National BGMC Day
The Second Sunday in March
The Purpose of National BGMC Day
National BGMC Day is the second Sunday in March. In 2009, this day falls on Sunday, March 8. The purpose of National BGMC Day is to involve the entire church in BGMC. It’s also a time to expose the adults to what BGMC does, the purpose of BGMC, and to take up an adult offering for BGMC. Many times the adults in the church do not know about all the great things BGMC does and how much BGMC helps our missionaries. This day is a great time to show a video about BGMC and encourage the entire church to participate in the BGMC offering.
Ideas To Celebrate National BGMC Day
First, have a special missions month for the children. Emphasize missions to your children every Sunday in March. Read them thank you letters and true missions stories from current and past BGMC missions manuals. (There is a small charge for past manuals and manuals on CD while they last.) These manuals are full of awesome missions teachings and stories. Have the children pray each week for missionaries. Perhaps each Sunday School class or Royal Rangers or Mpact class may want to adopt certain missionaries and pray for them.
Second, have a special missions offering emphasis during the month of February and culminating on Sunday, March 8. Encourage the children to make a faith promise to God and give it to missions through BGMC. Special faith promise materials are free and can be ordered from Gospel Publishing House. Set a goal for the church and have all the children make individual faith promises. Add them up to see if they meet your goal. Announce the goal to the whole church so that they can join in on the faith of the children. Perhaps some adults will want to help match the faith promises of the children. That’s a great way for the children’s offerings to double. Remember that when you give to BGMC, you’re helping to support nearly all of the missionaries all around the world and here in America.
Third, have a special offering emphasis with the whole church involved. Have all the kids and the entire congregation save coins for six weeks. Then turn in the boxes or barrels for one giant offering on BGMC Day, March 8 (or on the last Sunday in March).
Fourth, consider involving the children and adults of your church in the annual March Missions Madness campaign.
The March Missions Madness campaign is called “Lost Change for Lost Souls.” This month-long campaign occurs during March, which is also the month of National BGMC Day. Every person in the church is challenged to take home a Buddy box or a Buddy Barrel bank and search their homes, cars, offices, couches, and dresser drawers for “lost change” that can help win “lost souls” around the world for Jesus! We have also designed posters (free of charge) so you can promote this event. Get more information on March Missions Madness.
Another great idea is to hand out small offering bags called “30 Pieces of Silver” to every person in the congregation. Set a goal for your church. Try to get 500 bags turned in, or 1000, or 2000, or more! Have the whole church collecting bags of silver to give back to Jesus as your gift to win the world. These bags are fifteen cents each and are available from Gospel Publishing House.
Once you have your kids praying for missionaries, giving to missions, and your adults participating, then you're ready to try some of the other ideas. These include:
- Invite a missionary to speak to the children (either on Sunday or Wednesday).
- Let the children decorate the church foyer like places around the world.
- Have special services in kids’ church to emphasize missions.
- Have the adults take up a special offering on BGMC Sunday to emphasize children's ministries.
- Have the adults help the children with their faith promise goals by giving them jobs to do and then paying them for the work that is done.
- Show a BGMC video clip in the adult service or in kid’s church.
- Show the “Like Never Before” music video.
- Hang up the free National BGMC Day poster in the church as a reminder for the adults and the kids. (NOTE: the poster is mailed to churches in late January. If you do not receive one or if you need more, call the BGMC office at 417-862-2781, ext. 4009. Do not call GPH. The BGMC office has these posters and will mail them to you.)
BGMC Yearly Goal
Churches are also asked to call their district office and give the district BGMC director their yearly goal for BGMC on this same day. Churches can also use this day to award the kids for their faithful giving from the previous year. Be sure to check out the awards and incentives available through the BGMC Online Store.
Theme for 2008
BGMC partners with World Missions and uses the same yearly theme. This way all the children’s activities at mission conventions will coincide with all the adult activities. The AGWM yearly theme for August 2008 to August 2009 is “Everyone” (Acts 1:8).
World Missions has developed great resources for this theme. They have created banners, place mats, stickers, bulletin covers, pins, activity books, etc. To request a free catalog, call 417-862-2781, ext. 2061, and ask for item number 719-045 for the 2008-2009 theme.
However you do it, don’t miss this chance to help your kids reach the world!
The products mentioned in this article are available by calling Gospel Publishing House at 1-800-641-4310, or through the BGMC Online Store.
