Enjoying WORLD MISSIONS . . . in FEBRUARY
February 1, 2010 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under Uncategorized
February’s MISSION-MINDED FAMILY holiday focus includes: Valentines Day, Chinese New Year, President’s Day, Black History Month, and Mardi Gras/Carnival. Our emphasis is God’s LOVE for the WORLD, the PASSION of JESUS as He died on the cross for the world, and our need to PRAY for Christians who are being PERSECUTED for their faith.
TEACHING OPPORTUNITY:
Update Your February Calendar: Throughout the year, acknowledging international holidays and using these days as focus-points for prayer, can give our families an insight into our world’s need for Jesus. These vibrant festivities are filled with colorful expression, yet often these traditions are rooted in false religion and fear. Get out your family calendar, and take a moment to write down the names of these holidays on their respective dates.
Throughout the year, you can come back to the chapter, “Enjoying Missions Throughout the Year” in The Mission-Minded Family, to read about each holiday and pray accordingly.
Valentine’s Day
(February 14th) - This holiday, also known as Saint Valentine’s Day, was named after two early Christian martyrs named Valentine and is observed by Western and Western-influenced cultures. In the United States and some other countries, cards and gifts are given to friends, sweethearts, and family members to express love.
- A STARTLING MISSION FACT: From Neal Pirolo’s 1991 book, Serving as Senders - On just one day, February 14, Americans spend over 700 million dollars to say “I love you” with Valentine’s Day cards. Less than that is spent in the whole month of February (and in each of the other months) to tell a lost and dying world that God loves them!
- NEIGHBORHOOD VALENTINE OUTREACH: Encourage your kids to make Valentine’s Day cards to thank the special people in their lives. You could also use these cards as a witnessing tool - to share “Jesus LOVES You!” with unsaved family members, young friends, or adult neighbors who need the Lord.
- HELPFUL LINK: Click here for FREE Valentine’s Day notebook pages.
- PRAYER FOCUS - Voice of the Martyrs & the Persecuted Church: Pray for contemporary Christians who are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. See persecution.org, or read a selection from the great book, Jesus Freaks, by dc Talk. Also, here’s an excellent article about St. Valentine the Martyr from Christian Persecution blog (The Voice of the Martyrs).
Chinese New Year - China
Pray for the nation of China!
(February 14, 2010) - The Chinese New Year is celebrated with family gift giving and celebrations. In China, many people need Jesus, and many Christians suffer persecution.
- Pray for Needs in China: Operation World, Missions Atlas Project.
- Learn about Missionaries to China: Hudson Taylor, Gladys Alyward.
- Fun ideas: Eat a Chinese meal with chopsticks. Translate words into Chinese with an online translator. Watch a classic film about Gladys Alyward, “Inn of the Sixth Happiness” starring Ingrid Bergman. (Although not totally accurate, this film is heartwarming and inspirational).
President’s Day - USA
(3rd Monday of the month - February 15, 2010)
Pray for government leaders and for the president of the United States. A good source for help:
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:1-4).
Black History Month - February
Did you know? Did you know that the first missionary from America was of African/American descent? George Liele, a Baptist Minister, left America in 1782 to start a church in Jamaica. This was twenty years before Adoniram & Nancy Judson left from America to Burma.
(And did you know? There’s a GEORGE LEILE “Missionary Monologue” featured in THE MISSION-MINDED CHILD!!!)
Mardi Gras - Carnival
Beginning February 16th
Pray for Mardi Gras and Carnival (especially celebrated in Latin American countries). Carnival is a yearly “celebration of the flesh” before the 40 days of Lent. For many Catholics, Lent is a annual time of giving up fleshly things in preparation for Easter.
Mardi Gras and Carnival may look like a lot of fun — with feathered masks, colorful beaded necklaces, and elaborate parades; but it is a sinful celebration (to “party” before entering into a yearly “fast” to prepare for Holy Week).
- PRAYER FOCUS: God isn’t looking for an outward display of piety. He wants our whole heart. YWAM Mazatlan has some interesting information about specific Mardi Gras/Carnival mission outreaches and intercession-focus points for this holiday.
