2013 Awana Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Dear Awana partners and friends,
Without a doubt, 2013 was a year of some very important firsts for our ministry.
Awana had a first for Pakistan. Amazingly, we went to Lahore – a seedbed of radical Islam –
and trained pastors and leaders there. Now, we reach close to 10,000 children for Christ.
It was a year of firsts for us in the Solomon Islands and Vietnam, where churches with
Awana ministries grew nearly tenfold to 200 churches. A group of us also met leaders in
Norway and Spain, where doors are opening in Europe.
Yet again, it was a year of firsts for Awana Lifeline™. We began our Hannah’s Gift ministry
to women in prison. With this new ministry and Malachi Dads, we expect the next Returning
Hearts Celebration to be even more powerful.
In 2013, Awana began a new realm of ministry which is presently called Awana Global Church
Planting. We will serve denominations and mission agencies in starting churches by providing
resources and training solutions to reach children, youth and families.
We also released the new Cubbies program update. The reception far exceeded our expectations
thanks to the dedicated people who contributed to and built the program.
All in all, 2013 was a year of extraordinary mile markers. Awana officially reached 2 million
children through more than 28,000 churches worldwide - largely due to our donor-funded
Leader-Based™ Strategy which began in 2007. The U.S. version, called Hitting the Mark™,
launched this year and is growing. We give glory to God for His blessing and thank God for all
of you who make this ongoing work possible.
I’ve challenged our staff to reach 10 million children globally through long-term spiritual
discipleship by the end of 2020. For the next seven years, Awana is going to be consumed
with reaching more children and youth with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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We would not be able to do any of this if it were not for our wonderful advocates who pray,
give and actively share with others about the Awana ministry. It’s our honor and privilege to
serve alongside you as partners in ministry. We look forward to a wonderful 2014!
Pressing on together,
Jack D. Eggar
MAKING DISCIPLES
One Generation After the Next
In 2013, churches and local ministries in 100+ countries reached 2 million children through
the ministry of Awana. Carried out by missionaries, churches, ministry partners, advocates,
leaders, parents, volunteers and faithful supporters since 1950, together we have been
working toward raising up each new generation of Christ followers.
“And He gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, the
shepherds and teachers, to
equip the saints for the work
of ministry, for building up the
body of Christ … ”
–Ephesians 4:11-12 (ESV)
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PAVING THE ROAD
to New Ministries
OUR PRAYER
is that all children
and youth
throughout the
world will come
to know, love and
serve our Lord
Jesus Christ.
God is continually leading us around the world to
reach more kids and youth for Christ. It is not only
in Europe, Asia, Middle East and other regions
where God is opening doors to spread the gospel,
but here in North America, as well.
Some of the most exciting developments in
the U.S. and Canada are our growing church
partnerships in Native American communities.
Awana missionaries and staff have been visiting
with pastors and leaders on reservations across
North America to learn how we can help them
spread the gospel. It’s an important time of
prayerful relationship building. It starts with
listening. Then as we understand the unique
challenges they are facing, we adapt our
materials to speak biblical truth within the context
of the culture. We do this through TruthSeekers™,
which is an oral-based resource that can be used
in a variety of settings.
Through partnership, Native American children
are hearing the gospel and receiving long-term
discipleship that will make an eternal impact
in their lives. Reservations in Arizona, New
Mexico and Washington, as well as Canada are
implementing Awana programs to reach kids,
their families and ultimately their communities.
We thank God for your support of our U.S.
missionaries who have served and equipped
thousands of churches in starting evangelistic
outreach and long-term discipleship programs.
It is your faithful support that enables them to
continue expanding God’s kingdom by bringing the
message of the gospel to all people.
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The story does not stop here...
“Children at Community Bible Church collected pennies so that more children
could hear about Jesus and come to Awana. Our hearts were deeply touched
by this tremendous financial sacrifice. God never ceases to amaze because
the amount they collected was almost exactly – within pennies – the amount
to get seven churches started with TruthSeekers. It paid for the first year of
materials for all seven of the churches to start. Praise God from whom all
blessings flow!” —Ken del Villar (Director of U.S. Field Operations)
The story also does not end here. As we have seen time and time again, God uses the
Awana ministry to spread the gospel from one church to another throughout communities.
