Awana 60th Celebration - Storytelling Across the Generations

Storytelling Across the Generations
Max Elliot Anderson – who used Awana to help fortify his kids’ faith in Christ – hated to read as a child. Now he writes books that impact boys’ lives.

Max Elliot Anderson watched a lot of movies growing up. As founder of Gospel Films, Max’s dad, Ken, created and directed numerous Christian films. Max had a front-row seat learning how a movie is made from start to finish. He spent many hours at the studio near their house.

“We had all kinds of Christian leaders, pastors and missionaries coming through our house during my childhood,” Max said. “I Max Elliott Anderson and his wife, Claudia, used Awana to help raise their kids spiritually was exposed to ministry at an early age.”

Ken helped his son get started in film and production work.

“It has been my privilege, over the past decades, to be involved in the production of television commercials, promotional and marketing video programs, Christian films and a host of other video projects,” Max explained. “I’ve always been fascinated with the power that audiovisual presentations have to instruct, motivate and influence the thinking of others.”

Max has traveled around the country and the globe telling stories through video but recognized that the most important story to share—the good news of Christ—started with his own kids at home.

Telling the next generation about Christ
Max and his wife, Claudia, are the parents of Jim, 31, and Sarah, 28. When their kids were young, the Andersons looked for something that could support what they were teaching at home.

“Our kids were involved in Awana at our church (First Evangelical Free Church in Rockford, Illinois),” Max said. “We went through the handbooks with them. Partnering with our church, Awana and a Christian school enhanced what my wife and I were talking about at home.

“We knew that if the next generation was going to have a chance, there needed to be Christian young people. God has no grandchildren. Each generation has to decide for Christ or not. We felt a responsibility to make sure our kids established a firm biblical foundation for their lives.”

Both of the Anderson children follow God as young adults and are active in their local church. Jim is a lawyer in Chicago and Sarah teaches second grade in Florida.

The ups and downs of a career in film
Max’s career in film and production has earned him numerous awards. He has produced, directed or shot thousands of TV commercials, including over 500 national spots for True Value Hardware Stores.

“One of my career highlights was the day I spent filming Ronald Reagan’s last visit to his boyhood home,” Max said. “All the big media crews were on the ground and in the air, but our crew was the only one who got to interview Reagan. I’ll never forget interacting with him one on one.”

But several years ago, his production company suffered the effects of the economic slowdown, and 9/11 brought business to a halt. But God had a new career path for Max – one he could never have predicted.

Writing a new chapter
Not only was Max’s dad a film producer, but he was also a prolific author. Max grew up hating to read and never read the children’s books his father Newspaper Caper is one of Max Elliott Anderson's first children's books wrote.

So it came as a total surprise when Max sensed God leading him to a career as a children’s author.

“I was intimidated by the thought of getting into writing, but I knew I had to pay attention to God’s leading,” Max said. “I had written a screenplay over 25 years ago and never produced it. It was called The Scarecrow and was sitting in the bottom of my desk drawer. I sat down, knowing nothing about writing, and wrote my first book.”

After this, stories started coming to Max. He decided to write adventure books, primarily for boys ages 8 to 13 and more specifically for boys who hated to read.

“I wanted to write the kinds of books that I would have enjoyed as a child,” said Max, who also speaks about his adventure books at schools and has an author Web site. “The stories come to me fully formed, with main characters, setting and plot already in place. People closest to me call it divine. They might be right.”

‘I take no credit for this’
Max has written 35 books. Seven have been published so far. Each of his books has a strong moral principle or character issue woven throughout the story.

“I know my books are touching lives, and I receive a lot of feedback,” Max said. “Recently, a boy commented that reading my book was like being in a movie. God knew what He was doing when he used my film production career to prepare me for what I’m now doing.”

It’s Amazing
What God
Has Done

Otto Melby was a carefree 13-year-old from a loving Christian family in Chicago when an unexpected event rocked his world.

When his father passed away in 1949, Otto struggled profoundly with the loss. His mother became deeply concerned as she watched her son grow increasingly confused and angry with God and those around him. It was clear to her that he needed a male mentor to fill the void left by his dad’s death.

Using Her Gifts to Serve Others in Full-Time Ministry and Awana

A few months ago, Mandy Hornbuckle’s box of Awana memories tumbled out the back of a truck going 60 miles per hour down a Texas highway. The box contained old Awana uniforms, pins and her Citation Award, the highest achievement in Awana.Mandy Hornbuckle earned the Citation Award for learning Scripture verses and truths

As the box hit the pavement, the contents scattered all along the road.

