It was as a GA (Girls in Action) at First Baptist Church, New Brockton, that Carmen Bruce remembers “God beginning to speak to my heart and the Holy Spirit began to show need for the Savior.”
“If I hadn’t been a GA I really don’t think that I would have understood the importance of personal involvement in missions,” Bruce said.
“I also would not have become aware of the cooperative effort that we as Southern Baptists share in working together to carry out the command of the Great Commission.”
To this end, Bruce sees GAs and Acteens as organizations that teach the next generation to be true disciples of Christ.
“I wish children’s and youth leaders in all churches, regardless of size, could understand they can have GA and Acteens programs and see the importance of these ministries.”
“The need for a ‘girls only’ time is also very important,” Bruce noted. “This also helps us fulfill the biblical method of teaching found in Titus 2. Acteens can help our young girls learn how to be young women of grace, virtue and reflect the glory of God.”
Her passion from God to minister to girls living near her and far away led Bruce to become an Acteens leader at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Enterprise.
“I enjoy seeing young girls become more active in serving,” Bruce noted.
“But most of all, I enjoy working with Acteens because I know that is what God has called me to do.”
In Acteens, girls not only learn about ministry opportunities, but they also put their faith into action.
For example, on Oct. 17, 2012, the Mount Pleasant Baptist Acteens group announced to their church body the beginning of a new ministry called Handing Her Hope (HHH) and adopted it as their project for 2012–2013. HHH is a ministry of Mount Pleasant Baptist in conjunction with the church’s Moldova missions project, which offers the hope of Jesus Christ in the midst of the darkness of human trafficking.
HHH raises awareness of the reality of human trafficking, encourages prayer for victims along with those vulnerable to trafficking and raises financial support for Christ-centered, anti-trafficking missions projects in the country of Moldova.
As of June 2013, the financial support raised by the Mount Pleasant Baptist Acteens totaled $3,669.52.
The Acteens earned the money by making, packaging and marketing a hair tie/bracelet product called Marianna’s — named in honor of a young Moldovan
girl rescued from human trafficking.
“Our churches need true disciples,” Bruce said. “GAs and Acteens are an important part of that discipleship.”
(WMU)
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