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MAKING INROADS
Advocacy & Partnerships
OUR VISION
is to be a strategic
partner with
churches and
ministries in a global
effort to ensure the
opportunity for all
children and youth
to be evangelized
and discipled
in Christ.
Awana Children at Risk
Children at Risk (C@R) delivers the hope of
salvation to vulnerable children in the slums,
refugee camps, leprosy colonies and even
brothels that they call home.
By partnering with local churches and ministries,
C@R trains and empowers local leaders to bring
long-term discipleship in God’s Word to children
who are largely forgotten. In the past three years,
over 57,000 children in six countries in Africa and
South Asia are getting their spiritual needs met
through weekly Awana clubs.
Dzaleka Refugee Camp
In the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, Africa
where Awana has been ministering for one year,
more than 1,000 children have received Christ.
The residents see such profound spiritual impact
in their community that they decided to build an
Awana Centre. When heavy rains destroyed the
new Awana Centre right before it was completed,
the people pulled what limited resources they had
to rebuild the center.
Families who do not know God are bringing their
children to Awana each week, and leaders know
it is just a matter of time before many parents
come to faith in Christ, too.
“We have three Muslim families which
have joined our church through Awana.
Awana is not playing with children ...
it’s a tool for evangelism.”
—Timotheo A. (Malawi leader)
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Awana Lifeline™
Through Awana Lifeline, God is reaching another
at-risk group, children of incarcerated fathers.
Awana Lifeline’s vision is to see every child have
a godly father who is building a legacy of faith in
Christ. Awana Lifeline prison ministry began in
2004 at Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola.
Today, inmates across 40 prisons from Los
Angeles to Louisiana are hearing the gospel
through Awana Lifeline programs. In three years
alone, over 1,000 inmates from Los Angeles jails
were baptized.
The ministry is a powerful reminder of God’s love
for people who are marginalized in our society,
but God has not forgotten. This year, the Malachi
Dads program launched a new curriculum for
fathers, and an amazing 3,000 inmates are
currently working through the 12-week study. New
ministries are also emerging in Canada and the
Dominican Republic.
In Lifeline’s ninth year, the Returning Hearts
Celebration took place in eight prisons,
supporting reconciliation between inmates and
their children and allowing them to share the
gospel with family members.
This year, Awana Lifeline launched its ministry to
bring the power of the gospel message to women
in prison. Hannah’s Gift (to be officially released
in Spring 2014) is a new study program based on
I Samuel chapters 1 and 2. It is designed to show
women how they can parent from a distance and
find victory in Christ despite circumstances.
Since the program started, 30 women out of 45
participants discovered their personal salvation in
Jesus Christ. God’s redemptive power is working
to break the cycle of generational sin.
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FRUITFUL
MINISTRIES
OUR MISSION
is to work with our
ministry partners
in creating and
disseminating
integrated
programs, tools
and training that
equip leaders to
evangelize and
disciple youth
for Christ.
Multiplying Leadership
International Training
Since 2007, the Leader-Based Strategy has cast
vision to children’s ministry globally, outside the U.S.,
to train and equip leaders to reach more kids for
Christ by training their own church leaders. The result:
we are witnessing kids and youth receiving the gospel
of Jesus Christ and discipleship in multitude.
The growth is exponential. The number of kids
receiving long-term discipleship in an Awana
program has grown nearly fivefold! During the last
five years, churches abroad reached 914,414 kids
through the Leader-Based Model.
What made the difference? From 2007
through 2013:
• 13,463 Churches Registered
•387 Seed Planters Trainings in 39 Countries
•29,150 Leaders Trained
We give praise and thanks to God for reports
among the 104 countries where Awana ministers.
As our ministry grows at a rapid pace, we lean on
God for His provision.
Haiti:In January 2013, the Awana
ministry re-launched in Haiti with
92 leaders from 64 churches.
Despite the 2010 earthquake that
devastated the area, the number
of children reached has grown from
542 in 2009 to 4,707 in 2013.
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Philippines:Since Leader-Based Strategy was launched, the Awana ministry has tripled from 102
clubs to 314 clubs ministering to over 20,000 kids and youth.