The world needs Jesus . . . all year long!
Let’s share God’s LOVE!!!
- “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13).
- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Hand Commands - Some Great Reviews!
January 9, 2010 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under Mission-Minded Books
A Great Homeschooling Review
We recently learned that Eclectic Homeschooling Online published a positive review about Hand Commands, Ann’s little book about teaching the Ten Commandments to children.
Hand Commands: The Ten Commandments for Little Ones
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Author: Ann Dunagan
Format: Board Book
Ages: Preschool/Kindergarten (and older!)
Review by Jean Hall of Eclectic Homeschooling:
Fingerplays are a wonderful way to teach little ones, and not-so-little ones! In fact, our whole homeschool science class (students from age eight to eighteen and their parents) recently used a fingerplay to memorize the five species of Pacific salmon!
Hand Commands is a charming board book that will help you teach your little ones something much more important: The Ten Commandments.
The book’s introduction is sweet, winsome, drawing the reader gently into the book, and the conclusion encourages storing up God’s Word in the heart. The Ten Commandments are quoted from Scripture on the last two pages. Both the New King James Version (for all but one of the commandments) and the New International Version (just for one of the commandments) are quoted.
The text is simple but not simplistic, illustrated with bright pictures that bring a smile. For each commandment, there’s a photograph (or two) of a child’s hands illustrating the meaning of the verse, an explanation of what the verse means, and the verse as quoted in Exodus 20. The hand motions are quick to learn and easy to remember. (When I think how I struggled to keep all the Commandments straight, myself—I always got the first four in the right order, but it was hard to keep the rest straight for the longest time—I wish I’d had this book a long time ago, for my own sake as well as our little ones’!)
I’ll never mix up the order again. (Can you say the same?)
More Reviews:
Customer Average Rating at ChristianBook.com:
5 out of 5 stars, (7 of 7 Reviews Showing):5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Gretchen (Snoqualmie), October 25, 2008
We really enjoyed this book. Our whole family learned the 10 commandments in order this summer by reading this book at camp for 5 days. The kids from ages 4-12 can still tell you all the commandments and the older two can recite them out of order or while being questioned, “What’s the 5th commandment?” We have been able to witness to friends and family by sharing what the kids learned! What a blessing.
4.5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Stacy (Phoenix, AZ), January 20, 2008
Even though my kids are past board book age, we enjoyed using this book in our homeschool to learn the 10 commandments. We supplemented it with the CD, If You Love Me: Songs for the Ten Commandments, by Judy Rodgers. We found the motion for the 8th commandment a little tricky — it requires motor and cognitive skills that kids of the recommended age (under 5) will find difficult. For the motion for the 10th commandment, we made a grabbing “give me” motion to accentuate the meaning of “You shall not covet.”
5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Elisabeth Dillon (Wichita, KS), October 19, 2007
We are using this book as a supplement to a curriculum for preschoolers and kindergartners on the Ten Commandments. All the children seem to really like the book, from ages 2 to 6. They are picking up the hand moves and having a fun time. One of the best unintended benefits is for the adults teaching and for the parents of the children. I have had numerous adults say that they have never memorized God’s commands and that this book is helping them! We have actually ordered numerous extras to sell to parents wishing to augment their learning and their children’s by having this book in their home. Highly recommended for ALL ages.
5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Ernest (Tulsa, Oklahoma), January 10, 2007
This tiny little book offers a whole lot more to “ALL” age groups. I am a 21 year old male, and learning the 10 commandments in order in a very simple way has been a joy to my heart. This book is easy to read, easy to follow, happy, and God-honoring, and its not just for kids, but adults as well!
5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Pam Hughes (White Salmon, WA), January 08, 2007
Sometimes wonderful, precious things come in small packages and this is exactly what you will find in “Hand Commands!.” Our church bought 75 books to put in “Operation Christmas Child” shoe boxes. We like having some for the children in our Nursery and Pre-school programs too! A great gift that children of all ages can treasure for eternity as they hide God’s Word in their heart!
