The Challenge: DAY 5 – Get the Vision! #5
GOD’S MISSION!
Welcome to DAY 5 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
Today’s 5-minute focus is to look at the word “MISSION” and to think about having a MISSION STATEMENT, or purpose statement for your life. What is your mission in life (for you personally and for your family), and how does this purpose relate to God’s Great Commission?
C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!
- Recommended Mission Resource: Operation World – When We Pray, God Works and Operation World Online
- Missionary Quote by Howard Thurman, Minister and Civil Rights Leader
- Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: ASIA
- Memory Verse: Galations 2:20
A few questions for feedback:
Have your ever written a MISSION STATEMENT or a PURPOSE STATEMENT for your life and/or for your family? Take some time to write this, and be sure to keep this statement brief, focused, and very specific. What is your purpose in life? What is God’s calling for you as a family? Can you articulate this in one simple sentence? Write it down.
The Challenge: DAY 4 – Get the Vision! #4
GOD’S PASSION!
Welcome to DAY 4 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
Today’s 5-minute focus will encourage you to love God and to love others, and specifically to love others who don’t yet know the Lord. Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to heaven, and we need to share this news with others. And we need to realize that the Gospel is not BAD NEWS, it is GOOD NEWS!
C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!
- Recommended Mission Resource: Evangelism by Fire – Igniting your Passion for the Lost, by Reinhart Bonkke
- Missionary Quote by Oswald J. Smith
- Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: ASIA
- Memory Verses: John 14:6, John 3:3, John 3:18, Acts 4:12
A few questions for feedback: Do you have a list of 5 people in your sphere of influence who don’t yet know Jesus? Did you pray for them? Have you ever shared the Gospel with these people? Ask God for more of His love for these 5 people, and for wisdom to share the Lord.
The Challenge: DAY 3 – Get the Vision! #3
GOD’S JOY!
Welcome to DAY 3 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
Today’s 5-minute focus is about JOY, and getting more heavenly JOY by seeking God for more of His passion for the lost. There’s more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents . . .
C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!
- Recommended Mission Resource: A Chance to Die – The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael, by Elisabeth Elliot
- Missionary Quote by Amy Carmichael, Missionary to India
- Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: ASIA
- Memory Verse: Hebrews 12:2, Luke 15:7
A few questions for feedback: Do you have a heart for people who don’t know Jesus Christ, or do you find that you really don’t care as much as you should? Do you have God’s “passion” for the lost? Have you ever experienced the JOY of leading someone to the Lord?
The Challenge: DAY 2 – Get the Vision! #2
GOD’S COMPASSION!
Welcome to DAY 2 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
Today’s focus is about being “moved” with God’s compassion and learning how to actively respond to the needs that God places on your heart. If God compells you to help assist with a specific need, He will also enable you by His grace (and through His provision, wisdom, and connections), to take action.
C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!
- Recommended Mission Resource: Hudson Taylor – Deep in the Heart of China
- Missionary Quotes by Hudson Taylor (online bio at wholesome words)
- Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: ASIA
- Memory Verse: James 1:27
A few questions for feedback: Has there ever been a specific need that God has stirred in your heart? Has there ever been a mission need or burden that you just couldn’t get out of your heart or perhaps a need that makes you cry? What spiritual needs stir in the hearts of others around you, perhaps missionaries you know, or some mission-minded friend, or your pastor; ask them how God brought this need to their heart. And consider sponsoring a child . . . or if you already do, take a few minutes to pray for him or her.
The Challenge: DAY 1 – Get the Vision! #1
GOD’S VISION!
Welcome to DAY 1 of the 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
Through these daily 5-minute videos and online discussions, we are going to focus our families toward God’s Great Commission and getting more of His passion for the lost. Feel free to leave comments and feedback. Let’s encourage one another to become more mission-minded!
C’mon . . . Take the Challenge!
- Recommended Mission Resource: The Mission-Minded Child
- Missionary Quote by Oswald J. Smith
- Geography Quiz at lizardpoint.com: Oceans and Continents
- Memory Verses: Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19-20, Duet. 6:9
A few questions for feedback: Do you desire God’s vision for your life? Did you check the online geography quiz at lizardpoint.com? Did you show it to your kids? Do you know the Bible references for God’s Great Commission in Mark and Matthew? Can you (and your kids) say these verses from memory? Did you put up a map or a globe in your house? Where? Do your kids have a map or a globe in their bedrooms?
A Filipino Cure for Fleas
On the Light Side . . .
