Being a Missional Family

“Families on Mission” is more than a concept or even a catchphrase.

At least, it should be.

After all, who better to do missions with than the people you love the most—your own family! What a great future we are providing our children as we not only teach them about missions, but we serve together doing missions.

While summer is in full swing, there is no better time than now to get your family involved in a missions project. Your project doesn't have to be anything elaborate, cost a small fortune, or even require faraway travel. You can do missions as a family in your own community!

Here are a few ways your family can get involved in the mission of God.

• School is out. Kids are looking for something to do. Parents want to find meaningful lessons to teach their kids, especially when it comes to helping others. Why not go through your kids' closets and pull out the clothes they have outgrown? (As a parent, we all know those clothes may have been new just last month.) Donate those gently used clothes to a nearby clothes closet. Better yet, why not go as a family and volunteer at the center for a few hours or even for a day? Roll up your sleeves, help others, and teach your children the value of serving others in your community.
• Make handmade cards for people who are sick or homebound. You might even want to bake a few cookies or a cake to take to them as you deliver the cards. Handmade cards and sweet treats will add a smile to those you visit! And, it'll certainly warm your family's hearts, too.
• Take a walk through your neighborhood and pick up trash along the way. You might meet a few new neighbors you don't yet know. As you walk, pray for people not in church, people who are sick, or other needs you know about. And, as you go on this little project, you'll certainly improve the look of your community.
• Many school districts now require uniforms for their students. Sadly, some families struggle to afford these for their kids. Why not donate your children's outgrown uniforms to their school? In addition to that donation, when you go out shopping for their new school uniforms, pick up an extra uniform in the same size as your son or daughter. Donate that new uniform to the school to be given to a struggling family.

See? You don't have to do anything elaborate, spend a lot of money, or travel very far to do missions as a family. Just look around you. You'll find plenty of missions projects your family can accomplish this summer.

M. Steve Heartsill loves God, his family, and sometimes his dog, Peanut.