The Childhood Ministry of Oklahoma Baptists is built on forming relationships with children birth through sixth grade and with children’s ministry leaders in Oklahoma churches. This ministry has a strong foundation in the “Three Pillars of Childhood Ministry,” which are:
1. Children need to hear about Jesus.
2. Children must be taught Bible skills.
3. Children need opportunities to serve.
The three principles listed above are applied to all leadership and training resources developed through events such as Vacation Bible School, Mission Ignition, Community 94 and Church Weekday Education.
And let’s not forget summer camps for kids. Right now, CrossTimbers Children’s Missions Adventure Camp, which is a summer camp for children who have completed third grade and through sixth, is in full swing in Davis and at Grand Lake. The mission of the camp is to support local church efforts as they strive to reach lost children in their communities and to raise up a generation of kids who have an authentic walk with God and who actively serve others through missional living.
During CrossTimbers, camp staffers share their personal missions experiences and the experiences of others. They work hard to educate campers on the evangelistic work that is going on in the state, country and world. Because a classroom experience isn’t exactly what kids are looking for at camp, staffers work hard to incorporate a missions experience by teaching the cultural practices, games and activities, crafts, language and food and drink tasting of other countries as ways to break up the teaching time.
The theme for CrossTimbers this summer is “Whatever” and the focus verse is Phil. 4:8. “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things.”
Pray the children and their sponsors who come to camp will hear, understand and respond to the Gospel. Pray God will guide Sarah Hagar, the new program director at CrossTimbers, and Oklahoma Baptists children’s ministry team as they select resources and develop training to offer churches and children’s ministry leaders.
Because of the generous giving of Oklahoma Baptists through the Cooperative Program, an amazing array of ministries are supported. This unified giving encourages fellowship with other believers all over the world. Collectively, Oklahoma Baptists are advancing the Gospel together.
For more information about the Cooperative Program, visit oklahomabaptists.org/cp.