One of our Dunagan family mission memories
Our family was in a remote Filipino village on one of our first missionary trips, and the national pastor hosting us was very nervous.
“I’ve never hosted foreigners and don’t know what to feed you,” he said.
“Oh, we’re easy to please,” we responded naively. “Just relax; we’ll eat whatever you put before us.”
A few minutes later the pastor introduced us to the church women who were going to be cooking our food. One of them was eating this very different looking egg. It was black; and as she cracked it open, she started tugging at the insides–pulling out a black embryonic chick!
We found out that balut (a fertilized duck egg with a nearly developed embryo that is boiled and eaten in the shell) was a common Filipino food . . . and we were nervous.
The people gave us an esteemed room in the village — the only one with a rug. Unfortunately, the rug was totally infested with fleas; and within a few days my legs were covered with flea bites.
When the pastor saw the bug bites, he said, “Oh, that is terrible. We must do something about those fleas biting you. Yes, there is only one thing to do.”
“What is that?” we asked.
“Well, we must eat the dog. I was going to save it for a party, but I think we must eat it now.”
A few days later, Jon came into our room. “Guess what we’re having for dinner,” he said with a raised eyebrow.
Not balut, I hoped. (I didn’t know if I was that good of a missionary yet.)
I went to visit the church women and to see our menu for myself. These precious ladies were cutting up some strange white-looking meat. When I asked what it was, they talked among themselves in their Filipino language of Tagolog and then went to find someone who could interpret.A few minutes later one woman came in and distinctly pronounced with wonderful enunciation the new English word she had just learned.
“Dog.” she said.
“Dog?” I timidly asked, as my mind whirled with memories of special pets from my childhood.
The woman clarified herself: “Yes, you know — Ruff! Ruff!”
Yes, I knew far too well. But that’s what we and our kids had for dinner that night. Our menu actually consisted of nearly-raw dog meat and fried dog intestines.
And we still had fleas!
This story was excerpted from Ann’s book, The Mission-Minded Child – Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose , Chapter 11, “Making Missions Fun – At Home, School, and Church”
Will you “plead” for orphans and souls?
Completely surrendering to God is more than merely asking Jesus to “come into our heart.” Instead, it’s coming into “HIS LIFE” and allowing the heart and passions of Jesus to flow through us.
iPlead [i-pleed]
VERB: to allow GOD Himself to make an earnest and urgent entreaty through me, perhaps in emotional terms, on behalf of another person or a specific need, and to willingly argue for His justice in support of someone or something, especially for SOULS.
In our hightech world of ipods, itunes, and iphones — in a world that needs God more deperately that ever — comes a new mission word we recently combined.
The word is “iPlead” and this fresh yet timeless theme sums up so much of our heart . . . for reaching SOULS with the Gospel, for helping orphans and people in need, and most importantly, for loving GOD.
Just think of the word “I.” Have you ever wondered, “What difference could “I” ever make?” or “How could “I make an impact for God, when the needs are so huge?
But the exciting point and focus of this new word is that the “I” in “iPlead” doesn’t represent us. The only “I” we should care about is the Great “I AM” . . . not ourselves or our personal lives and selfish ambitions (me, myself, and I).
When God spoke to Moses at the burning bush, He declared, “I am that I am” was sending him. It was God Himself who spoke to Pharoah and to the children of Israel. (Remember the words, “Thus sayeth the LORD…”?) And today, God wants to speak through you, and through us, and through all Christians. To literally “plead” through us for His purposes.
II Cor. 5:20 says, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” Prov. 31:8-9 tells us to “plead” the cause of the poor and the needy. And Esther was challenged to “plead” for her people before the king.
Wow.
Those words “plead” and “implore” are passionate and intense, and how much more-so when I realize that God wants them to refer to pleading for HIS purposes, on HIS behalf.
God is giving me a bigger passion to plead for precious orphan children, and to plead for the lost.
In the world today, there are over 143,000,000 orphans in the world (which is more people than the entire population of Russia, now at 141,800,000), and too many of these precious children are in desperate need. They need the basic necessities of life . . . something for their tummies, somewhere for them to live, and something for their nakedness; yet more importantly, these little ones are “people” who need love . . . specifically to know their Heavenly Father’s love, and to be shown the eternal life God has provided for them through the only way of salvation: JESUS CHRIST.
In the world today, literally billions of people are so lost, and they’re totally oblivious to the forever-punishment they deserve. Because of sin, there’s a guilty charge against them, that’s completely impossible for them to pay . . . without God.