5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Tiffany Westby (Aberdeen, SD), January 03, 2007
I love the book “Hand Commands”! We are a family of seven and each one of us who read the book ONCE was able to say the 10 commandments in order, using the hand motions! Did I mention that 4 of my 5 kids are teenagers and THEY think it’s neat? My pastor loves the book and we are going to use it for baby dedication gifts. You will be amazed at this little book.
5 out of 5 stars - Reviewed by Lorraine (The Dalles, OR), December 22, 2006
The bold colors and pictures of little children quickly caught the attention of my 21 month grandson Josiah. The ‘Hand Commands’ were very easy to follow and fun to learn. Josiah was able to imitate most of the commands, I know it won’t be long before he has them all down. These scriptures are so important to learn for our everyday lives they lay a foundation for our children to walk upon, and you have presented them in a way that children will not only learn from but enjoy reading over and over again. I’ve bought four copies for each of my grand children and my nephew.
To order Hand Commands, at Christianbook.com
Click Here!
Mission-Minded Passports
November 10, 2009 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under featured
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
FREE Mission Resources for Your Family!
August 22, 2009 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under FREE Resources
At Harvest Ministry, we want to motivate you for missions - and help get your prepared, with your bags “packed-and-ready” for whatever God has planned!
(Also, check-out Ann’s books 
and other Mission-Minded Family Resources!!!)
Freebie #1
Take the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
FREE online mission class with Ann Dunagan - Click here!
In just 4-5 minutes per day you and your family will be encouraged to focus on God’s Great Commandment (to love God and love others) and God’s Great Commission. Progress a lesson a day - Monday through Friday - for eight weeks, or your own pace. Or gather a few families, and encourage others in the challenge!
“It’s eight weeks to becoming more effective . . . for eternity!”
Freebie #2
M.A.P.S. for KIDS! - Missions Adventure Preparation School
FREE Vacation Bible School Curriculum - Click here!
Take a week of the summer to train your church kids for missions! Your missionaries-in-training will “travel” on M.A.P.S. for KIDS International Airlines (with their own “passports”) and through customs officials to learn about the world and famous missionary heroes. They’ll taste international foods, experience daring adventures, make fun crafts, learn how to share the Gospel and pray for the lost, and get ministry training in perhaps puppetry, worship, drama, or how to use the EvangeCube!
“Missions is not just for missionaries! God’s call is for all!”
Freebie #3
Teaching With God’s Heart for the World
FREE 1-year day-by-day homeschool unit study curriculum - Click here!
While your kids are young, devote a year of your homeschooling commitment to establishing in your family a life-long foundational commitment to God’s Great Commission. This one or two-year study presents a whirlwind tour all-throughout-history and all-around-the-world. You will learn the importance of developing a personal devotional life with the Lord and how to develop more of God’s heart for the world and the lost.
“Impart God’s Heart . . . for the World!”
Freebie #4
FREE Homeschool Folder-Charts!
FREE tool to help kids be self-motivated in homeschool - Click here!
This helpful organizational tool is designed for use with the Teaching With God’s Heart for the World Curriculum (although it can also be used with your own curriculum). The feature article includes insight, based on 19 years of first-hand experience, about how to continue in your homeschooling commitment for the “long-haul” (if that’s what God wants for your family) by encouraging your children to become self-motivated and self-disciplined.
Freebie #5
FREE Mission “Passports”!
FREE craft project - to make “Mission-Minded” Passports - Click here!
A great learning tool. FREE PDF files and how-to instructions to make fun passport crafts to encourage children in missions, with a link to FREE coordinating international flag stickers.
FREE Homeschool Curriculum . . . and More!
August 20, 2009 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under FREE Resources
Teaching With God’s Heart for the World
By Ann Dunagan - Illustrated by Brenda Whitmeyer
Publisher: Family Mission-Vision EnterprisesAnn wrote this two-volume world missions curriculum (with over 500 pages) several years ago to assist homeschooling families and Christian educators (in both church settings and in Christian schools) to impart a fervent heart for world missions into the next generation.
