by Mary Boyd/ February 20, 2017
Every year during the month of March, BGMC runs its annual challenge called “March Missions Madness—Lost Change for Lost Souls.” The month of March was chosen because National BGMC Day is the second Sunday in March. For 2017, it’s March 12. The BGMC theme for 2017 is “Above & Beyond…with BGMC” based on the verse, “Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20, HCSB).
The purpose of this four-week challenge is to bring special attention to the whole church as to what BGMC is and what it does. The object of the challenge is to get every person in the church involved by looking for lost change (money) for one month in order to reach lost souls around the world. Lost souls are reached by supplying our missionaries with the supplies they need to spread the gospel.
We suggest that you give every person in the church a free Buddy Box. These boxes come folded flat so they take up very little storage space. Because they are folded flat, they fit into church bulletins. They are about the size of a juice box container. This is an easy way to get a BGMC offering container to every church person. These boxes are available in the “Above & Beyond” theme.
Challenge the congregation to search their homes, cars, sofas, washing machines, dresser drawers, etc. to find change that is “lost.” By giving this lost change to BGMC, lost souls will be reached with the gospel. Boxes are to be turned in when they are full. Some people will fill them in one week. Give them another box to fill. Announce that all boxes should be turned in on the last Sunday. Some people will continue to fill their boxes throughout the year.
“Lost Change for Lost Souls” will create excitement among the kids and adults in the church as everyone gets involved in gathering money for BGMC. Adults will have opportunity during this month to show the kids their support. The adult support will instill excitement in the kids to get more involved in BGMC. This campaign/challenge is also a great way to boost your BGMC fundraising for the year.
We also suggest that you show a BGMC video clip to the congregation and to the kids. You may want to show a clip every week. BGMC has great video clips on DVD and great music videos. We have created short video clips called “Beyond the Barrel” that you can show every Sunday during March Missions Madness. Each clip focuses on what BGMC is doing in that country. CLICK HERE to see what videos are available. We have also put the various “Beyond the Barrel” video clips on their own DVD. You can purchase that DVD for $5.00 by CLICKING HERE.
BGMC has also created a great music video to celebrate the “Above & Beyond” theme. CLICK HERE to download the theme music video.
Children’s Pastor, Kelly Presson, from the Christian Celebration Center in Midland, Mich., created a great March Missions Madness video that you can show to your adults to kick off this event. CLICK HERE to download the video from YouTube.
All of the other videos can be downloaded from the BGMC website, CLICK HERE. We also have BGMC Change Agents video clips that can be shown each week.
BGMC has created special free March Missions Madness posters to hang up around the church and in your classrooms so that you can record the final goal for March Missions Madness and the weekly offering totals coming in. BGMC has also created full-color half sheet fliers (FREE) to hand out to the kids and adults or to put in the church bulletins that explain just what March Missions Madness is and why you are doing this fundraising challenge. All of the March Missions Madness resources (posters, brochures, fliers) are also available in Spanish. For a detailed packet on how to get involved in this challenge and for great ideas, go to the BGMC website. You can also download the posters and fliers CLICK HERE.
Resources are available by calling My Healthy Church at 1-855-642-2011.
Every year, BGMC also creates a new poster to celebrate National BGMC Day. This poster is free. It is available by calling My Healthy Church (item number 715-540). The poster features English on one side and Spanish on the other. For more information on how to promote National BGMC Day, CLICK HERE.
Every church who currently participates in BGMC has had one March Missions Madness poster, and the MMM packet, and one National BGMC Day poster mailed to you.
REMEMBER, “A LITTLE BIT OF CHANGE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD!”
