Articles

6 MINUTE READ

Discovering the Meaning of the Great CommissionMaybe you have read or heard about the Great Commission. I always thought Jesus commissioned his disciples to go, but I discovered that his final words had a different emphasis. In this article, I would like to share this subtle shift in perspective and explore its significance for each of us and our families. Jesus’ final words We read in Matthew 28 that Jesus told his disciples to meet him on a mountain. Mountains are significant places in the Bible where people met with God. It was considered a place of worship, instruction, covenant, and the transfer of leadership. At the top of th

Marleen Mortin, Operation Mobilisation

September 10, 2025

4 MINUTE READ

The CallWhen I came home from our first mission trip, I noticed some small, ordinary things like eating fast food seemed amazing! I never thought like this before the trip. As the days passed and I reflected on the whole journey—not just the time spent in another country, but from the moment my pastor first invited me to pray about going to the minute we landed back home—I realized that more had changed than just my opinion of fast food. I was different. There was an energy and excitement about my future that I could not quite explain. It’s like I had discovered somet

Pat Ragan

August 20, 2025

4 MINUTE READ

The Hero of the Story is God!Sometimes, when we teach the Bible to children, we can miss the opportunity to highlight God as the true hero of the story. How could we teach the Bible and not have God be the hero? It’s easier than we think, and it often happens with the best of intentions. I made this mistake often during my first years of teaching children about the Bible. I would talk about the "heroes of our faith"—Noah, Moses, David, and Samson—as if they were just like modern-day superheroes. But the problem with these heroes—whether found in Scripture or in DC or Marvel comic books—is th

Teresa Roberts, Ozark Christian College

August 10, 2025

5 MINUTE READ

Following God’s Ongoing and Seasonal InstructionsAfter God rescued his people from Egypt, he instructed them on how to build the Tabernacle as his dwelling place even before entering the Promised Land. God appeared over the Tabernacle as a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Numbers 9:22-23 (NLT) describes how God led his people during this time: “Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whateve

Beth Meverden

July 20, 2025

4 MINUTE READ

How to Create Holy Habits as a FamilyHave you ever tried to start a new habit, like flossing every day, practicing a new language, or starting a workout regimen? Then you know it’s easier said than done. The same is true when it comes to building routines that help your family grow in faith. But the good news? You don’t have to overhaul your life or run a full Bible study at the dinner table every night. Small, simple habits can make a big difference over time. It’s all about starting where you are and building from there. Here are a few keystone principles to creating holy habits, because small, faithful choic

Lauren Gonzalez, Via Families

July 10, 2025

7 MINUTE READ

Raising Resilient Children: Why Expanding Their Worldview Strengthens Their Faith and PerseveranceAs Christian parents, we carry both the joy and the weight of raising children who love Jesus deeply and live boldly for him in a world that is full of both beauty and brokenness. We long to raise children who not only know God's Word but live it—children who can stand strong when life is hard, who can love those who are different, and who can persevere when things don’t go their way. But if we are honest, many of us feel a tension: We want to protect our children... but we also want them to grow. We want to give them opportunities... but the unknown feels scary. We want them to h

Alicia Bennett, Mobilizer Mom

June 20, 2025

6 MINUTE READ

ContentmentRecently, my wife said, “Our daughter has an odd way of interpreting Scripture.” Though she said it with a smile, I was immediately curious! My oldest then defended herself by describing the situation. She wanted to wear a particular long skirt on the following school day. My wife wisely said, “I’m not sure that skirt would be practical for the field trip you’re going on tomorrow.” Ava answered by saying, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” (Philippians 4:13). We all laughed when she said it with perfect comedic timing, but w

Frank Trimble, Family Time Training

June 10, 2025

4 MINUTE READ

Eid al-AdahExploring traditions from other cultures helps your child grow in understanding and love for the peoples that God loves. Eid al-Adha (eed uhl-ad-HAH) is a Muslim holiday starting on the evening of Friday, June 6, 2025. As you discover more about Eid al-Adha with your family, consider reading the biblical account of Abraham’s sacrifice from Genesis 22 together. Afterwards, ask them to point out the differences between the Bible and the Qu’ran (kuh-RAHN) versions. Let your children know the Bible’s account is true, but many Muslims think their story from the Qu’ran is rig

Jenny Marcelene

May 20, 2025

5 MINUTE READ

Adventure With God TogetherEmbracing God’s adventure for my family was always easy to do….until it wasn’t. Let me explain. My husband and I had been partners in ministry since before we were married. As college students in a small town, it was easy to follow God’s call into ministry. Years passed as we served in small-town churches with families who were mostly like us - good kids, good homes, familiar surroundings. Often, times were financially tight as our family grew to four. I thought I was making big sacrifices. Then, God moved in my husband’s heart through a literal earthquake and r

Angie Cox, GoTEN

May 10, 2025

5 MINUTE READ

A Family Trip to Africa“Mum, I want to go to Africa,” 11-year-old Vera stated. She’d just attended a mission service where a visiting missionary shared that all believers are called to make disciples and related stories of young people making an impact in various countries in Africa. Touched by these stories, Vera expressed an interest in experiencing life and mission work in Africa. Surprised, Vera’s mum asked what she thought she could do. “I just want to play with the children and make them happy,” Vera shared. “I can do crafts with them and play games.” Initially,

