National Children’s Ministries Agency Generates a “New Generation of Missionaries”

On May 6, at Park Crest Assembly in Springfield, Mo., fourth grader Sierra Bixler became the first E-LIFE Kid in the nation to be commissioned as an “E-LIFE Kid Missionary” during the Sunday evening adult service.

“The senior pastor, children’s pastor, parents, and I laid hand on and prayed God’s anointing over Sierra,” says Bruner. “The entire adult congregation prayed with us, that the Holy Spirit would enable Sierra to reach her school and community for Christ Jesus.”

For about two years prior, Sierra envisioned how she could begin a Bible-based, student-led after-school club at her elementary school campus. Then after a special E-LIFE Kids service at Park Crest AG, Sierra went forward to the altar to commit herself to becoming an E-LIFE Kid. Sierra didn’t stop there, however; she took the next step and committed to become an E-LIFE Kid Missionary, which is an E-LIFE Kid who commits to regularly sharing his or her faith at school. At the E-LIFE service at Park Crest, several children came forward that night to be the new generation of E-LIFE Kids.

“Our goal is to equip children’s leaders with five-minute activities that can be taught in any given children’s ministry setting," says Marshall Bruner, E-LIFE coordinator for the national Children’s Ministries Agency, "and then to teach children how to reach their world for Jesus by living out five basic commitments: to seek the Spirit’s help to help others, to show kindness and friendship, to share about Jesus with others, to invite others to church and to accept Christ, and to invest in the lives of others.