Where Does a Missionary Go?

Thursday:	Where Does a Missionary Go?
Bible Lesson:	The Rich Young Man: We need to be dedicated to God, not other things.
Memory Verse:	Matthew 19:29
Missions Concepts:	Missionaries go wherever there are people who need to hear.
Missions Examples:	Zambo Solomon, Paul Rajan
Bible Passages:	[Needed]

Introduction: Missions Marathon

[Perform the Missions Marathon Skit by way of introduction.]

In the skit, Earnest wasn't sure how much of the world he had to go to in his Missions Marathon. So today, that's what we're going to talk about: where missionaries go.

Explanation: Where the People Are

Do missionaries go to the moon? Do they go to the north pole? Do they go to the middle of the ocean? No, missionaries don't go to any of those places. They don't need to go to those places, because there's nobody living there.

Yesterday, we said that missionaries teach people to follow Jesus. So to do that, they have to go where the people are. That's where missionaries go: wherever there are people. Missionaries don't all go to the same place. Zambo Salamon is a missionary in northwest Cameroon. He went there because he knew there were people there who needed to be taught about God. Paul Rajan is a missionary in India, because there are people there. Both Zambo Salamon and Paul Rajan were born in the country where they are missionaries. Sometimes missionaries go overseas, to a different country where they weren't born. Other times, they stay closer to home. But wherever they go, they go where there are people who need to be taught about how to follow Jesus.

Game: Naming Places

[Set up a white board or the equivalent.] Let's name some places where you could go and be a missionary. Remember, it has to be a place where there are people who need to be taught about how to follow God. [Accept answers from the kids and write them on the board. Make sure they include some that are close to home and some that are farther afield.]

[If there's time, make a separate list and have them name places where they cannot be a missionary, any place where there's nobody that needs to be taught – Antarctica, Mars, deep underground, etc.]

Invitation: Missions

Invite any children who want to do missions work to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

The Right Bait Discussion Questions

Wednesday:	The Right Bait
Missions Concepts:	Missionaries look for opportunities to interest people in the good news.
Missions Examples:	Peter Bejenke (Germany), Paul Rajan (India)
Bible Passages:	[needed]

1. In the skit, why wasn't Bob catching any fish?
2. What was Peter Bejenke doing in Germany to create opportunities to talk to people?
3. What kinds of bait are Paul Rajan and his fellow workers using in India?
4. What kinds of things can we do here in Galion?

Now What?

Friday:	Now What?
Bible Lesson:	Fishers of Men
Memory Verse:	Matthew 4:19
Missions Concepts:	Missionaries disciple new believers, plant churches, and train pastors.
Missions Examples:	Project Timothy (Uberlandia, Brazil)
Bible Passages:	[needed]

[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen V.]

Introduction: Fishing

In the skit, what did Bob need to do with the fish, after it was out of the water? That's right, he needed to put it in the bucket, with the other fish.

Did you know, after people come to know Jesus, they need something similar? Do we put them in a bucket? No. But they do need to be with a group of other believers, who are learning about God. What do we call a group like that? (A church.)

Example: Project Timothy

In Uberlandia, Brazil, Pastor Sebastian is Fishing for Christ. But now, he's not doing it alone, because he has other men working with him – men who are trained in the Bible, and are planting churches. Do you know where these men came from? They came from Pastor Sebastian's church. When these men heard the good news about Jesus, he didn't just send them on their way. He continued to teach them, everything that they needed to know, about Jesus, about God, and about the Bible. Now, some of these men are ready to go fishing themselves, and they are planting more churches.

The Point: Discipleship

[needed]

Application: Now What?

This week here at Bible School, some of you may have received Jesus, or maybe some of your friends heard the good news about how to be saved. Should you quit coming once that happens? Should you quit bringing that friend who got saved? No! Once we're a part of the body of Christ, we still need to be learning, everything God wants us to know, so that we can grow in our faith and be able to share with others.

Invitation: Missions

Invite any children who want to do missions work to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

The Right Bait

Wednesday:	The Right Bait
Bible Lesson:	Raised from the Dead
Memory Verse:	1st John 4:10
Missions Concepts:	Missionaries look for opportunities to interest people in the good news.
Missions Examples:	Peter Bejenke makes bread. In India they maintain orphanages and build houses.
Bible Passages:	[needed]

[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen III.]

Introduction: Fishing

In the skit, what did Bob need, in order to catch fish? That's right, he needed bait.

Did you know, missionaries use bait too? Now, they don't use worms, and crickets, and minnows, and they're not trying to trick people into getting caught, but missionaries do have to get people interested in what they're talking about. They need bait.

Example: Bread Ministry

In Germany, Peter Bejenke was having trouble getting people to come to his church. He wanted to tell people about Jesus, but they didn't know they needed to hear, so they didn't realize they should come. Do you know what he did? He started baking bread. Now, Pastor Peter used to bake bread before, before he was a pastor. But now he's baking bread again, and people come into his bakery store to buy bread. Now, people are coming to Pastor Peter. Now, he has an opportunity to talk to people. And now that he's talking to people, he can tell them about Jesus.

Example: Orphanages

In India, Paul Rajan builds orphanages, to help young boys who have no good place to live. While they're there, he can tell them about Jesus. Sometimes they build houses for people who have lost their homes. And they can tell them about Christ. At one of the orphanages, the children are very excited about Jesus. They sing songs, and they worship. And now, some of the families from the communities come and see the orphanage, see what is being done for the children, and [become interested].

