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Awana: Training up Children to Serve Christ
Clad in uniforms, they stand proud. With hardearned
medals pinned over their hearts, they unite under a
banner. They are soldiers. They train and serve in
the army of God: Preschoolers who still need help
tying their shoelaces… Third graders learning how to
write in cursive… Awana! Their clear and exuberant
voices ring out, singing: “Firmly Awana stands / Led
by the Lord’s commands. / Approved Workmen Are Not
Ashamed. / Girls and boys for His service claimed”
(from the Awana song). As our nation unites under
the flag of stripes and stars, Awana children unite
under the banner of God. Across the nation in every
state, kids from preschool to High School meet
weekly to learn, train, and have fun with a purpose.
Awana—a Christian version of boys’ and girls’
scouts—began in 1950 as a youth program at the North
Side Gospel Center in Chicago. Its mission? To reach
youngsters with the gospel of Christ and train them
to serve Him. Today there are Awana chapters in more
than12,000 churches in over 110 countries all across
the globe. FBCA’a Awana chapter consists of over 100
children and 40 leaders. They train by learning
stories from the Bible. They memorize verses and
earn medals. They participate in recreation through
game time. When Awana first started at FBCA, its
participants were primarily from FBCA families who
wanted a good Bible program. But as the ministry has
grown, more and more people from other churches
attend—along with unchurched people!
Taking the helm under God’s leadership at FBCA are
directors Julie Phillips and Melissa Vater. Just as
the children range in ages, the leaders come from
all walks of life. There are singles, married
couples, grandparents, and Awana alumni. Among them
are dads committed to setting a positive role model
for their children. Johnnie describes one situation
in which a young boy had become such a behavior
problem that they needed a man to buddy up with the
boy and take him under his wing. When the call went
out, one man immediately stepped up and volunteered.
Nurturing relationships with children is at the
heart of Awana.
Leaders have the privilege to witness children’s
growth in their relationships with God. At the same
time, leaders deepen their own faith by
participating in various activities. For example,
leaders join with their students in memorizing
verses, a major program component. The commanders
themselves say they learn just by listening to the
children recite their verses by heart. In younger
grades, Awana lays the foundation for faith, then
builds upon it as children advance through the
levels. Katherine Shirley, the Cubbies (preschool)
director, believes it vital to teach children from
very early on to follow Christ. Over the years
children at various stages have come to trust in
Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Awana also require members to complete assignments
as they hone the truths of the Bible. To fulfill the
assignment to bring friends to Awana, one leader
brought a preschool boy who is not a believer. He
enjoyed the program so much that he decided to join
with the support of his parents. His parents, though
not Christians, practiced the Bible verses with
their son. As a result the mom wants to start coming
to services at FBCA. “Not only are we reaching
children with the gospel of Christ,” Johnnie state,
“but we’re reaching their families as well.” Through
the process of training children to be servants of
the Lord, adults are challenged by the children’s
exuberance and faithfulness to be fully equipped
soldiers for Christ… because approved workmen are
not ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15).
Awana® and the Awana logo are trademarks of Awana
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