The curriculum includes 160 day-by-day teaching plans, missionary highlights, motivational mission stories, crafts, songs, prayer projects, and hundreds of ways to incorporate a passion for the lost into nearly every subject (including Bible Study, Family Devotions, Reading, Writing, Geography, History, Art, Science, and even highlights for Math).
The curriculum presents a “whirlwind tour” of God’s enduring passion for missions, all-the-way-through-history and all-across-the-globe. Using weekly unit-studies, this curriculum is created to be used over a one-year school year, although it can be easily adapted to be used throughout two years. It can be used as a core curriculum guide (for elementary children), or as a supplement to another curriculum. It is written especially for elementary grade levels, but it can also be used for the whole family to study missions together.
Click here for a review on TWGHW by the Old Schoolhouse Magazine
Click here to download VOLUME 1 - Part 1 - FREE!!!
- FILE SIZE: 9.76 MB - 64 pages
- SECTION I - Welcome: Table of Contents, Dedication, Introduction, Suggested Weekly Schedule, Using the Library and Media.
- SECTION II - Building a Foundation for Missions: Our Call, Our Biblical Basis, Our Heritage, Our Missionary Examples
- FILE SIZE: 7.69 MB - 54 pages
- SECTION III - TOOLS FOR TEACHING: General Teaching Helps (with Bible Memory), Music and Missionary Songs, International Holidays,
- Teaching History (and making time lines), Geography and World Maps, Missionary Passport
FILE SIZE: 10.20 MB - 72 pages SECTION IV - DAILY LESSON PLANS: Week 1 - The Gospel We Preach and Personal Prayer, Weeks 2-3 - Our Biblical Basis for Missions (Old Testament - Israel, New Testament - Roman Empire) Weeks 4-7: Medieval Europe, Crusades and Holy Wars, Renaissance and Reformation, Exploration and Colonialization (NOTE: Day 1 is missing in the file. Please CLICK HERE for DAY 1.)
FILE SIZE: 9.57 MB - 64 pages SECTION IV (cont.) - Weeks 8-14: WORLD MISSIONS AROUND THE GLOBE - Western Europe (home of early missionaries), Eastern Europe (the iron curtain and open doors), North America, Quakers and Pilgrims (Thanksgiving Week), Latin America, Asia (Hinduism)
- FILE SIZE: 14.55 MB - 68 pages
- SECTION IV (cont.) - Weeks 15-16 : Far East Asia (Buddhism) and The 10/40 Window
- AVAILABLE MISSION RESOURCES - Extensive reviews and photos of many mission-minded family resources.
Click here to download VOLUME 2 - Part 1 - FREE!!!
- FILE SIZE: 12.93 MB - 72 pages
- Section 1
- FILE SIZE: 11.08 MB - 74 pages
- Section 2
- FILE SIZE: 10.49 MB - 64 pages
- Section 3
- FILE SIZE: 12.84 MB - 76 pages
- Section 4
- FILE SIZE: 16.87 MB - 72 pages
- Section 5
Note: If you’re searching for “Teaching With God’s Heart for the World” as a full curriculum in a two-volume spiral binding printed set, look here.
MORE HELP: Learn more about how you and your kids can make a FREE File-Folder Weekly To-Do Chart - to use with this Teaching With God’s Heart for the World curriculum -
Ann’s Books & Mission-Minded Resources
August 20, 2009 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under FREE Resources, Mission-Minded Books
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!
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”
FREE Homeschool File Folder Charts
August 15, 2009 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under FREE Resources
How to Make File Folder Charts for the
Teaching With God’s Heart for the World Curriculum
To my homeschooling friends:
For those of us who are committing to teach our children, we’re all in our last remaining days of summer . . . and our final chance to prepare for a new school year. (Although one thing I always keep in mind is that I don’t need to prepare for the whole year at once . . . I just need to stay a day or two ahead of where we’re going!!!)
