Ideas for adults

Tell us how your church teaches and promotes missions to adults.

In the Christmas spirit - Northside Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC, is challenging couples in the congregation not to exchange presents with each other this year and instead add that amount to what they would normally give to the Lottie Moon offering. David Petro, Minister of Education and Students, says “We are not a big church, but we serve a BIG God and know that if other churches will do the same we can get missionaries on the field so they can proclaim the name of Christ.”

Lunch plans - Instead of eating out for Sunday lunch, a group of friends took turns cooking for each other. Those who did not cook gave the money they would have spent on lunch to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. You too can turn Sunday lunch or a supper club into something that will reach the world for Christ!

Gifts and talents add up - You may have a special skill or talent that you could use to make money for LMCO. Consider these ideas:
• Cater a Christmas party for a small local business, community group or Sunday School class, with proceeds going to Lottie Moon.
• Offer your house-cleaning services to families in the church or community. Let them know you intend to donate the money you earn to missions.
• Hold a yard sale and make money for missions while you clear out some space in your garage.
• Have a bake sale in the community.
• Sell handmade Christmas ornaments or decorations.
• Offer your decorating services to busy families. Many families would gladly make a donation in order to have someone help them get ready for the season.
• If you are a musician, offer to play the piano or instrument for community Christmas parties. Make music for Lottie!
• Offer tutoring services or some hours as a “homework helper.”
• Offer to chauffeur children of friends or church members. Busy parents may gladly pay you and welcome the help getting kids to and from play practice, the basketball court or the movie theater.
 
Sock it to missions - Church members in one North Carolina church were encouraged to fill a sock with change and bills throughout the fall and bring them to church for the missions offering.

LMCO Media Kit - Make sure your Sunday School teacher or small group leader has the LMCO media kit. Use the DVD segments in your groups and take time to discuss the importance of each of us doing our part to reach the peoples of the world for Christ. Order a free kit.

Who’s Missing? Whose Mission? Puzzle - In keeping with this year’s theme, set up a jigsaw puzzle in your Sunday School room. Encourage members to work on the puzzle throughout the month of December at the beginning of class time. Emphasize that each person can set a personal goal of giving, praying and going in order to fill in their piece of the puzzle. Make it your goal to finish the puzzle the last Sunday of December.

Faith giving - Members of some churches are challenged to step out on faith and pledge a specific amount to missions each month, above their tithe. Some churches have reported huge increases in their Lottie Moon giving when congregations are challenged in this way.
• Consider pledging a church goal based on a missionary’s time on the field, such as a week or a month. Or, encourage each member or family to support a missionary for a day. Here is the average cost to support a single missionary:
• $40,931.64 a year
• $3,410.97 a month
• $787.15 a week
• $112.14 a day
• $4.67 an hour
• For stories and inspiration, check out Lottie Moon at Work.

Non-bakers’ baking contest - Ask whichever spouse is NOT the cook in the family to contribute a baked good for a churchwide contest. People taste the entries and give a quarter (or dollar) to vote for the best cookie, pie or cake. The winner is the entry with the most money collected. All the money goes to Lottie, but the church enjoys the baked goods and encourages those who don’t usually spend time in the kitchen.
• Variation: Have a contest for the best bakers in the church or host a men’s bake-off. There are many ways this idea can provide fellowship for the church and extra giving to Lottie Moon.
 
Chinese food fellowship - Adult Sunday School classes can have a fellowship meal where everyone is asked to bring a take-out container of their favorite Chinese food. Ask someone to share some facts about Lottie Moon and discuss the importance of giving to continue the kind of mission work that she is remembered for. Use the LMCO media kit for video clips or go to imb.org/lmcovideo.

International costumes - If you have clothing designers or seamstresses in your church, ask them to make simple costumes from around the world. These might be for adults, children or even dolls. The visual reminder of lost people in the world can be an encouragement to the church to continue to give, pray, and go.

Christmas open houses - Ask some of your best decorators to open their homes one evening for a “Tour of Homes.” Sell tickets for the evening, giving the proceeds to Lottie.

Treat Lottie like one of the kids - Challenge parents to give as much to missions as they spend on their children for Christmas. Another challenge is to give as much as they spend on their most expensive Christmas present.

More Ideas for adults

Ideas for Students, Children, Families, Whole church, Worship services, Tracking church giving