Motivating Children to Read About Missions

By Jeannie Lockerbie Stephenson

Timmy’s mother, pediatrician, and nursery school teacher all knew he needed glasses. But when I saw Timmy at Lens Crafters, he wasn’t interested. All the assurances, “This won’t hurt,” the bribes, and the threats did nothing. Timmy would not open his eyes.

Likewise, even though surveys place reading high on the list of factors that influence people to serve the Lord, you can’t force children to read. But you can whet their appetites to find out:

• What is going on in the world?
• What is God doing worldwide today?
• How can I be a part of this?

Preschool to 8 Year olds:
Heroes for Young Readers – www.ywampublishing.com
When I Grow Up, I Can Go Anywhere for Jesus – www.wycliffe.org

8 – 12 Year Olds:
Trailblazers – Hero stories told in modern settings, 40 books now available - Bethany House
Reel Kids – International adventures - www.ywampublishing.com
Secret of the Fourth Candle and other books by Patricia St. John (updated) Send the Light - orders@stl.org

10 – 12 Year Olds and Over:
Through Gates of Splendor – Elisabeth Elliot – local bookstore
Peace Child – Don Richardson – local bookstore
Against All Odds – Jay Walsh – ABWE Publishing
Interwoven – Russ & Nancy Ebersole – ABWE Publishing

2. Read with the children. Read before bedtime. Read as children arrive in Sunday school. Include reading in your lesson plans. Start reading out loud; the kids will come to listen. Make the reading time enjoyable. Kids like FUN. Allow the books you provide and read to lead children to:

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust that God will guide their futures
Understanding God’s heart for the whole world
New purpose in life: to serve God NOW and when they grow up

3. Discuss what you read. How does a person become a missionary? How could you help a hungry family? What would you do if you were the only Christian in your school?

I’ll never know if Timmy got his eyeglasses, but I know Mark, who begged to keep the light on just a bit longer so he could read more of Against All Odds. I know Suellen, who read On Duty in Bangladesh and other missionary stories for her public school book reports from the time she was ten. Her reports were a witness to her classmates then. Today she serves with ABWE as a missionary nurse in The Gambia.

Don’t forget...

Continued missionary stories.
This illustrated material keeps kids coming back for more.

• ABWE Publishing: A Trip to Where? (Bangladesh) and Juan of the Philippines
• CEF Press: Ti-Fam: Witch Doctor’s Daughter (Haiti), and many others – www.cefonline.com
• Bible Visuals: Salvador of Spain , and many others – www.biblevisuals.org

The Internet.
That’s where lots of kids do their reading:

• 21stcenturykidsconnect.org Equipping today’s children to fulfill the Great Commission
• ethnicharvest.org/links/kids.htm Resources to get kids excited about missions
• Kids4Truth.com Links kids to mission field reports, photos, videos, and other “neat stuff”

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