Here in our household we’re gearing-up for a super year . . . with hopes and feelings of expectation that this year may be our best homeschooling year ever! And I’m really excited about it!!!
For those who will be utilizing the Teaching With God’s Heart for the World curriculum, I wanted to share a specific teaching tool that has really helped our family.
Kids Keep Focused, Diligent, and On-Task
One of my biggest continual challenges with homeschooling life . . . is that we have continually have LIFE going on!!!
There are many people who give homeschooling a “try” for a year or too; but sometimes, despite the best of intentions, many homeschooling parents realize the commitment is simply “not working” on a consistent basis. I’ve heard many homeschooling moms share genuine feelings of concern and inadequacies, feeling that they’re “cheating” their children of consistent instruction (because these moms know what’s “really” been happening at home). A homeschooling parent may attempt to stay consistent with his or her teaching plans . . . but sometimes their best efforts can lead to burn-out . . . or quitting . . . or too much stress on the family . . . or maybe “persevering” in the decision, whether or not the kids not getting the education they need.
Let’s face it.
There are times when our best intentions and wonderful “teaching plans” are interrrupted. How can our children’s home education continue . . . even if we get an urgent phone call, or if there’s a little one who needs immediate attention, or if our husband has a specific job he needs us to do, or if we have a time in our lives when God is focusing our passions in other areas?
I love teaching and training our children . . . but I also know how my personality works (and I’ve come to recognize my weaknesses).
I tend to focus my thoughts and attention in concentrated whole-hearted “spurts.” I get extremely passionate about things (whether that’s life, or a hurting family, or rescuing orphans, or helping with a specific project at church, or writing a ministry newsletter, or meeting a book deadline) . . . and that focus can be good . . . but it can also be very distracting to our homeschooling.
Despite this, I’ve come to “rest” in the fact (for our family) that homeschooling is God’s will and His purpose for our lives. For us, it has been tremendously successful, both educationally and spiritually for our “big” kids; yet even so, I still deal with inward questioning and times discouragement. We’re now in our 18th year of this journey, and we believe we’re called to continue homeschooling our children . . . for the long-haul. And day-by-day, we continue to rely on God’s grace to follow Him.
When I feel like throwing-in-the-towel if things aren’t working, I simply know that I need to seek the Lord for help and wisdom. If God has truly called us to homeschool (which for us, I believe He has) He will show us the way.
In the forward to my new book, The Mission-Minded Family, I really appreciate what longtime homeschooling pioneers and ministers, Greg & Sono Harris, wrote. They said:
“God is too good and too wise to give us conflicting obligations. Every obligation from God is perfectly compatible with every other obligation that comes from God. Not only are our obligations to family and missions compatible, they are mutually supportive in His purposes.”
For me personally, my biggest homeschooling need is how to keep my children working and independently motivated, especially when other things are happening. I know that I need an on-going “structure” that is well planned, yet also completely flexible (even at the last minute) to flow with our family’s life and with the needs of our missions work and ministry.
In the midst of really praying about this, I woke up one morning with a “picture” in my mind of this little weekly “To-Do” Chart.
I spent a full day figuring-out an ideal homeschooling week for my kids . . . and then broke it down into sixty 20-minute sections. Our family usually does only about 4 full hours of homeschooling each day (not counting daily athletic training, extra reading, art projects . . . and all that other “real-life-learning” that takes place all the time). I love keeping the big picture and vision in mind (of where we’re going), and at the same time, I know that my kids need concentrated education in reading, writing, language arts, history, math, science, geography, and Bible training . . . to get ready for God’s purpose.
I’ve come to realize that (in reality) I can usually only “consistently” devote about an hour or two of actual “Homeschool Teaching Time” with my kids each day (some days are better and I really “pour my heart” into our homeschooling . . . but other days are really full, and I can’t even do that. So for us to homeschool, my husband and I need to know, that no matter what, our kids will be self-disciplined and successfully progressing on their studies).
