KINGDOM BUILDERS
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
A movement of generosity does not happen by raising funds but by developing disciples. Kingdom Builders is our greatest discipleship tool because it creates a tangible way to teach our children to LISTEN, BELIEVE, and DO.
We believe that if this generation develops a lifestyle of listening for the voice of God, believes what they hear Him say, and responds to His prompting at a young age, the world will be changed forever.
This is how we model setting and reaching individual and corporate goals for Kingdom Builders.
Furthermore, this principle is integrated in every area of our programming. In doing so, we believe our children will embrace lives focused on expanding the Kingdom rather than just meeting needs.
River Valley Kids partners with the Assemblies of God in giving to BGMC (Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge) through Kingdom Builders. We desire to unify families, creating a lexicon that empowers them to work together in pursuit of generous living rather than stipulating that each department focuses on the title of an organization. Instead, we highlight the project/need. We partner with our district and national leadership to identify projects to give toward with the understanding that everything we give is a part of our church-wide goal. Due to the flexibility in BGMC, Kids has the unique opportunity to synergize with Kingdom Builder’s categorical ethics: Local, Global, and Future Leaders.
Local
The Great Commission was started with Jerusalem. Likewise, we desire to share the hope and love of Jesus in our neighborhoods as much as around the world. An example of an organization we partner with is Inner City Christian Ministry (ICCM Life Center) in Minneapolis. Also, we create opportunities for our kids and families to reach their world personally. Below are some examples of ways we do this.
Backyard Bashes
Advent Challenges
Service Response Challenges/Small Groups
Serve Our Community Family Projects
Summer Adventure Challenge
Global
We are committed to reaching and supporting mission partners around the world. As the world grows smaller, our goal is that our hearts to reach the lost would grow larger. Below are some partnerships we focus on and examples of hands-on experiences designed to help children take ownership of this reality.
Invisible Bibles
World Serve: Birthing Clinics
Live Dead
Service Response Challenges
Missionary 5-Spots
Altar Response to join the 500 Change the World Offering Family Global Teams
Family Virtual Global Teams
Future Leaders
For Kids, the future is now! We believe that a key focus each year needs to be on reaching and developing the next generation. By focusing on their peers, we hope to institute connection and empathy in our children for complete strangers as much as they would have for those they know.
World Serve: Community Basketball Courts
Kids Missionary Action Plan
Bonus Content
River Valley Kids is committed to building bridges of communication from children to parents. To do so, our projects will include individuals or organizations that our adults are giving to as well. This, by and large, is focused on our 500. Through BGMC, we are able to either identify projects already available or help those we would like to support to apply for support through it.
Playbook
Kingdom Builders unites all generations to live life on mission. Through prayer, intentional programming, teaching, and coordinated response opportunities, our children are running step for step with adults and teenagers to expand the Gospel around the world. Remember the most important thing is that God leads all that we do!
“Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.” Psalm 127:1
Goal Setting
Every year I sit down with our Kids Pastors to pray about and discuss what the goal for their respective campus ministry may be. It is expected that we both have prayerfully determined our goal for the year prior to meeting. It is critical to include our Kids Pastors in this initiative!
Vision Casting
Our Kids Pastors, volunteers and kids (Preschool - Elementary) are invited to take part in asking the Lord how much they are to give at key moments throughout the year. Typically this moment is at the beginning of a new giving campaign (see “Annual Rhythm”). Don’t forget that there is exponential increase in universal giving!
We do this by taking time in our volunteer trainings and services to hear from God. We start by sharing the vision/project we are giving to, utilize Scripture (i.e., John 10:27), and lead our kids and volunteers in a prayer that simply says,
“Dear Jesus, I believe you are speaking. I pray your Holy Spirit will show me how much money I am to give to ______. I trust you. Amen”
Whatever amount they hear is written down on a handout, then given to the volunteers where the goal total is added up and told to all the kids as a way to celebrate! In small groups, they take time to pray about ways to earn those funds!
There are usually fun incentives for those who hit their goals and benchmark moments that are celebrated as well!
Collective skills, passions, and perspectives catalyze movements! Be sure to craft your conversations and strategies to be focused on empowering families - unifying children to parents.
