Mars Hill Baptist Awana Webpage

What is AWANA

AWANA is a bible-based program that is designed to help children hide the Word of God in their hearts. Mars Hill's program will minister to children from age 2 years to the sixth grade. Challenging those beginning with kindergarten to sixth grade to memorize scripture. They will be taught how to personally apply those memorized verses through games and biblical lessons.

Since 1950, Awana has grown from a one-church program into a ministry that includes more than 16,000 churches in the United States, in more than 110 countries worldwide, and is available in 30 different languages. Local churches reach hundreds of thousands of young people every week by using the Awana program. The goal of Awana is to reach boys and girls with the gospel of Christ and to train them to serve Him. Mars Hill Baptist Church is happy to be a part of this ministry.

The word Awana is an acronym for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, and comes from 2 Timothy 2:15.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15

Purpose of Awana

AWANA exists to reach children and youth with the gospel of Christ and train them to serve Him. The priorities of AWANA also include reaching parents and other family members with the gospel and training adults to minister to youth.

Gospel Message

That Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again. Everyone is a sinner and deserves eternal punishment. Jesus Christ, God's Son, paid the penalty for our sin when He was crucified on the cross and rose from the dead. If we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior; we receive God's gift of eternal life in heaven. Once we trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, we can never lose our salvation.

Commander Gary's Message

How many times can we say, we serve an awesome God. When you look at what He is doing in the Mars Hill Baptist Church Awana Program, you can't help but agree that we serve an awesome God. Since our program began, we have grown from a high attendance of 122 kids to a high of 182 kids. Each week our biggest problem has been recruiting more workers and ordering enough materials for the new kids that continue to show up. The hard work and dedication of our workers, here at MHB, continue to blow my mind. The excitement on the game floor continues to go off the chart and the kids are loving it! Their excitement has also been taken to new heights by the most awesome Awans Store in the South East Region.

While the kids are earning points to spend in the store, they are also taking their knowledge and awareness of God to new heights. That new found knowledge of Jesus Christ has helped 14 kids to make decisions for Him in the past three weeks. Three of these were baptized here at MHBC on February 14. We know we will soon see more baptisms as a result of decisions made in our Awana Program. Other churches are enjoying the fruit of this labor of love and are following up on and ministering to these that are making decisions. Praise God! Our Awana ministry has and will continue to cross denominational boundaries, but don't get excited, we are not trying to make Baptist out of any child. We simply teach them about the love of Christ and tell them what He did for them. We then give them the chance to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ with much prayer and follow up, I might add.

I pray that parents and guardians of these that God has entrusted to us will continue to help us train them and pray for them. Remember one of the biggest things you can do to help us, is to get the kids here on time every Wednesday night and make sure they have their materials. I promise you that I am going to do my part and God's going to do His part. Let's do it together!

In Christ, your AWANA Commander, Bro Gary

Our Schedule

Staff

Mars Hill AWANA Clubbers

Director   Angie Bowden

Director   Sheila Carter

Director   Lynn King

Awana Theme Song

Words by Clarence W. Jones and Herbert Booth

Firmly Awana stands, led by the Lord’s commands
“Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed”
Boys and girls for His service claimed!
Hail Awana! On the march for youth
Hail Awana! Holding for the truth
Building lives on the Word of God, Awana stands!

Our Savior following with steps unfaltering
And love unaltering, His praise we sing
His banner over us, in service glorious
We’ll fight victorious for Christ our King!
Youth On The March!

Pledges

American Flag

I pledge allegiance to the flag
Of the United States of America
And to the republic for which it stands
One nation under God, indivisible
With liberty and justice for all.

Awana Flag

I pledge allegiance to the Awana flag
Which stands for the Awana Clubs
Whose goal is to reach boys and girls
With the Gospel of Christ
and train them to serve him.