport pages, and links to FREE international flag stamps). I also motivate families to go one step further and to apply for “real” passports. Come take a look! (And it would be wonderful if you could leave an encouraging comment on the Heart of the Matter site! We’re hoping to keep this door open to continue motivating as many homeschooling families as possible to get involved in world missions!)

Click here for PASSPORTS FOR MISSIONS (at Heart of the Matter Online)

Easy-to-make passport crafts are perfect for mission-minded Vacation Bible Schools, Christian school or homeschooling projects for art, Bible, or geography, children’s ministry or Sunday school classes, and for mission-minded families. Spread the word to others. It’s a tool that is available for FREE to motivate children for God’s Great Commission!

Blessings to you!

Ann

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