What is Awana?

Awana is an international, Bible-centered children's and ministry providing local churches with weekly clubs, programs and training for children in primary school.

Our goal is to equip churches to reach children and their families with the gospel of Christ and train them to serve Him. The acronym Awana comes from the first letters of Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed, as taken from 2 Timothy 2:15.

Awana began in 1950 as a youth program at the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago, USA. Lance Latham, the church pastor, worked with Art Rorheim to develop a program that would appeal to young people, reach them with the gospel and train them in the Lord's work. Other churches heard about the success of the Awana program and asked if they could use it. By 1960, Awana had registered 900 churches.

Awana in Great Britain began in 1991.

In the summer of 1993, the Awana UK National Office was opened in England. In 1997 a full-time couple moved from California back to their homeland of Scotland to help with the Awana ministry there. As the ministry grew, and more clubs joined, the UK office moved to Scotland in 2000.