Colorful plastic Easter eggs, filled with candy or change, are often a staple among kids who celebrate Easter in the U.S.

In 2024, a small congregation in Littleton, Colorado, turned a simple Easter egg hunt into a hands-on invitation for kids to take part in God’s global mission through Bible translation.

Preparing for Easter in Unique Ways

In the months leading up to Easter, Calvary West Littleton church built momentum around the importance of Bible translation, tying it into their preaching and missional focus.

“We were teaching on missions at the time, in the Book of Matthew,” Pastor Blake Burget shared. “And so we wanted to give our people the opportunity to invest in missions in a really tangible way and Bible translation in particular. So we said, ‘Hey, we are going to give to Wycliffe as a community.’”

The church highlighted stories and videos about Bible translation in order to help everyone learn more about why Bible translation matters. Every week, they reminded the congregation that any designated missions giving would go entirely to Bible translation. They even added fun activities and encouraged families to participate together.

“We let people know there were going to be fun competitions along the way, where people got to choose where some of the funds went,” Blake said. “We were kind of building it up. … Every week for about two months we said, ‘We are contributing any funds that are designated for missions — 100% of that [would] go to Bible translation. And some of you will get to choose where the funds go.’”

The congregation embraced the opportunity to give generously to Bible translation, even giving above and beyond expectations! Pastor Blake shared:

The enthusiasm wasn’t limited to the adults in the congregation; even the kids were excited to be involved and give. Blake added, “It’s one thing to talk about [Bible translation] in sermons or during Sunday school, but then to have the kids participate in a tangible way was really sweet. Some kids actually gave some of their own money to the translation work.”

An Egg Hunt With Eternal Impact

After raising funds as a church to support Bible translation, the congregation set aside a portion of the money to be distributed according to the wishes of the youngest people in the church. They did this through a fun twist in the Easter egg hunt: Among the regular eggs, the congregation filled 10 with chocolate lambs.

Blake reflected on this unique Easter activity and shared, “We let the kids know, ‘Hey, if you find a chocolate lamb in your Easter egg, that represents $100 of the Wycliffe giving, and you get to decide which project it goes to.’”

The kids, who ranged from ages 2 to 10, searched eagerly throughout the playground. One boy — a neighbor of Blake’s family — found not one but three chocolate lambs! The boy’s family doesn’t attend church, but the egg hunt created a chance for conversation, making it possible for Blake and his family to share the gospel with their young neighbor and his parents. They explored Wycliffe’s website, looked through translation projects and had a meaningful conversation about why sharing God’s Word matters.

The impact of the egg hunt activity stretched far beyond that morning. It became a fun, hands-on way for kids and families to engage with God’s Word and understand how they could help others around the world experience the power of Scripture too.

A Greater Passion for Global Missions

As the months rolled on, the church’s passion for Bible translation and missions only grew. Later in the fall, their missions committee met to prayerfully finalize how to distribute the remaining Wycliffe mission funds.

They collaborated with Wycliffe to help identify Bible translation projects in need, including Ukrainian Sign Language, which meant a lot to a family in the church with ties to Ukraine. The church leadership included the congregation in selecting the projects: “We had someone from Wycliffe come and share one Sunday, and people got to talk with her after service,” Blake said. “She was able to give us some suggestions of various projects going on.” They chose to support a handful of Bible translation projects — some featured online and others that were in sensitive areas of the world.

The impact of their giving went beyond finances; it prompted spiritual growth and generational involvement within the church and in the community. Blake said:

Blake’s own children were a clear example of how interest in Bible translation grew over the course of the year. “My four daughters … wanted to make sure we gave to Wycliffe,” he said. “So [as a family at Christmastime] we went on the website, and they got to choose a couple projects [to support].”

This small church in Colorado did more than host a fun Easter event: They sparked a culture of joyful giving and missions-minded discipleship that helped support Bible translation projects around the world. And they involved every generation in this process!

A Challenge to Churches: “Just Start”

How could you build a deeper heart for missions in your church community?

You don’t need to replicate what Calvary West Littleton did; just think about what would engage your church family in a meaningful way. Speaking on behalf of his church, Blake shared, “We are passionate about Bible translation at the church, and we see it as essential for missions [and] the mission of God.” He continued:

We all have the chance to be part of this calling to make disciples and share the Good News through Bible translation. “There’s not a right or wrong way [to get involved],” Blake said. “Make it fun, invite kids to be part of the conversation — they might surprise you. Kids are great givers.”

There is long-term value for the global Church when they participate in the work of Bible translation. “God’s Word is the most powerful evangelist. … If you care about missions, and if you care about the longevity of missions and evangelism in the church, then you should care about Bible translation,” Blake explained.

There’s no better time to get involved than now! The number of languages waiting for Bible translation to start for the first time is dropping. “The urgency is there,” Blake added. “The ability to participate in this venture is not going to be around forever. If you want to invest in one of the most significant aspects of missions, you should be involved in Bible translation.”

Calvary West Littleton is proof that you don’t need a big church to make a big difference.

Their faithful stewardship and creativity remind us that even a few chocolate lambs can help bring the Lamb of God to those waiting to meet Him in their language!

Involve Your Church in Global Bible Translation

Be part of bringing hope and transformation to every nation through the power of God’s Word. Your church can make an eternal impact by supporting Bible translation — through prayer, resources and partnership — equipping believers worldwide with Scripture in a language they clearly understand. Together let’s take the next step in fulfilling the Great Commission.

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