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Georgia RA & Challenger Autumn Missions Mobilization
PROPOSAL:
Each
autumn, from August 1 until October 31, (3 full months),
Georgia RA’s conducts “Fall Out for Missions,” a
statewide missions effort that urges local RA Chapters and
Challengers to participate. For this missions event, we have
chosen as the recipient the Georgia Baptist Children’s
Homes. Each Chapter is encouraged to start the year off right
by participating with chapters across the state to impact
Georgia for Christ.
INCENTIVES:
By
the time of the Fall Congress and Missions Bowl, Chapters
who
have participated and who have completed a report (that
is faxed in by November 1), may receive a nice certificate,
suitable for hanging and display at their church. Boys in
that Chapter may also receive a “FALL OUT FOR MISSIONS” activity
strip (or chevron) to place under their Georgia Royal Ambassador
Activities patch. Also, participating Chapters will be listed
in a report to the Christian Index, and published in an issue
in November or December. Not to mention, the boys will have
either earned another RA Mission Activity patch (or chevron)
and have the satisfaction of having made a difference. This
participation helps with RA advancement!
THE GOAL:
Get
the word out to every RA Chapter and encourage them to
jump
on this mission project. It has a specific beginning
and a specific end. It doesn’t interfere with Lottie
Moon or Annie Armstrong offerings. Nor does it overlap with
any existing statewide RA events. In fact, the Missions Bowl
and Fall Congress can be a celebration for completion of
the event, and an encouragement to other chapters. The idea
is to have this project lined up one year in advance, to
aid in promotion and greater participation. Let’s see
how many RA’s and also Men’s Ministries can participate
in the “Fall Out for Missions” project each year.
THAT will tell Georgia how important RA’s are to Georgia
Baptists! Actions speak louder than words!
STEP 1:
Missions
Education! Make the call to the Children’s
Home. You can call the central office, but preferably the
number of the closest facility to you, or to a facility you
choose to work with. Request a speaker or representative
of the Children’s Homes to come to your church to speak
to your RA’s, Men’s Ministries, or better yet,
your entire congregation. Do this first of all. When they
are there, listen to what they have to say, ask plenty of
questions, and think and pray about how your specific RA
Chapter can feasibly be involved. Some can do a little, some
can do a lot. Every little bit helps!
STEP 2:
Set
your goal! Do the work! When your leadership has decided
what
you will be able to do to help, confirm it with the
Children’s Home facility to see that it meets their
goals. Once it does, set the date(s) for your work. Promote
it throughout the church and to parents. Build excitement
and try to get your men involved. If it involves making a
trip to a campus to do a work project, secure vehicles and
be sure to use your church’s permission slips and safety
procedures. Always know and follow your church’s policies.
The key is to pick a way your Chapter can help. Pick something
all your boys can rally around. Ask them for suggestions.
Set realistic goals. And remember to praise God for whoever
does participate with you in this effort. “The fields
are ripe with a harvest but the laborers are few.” Each
year your Chapter participates, it will become a tradition.
STEP 3:
Celebrate
your success! When the project has ended, be sure to use
RA Chapter meeting time to process the event with
the boys. Ask them to consider what it might be like living
at a children’s home. Ask them to think about what
they did to help and how it aids in spreading the Good News
of Jesus Christ. Ask them to find Scripture passages that
talk about what Jesus commands us to do, and how what your
RA’s did obeys Jesus’ commands. Help them integrate
what they read with what they do. Show them that they can
be missionaries! They can live out the RA pledge! Reward
them with a party or some other celebration.
STEP 4:
Share
your story! Share your story with the rest of the church
using testimonies, pictures, video, etc. NOTE: Due
to confidentiality and security issues, cameras and recorders
are not usually allowed at the Children’s Homes. ASK
before you assume it is okay to take pictures or videotape.
Tell your story to local media. Small town papers love this
sort of stuff, and will often print a decent short article
that you type — not to mention a picture! Talk about
publicizing your church!
STEP 5:
Finish
the Drill! Complete the State RA Chapter participation
form and fax it or mail it to the State RA Director at
Camp
Kaleo no later than November 1. Write a thank you note (and
have the boys help with some of their own) to the representatives
of the Children’s Home that you dealt with. This is
professional and goes a long way in showing Georgia Baptists
how mission-minded and professional our RA’s really
are. Be sure to send a “thank you” to the speaker
who visited your church. Remember, it is not necessary that
a “love offering” be given to the speaker, since
you are seeking information on how you can help, but love
offerings are always a nice gesture…and it typically
goes to help the Children’s Homes anyway. Upon receiving
your Chapter’s certificate (and activity chevrons,
if available), be sure to display the certificate and award
your RA’s with their patches. Add the completion of
this project to the boys’ Personal Growth Plans or
advancement records.
This is Missions Education at work!
Set your goal!
Do the work!
Celebrate your success!
Share your story!
Finish the Drill!
Finally, please make plans to participate in the Fall Congress
and Missions Bowl in November.
Camp Kaleo
463 Old Zebulon Road
Forsyth, GA 31029
1-888-725-2536
770-452-6575 (FAX)
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