The Point: Bait

Here, sometimes we need a way to tell our friends about Jesus. Sometimes we need bait.

One thing that we use for bait is Bible School. Your friends will want to come have fun at Bible School – and they will have fun, but while they're here, they can also here the good news about Jesus.

What else can you use as bait? [Accept some answers.]

Invitation: Missions

Invite any children who want to do missions work to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

Fishing Gear

Tuesday:	Fishing Gear
Bible Lesson:	The Sign of Jonah: Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin.
Memory Verse:	Romans 6:23
Missions Concepts:	Missionaries must be properly equipped for missions.
Missions Examples:	Vermont (Tom Ricker)
Bible Passages:	[needed]

Introduction: Fishing

[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen II]

In the skit, what did Sally find out she needs, in order to catch fish? That's right, she needed a fishing rod, and a line, and a hook. The rod and reel and line and hook are the equipment that fishermen use to catch fish.

The Point: Missionaries need to be equipped.

Did you know, that if you're fishing for Christ, you need to be equipped for that, too? You don't need a fishing rod or a hook, but you do need to know your Bible, so that you know the message that you're giving to people, and you do need prayer support from others, and if you have to leave the country to be a full-time missionary overseas, you would need financial support and other things.

Example: Vermont

Last month, Pastor Tom Ricker, and his wife Janelle, left their home in Ohio and went to Vermont, to try to start a church in Burlington. In order to do this, they had to be ready. They needed fishing gear. What do you suppose they did, to get ready to go? They studied maps of Vermont, so that they would know the geography of the area. They studied the culture: what the people in the area are like, and what's important to them, so that they would know what kind of people they're going fishing for. They had to know what things cost in Vermont, so that they could be prepared and have a plan for how to live there. They talked to churches and gathered prayer support, and also financial support.

Most of all, Pastor Tom had to be trained. He took Bible classes, and theology courses, and other kinds of training. He spent years doing his. Then he practiced under another man, an older pastor, in Ankneytown, so that he would be ready. Now Pastor Tom has been a pastor on his own for several years, and he's been tested by other pastors and approved, so that all the churches who are supporting him can know that he is qualified.

So now Pastor Tom is equipped to take the good news about Jesus to the people in Vermont. He's got his fishing gear, and he's ready to get started.

Application: Equipped for Missions

When you're fishing for Christ, at school, or in your neighborhood, you need to be equipped too. How do you get that training? [Accept some answers.] That's right. You should be coming to church, to learn the Bible. You should be reading your Bible, and praying. Those things are your fishing equipment. Make sure you go home and memorize your Bible verse tonight!

Invitation: Missions

Invite any children who want to be better equipped to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

Goin' Fishin'

Monday:	Goin' Fishin'
Bible Lesson:	The Fish with the Coin: Jesus is God
Memory Verse:	Matthew 16:16
Missions Concepts:	Missionaries go where the people are, but they need consent to come.
Missions Examples:	India (no missionary visas)
Bible Passages:	[needed]

Introduction: Fishing

[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen I]

In the skit, what were the two things that Bob and Sally learned they need to do in order to catch fish? [Accept answers.] That's right. They needed fishing licenses, and they needed to go where the fish are.

Did you know being a missionary is a lot like being a fisherman? Missionaries are fishing for Christ.

First Point: Where the People Are

Just like Bob needed to leave the swimming pool and go to a place where fish would be, like a stream or a lake, missionaries need to go to a place where there are people. They can't go be missionaries in the middle of the woods, or an empty cave, or the middle of a lake. If they're going to tell people about Jesus, they need to go where there are people. There are lots of different places where there are people. Some people can be missionaries right where they are at home, telling people about Jesus in their neighborhood, or at school, or at the mall, ... but there are other places too, and some missionaries go to a place far away from home, because they know that there are people there in that place who need to hear about Jesus.

Second Point: Permission to Go

The fisherman's license gives him permission to fish. Just like a fisherman needs permission, a missionary needs permission too. Now, in this country, we don't need special permission from the government, because we already have freedom of speech. But sometimes, even though there's no law against telling people about Jesus, we still need permission in another way. If I'm going to bring children to Bible school, I have to have their parents' permission. I can't just go take kids from the playground, tie them up, and bring them here. I have to have permission. Missionaries also need permission from their church. If their church doesn't agree with them going, who will provide their prayer and financial support for the missions work? Missionaries have to be sent by a church. And if you're going to be a missionary in a foreign country, you have to get permission to go to that country. You need a visa stamp from the country you're going to on your passport, or they won't let you into their country without a visa. So you have to have permission to come.

Example: India

One country we'd like to send missionaries to is India, but India doesn't give visas to missionaries just so they can come and tell people about Jesus. If you want to go to India, you have to have another reason, a reason that is approved by the government of India, or they won't let you come. In May, Tom and Janelle Ricker, and Ike and Nancy Graham, went to India. They were sent by our churches, but they could only go for a short time, because they only had a tourist visa, which doesn't last very long. You get a tourist visa if you're going on vacation in a foreign country, but you can't stay for a whole year. So our missionaries that went to India are back here now, in the United States.

Application: Parental Permission

Just like fishermen need a license, and foreign missionaries need permission to go into the country, if we bring our friends to Bible School, we need their parents' permission to bring them.

Invitation: Missions

Invite any children who want to do missions work to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.