Okay. So let me show you how our “how-to” chart works:
Last year, our charts were made with simple hand-written cards; but this year, I wanted to make sure that our weekly and daily plans would fit with the Teaching With God’s Heart for the World curriculum.
So I created some pdf files (which you can print out for FREE here) with these sixty 20 minute learning goals.
We cut-out these printed cards I made and then taped them to colored pieces of construction paper (rectangle pieces - 1.5 inches x 2.5 inches) with clear packing tape to keep the cards sturdy.
For each child, we used: 15 red cards (for spiritual training), 11 yellow cards (for math), 5 orange cards (for science), 14 blue cards (for language arts), 15 green cards (for social studies).And the kids have been helping make these cards, and their individual files. This feminine-looking file folder is Caela’s (age 10). Mark (age 12) and Philip (age 7) have identical cards, but their file folders are black-and-green and black-and-blue with cool-looking masculine checkers. The whole project only costs about $1 per folder . . . and a little bit of time (but it saves SOOOO much time later on!!!).
How to make the folders:
We take a sturdy file folder, and cut-up the pockets to make new 9 new pockets: four little square pockets (on the left side) to hold the entire week’s schedule in main categories, four long pockets (on the right side) for each child kid to “lay out” his or her daily goals, and one long pocket (on the bottom-left) to place each card after the assignment has been completed. We use packing tape to hold them on.
(By the way, I found it helps to put about 15 cards in each square-category pocket before taping it on, to make sure the cards “fit.”) The daily “hour” pockets can be totally flat.
Our four main categories are:
- God is #1 (Prayer, Devotions, and Bible)
- Math and Science (”Teaching Time” and “By Myself”)
- English (Literature, Grammar, and Writing)
- Social Studies (History, Geography, World Missions, Music, and many international cultural ideas to keep things fun!!!)
So, here’s an example of how one of the kids can “lay-out” a day. They need to include 3 cards from each category each day, but they plan their own schedule (which teaches self-motivation). And I can make sure that the areas which require my “Teaching Time” can be arranged (and adjusted at a moment’s notice) to adapt to my schedule. I usually prefer to keep my “Teaching Time” during the 2nd hour (for one-on-one teaching, like math and grammar) and 3rd hour (for all-together family teaching, like devotions or history).
A huge benefit of this system is I know that if I can’t get to a “Teaching Time” on a paticular day, I simply tell the kids to rotate those cards back into the category pockets and to replace with with their “By Myself” cards. We know we’ll get back to those “Teaching-Time” cards before the week is over.
While the kids are working on the “By Myself” cards, I can be working on things I need to do, such as laundry, or household jobs, or getting lunch together, or working on ministry office jobs. I’m still available for questions, but the kids know that they need (as much as possible) to keep working as hard as they can on their own.
As each one completes a 20 minute assignment (and we continually use a kitchen timer to keep everyone working diligently), they transfer that particular card to their “DONE!!!” pocket.
These cards will then remain in this “DONE!!!” pocket until the following week.
For our family, this little homeschooling tool has really helped; and I believe it will really work well with this particular curriculum. I wrote Teaching With God’s Heart for the World many years ago; and since that time our homeschooling (and ministry) has adapted and changed, and I believe it’s also “matured” and become more relaxed and fruitful.
I think this change will help make this year-long curriculum more practical, easier-to-follow, and more of a blessing for the dynamics of your family-life.
Hope this will be a blessing to you!
(And I hope you and your family will ENJOY these last few days of summer!!!)In His Love,
Ann
The Challenge: DAY 7 - God’s Commands #2
June 16, 2009 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under 40-Day Mission-Minded Challenge Videos
His LAW
Welcome to DAY 7 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
Today your family will learn the HAND COMMANDS (finger motions) for the Ten Commandments, specifically today #3 and #4. We’ll also discuss how to keep God’s Word and His Law in our hearts.
C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!