Calendar
Ongoing
Prayer
Team Meetings, ALL Go Kids experiences Missionary 5-Spots
Weekly giving opportunities
Monthly giving status conversations with each campus Kids’ team.
KB Projects Development
Next Gen updates to see ways to collaborate
Strategic planning with discipleship and communications department to build different series content that aligns with generosity rhythms/focuses in adult experiences
Change the World Offering
Purpose
Ongoing
• Prayer
• Team Meetings, ALL Go Kids experiences
• Missionary 5-Spots
• Weekly giving opportunities
• Monthly giving status conversations with each campus Kids’ team.
• KB Projects Development
• Next Gen updates to see ways to collaborate
• Strategic planning with discipleship and communications department to build different series content that aligns with generosity rhythms/focuses in adult experiences
January
• Vision Weekend
• Churchwide Kids Ministry Training Day #1
February
• Launch Weekend (Announcing the first giving sprint and providing an opportunity for kids/leaders to prayerfully set goals.)
• Introduce KB Project #1
• Curriculum Focused on Loving the World
March
• March Madness Giving Campaign Launches
• Team Connects Highlight KB Mission
April
• Celebrate KB Project #1 Giving Total
• Announce KB Project #2
• Begin Announcing Change The World Offering (Provide an opportunity for kids/leaders to prayerfully set goals.)
May
• Celebrate KB Project #2 Giving Total
• Change The World Offering (KB Project #3)
June
• Launch Summer Adventure Challenge
• Camp: Launch Giving Campaign for KB Project #4
• Host a giving challenge in conjunction with 10 days after Camp Kids devotional
July
• Seek Week (Provide an opportunity for kids to explore joining the 500.)
• Launch Home Outreaches
• Host “Called” Milestone Classes
August
• Home Outreaches
• Churchwide Volunteer Event
• Prep for One Day to Feed the World campaign
September
• Fall Launch
• Celebrate KB Project #4 Giving Total
• Announce KB Project #5 (One Day to Feed the World)
October
• Launch KB Project #6 (Provide an opportunity for kids/leaders to prayerfully set goals.)
• Curriculum Focuses on the Great Commission
• Meet with Kids team to set the next year’s KB Goal (and all other goals)
• Plan outreach opportunities for November
November
• Miracle Offering
• Curriculum focuses on the love of Jesus
• Meet with Campus Pastors to go over the next year’s KB Goal (and all other goals)
• Launch Outreach Opportunities
December
• Begin Advent Outreach Plan
• Celebrate KB Project #6 Giving Total
Unite all generations to raise awareness for the unreached, promote hope for the hopeless and to commit to a lifestyle of generosity!
Overview
Pick one weekend where all funds given to missions in the adult services join with what the kids ministry is giving to.
Announce in adults and kids ministry settings AT LEAST two weekends in advance.
Provide something for adults and kids to take home to fill up and give on the Change the World weekend.
On the weekend of the offering, have kids join parents in serving before service in as many places as possible (i.e., greeters, parking lot, cafe, ushers, etc).
Recruit kids to help present the project in the adult services and pray over the offering.
Once the kids have helped receive the offering, bring them back into the Kids wing for service, so that the ushers can take care of the offering.
Plan
Pick Partner
Set a goal
Announce two weeks in advance in adult and kids ministry settings
The elementary and preschool kids at every campus set goals
In the weekend announcements: share the Kids ministry goal with the adults and invite them to partner/match them.
Additional Info
Kids Pastors will be working to set up:
Kids will help receive the offering alongside adult ushers. Scheduling kids and coordinating with usher leads!
The Kids Pastor will facilitate receiving the offering unless the lead pastor would prefer to do it There will be one child per service assigned to pray over the offering.
c. The purpose of Change the World:
i. UNITE all generations to RAISE awareness for the unreached - PROMOTE hope for the hopeless and COMMIT to a lifestyle of generosity!
i. Invite everyone to join them in giving. Please encourage families to match what their child gives!
a. Once the offering has been received, the children will be brought back to the Kids wing by your Kids pastor, so that the ushers can go count.
Offering Details
1. Checks MUST specify “Change the World” in the note section. Any checks that do not specify it will go to general tithes and offering.
2. All loose change and cash will automatically go to the Change the World.