Celebrating 50-Plus Years of Faithful Awana Service

Gwendetta Albright’s 50-plus years of faithful Awana service at a church in Chicago has changed lives in hundreds of families

Gwendetta Albright grew up on the west side of Chicago. She trusted Christ for salvation at a summer camp at age 13. She then started serving as an Awana leader two years later in 1958.

First Family Church: Using Awana to Reach Kids and Parents for Christ

A few years ago, Roger Stuart’s life changed dramatically. He trusted Christ for salvation through the ministry of First Family Church in Overland Park, Kansas.The Sparks children's ministry club at First Family Church in Overland Park, Kansas

“I came to First Family Church in hopes of finding a great children's ministry for my daughter,” Roger said. “I was more concerned with her spiritual growth than my own. But listening to my pastor preach, I felt like he wasn't talking to a congregation of 2,000; he was talking to me and my own personal struggles.

Hope Amidst Hardship

For 12 years, Carlton Carty knew only intense poverty and suffering. Now, thanks to an Awana program in central Jamaica, he knows Jesus as Savior.

The first time they met, Carlton Carty made an immediate impression on Brad Rostad—but not exactly a good one.

An Oasis
of Hope

The Awana program at the only evangelical church in Gaza is extending God’s love, truth and grace to kids and families in this volatile region.

Thursday and Friday afternoons, a haggard bus drives a circuit through garbage-strewn neighborhoods in one of the world’s most volatile and densely inhabited areas of the world, where half of the population is under age 15.

31 Years of Service Brings Generations to Lasting Faith in Christ

If you’re ever looking for someone from the Wallace family, there’s a good chance you’ll find them at Harvest Bible Chapel in Lake Zurich, Illinois on Monday nights.

Every Monday starting at 5:30 p.m., four generations of Wallace family members serve in Awana. Bob, age 85, and Lucille, 82, along with their daughter Diane and granddaughter Jill, are faithful leaders in the Sparks (kindergarten through second grade) and T&T (third to sixth grade) clubs. A great-grandson, Brayden, is only 1 and stays in the nursery but is certain to someday be in Puggles (for 2- and 3-year-olds).

The Model Awana Leader

Jim Barker was facing a dim future when his aunt brought him out of the backwoods of Tennessee to live in Chicago during the Great Depression.

Jim resided in one of the poorest sections of the city. He was painfully shy. He had a meager educational background. He wasn't good at sports. His Southern accent made him a target for insults. He didn't own a car and rarely had money in his pocket.

Baseball Continues To Be a Tool to Proclaim the Gospel

Alvin Davis has hit his share of home runs over the years. As first baseman for the Seattle Mariners from 1984 to 1991, Alvin racked up 160 home runs and batted .280 in 1,206 games. He homered in his first two big-league games and once belted a grand slam with both Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. on base. Alvin Davis played eight seasons and made the All-Star team with the Seattle Mariners

Alvin was named 1984 American League Rookie of the Year and was also selected that year for the All-Star Game. He was the first inductee into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame in 1997.

Committed
to Awana and Helping Their Own Kids Develop Lasting Faith

You may know what it’s like to get one or two kids ready for Awana and to church on time. But can you imagine getting six kids organized and out the door?

The Pilgrim family lives in Huntsville, Alabama, and all six children participate in Awana at Whitesburg Baptist Church every Sunday night:

Building a Worldwide Kids’ Ministry From the Ground up

Art Rorheim is co-founder of Awana. Art built Awana from the ground up from its early days as a weekly club program at the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago.

Art was introduced to youth and children’s ministry in 1935 at age 17 when Lance Latham, his church’s pastor, asked him to serve as a club leader at the North Side Gospel Center.

Leading Awana to Influence Generations of Kids to Follow Christ

Since 1999, Jack Eggar has served as President/CEO of Awana. He has provided strategic leadership for the ministry’s efforts to equip churches and parents in raising children and youth to know, love and serve Christ. Under his guidance, Awana has expanded its impact from a total of 9,000 churches around the world in 1998 to over 22,000 as of 2011.

Knowing that parents are the key influencers in their children’s spiritual development, Jack invested vision and passion to give direction for the recent launch of the Modern-Day Joseph and Awana at Home initiatives.

Celebrating 50-Plus Years of Faithful Awana Service

Gwendetta Albright’s 50-plus years of faithful Awana service at a church in Chicago has changed lives in hundreds of families

Gwendetta Albright grew up on the west side of Chicago. She trusted Christ for salvation at a summer camp at age 13. She then started serving as an Awana leader two years later in 1958.