- Recommended Mission Resource: Bruchko and the Molitone Miracle, by Bruce Olsen
- HAND COMMANDS - The Ten Commandments for Little Ones
- Missionary Quote by Ron Luce of TeenMania
- Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: MIDDLE EAST
- Memory Verse: Proverbs 7:1, 3
A few questions for feedback:
Discuss Commandment #3 - As a family, do you honor the Lord’s name and even guard how you say the name of “God”? In our home, we train our kids to always conclude their prayers with a strong “In the Name of Jesus, Amen.” Far too often, Christians “water-down” prayers, especially in public settings, in an attempt to not be offensive; instead, we need to be unashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ and BOLD in our witness. If we’re given an opportunity to pray, at family gathering or a city meeting, our prayers should glorify the Lord without shame. Also, if you ever hear a person swear, by taking the Lord’s name in vain, it’s a great time to witness and to let that person know how much you love Jesus and His wonderful Name!
Regarding Commandment #4, how does your family remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy? Does your family have a specific day of “spiritual rest” from your regular work, to focus on the Lord?
Continue the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE . . .
Click here for DAY 8
The Challenge: DAY 6 - God’s Commands #1
June 15, 2009 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under 40-Day Mission-Minded Challenge Videos
His PATH
Welcome to DAY 6 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
Today your family will consider God’s path of life and two “ditches” to avoid: legalism and lawlessness. This week we’re focusing on God’s Ten Commandments, and learning the HAND COMMANDS. These simple finger motions can help you to show people their need for God’s salvation.
C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!
- Recommended Mission Resource: David Livingstone - Africa’s Trailblazer - From YWAM’s Christian Heroes Then & Now Series
- HAND COMMANDS - The Ten Commandments for Little Ones
- Missionary Quote by David Livingstone, Missionary Explorer to Africa
- Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: ASIA
- Memory Verse: Matthew 7:13-14
A few questions for feedback:
Discuss as a family Commandment #1 and #2. What does it mean to love the LORD your God and to only serve Him? Is there anything in your family that is out of place? Also, are there are “idols” or things in your life that take priority over your relationship with the Lord? What do you think about walking on God’s path and not falling into either legalism or lawlessness; which “ditch” is more of a tendency for your family?
Continue the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE . . .
Click here for DAY 7
FREE - M.A.P.S. for Kids - VBS Curriculum
February 8, 2009 by Harvest Ministry
Filed under FREE Resources
M.A.P.S. for KIDS!!!
Missions Adventure Preparation School
As a special gift from Harvest Ministry, we would like to provide you with this FREE Vacation Bible School Curriculum.
This Bible-based kid-tested curriculum includes complete day-by-day instruction outlines. Throughout the week-long adventure, your kids will “travel” around the world (to Africa, Asia, Europe, India, and Latin America) on their own “M.A.P.S. for KIDS International Airlines” — through “Customs” with their own personal “Missionary Passports” (the program even has printable passport and visas!).
Best of all, your kids will learn to draw closer to God, to obey His awesome Word, and to follow Jesus all throughout their lives . . . to do whatever God says to do, to give whatever God says to give, and to go wherever God says to GO!
Click here to download the FREE 106-page curriculum
M.A.P.S. for KIDS!!!
A 5-Day Mission-Minded V.B.S. Curriculum
Each day includes . . .
- A different international theme
- A Bible memory verse and a mission-minded focus
- An easy object lesson
- A missionary monologue skit
- An easy craft idea
- An international mission-minded snack idea
- A fun outdoor missionary adventure
- Day-by-day instructions for six ministry training workshops to equip children in mission skills (such as puppetry, drama, music, or the EvangeCube).
- A concluding M.A.P.S. for KIDS Program
- Plus much more!
Be blessed! Have fun! (And if possible, let us know how it went!!!)
If you use this M.A.P.S. for KIDS curriculum, or any part of it, we would sure enjoy hearing how your program went. Let us know how you used the curriculum, where you live, and how many children were involved. Feel free to add positive feedback from anyone who was involved . . . or any helpful ideas. Our heart is to encourage and challenge children’s ministers, teachers, and parents to equip the next generation for world missions.
It’s easy to do, very effective, and best of all, it’s FREE!!!
Come take a look!
· site design by