So this is the question I’m asking myself? “Who will plead on their behalf?”
“ipead” is about being God’s ambassador and submitting to His purposes. Following God is more than simply “asking Jesus to come into our lives.” Instead, it’s surrendering into “HIS LIFE” and allowing God’s heart to flow through us.
There’s a lot stirring in my heart along these lines. For now, I’m simply responding to what I believe the Lord (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is asking of me:
He’s asking, “Who will plead for Us?”
And I’m responding, “I will.”
iPlead.
Ann
So, here’s a question to consider: What about you? Will you allow God to plead through YOU . . . for the specific assignment that’s from His heart, through yours?
Feel free to share your comments . . .
40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!
You are invited to take a FREE Online Mission Class:
Introducing the 40-DAY Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE!!!
It’s eight-weeks to becoming more effective . . . for eternity! (Just 5 minutes a day!)
For several months, this idea for a “40-Day Mission-Minded Family CHALLENGE” has been stirring in my heart. The vision is to provide eight weeks (Monday through Friday) of FREE on-line encouragement to motivate you and your family to become more effective for eternity.I warn you. These online videos won’t be slick, glossy, or high-tech; but they will be biblical, focused, and heart-felt. In just 5 minutes a day, you and your family will be motivated to love God, and to love others. You’ll be challenged to guard the gates of your home, to raise the bar for your kids (for God’s glory), and to move beyond the typical self-centered focus our “Me-First” culture to focus more on the huge needs of our world and to seek God for your part in His Great Commission.
Throughout these 40 days, we’ll be referencing our mission-minded set:
- The Mission-Minded Child – Raising a New Generation to Fulfill God’s Purpose
- The Mission-Minded Family – Releasing Your Family to God’s Destiny
This 40-Day CHALLENGE will give you the opportunity to get a FREE “sneak-peak” of these resources . . . or if you can follow along with your own copies, you’ll be encouraged to apply the vision of these mission-minded books into your daily family life.
Every day will include a hard-hitting missionary quote, a quick-look at a particular geographical area of the world, a look at a recommended missionary biography book or resource tool, a targeted mission-minded Bible verse, and a practical (and very specific) challenge for you and your family.
In just eight weeks, you’ll move forward toward becoming a more effective family for eternity. Spread the word . . . invite a friend to join you in the challenge, or a young person with a heart for missions, or another family, or maybe even your Sunday school class or a home group.
Take the Challenge!
A Personal Note:
This 40-Day Mission-Minded FAMILY CHALLENGE is designed to be utilized over 8-weeks, although some families have been going through several videos (or even a week’s worth) at one time. To begin the challenge, you don’t need to “sign-up” for anything; instead, just click on a day’s title, watch the 4-5-minute video, take the suggested geography quiz-for-the-day, ponder or memorize the daily Bible verses and quotes, and then take ACTION on that day’s CHALLENGE. Suggested links and mission resources are added each day to assist you and your family in further learning. Please feel free to add your own feedback and comments . . . as you allow the Lord to draw you closer to Himself, and to stir-up more of His passion for the lost. We trust it will be a blessing (and a challenge) to you and your family!
As Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China said, “The Great Commission is not an option to consider, but a command to obey.”And as I say, “Missions is not just for missionaries; God’s call is for all.”
In His Love & For His Harvest,
Ann Dunagan
Week 1 – GET THE VISION!
MONDAY: God’s Vision – Start your “40-Day Challenge” by clicking here…
TUESDAY: God’s Compassion
WEDNESDAY: God’s Joy
THURSDAY: God’s Passion
FRIDAY: God’s MissionWeek 2 – GOD’S COMMANDS! (The Ten Commandments)
MONDAY: Hand Commands #1
TUESDAY: Hand Commands #2
WEDNESDAY: Hand Commands #3
THURSDAY: Hand Commands #4
FRIDAY: Hand Commands #5Week 3 – PRAY TO GOD!
MONDAY: A Time to Pray
TUESDAY: A Place to Pray
WEDNESDAY: Parents who Pray
THURSDAY: Kids who Pray
FRIDAY: Families who PrayWeek 4 – GOD’S ATTITUDES! (The Beatitudes)
MONDAY: The DISCIPLES
TUESDAY: Those who MOURN
WEDNESDAY: The MEEK
THURSDAY: The MERCIFUL
FRIDAY: The PERSECUTEDWeek 5 – GUARD THE GATES!
