Teaching Our Children to Live Globally, Locally
/This is a guest post contributed by Lara Chomout. You can learn more about Lara in her bio at the bottom of her post.
I have but one passion - it is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ. - Nicolaus von Zinzendorf
We Are All Called
In Matthew 28, Jesus directs His disciples to share the gospel and make disciples. Often, we feel the title missionary is only reserved for those who live across the globe—but the truth is, we are all called as believers in Jesus Christ to do this very thing. No matter where we live, what our vocation is, or what our day-to-day looks like, the call remains the same.
I always imagined I would live overseas, planting seeds of the gospel in foreign soil. Instead, God has me at my house in a small city in Texas, with my children—but I am still called.
As I disciple my children, my hope is that they would become followers of Jesus who disciple others. Of course, we must remember the words of 1 Corinthians 3:6:
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
We are called to plant or water the seeds of discipleship in the hearts and minds of our children and those around us, but it is God who gives growth to those seeds.
Global Local
When I was younger, I was taught the idea of living globally, locally. Despite the fun ring to the phrase, it was a simple way to remember that—even if we live in the States—God has brought people from almost every nation right to our doorstep.
Wherever we go, there will be someone who hasn’t truly heard the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
My prayer for myself and my children is that we would see people the way God sees them. That we would love others and fall in love with the things they love—whether that’s their food or their traditions—while sharing how deeply Jesus loves everything about them, too.
Only God knows the ripple effect this could have on a single family legacy—someone who may one day carry the gospel back to their own country, to their own people.
Yes, some of us are called to move across the world. But many of us are called to stay and reach the nations from right where we are.
Raising Global Local Children
Learning about other cultures and places doesn’t just inform—it shapes the way we see and love others. It stirs compassion, curiosity, and connection. When we study different countries with our children, we’re not just gaining facts. We’re gaining vision.
This is one of the reasons I absolutely love using On Mission magazine with my children. Together, we learn about the culture of a specific people group. We know how to pray for them. And perhaps most beautifully, our children see that the God who loves them is also the God who loves all people from all nations.
Even though we may look different, we are all made in the image of God.
I truly believe that learning about other countries and cultures allows us to see people in a new and beautiful light. Our differences don’t divide us. They invite us—to listen, to learn, and to love more fully.
Teaching Our Children to Walk and Pray
One of the simplest yet most powerful ways we can live missionally is to prayer-walk our own neighborhood—just as many missionaries do overseas. There’s something transformative about walking your street and asking God to open your eyes and heart to your neighbors.
The man walking his dog.
The woman tending her garden.
The kids riding bikes in the driveway.
Pray specific prayers with your children for those around you. Ask God to draw hearts to Him—and to show you who He’s calling you to love, serve, and build relationships with.
The Mission Field at Your Feet
I encourage you to pray that your eyes would be open to the people around you. That your home would become a place of welcome, and your heart a vessel for His love.
In doing so, you’ll experience new cultures, a deeper love for people, and the joy of passing that passion on to your children. We are all called to share the good news. We are all missionaries.
And I truly believe—no matter where we are—God can use us to make a global impact.
Lara is a homeschool mom of two in West Texas. She is a graduate of Angelo State University with a B.A. in Mass Media with a focus in Journalism and a B.A. in German. She has a heart for sharing the gospel of Jesus to those near and far who have never heard his name. She blogs at Little School on Avondale and you can find her on Instagram and Facebook.