the history of MAPS
​In late 2024, God began to stir my heart deeply for missions. But more specifically, I found myself asking: How do I, as a local church pastor, help our church truly partner with missionaries? We had a missions budget—sure. But was that all it meant to be a missions-minded church? I tried a few ideas, but nothing seemed to really move the needle. Something was missing.
After a few months, I hit a wall. I couldn’t shake the question: If I don’t have to convince an alcoholic to go to a bar, why should I have to convince a Christian to care about the Great Commission? Our desires drive our behaviors, and the Christian "default setting" should be to fulfill the command to "Go and Tell!" And yet, I needed to take responsibility. Every organization will reflect the weaknesses of its leaders, and I knew I needed to lead differently, but I didn't know how.
One afternoon, as I was wrestling through these thoughts with my wife, she quietly got up and returned with a small bracelet—a keepsake from her childhood. A missionary had given it to her when she was young. She held it up and said, “This was the first time I remember caring about missions—when it became real to me.” Then she said something that I believe was straight from the Lord:
“If you want a church full of adults who support missionaries, you need to raise up kids who support missionaries.”
In that moment, it felt like God downloaded a new vision into my heart—a totally different approach. A new question lit the path forward:
“How do we help kids in our church not just learn about missions, but truly care about missionaries? How do we raise up a generation that doesn’t just know of the Great Commission, but joins it?”
That question became the spark behind MAPS—the Missionary Adventure Prayer Squad. MAPS is designed specifically to empower the local church to intentionally fulfill the Great Commission-starting with our children!
MAPS was born out of a holy restlessness and a firm belief that kids are ready for more than snacks and stories. They’re ready to pray bold prayers, form real connections with our missionaries, and begin living as global Christians now. They don’t have to wait until they grow up to make a difference.
Through interactive journals, prayer challenges, special visits, and collectible wristbands, MAPS helps kids build lasting relationships with the people God has sent out—for the sake of His Name. It’s fun, it’s meaningful, and most of all—it’s rooted in Scripture:
“Since they set out for the sake of the Name… we ought to support such people so that we can be coworkers with the truth.” (3 John 7–8)
That’s what MAPS is about—raising up a generation of coworkers with the truth. And I believe our kids are ready.
With joy,
~Pastor Joe