In the Mongolia District Church of the Nazarene, leaders are taking a huge step to ensure they are discipling the next generation – the children and youth. The Mongolia District Literature team worked on developing a children’s devotional book for the Mongolian context and language, Every Day 7 Minutes, which was published last year.

The team hopes that this book will help children and youth develop a habit of spending time with God. 200 books were distributed to the children within the local Nazarene churches. The book is also available for sale in local Christian bookstores.

This devotional book is an answered prayer and a blessing for many families because Mongolian Christian literature materials for children are rare. 

The authors designed the book as a family resource. During the week, children will read a passage and a Bible story in Mongolian and English (side by side). Then they can write their thoughts and make art in the book. During the weekend, families can gather and discuss what the children learned and made. Parents can then give different emoticons to affirm what their children are learning.

Bayarmaa Alyeksandr, one of the writers of the book, created a Facebook group for the children using the devotional book. Currently, there are 80 children from around Mongolia who are part of the group and actively sharing their drawings and experiences with other children.

“The vision why we wrote this book is beginning to come true,” Alyeksandr said. “Not only do children learn about God, they also learn how to think, draw, and write creatively.”

The Mongolia District Literature team has big plans, hoping to finish the four-part series of the devotional book for children (ages 11-14) and youth (ages 15-18) in 2022. They are also looking into translating the book into Russian, German, Korean, and Chinese so that the mission of making Christlike disciples of the next generation will continue beyond Mongolia.

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific