Throughout history, the people who made an impact on a generation were not satisfied to simply invest in those who came in—they would actively pursue those who were marginalized.

In the 1780s, Robert Raikes became concerned for the poor, illiterate children of Gloucester, England. He saw them in their need—children who could neither read nor write were forced to work in the factories and were growing up without religious or moral training. Raikes saw a solution that would help keep them from becoming like so many who were filling the prisons of that day.

He utilized a time that the boys were not in school or work, collected them together to teach them to read and write, and recruited teachers from a local church. The time they chose for this investment was on a Sunday afternoon. What resulted was the birth of the Sunday School movement. It was an almost immediate success.

We have seen similar outreach-focused ministry endeavors over and over in our nation and around the world. From the birth of Sidewalk Sunday School, Good News Clubs, MEGA Sports Camp, Kids Crusades, to TV and radio shows. Every one of these create opportunities to reach children outside the walls of the church with a goal of introducing them to Christ.

But what about your church? What about you? When you drive by a schoolyard, do you wonder who is going to present the gospel to those children? When you hear about abuse and neglect in your community, are you moved to act with compassion?

A friend of mine is a kids’ pastor in Fairbanks, Alaska. Every time I speak with him on the phone, I hear his passion for the hundreds of villages within his reach that do not have an adequate gospel-centered outpost for children. It drives him and his church to find creative solutions and to invest time and money to reach those communities. And they are making an impact!

What if you were to take time today to drive around your community asking the Holy Spirit to lead you to places where kids gather but have no one sharing Jesus with them? As you find those places, could you begin trust your Heavenly Father for a solution to meet them where they are?

There are children all around us who need Jesus. How would a heart for the lost in your community change your perspective for weekend ministry?

Will you let your heart be gripped for the lost in your community?