The Little Project that Grew!

By: Esther Zimmerman – Director BCM International Children’s Ministries

“The little project that grew big!” is how BCM teacher trainers often designate In Step with the Master Teacher.

It was 1998 when several BCM trainers were invited to present a series of workshops at a Philadelphia church. As each trainer presented their material, they soon recognized overlap in some areas of training while there were gaps in other areas. So was born the vision for a unified training course that would allow BCM trainers to work together effectively. Although that original group didn’t realize it then, God had a much bigger vision!

A Miracle!

Responsibility for this new project was assigned to BCM Scotland missionaries, David and Esther Zimmerman, together with Director of International Training, Chip Griepsma. But to do it right, they needed input. Much input! Brainstorming sessions included more than 60 missionaries representing over 20 countries. David, Esther and Chip listened carefully through each session. What happened next was a miracle in itself. There was complete consensus! In every location, BCM missionaries said exactly the same thing. An effective teacher needed to:

• Model God’s truth
• Build relationships
• Teach truth
• Challenge for response

As the curriculum committee explored these thoughts further, they realized these were universal truths rooted in the ministry of Christ himself. These were also the truths every children’s worker in every country needed to apply to their ministry. Not surprisingly, these four truths became the backbone for ISMT.

But if the brainstorming sessions brought complete consensus on the core content of In Step with the Master Teacher, they didn’t bring clear consensus on anything else! Western Europe missionaries felt a course needed to be less than four hours while Eastern Europe missionaries wanted a course at least 12 hours long. North American missionaries insisted on contemporary visuals while missionaries in developing countries felt most visuals were a waste of time.

Then there was the issue of what to visualize for a trans-cultural course. Once the committee collated the feedback, they recognized they wouldn’t be able to visualize people, churches, buildings, homes, landscapes—or any words at all. ISMT needed to be equally at home in rural Asian villages, European cities, Latin American churches and North American Christian Education conventions. This project was becoming a major challenge!

Despite the challenges, In Step with the Master Teacher took shape. It became a flexible course: four hours of core training together with 18 hours of mix-and-match satellite training sessions offered in a convenient CD format. Full-color wordless cartoon visuals could be projected, printed or reproduced anywhere from readily available materials. Avoiding cultural illustrations, the writers chose basic Biblical teaching principles that applied equally in all cultures.

Where to Go Next?

As In Step with the Master Teacher took form, so did a seed question: What could God do through BCM children’s ministries if missionaries harnessed the potential power of multiplication?” Even BCM’s most effective children’s ministries couldn’t hope to reach the planet’s 2.2 billion children. Those brainstorming sessions had shown that BCM was full of excellent children’s workers, but many of them were intimidated by the idea of training others. The vision continued to grow. ISMT would have to make it easy for excellent children’s workers to multiply themselves through training.

In early 2004, In Step with the Master Teacher finally rolled off the press. The original idea was that BCM trainers would use this training in their immediate areas and for BCM personnel. But once again God’s vision was far bigger! Today ISMT is being used by partner organizations, Bible colleges and many church denominations. Early on, BCM pictured a few minor translation works. Now there are between 15 and 20 translation projects at various stages. And God continues to use ISMT to multiply ministry to children around the world.

ISMT Goes Global!

In Latin America, BCM Peru missionaries were already training students and church leaders to reach out to children in their communities. Now they are branching into a new jungle area, taking ISMT with them as they challenge indigenous church leaders with the needs of children. They’ve also had exciting opportunities to use ISMT in training orphanage and relief workers to address spiritual needs of the children with whom they work.

In Eastern Europe, Ukraine and Russia, In Step with the Master Teacher has gone hand in hand with the translation and publication of BCM’s Bible teaching curriculum, Footsteps of Faith. Working with publishing partners, New Hope International, BCM missionaries have been able to travel throughout the region training believers to minister to children. As a result of BCM’s partnership with New Hope, over 70,000 children in Romania alone are being taught the Word of God each week. Recognizing a need for training far greater than their ability to meet it, BCM missionaries returned to the principle of multiplication with Train the Trainer. Two training events in Ukraine have prepared 100 Ukrainian-speaking church leaders to train others using ISMT. A third Train the Trainer workshop will be held for Russian speaking leaders this spring.

In Western Europe, cities like Athens and Thessalonica were among the first to hear the good news of Jesus. Today less than 1% of Greece’s population is evangelical. BCM missionaries Sophia and Paul Mihas often find themselves retracing the Apostle Paul’s footsteps as they use In Step with the Master Teacher to encourage and train believers to minister more effectively with children.

In Asia ISMT ministry is only beginning, but the potential is exciting. In February, 2007, BCM Asia hosted the first Pacific region Train the Trainer conference in Sri Lanka. Within one month, BCM leaders who attended had already scheduled three ISMT events in India, Indonesia and Philippines. In Irian Jaya, veteran missionary Sylvia Wright is committed to training national leaders to multiply as she knows she could be forced to leave at any time. Her desire is to ensure that the church will be equipped to continue ministry to children whether she is there or not.

Biblical principles of working with children are universal, and North America needs this training too! Trainers have presented In Step with the Master Teacher in workshops at large Christian Education conventions on the East Coast to very positive reviews, and a number of influential churches and Christian organizations have adopted ISMT as their volunteer training program. Doors are opening across a wide range of denominations for this simple, biblical children’s ministry training.

God’s Vision for ISMT Still Growing!

Yes, God’s vision for ISMT has proved greater than that original group of BCM trainers could have dreamed possible. But they are not content to rest on their laurels now. “Our hearts continue to beat with God’s heart for the 2.2 billion children around the world,” one trainer expresses for all of them. That the planet’s 2.2 billion children might have the opportunity to come to know, love and obey God is each BCM teacher trainer’s passionate vision and desire for In Step with the Master Teacher.