Pakistan:Two Seed Planters’ Conferences were held in Pakistan where 245 children’s
ministry workers from 114 churches were trained to run Awana clubs.
Tanzania:The Leader-Based Strategy was launched in 2009. Four years later, 855 Awana
clubs are evangelizing and discipling 84,957 boys and girls weekly.
U.S. Training
The newest program, Hitting the Mark, strengthens U.S. Awana clubs through a
“multiplication” approach inspired by the Leader-Based Model used overseas.
Through Hitting the Mark, Awana missionaries trained more than 400 leaders from 135 churches.
The church leaders then returned home to train, on average, 25 volunteers from their own
church, resulting in 3,000 volunteer leaders equipped to share the gospel in their communities.
The outcome: churches report that they are launching Awana with more kids than they had
planned, and parents and leaders are engaged with the ministry.
Hitting the Mark’s three primary goals:
• Create passionate, committed advocates serving in a church’s Awana ministry.
•Prepare churches to effectively launch and run an Awana weekly program.
•Equip church leaders to teach Awana church training, Getting Started, to their volunteer leaders.
Our desire is for churches to capture the vision of leadership multiplication. The Apostle Paul, like
Jesus, was equipping disciples to make disciples. Jesus practically demonstrated to us the way in
which the gospel would be spread to all nations and how to grow healthy, sustainable churches.
The historical growth witnessed in the U.S. and more recently overseas is the result of
“making disciples of all nations” and then repeating that with each generation.
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MINISTRY RESOURCES
for Church and Family
Resource needs are different around the world.
As present-day realities shift, programs that help
churches and parents ground kids and youth in
biblical discipleship are essential.
United States
In the U.S., newly developed and updated resources
were recently launched to strengthen church
ministry and parents as they disciple their kids.
Awana Clubs Cubbies® has been sharing the
gospel with preschoolers since 1981. Periodic
program changes are essential to keep a new
generation of Cubbies engaged. Feedback from
field tests in real clubs were used to design an
updated Cubbies program (year one) around
users’ needs. Parents and leaders embraced
the quality improvements in the materials and
curriculum and were able to lead more effectively.
MOVE provides self-assessment and coaching
to help churches grow their children’s and youth
ministry in the right direction.
Entrusted is a four-week curriculum that serves
as a guide for leaders and parents to minister to
tweens as they form their identity in Christ, seek
God’s purpose for their life and begin to develop a
biblical view of their community and the world.
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Awana Homeschool helps families directly
by providing tools and resources for a home
discipleship plan.
China
In stark contrast to the U.S., the Chinese
government restricts Awana programs from
taking place, so house churches in family settings
are common. Nearly 70% of churches in China
are believed to be house churches. With little to
no Bible training, resources are tailored for new
believers to lead their house church and families
and their children in biblical discipleship.
Children’s Bible Storybook Program trains teachers
and leaders in house churches. Developed by
Chinese Christian writers, designers and local
leaders, the book contains 52 weeks of study and
chronological Bible stories. Parents play an integral
role as they read the Bible, memorize Scripture and
discuss life application exercises with their children.
Building Healthy Families Program equips families
with biblical principles of parenting and provides
practical ways to raise spiritually grounded kids in
Christ. Family Bible study, prayer time and worship
are part of the program.
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THE HARVEST IS RIPE
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” – I Corinthians 3:6 (ESV)
Number of children reached outside the U.S. through the Awana ministry
2000-2013
Children Reached without Leader-Based Strategy
Children Reached with Leader-Based Strategy
Our vision is to reach 10 million kids by 2020. Through the Leader-Based Model, we are
witnessing exponential growth and expansion, spreading the gospel to more children!
Due to this growth, in 2013, we arrived at a milestone when 2 million kids worldwide received
spiritual discipleship in God’s Word. Casting a unified vision, God has connected Awana with local
churches and ministries, advocates and faithful supporters to reach a generation of young believers.
Our Ministry
The Awana ministry provides God-inspired programs, innovative resources
and relevant training to equip churches in evangelism and discipleship, as
well as missionary support to further the mission of reaching more kids and
youth for Christ.
