Should kids be taught about persecution?

The Kids of Courage VBS Curriculum introduces
kids with real Kids of Courage at risk for their faith today. 

A child in North Korea explains to her teacher that she did well on a test "by God's grace." Later, she arrives home to find her parents have disappeared.

Such stories in a new Vacation Bible School curriculum from The Voice of the Martyrs have some children's spirituality experts questioning whether it encourages children's faith or burdens them with inappropriate information, reports Christianity Today.

Launched last year, the Kids of Courage curriculum "came about as a result of churches' desire and [our] desire to tell the story of persecuted Christians in an age-appropriate way," said VOM-USA’s media director, Todd Nettleton.

Church for the Harvest in Alexandria, two hours northwest of Minneapolis, used the curriculum last summer. Children's director Katy Kiger is a former missionary to South Africa and liked that Kids of Courage includes stories from China, Egypt, India, Nigeria, and North Korea.

For example, stories from Nigeria talk about Muslims converting to Christianity as well as terrorists attacking churches.

Many of the children in Kiger's program attend public schools where they face a milder form of antagonism. Still, she said, "It was awesome to hear how kids talk about their own struggles."

"The kids here need to know what is up in the world today," said Jalil Dawood, pastor of the Arab Church of Dallas, whose members and their families have faced death and severe persecution in their home countries. His church hasn't used the program, but Dawood says it is important for American children to learn about the challenges of being a Christian in other parts of the world.

It is important for children to confront difficult or challenging topics, says Scottie May, professor of Christian spirituality at Wheaton College and co-author of Listening to Children on the Spiritual Journey. However, she said, "I have concerns about materials that might introduce pain, torture, and death to a young child without a context for them."

Ginny Olson, director of youth ministry for the Covenant Church's Northwest Conference, agrees. She said, "There is no way a teacher can be attuned to the differing levels of sensitivity of a group of children. Little kids need to experience scary stories in the presence of a parent who can protect them."

Still, telling stories of God's presence with his people who suffer on his behalf has a long history. "Jewish children heard the stories of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego," said Holly Allen, professor of Christian ministries at John Brown University and author of Nurturing Children's Spirituality. Stories of suffering in the mission field have been told to children in recent centuries.

"Six- or seven-year-olds can hear and process these stories," Allen said. "We have mis-represented God's work in the world when we avoid telling stories where God does not save. The deeper, more foundational truth must be told: God will not abandon us, even in our death."

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you think kids should be taught about persecution? Why or why not?

For more information, or to view and hear samples from the Kids of Courage VBS Curriculum, click here. Canadians can order the curriculum from our online resource catalogue or by contacting our office.

To learn more about VOM’s children’s ministry, Kids of Courage, please click here.

Lives touched through VBS program in the West Bank

More than 25 kids in the West Bank recently received Christ.
Praise God!

Pastor Stephen Khoury, a VOM partner, successfully completed a summer VBS program in the Bethlehem suburb of Shepherd's Field, despite opposition from neighbours and local authorities, reports VOM-USA.

On the first day of the VBS, Stephen was accosted by a neighbourhood woman and her two sons, but the Holy Spirit enabled Stephen to respond wisely and to calm the woman.

Over the course of the five-day event, the leaders' car tires were slashed and the building and grounds of the youth centre were vandalized. But Stephen and the other Christian workers were encouraged. "We had more than 78 kids come, and more than 25 kids from different religions received Christ," Stephen said. "Lives were changed forever."

As a result of their VBS success, a new outreach meeting will be held each Friday at the centre.

Please pray for those conducting outreach through the Shepherd's Field centre.

• Pray that they will not falter in sharing the message of Christ.
• Pray that the kids who accepted the gospel will grow in their faith each day.
• Pray that many more in the West Bank will hear the Good News and turn to Jesus.

Mississauga VBS students remember the persecuted

This summer, participants in Grace New Covenant Pentecostal Church’s VBS spent a day focusing on the persecuted Church and “remembering them that are in bonds (Hebrews 13:3).” We want to share the children’s experience at the Mississauga church with you and encourage you to educate your youngsters about the persecution of Christians worldwide in ways they can understand.

The day began with songs and stories to introduce children to the overall theme–remembering them that are in bonds.

The children were then divided into four groups, and each group went once through four stations over the course of the day.



Station 1: Find the fire
Here, kids learned about the persecution that occurs around the world on a daily basis. The station was set up to look and feel like a prison cell, and the children listened to the difficulties facing those persecuted. To provide reference, the VBS leaders made use of Torchlighters: The Richard Wurmbrand Story DVD and a VOM prayer map.

Station 2: Fight the fire

In the May 2011 VOM newsletter, readers were invited to create parachutes that are being dropped in the jungles of Colombia. This station was set up to imitate a jungle and 45-plus parachutes were made and decorated here! The children also got an opportunity to pick a Prisoner of Faith and write an encouraging letter to him or her.

Station 3: Feel the fire
To give kids an idea of what it’s like for prisoners to have their physical, emotional and spiritual strength tested, VBS leaders created a games’ station to test kids’ endurance levels. Some of the games took away the use of kids’ hands and feet. Others timed the kids while holding weights or had them see how long they could stand with knees bent against a wall.

Station 4: Face the fire

In this station, the three older groups were taken witnessing to “face” possible rejection when spreading the gospel. Most of the kids were nervous at the start, but they built up confidence with each person they spoke to! By the end of the day, more than 1,000 people in Mississauga received a tract with the Good News!

Through this VBS, children received a glimpse of the persecution happening around the world. Please join us in praying that the new-found awareness greatly impacts their lives for years to come.