Ideas for students
Tell us how your church teaches and promotes missions to students.
A dark service - Hold a weekly meeting in the dark or with only minimal light. Use blindfolds for an even greater impact. Have a leader explain that more than 1.5 billion people live in spiritual darkness every day, without an opportunity to hear about Jesus. Emphasize that our gifts to missions increase the possibility that the true Light will come into their world.
Art auction - Ask budding artists in the youth group to paint do a Christmas painting, draw a picture, or make a clay sculpture. Let them use their talents to create works of art around the Christmas theme. Then hold an art auction for your church members, with the proceeds going to missions.
Hand-made Christmas cards - Students can make handmade Christmas cards to be sold to church members for missions.
Sacrificial giving - Help students understand sacrificial giving by putting it into terms they understand. For example, ask them to give up four fast-food meals or 3 trips to the movies. Also consider hosting Friday nights out at the church or at the homes of church members. Ask youth to give the money they would have spent going out to Lottie Moon.
Black arm bands - Ask students to wear black arm bands to church during the month of December, each representing a percentage of your church’s LMCO goal. Let your church members know to be looking for these reminders of people who live in darkness without Jesus. Ask your pastor to recognize youth wearing the bands during the Sunday morning services. Each Sunday as your church comes closer to its goal, ask fewer and fewer youth to wear the bands. Hopefully, by the last Sunday in December, no one will be wearing the arm bands! This will indicate that the church has met its goal.
Youth auction - Many churches ask students to auction off a day of babysitting, lawn care or decorating to church members. These youth groups are able to make a real difference in giving to Lottie Moon.
Go high tech - Encourage your students to seek out missions information on imb.org and thetask.org. Encourage them to engage in missions discussions on Twitter and Facebook.
LMCO Media Kit - Use the videos in the Student Leader’s Guide in the 2009 LMCO Media Kit for a missions party for your students, or show in Sunday School or during their weekly gatherings. Ask students to pray about how God is leading them to pray, give and go. Order a free kit.
People group or not? - Go to peoplegroups.org for a list of people groups around the world. Add some made-up names to the list (for example: Meenytuks, Hullabulloos, Smurfies, etc … ). Play a game with students asking them if they think it’s a real people group or one that’s made up. Use the game to teach them that all people groups around the world need a chance to hear about Jesus.
Fifteen minutes - Videotape students sharing about their previous mission trip experiences. If possible, place the videos on the church or student Web site.
Information hub - Direct students to thetask.org, a missions “one-stop-shopping” place where they can learn more about a specific region or people group and how to get involved. E-mail studentteam@imb.org to speak directly with an IMB representative about opportunities for students to serve.
Squeezing creative juices - Challenge students to create a logo for your church’s Lottie Moon Christmas Offering materials, including banners, T-shirts, etc. Have the students vote on which design they like best. Place the logo on materials that can be sold, donating the money to the Lottie Moon offering.
Destination North Africa
Scavenger hunt - Send students hunting for items related to Lottie Moon (i.e., chopsticks, a map of China, an offering envelope). When teams return, award first place with Moon Pies.
Go postal - Start a Lottie Moon Post Office; church members "mail" one another Christmas cards which are hand-delivered by students. Money that would have been spent on postage is given to Lottie Moon.
Student auction - Auction students to church members for a day of service, from cleaning house to raking leaves. Money members give for the work youth do goes to Lottie Moon.
Lottie Moon: the musical - Use youth to stage a humorous or dramatic skit involving Lottie Moon for Sunday services or Wednesday night supper. Scripts available.
Parent/child missions breakfast - Sell tickets to a mother-daughter or father-son breakfast or brunch. Invite a missionary as a guest speaker. Proceeds go to Lottie Moon.
Ideas for Adults, Children, Families, Whole church, Worship services, Tracking church giving
