Greetings!
Happy May!
At some time during the past several months, you have indicated your interest in receiving updates regarding to the 1 for 50 Initiative. Here is the first report!
In the first months of introducing this Initiative to leaders around the world, we have been astounded by the excitement and response. These are AMAZING times for reaching kids around the world. It seems that more people than ever are ready to "roll up their sleeves" and get to work to touch the lives of children with the life-changing love of Christ.
Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or feedback. (Let us know if there are others who would like to receive this update, as well.)
May millions of kids come to know and follow Jesus as we work together in the days ahead!
In Christ,
1 for 50 Coordination Team | |
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The First 1 for 50 Consultation Convenes
Putting Together the Puzzle Pieces  On April 16-17, twenty leaders gathered from a wide variety of mission, seminary, child evangelism and children's minsitry training groups to focus on developing the 1 for 50 Initiative. While this group was comprised of brilliant, incredibly credentialed and seasoned leaders, we quickly experienced a sense of humility, unity and love, allowing us to address several of the key issues facing the 1 for 50 project:
What does it mean to reach a child? What does it mean to disciple a child? What is the difference between training a "discipler" and training a "teacher"? What is the role of families in growing strong followers of Christ? What is the role of children in reaching our world for Christ?
While we recognized some enormous obstacles to reaching and discipling children, including the need for unity in the Body of Christ, we left with an incredible sense of hope and of opportunity -- and a desire for each of us to see how our "puzzle piece" fit into the whole of what God is doing.
Many among this first group are already participating in different areas of feedback and development.
We look forward to the next consultation on May 26-27 in the Philadelphia area. (E-mail us if you want more information about joining us.) |
| Questions, Questions,
and More Questions
During this development process, we are not at all intimidated by questions. In fact, we have a long and growing list of questions. Some are small. Some are very large. Some are even impossible to answer. All are important as we consider how to work together to reach millions of kids for Christ.
Do you have questions related to the 1 for 50 Initaitive? Please feel free to send them our way so that we can consider them with different development groups as they gather.
(Feel free to send along your suggested "answers," too, if you have them.)
"He who asks a question is a fool for a moment; He who never asks is a fool forever."
--Old Chinese Proverb
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| We Need Your Feedback!
New 1 for 50 Surveys Are Coming
In the next few days, you will be receiving a separate e-mail with an online survey related to the 1 for 50 Initiative.
This survey is part of the "global listening process" taking place during 2009. Feedback provided in this survey will help us to gather crucial information about the state of children's ministry and training needs in regions all around the world.
We hope you will fill out the survey for an area in which you have experience. Please also be thinking about others you know, who could provide feedback about their own specific regions of the world. The more regions, nations and communities represented, the better! |
Prayer Requests
- Please pray for the upcoming Global Children's Forum. We will meet many leaders who can offer important feedback and insight for 1 for 50. Pray that we continue to discover how to work together in unity and wisdom for each of the many, many nations represented.
- Pray for the second 1 for 50 Consultation being held at Traber Center in the Philadelphia area. Nearly 20 leaders are already signed up to attend this "work group" to consider the issues and big questions facing this project, as well as to begin crafting training guidelines and principles that will build Kingdom, transcend culture, and honor Christ.
- Pray for the facilitation team, as we work to clarify the process, keep up with details, and involve as many people as possible in this incredible opportunity.
- MOST OF ALL: Pray for the kids in your sphere of influence and in your community. Do they all know Jesus? What will they need in order to know and follow him for themselves? Pray for God to remove obstacles and make a way for them to know and love Jesus as you do.
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This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:10-11 NIV |
The 1 for 50 Initiative is a training initiative of the Global Children's Forum
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