Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these (Matthew 19:14). God loves children, and His call to missions for me, a happily married wife and mother of two young children, starts with the children in my home.

Staying Home

My own parents modeled what it meant to fulfill a calling from the Lord to missions. When I was nine years old, my father left a seminary position in Taiwan and moved our family to the unfamiliar country of the United States to begin the work of church planting. The first church started in our home, where dad preached God’s message, mother cared for the elderly and cooked lunch for the congregation, my older sister played the piano, and I helped with teaching young children in Sunday school. We worked tirelessly for God’s kingdom, and we were very happy.

Since accepting Christ into my heart as a child, I have always been a zealous follower. During my junior year in high school, my passion for Christ was more fully ignited. I became more aware of the dire need of people all over the world to hear the gospel. I began to want to do big things for God. During college, I had the opportunity to serve in leadership roles in a campus Christian ministry. Additionally, I continued to serve weekly at my church, which began as a small gathering of people in my parents’ living room but over time grew to about 150 people. I was a Sunday school teacher, a worship leader, and a translator. Even though I was busy with school work, I was also very motivated for God’s kingdom work. I even went on a short-term mission trip to the Navajo Indian Reservation to build relationships with children and their families and to share the gospel. I was young but driven, and I was constantly reminded by 1 Timothy 4:12, Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. At the end of my college years, the goal for my life was to be an instrument for God in His mission field. I wanted to go! I had my plan for how to be more equipped as a “goer.” I was like a child with a hand raised high, eagerly waiting for her teacher to call on her.

But that was my plan. As much as I wanted to be a “goer” in God’s big plan for the world, I was never called to go. I learned that my plan was not His plan. God’s mission field is not necessarily only the developing countries where the majority of the population in the region are unbelievers. It may not even be a different part of the U.S. For me, God’s mission field started at home.

Doing Missions at Home

Deuteronomy 11:19 reminds us, Teach them [God's words] to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. God’s instruction for parents consists of four dimensions. First, we are to teach our children how to make decisions. The Bible states, Folly is bound up in the heart of a child (Proverbs 22:15). Children are born sinful and they do not have the capability to make godly decisions. As parents, God has given us the authority to direct our children to make right choices. For example, instead of choosing what they want and what makes them feel good, direct them to what is beneficial for their health, morally correct, and according to scripture.

In addition to teaching children to make right decisions, the Bible also instructs us to provide a nurturing environment where children are encouraged to grow in the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22–23 lists nine fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Being able to demonstrate these characteristics reflects the active presence of the Holy Spirit living in our lives. Jesus reminded us, Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit (Matthew 7:17). Our choices reflect our thoughts and character, which can impact our neighbors, family, and friends. The bearing of good fruit brings glory to our Father (John 15:8). As parents, we are to help our children in developing the fruits of the Spirit.

The third dimension is to give them knowledge of the Bible. As this world continues to accept everything as relative, children need to know that the Bible is inerrant and absolute. Jesus said, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6). We need to help our children understand spiritual concepts, such as: how sin entered into the world, God’s love for all people, the reason for Christ’s coming to earth, His death and resurrection, and our purpose for living.

Last but not least, we are to walk with our children in their walk with God. God has given us the blessing of children, and He also wants us to enjoy our children, talk to them, and pray with them. He wants us to know our children: what makes them happy and what upsets them. He wants us to spend time together—do a project together or be involved in an outreach event as a family. God knows how hard it is to raise children, so He has given us a church family, so bring them to church-run activities. Ecclesiastes 4:9 states, Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. Find a trustworthy Christian friend and pray together. These four dimensions are God’s instructions for parents and are stated in the Bible.

A Mother’s Service

My own children have become my disciples. We study the Word of God, prepare shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse as an outreach activity, learn how to praise God through music, and pray together. As a mother, I discipline them when needed but comfort them when they are upset. In this current season of my life, my disciples are in my home, and I pray that God gives me the wisdom to be a mother who can exemplify Christ and provide a nurturing environment where they can grow in their journey of knowing God.

God’s mission field is not always in an unfamiliar place. His appointed mission field may be in our very own homes! When I was growing up, I learned to serve God’s people who came to my parents’ home for Bible study and church activities. At this current stage of my life, my children are the little lambs He wants me to nourish. God did not want me to go to a foreign mission field, but He has given me the role of a mobilizer to train my children to be lovers of Christ and mission-oriented. As stated in Joshua 24:15b, As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Jennifer received her M. A. from Stanford University School of Education and Ed. D. from University of Southern California. She is an online associate faculty member with the University of Phoenix and enjoys spending time with her children. She continues to teach Sunday school, mentor young people, and lead worship at church. Jennifer and her family live in the Sacramento area.