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Table of Contents
BGMC: Impacting the World and the Next Generation
By Mary Boyd
Imagine a young African wanting to become a pastor, but he doesn’t have money for schoolbooks. Imagine a missionary holding a crusade, but he doesn’t have money to buy tracts. Imagine children living in the streets, yet nothing can be done for them. These images are real, but they are changing, with the help of Boys and Girls Missionary Crusade.
BGMC is touching the world by supplying missionaries with the supplies and tools they need to reach the lost through evangelism and discipleship. Missionaries desperately need Bibles, tracts, Sunday school literature, library books for Bible colleges, computers, printers, copy machines, video tapes, puppets, costume animals, materials translated into various languages, and sound systems.
BGMC also helps fund organizations such as: International Media Ministries, Global University, Christian Training Network, Generation XXI, Resource and Development Ministries, STAR radio, Advance, Center for Muslim Ministries, HealthCare Ministries, and Teen Challenge International.
Missionaries testify:
"Thank you, BGMC, for the much needed books for the Bible school library in the Czech Republic. BGMC also helped us put important training books into the Czech language. Czech pastors often tell me how much they enjoy reading the books that BGMC helps to put into their language."–Jim Sabella, missionary to the Czech Republic.
"I wanted to say thank you to BGMC and the incredible tools for the work we are doing here in Poland. Our latest project was the translation and production of Bible study small group materials for University Ministries. Thank you and all the kids who stuff those Buddy Barrels so we can impact lives in our countries of calling."–Brad Schaffner, missionary to Poland.
"The lives of Albanian children have been richly blessed with the good news of Jesus Christ because of BGMC. We have used these funds to purchase evangelistic Albanian children’s magazines, books, tracts, as well as ICI comic books. The Albanian kids are hungry for God’s Word and BGMC has helped in a great way to fill their hunger."–David and Sue Hartmann, missionaries to Albania’s children.
"Thank you for providing us with money to print the first ever Philippines Assemblies of God Philippines Children’s Curriculum. This book is 400 pages and is filled with fun and exciting ways to learn about God through the Bible. The boys and girls here in the Philippines are so excited to have lessons that have been especially made for them."–Harold and Kaye Cole, missionaries to the Philippines.
BGMC also provides supplies to our home missionaries and organizations: Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, Institutional/Occupational Chaplaincy, Intercultural Ministries, Military Chaplaincy, Teen Challenge International USA, and Church Planting.
Each new church receives $400 from BGMC for supplies. New churches also receive $75 each quarter for the first year to purchase Sunday school materials. A percentage of BGMC funds is given back to districts to use for district home missions projects.
While BGMC is the missions program for children in the Assemblies of God, adults need to support BGMC. Raising money for BGMC can involve the whole family. Moms and Dads can do projects with their kids to help them earn money. Adults can make pledges and give offerings to BGMC.
Last year, children in the Assemblies of God gave more than $3 million to BGMC. As more missionaries are appointed, needs increase. We need every church to become involved in BGMC. In 1999, only 39.9 percent of Assemblies of God churches gave to BGMC.
BENEFITS OF BGMC
BGMC is a missions education program. It is equipping children to know about, care for, pray for, give to, and reach the lost.
As you expose children to the needs of the world, you create a compassion that reaches out and helps those who are less fortunate. BGMC is the perfect place to start. Missions education also helps kids to be less me-centered as they realize that others in the world are less fortunate.
Regular, systematic giving to missions creates a giving heart and spirit in children. Kids who learn to give to missions grow into adults who give to missions.
As children hear about and meet missionaries and learn about the call of God and the miracles that are taking place around the world, they may develop a burden for a particular area or people group. As a result, they will pray for those missionaries, countries, and people.
Kids who have hearts open to missions and the lost will also have their hearts open to the call of God. Eighty-five percent of Assemblies of God missionaries were called to missions when they were between the ages of 9 and 13. Many of our missionaries say they gave to BGMC when they were children.
BGMC provides free missions curriculum. Order a free resource catalog (item number 715-076). You can also order a free report on where BGMC was used around the world and in America last year (item number 715-057). If you would like more information on starting BGMC in your church or need some ideas, call the BGMC office at 417-862-2781, ext. 4016.
Thank you for investing in missions and investing in the lives of the children in your church.
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Mary Boyd is assistant coordinator for BGMC and the Children’s Ministries Agency of the Assemblies of God, Springfield, Missouri. |
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