Kidz on Mission

August 6, 2012

Written by Kris Smoll, Children’s Ministry Director

Wide-eyed children climb the stairs to the G.C. Kidz Club tree house. They are about to discover the world of missions through God’s eyes. The children at Appleton (Wisconsin) Alliance Church’s Discovery Land are ascending to the Passport Aviation Cafe, located in a life-size G.C. Kidz Club tree house.

The clubhouse in a tree is modeled after the Alliance G.C. Kidz Web site and is designed to educate children about the need for missions and how to participate in the Great Commission.

In the cafe, they will talk with international workers and children in C&MA churches across the globe via Skype.

We are discipling kids in that 4/14 Window (children between the ages of 4 and 14) to transform the world. In this ministry, the kids learn God’s Word and how to apply Scripture in their daily lives.

In Flight

As the children enter the clubhouse, they are greeted by international workers on a large screen via Skype or video conferencing. The workers introduce children who are learning about Jesus through their outreach and share how God is moving in the country where they live and work.

Recently, our kids were excited to reunite with a group of children in our sister Alliance church in Lima, Peru; through Skype they read Scripture and sang together. The kids are working on a joint project to create and send Christmas gifts in shoe boxes to poor and needy children who live near the Peruvian church. Some of Appleton’s “G.C. kidz” are excited to travel with their parents to Peru to deliver the boxes personally.

“It’s neat to see how the other kids learn, how big the classrooms are, and how different it is from our Discovery Land,” says Mollie, a fifth-grader.

In the Passport Aviation Cafe, kids are also treated to a “taste” of missions through a sampling of culinary delights from featured countries. Additionally, the themed cafe is a platform for leaders to teach about aviation organizations, like Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Ignite the Passion

Children can be a powerful influence for God, and the G.C. Kidz Clubhouse is a unique outreach where they are equipped and empowered to boldly proclaim Christ.

Currently, 800 children–from six months to sixth grade–attend Discovery Land every Sunday morning. About 650 participate in Awana on Tuesday nights.

“I’m really excited about having a bigger ‘church’ so other kids can come and learn [about Jesus] with me,” says Mollie. “It will be neat to be able to Skype [in the Aviation Cafe] with other kids who are learning and accepting Christ into their lives.”