Marleen Mortin, Operation Mobilisation

April 18, 2025

6 MINUTE READ

The Discipleship JourneyEvery child is in the process of discipleship. The question is: What is discipling them? Consider a day in the life of a child. Who are the people they are following: peers, teachers, celebrities, coaches? How much time do they spend at athletic practices? How much emphasis is placed on academic achievement? How much time are they spending playing video games or reading books? Children are being discipled through academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, relationships, and entertainment. Every child is in the process of discipleship, whether intentionally begun... o

Teresa Roberts, Ozark Christian College

April 10, 2025

5 MINUTE READ

Serving As a FamilySome of my most precious childhood memories involve serving with my parents at church and faith-related events. At first, I just accompanied my parents and played while they served. But soon, I wanted to do something too. From helping with cleaning, handing out flyers for a Christmas event, and assisting at Sunday School, to singing at family services; serving made me feel part of the church and shaped me as a follower of Christ. Many adults who are committed followers of Jesus and faithfully serving the body of Christ started as children. The Crewe-Brown family in my church in South Af

Marleen Mortin, Operation Mobilisation

March 20, 2025

6 MINUTE READ

Explore: PurimAs parents, we often seek ways to teach our children God’s truth while helping them grow in empathy and understanding of people who don’t yet know God. Exploring different cultures and traditions and teaching our children to pray is a meaningful way to do both. One tradition to explore with your family is Purim (POOR-im), a Jewish holiday celebrating God’s faithfulness, courage in the face of fear, and the power of standing up for others. An annual spring holiday, Purim commemorates God’s deliverance of the Jewish people from destruction as recorded in Esther. In

Alicia Bennett, Mobilizer Mom

March 07, 2025

5 MINUTE READ

Be Faithful in Prayer“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) The Bible teaches us to be faithful and persistent in prayer for all people and in all situations. Often, our prayers for people who do not know about Jesus are not answered immediately, especially when we pray for unreached people groups living in places where the gospel has not been heard yet. But sometimes, we get a glimpse of what God is doing. Here are a few of these glimpses to encourage you and your family to keep praying. Openness through prayer “Therefore I tell you, whatever you

Marleen Mortin, Operation Mobilisation

February 20, 2025

4 MINUTE READ

Helping Your Child Find Freedom From AngerYou are driving down the highway and hear a warning “ding” from your car’s computer system. You look down at the instrument panel and see a flashing indicator light. It is bright red, looks like an engine, and has an exclamation point next to it. How annoying! You proceed to grab the duct tape from the glove compartment, rip off a piece, and cover up the flashing red light so that it won’t bother you anymore while you continue driving. You have just made a foolish decision. The red warning light is not there to annoy you, but to let you know about a serious problem in

Rob Rienow, Visionary Family Ministries

February 10, 2025

5 MINUTE READ

Talking to Children about PersecutionPersecution is not an easy topic for anyone, especially for our children. It is heavy, frightening, and difficult to understand. For families who’ve never experienced mistreatment for being Jesus-followers, it probably seems like a foreign concept. For many years, I served in a country where persecution is a reality for believers in Jesus. I listened to a sister in Christ seeking wisdom on teaching the Bible to boys and girls in their church because the government wouldn’t allow children to attend with their parents. I mourned with friends whose church was shut down by autho

Mindy Christensen, Via

January 20, 2025

5 MINUTE READ

Meet the UyghursHelp your family embrace God’s love for the world by developing a habit of learning about other cultures. Read this story together to learn about and pray for the Uyghurs (WEE-gurz), an unreached Muslim people group in Northwest China and Central Asia. Welcome to Kashgar (KASH-gahr) where, in the Old City, narrow alleyways and ancient mud-brick buildings with colorful arched windows are giving way to modern, concrete architecture and wider streets. Signs here use both Arabic script and Chinese characters. Vendors at the Kashgar Bazaar sell a variety of food and drinks—freshly sque

Jenny Marcelene

January 10, 2025

6 MINUTE READ

Living Like Jesus: Simple Ways to Reflect Christ in Your HomeThroughout the Christmas season, we celebrate that Jesus came to earth and shared in our humanity. Jesus demonstrated and taught us to be like him. Romans 8:29 tells us: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” God calls us to conform to his image. This calling means that as parents, we commit to growing personally into Christ's image and loving our children into his image as well. Structure and repetition provide a solid foundation for children to grow in this way.

Mindy Christensen, Via

December 20, 2024

4 MINUTE READ

The Might of Mites: Children in His StoryChildren possess simple, practical faith that can inspire and call other believers to action. In this account, God uses a young girl to grow her congregation’s vision for what God might desire to do through them. The ripple effect of her vision is still impacting believers today. The year was 1884. The place was Philadelphia (US). Six-year-old Hattie May Wiatt lived with her family near the church they attended each week. Hattie loved walking to Sunday School to sing worship songs and learn about God, but she faced a big problem. Grace Baptist Church was bursting at the seams. The leade

Karen Hardin, Via

December 10, 2024

2 MINUTE READ

Live Out God's Work: Advent Prayers for the NationsThe countdown to Christmas is on! Focus your children on the birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world. Make an Advent Prayer Chain with your family and intercede for unreached peoples living in cultures where the gospel has not yet penetrated.