Seven years of production seems like a long time to me, but when I think about how God trained and prepared others in the Bible for 40 or more years I realize that it actually is a short time span. What began as an OMS conference children's program has grown and expanded into a complete missions vacation Bible school curriculum. The Good News Reporters invites children to become GRITS (Good News Reporters in Training) as they investigate the missionary heart in VBS. According to the GNR manual, a missionary heart is an unselfish heart that cares for others and shares with others. Throughout the week, the children are introduced to the 5Ws of having a missionary heart. They learn the Good News and are challenged to share it with others. They also exercise their missionary hearts by taking part in the Bibles for Africa missions project.
When given the opportunity, children will jump at the chance to use their missionary hearts. The VBS encourages them to pray and ask God what He wants them to do. Then, they are challenged to do whatever they sense God is asking of them. The children typically do extra chores around the house, ask for donations from friends and even give from their own piggy banks. I always look forward to seeing how God will ask a few of them to give above and beyond to the point of sacrificing their best for Him. One boy sold his favorite video game console because He wanted the Good News to spread around the world. Another boy gave up what he had been saving for a go cart so that soccer balls could be used to reach Colombians with the love of Jesus. Another child sold most of his clothes so the African people could read about Jesus for themselves. This past summer, a girl who had sold her calf the previous year felt God wanted her to give all of the money to Him through missions. Through the Good News Reporters VBS, kids are learning the importance of praying, giving and using their money to be the hands and feet of Jesus to help reach and rescue a lost world.
One of the unusual things about the GNR VBS is that we challenge the church not to set a goal for the missions offering. Yes, this goes against what we've been taught, but this technique allows us to more fully rely upon God and truly leave the results to Him. In every VBS test church we have seen God work through the children to raise more than if they had used their previous VBS missions goal. Regardless of the size of the VBS, God teaches the kids, the adults who help and me that when we obey His voice and leave the results to Him, He can do great things through us.
One Mission Kids is offering the dynamic Good News Reporters VBS mission program for churches to purchase for $139.99. The goal of One Mission Kids is to create resources to help equip parents, schools and churches to better educate their kids about missions. Through the One Mission Kids website, OMK offers many resources including a free monthly prayer calendar and an interactive place for kids to explore seven global destinations. Each destination includes a kid-friendly mission project so kids cannot only learn about what God is doing around the world, but also get their missionary heart involved.
Mr. Jason
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