Local ChurchesPartnerships expand our reach as we work together to broaden the base of
leaders and volunteers equipped to evangelize and disciple kids and youth.
AdvocatesA voice for the voiceless, advocates extend our reach to at-risk kids by
equipping and empowering leaders to serve in remote areas.
DonorsFaithful supporters fuel programs like Leader-Based Strategy to help us
reach defining moments in our ministry that God is moving us toward.
Every role is vital in reaching 10 million kids for Christ!
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The Impact of Advocacy
Shelley Welch, global advocacy manager, traveled
the world to highly remote areas as a missionary
prior to joining Awana.
The transformation continues as young believers
share testimonies and witness to their families
about their newfound hope in Christ.
Shelley’s passionate drive has influenced many,
including children, to raise both awareness and
funding for Awana Children at Risk. Her voice,
echoing God’s call, has brought Awana discipleship
programs to over 57,000 kids and youth living in
refugee camps, IDP camps, and areas marked by
HIV/AIDS, human trafficking, and extreme poverty.
“And I am sure of this, that He who
began a good work in you will bring it
to completion at the day of
Jesus Christ.”
—Philippians 1:6
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2012-2013 Financial Highlights
As of and for the Year Ended June 30
ASSETS
2013 2012
Cash and Investments $10,677,527$13,020,066
Inventory
3,852,4874,125,031
Beneficial Interest in Trusts
1,012,1721,047,795
Prepaids and Other Assets
1,335,398
Land, Buildings & Equipment
6,009,1005,379,130
Total
1,272,582
$22,886,684$24,844,604
LIABILITIES
Accounts Payable
$804,019$756,024
Accrued Expenses and Other
1,401,9471,171,141
Medical Claims Reserve
675,000500,000
Note Payable
166,715337,636
Annuities and Trusts Payable
297,100360,832
Total
$3,344,781$3,125,633
NET ASSETS
Unrestricted
$15,447,223$17,370,443
Temporarily Restricted
Permanently Restricted
3,993,9304,247,778
100,750100,700
Total
$19,541,903$21,718,971
Liabilities and Net Assets
$22,886,684$24,844,604
Meeting all standards of financial integrity and Christian stewardship, Awana has been a member in
good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability since 2001.
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1.4%
REVENUES
2013
2012
61.1% Sales of Ministry Materials $24,296,873 $27,089,802
30.1%Contributions
11,995,829 11,458,738
7.4% Registration and Event Fees
2,964,186 2,965,479
1.4% Other Income
537,877 462,735
7.4%
61.1%
30.1%
Total $39,794,765$41,976,754
5.3%
EXPENDITURES
84.7%
Program Activities
$35,566,438 $32,625,234
10.0%
Management and General
4,187,9274,285,987
5.3%Fundraising
2,217,468 2,069,759
$41,971,833 $38,980,980
Total
Change in Net Assets
10.0%
84.7%
$(2,177,068)$2,995,774
YOUR PRAYERS AND FAITHFUL SUPPORT
MAKE AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE IN
THE LIVES OF KIDS AND YOUTH
AROUND THE WORLD.
THANK
YOU
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Awana Board of Directors
Awana Global Leadership Team
Valerie Bell
Jack Eggar, President / CEO
David Branton, Chairman of the Board/Acting
Treasurer
Ryan Frank, VP, Innovative Ministries / CEO,
KidzMatter
John Dobbert
Matt Markins, VP, Marketing and Strategy
Jack Eggar
Gary Minta, VP, Operations and Finance / CFO
Brian Hartsell
Brian Rhodes, VP / Chief Ministry Officer
Peter Kasirivu
Colin Robinson, VP, Global Advancement
Thomas Klippert
Karen Schliep, VP, People Services
Carolyn Meyers
Art Rorheim
David Swanson, Secretary
Shawn Thornton, Vice Secretary
Christopher Williams, Vice Chair
Awana® Clubs International
1 East Bode Road | Streamwood, IL 60107-6658 U.S.A. | www.awana.org | (630) 213-2000
© 2014 Awana® Clubs International. All rights reserved. Awana and the Awana logo are
registered trademarks of Awana Clubs International.