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1 for 50 E-Newsletter July 2010
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Greetings!
This has been an incredible season of watching God at work!
In March, over 75 ministry leaders gathered in Chennai, India, for the first 1 for 50 Vision-Pilot event. The group that gathered at the 1 for 50 CHAI (Children Are Important) Consultation represented evangelism organizations, missions agencies, social-development NGO's, denominations, pastoral groups, and more.
After sharing a vision for lasting ministry to children, leaders agreed that a renewed focused on disciple-making was needed in their work with kids. "We have been reaching kids, and helping needy children," one leader said. "But we have not focused as much on making disciples. This needs to change."
In addition, with nearly 400 million children to reach and disciple in India, the group quickly realized that the task could not be done alone. There was a renewed commitment to partnership and working together as the only way to impact the children of India in a long-lasting way. Many of the leaders returned to their cities and immediately began to share the vision and made plans to train more children's leaders in their spheres of influence.
"This was a historic meeting for India," said Michael Collins, organizer. A facilitation team has gathered and is working with regional 4/14 movement leaders to implement training strategies that will bring exceptional training to grassroots children's leaders across India.
Nations for which Pilot-Launch events are being planned in 2010-2011
· Bangladesh
· Bulgaria
· Ethiopia
· Nigeria
· Pakistan
· Panama
· Thailand
· Uganda
· And more! |
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| Prayer and Praise |
Praise:
- Praise God for many leaders in Africa who are considering 1 for 50 training in their nations after the 4/14 Africa Summit held in May.
-Thank God for the excellent writers who have contributed to the first 1 for 50 CORE curriculum project. Pray for great skill and wisdom as editors, translators and field test groups shape this resource for global use.
-Praise God for generous financial gifts toward the Global Training Summit (Lebanon) and toward the development of communication tools and preparation for Lausanne 2010. We are so amazed by God's provision.
Prayer:
-Pray for strong, visionary, regional teams to form with a deep heart for God, children, and excellence in discipleship training.
-Pray for the Facilitation Team, Communications Group, and countless other volunteers and leaders who are helping to prepare the website, vision tools, information packets, and more for "global launch" at three events this fall. (Let us know if you'd like to help.) |
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 Updates
GTS IN PHILADELPHIA (& LEBANON): A first group of partnering organizations met at the 1 for 50 Global Training Summit in Philadelphia in February to receive tools and training for sharing the 1 for 50 vision, to better understand the 1 for 50 training guidelines, and to consider key global issues that impact training. This group left excited to engage their organizations, serve as 1 for 50 trainers, and share the vision with others. The next GTS will be held in Lebanon this September. Click here to download a registration form.
ETHIOPIA READY TO GO: A small group of leaders at the 4-14 Ethiopia Consultation worked on strategic plans to train 1 for 50 across Ethiopia. The incredible unity of churches in Ethiopia has set the stage for almost immediate implementation of 1 for 50 training programs once plans are refined.
OVERLAP WITH OTHER MOVEMENTS: 1 for 50 began as an idea in the Global Children's Forum Training Action group in July of 2008. However, it has grown to become a training movement that serves not only the GCF network, but also the 4/14 Global Initiative (with national movements "catching fire" across the planet), VIVA Network (serving those who work with children at risk), and others. The "explosion" of global focus on kids is exciting!
WHERE'S THE WEBSITE?: Keep watching! Plans are in place to launch the website by September.
We can't wait to serve the 1 for 50 movement with this incredible
resource, which will be full of helpful curriculum tools and essential
information.
CORE CURRICULUM PROJECT: Writers from a dozen different organizations have collaborated to compile the first 1 for 50 CORE training curriculum. While we anticipate that many other groups will write curriculum to meet the training guidelines, this first resource will help many of us get started!
THE LAUSANNE DISC: 1 for 50 vision tools and CORE curriculum will be included on an Open Source Children's Ministry Resource disc to be given to Lausanne delegates in Cape Town South Africa this October. In the coming year, this disc will be distributed to up to one million churches around the world in the coming year. |
Training Tip 
Sharing A Vision for Lasting Ministry with Kids
After a year of input from children's and ministry leaders in over 80 nations, the 1 for 50 team began to see a list of global priorities for ministry to kids that leads to lasting impact. The 1 for 50 Hand was developed to help us all share these principles and priorities with others who care about reaching and discipling children for a lifetime.
1) Making Disciples Jesus gave his followers ONE mandate: to go and make disciples. Rather than just seed planting or "drop and run" ministry, we need to change to a long-term view of helping children follow Jesus wholeheartedly. This leads to lasting transformation. 2) Reaching the Unreached One follower of Jesus obeying the great commission and reaching out to one other person makes TWO. With at least 1.4 billion unreached children, we need to renew our focus on reaching children outside the church as well as those already inside. This leads to ongoing multiplication of the Church. 3) Engaging Families Children plus mothers and fathers equals THREE. If a child knows Christ, but his mother and father do not, we need to consider how to reach the family as well. If a family knows Christ, we need to help them reach and disciple their own children. This leads to lasting relationships of support for children. 4) Nurturing the Whole Child This includes a holistic focus on the FOUR parts of a child, the whole child: physical, mental, social-emotional, and spiritual. We need to affirm our focus to first nurture the children already in our care. Then, we need to consider how to help those in crisis in our communities, which is about 2/3 of the world's kids. This leads to a lasting focus on love. 5) Building the Kingdom The thumb enables all these elements to work together. To accomplish God's purposes, we must work with others in the body of Christ to build the kingdom -- not just to build our own churches or ministries. This leads to lasting Church growth. 6) The Heart of the Leader One of the reasons so many children leave the faith as adults is that their leaders have not been an example of wholehearted devotion and dependence on Christ. It starts with us. Thankfully, this final principle comes with a promise. Jesus said,
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing ... You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. (John 15:5, 16 NIV)
Which of these areas needs strengthening in your family, church, or children's ministry? |
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Calender and Events
August 9-13 1 for 50 CORE Training Pilot
Yaounde, Cameroon (French/English)
August 16-20 1 for 50 CORE Training Pilot
Bamenda, Cameroon (English only)
September 2-5 4/14 Global Summit
New York City
1 for 50 Facilitation Team meetings/presentations as part of
Children's Spiritual Transformation Track at Summit
September 6-10 1 for 50 Vision-Training Pilot
Uganda (English only)
September 19-20 1 for 50 Global Training Summit
Beirut, Lebanon (Arabic/English)
Orientation and Training for training providers, national leaders, etc.
October 16-25 Lausanne 2010 (Cape Town, South Africa)
1 for 50 training and resources will be included in presentations by
a global children's team working to envision and mobilize the church
toward the importance of reaching and discipling children.
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About Us
1 for 50 is a children's ministry training and networking initiative serving the Global Children's Forum, the 4/14 Global Initiative, VIVA Network and other movements reaching and discipling children for Christ.
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