MONDAY: Stop it at the DOOR!
TUESDAY: Guard the EYE Gate
WEDNESDAY: Guard the EAR Gate
THURSDAY: Guard against EVIL influences
FRIDAY: Guard your TONGUEWeek 6 – GIVE TO GOD!
MONDAY: Stewardship
TUESDAY: Sacrifice
WEDNESDAY: Creativity
THURSDAY: Hospitality
FRIDAY: GenerosityWeek 7 – GET READY TO GO!
MONDAY: Get Passports
TUESDAY: International Adventure
WEDNESDAY: The 4 Spiritual Laws
THURSDAY: The Gospel Colors
FRIDAY: The EvangeCubeWeek 8 – God’s MISSION!
MONDAY: His DESTINY
TUESDAY: His PLEADING
WEDNESDAY: His LOVE
THURSDAY: His CROWNS
FRIDAY: His MISSIONComplete Set — 40-Day Challenge
Playlist:
(Note: We added this YouTube playlist for your convenience. There are many additional links — online geography resources, recommended mission resources, Bible verses, links to learn about the missionary from the day’s mission motto or quote, etc. — are available on each day’s video page. Please see the Harvest Ministry website links above.)
Mission-Minded books
These videos accompany the vision of our 3-book mission-minded set: The Mission-Minded Child, The Mission-Minded Family, and The Scarlet Cord: Nothing but the Blood of Jesus. For our current 3-book special, please see this link.
Mission-Minded Books & Family Resources:
David Livingstone said, “This generation can only reach this generation.” Are you teaching and training your kids to reach their generation for Christ?
To begin our FREE 40-Day MISSION-MINDED FAMILY CHALLENGE, click here!
IMPACT FAMILIES FOR WORLD MISSIONS
Our Mission-Minded Books:
Click on each book cover for more information.
>> Click here for special bulk discounts!
Both books are now available in sets of 2, 12, and 24 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”
A Sound System for Soulwinning!
We have some exciting news this month from Harvest Ministry’s NETS (National Evangelism Team Support) outreach! Evangelist and church-planter, Joseph Baluku (of Bwera, Uganda – East Africa) was able to get a complete new sound system which he can use for outreaches and sharing the Good News of Jesus.For an introduction to Harvest Ministry’s “N.E.T.S.” Ministry, click here. Ready for Soulwinning!
We were so blessed by this photo and Joseph’s thank you note, which shows such a heart of appreciation and a desire to make the best use of this equipment to reach the lost for Jesus Christ. What an example!
A thank you note . . .
Praise Jesus our Lord.
It is a great pleasure to inform you that all is well here in Bwera. Thank you for the funds for the Public Address System.
I have purchased the following
- A generator
- 2 speakers
- A mixer
- An amplifier
- 1 stand
- 3 cables
- Stabilizer
- 1 Horn speaker
Receive the photo, what is remaining is to go out – where people are and share with them God’s love through Jesus Christ winning them to the Kingdom. I appreciate all your efforts. Be more blessed.
I love you. Read Proverbs 11:25.
Thanks. Yours in God’s vineyard,
Evangelist Joseph BalukuMeet Joseph & Margret Baluku
NETS Ministers, Joseph & Margret Baluku
Joseph & Margret focus on remote evangelism throughout the southwestern area of Uganda, especially church planting in the Rwenzori mountain areas. Joseph ministers in different cities and villages throughout East Africa (in both Uganda and Kenya), leading evangelistic crusades, open air meetings, revival and prayer meetings, teaching seminars, school meetings, couple’s seminars with Margret, and baptism services.
We PRAISE GOD for both Joseph and Margret, their ministry, and their walk with the Lord. They also are area coordinators, supervising and leading over 20 HMFI – Harvest Ministry Fellowship International ministers and churches.
Joseph says, “Calvary greetings to you . . . I appreciate your prayers and support for this soulwinning mission. . . . Truly our God is good.”
(Left: one of the remote village churches Joseph oversees – Right: Joseph & Margret)
Prayer Request:
Please pray for Joseph and Margret and their eight children. The Baluku family have been active in village evangelism, church planting and overseeing, counseling, and Bible teaching. Harvest Ministry is so honored to partner with such precious people.Joseph and Margret deeply love the Lord and have a passion for soulwinning and strong discipleship of believers. Please keep them in prayer.
Read more about NETS – Harvest Ministry’s National Evangelism Team Support
Read more about HMFI – Harvest Ministry Fellowship International
