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.

Book review: The Story of Richard Wurmbrand

Review by Brandi Tesreau, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

God’s Prisoner: The Story of Richard Wurmbrand
By The Voice of the Martyrs with Cheryl Odden

Before I'd even finished unpacking my box of new review products, my 9 year old son came in to inspect. The children's book, God's Prisoner: The Story of Richard Wurmbrand, piqued his interest. "Oh, written by The Voice of the Martyrs," he recognized. (That very morning he'd visited The Voice of the Martyr's website for a history assignment.) He grabbed the book, promptly sat on the couch, and read the whole thing!

God's Prisoner: The Story of Richard Wurmbrand is a 42-page, illustrated hardback written about the persecution of Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of The Voice of the Martyrs. It's quite an easy read for older elementary students and is a great read-aloud for younger children. The story is what is important about this book – not so much the reading level. My seventh grader and I enjoyed it, learned from it, and were encouraged by it, too.

Richard Wurmbrand's steadfast faith in the face of persecution in communist Romania will inspire children of all ages. His courage to stand up for Christ despite the consequences of prison and torture is contagious. He even puts Christ before the safety of his own family, completely trusting in God's will. His wife and son endure hardship as well – his wife is sentenced to hard labor and his son is kicked out of school for taking a stand for Christ.

You will surely want to find out what happens to this brave family. For $19.00 you can add this book to your children's library, and leave an impact that will last a lifetime. May we all be as bold as the Wurmbrands!

To order this book, visit our online catalogue or contact our office. For more resources designed specifically for kids, check out VOM’s children’s site, Kids of Courage.

In mailboxes this week!

Look for the April issue of The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter in your mailbox this week!

• “Persecution: What would you do?” Many have wondered, If persecution came to Canada, what would I do? Ultimately, we wonder, Would my faith be strong enough to endure it? This article looks at recent situations Christians faced in Indonesia, Algeria and Vietnam, as well as one that happened almost 20 years ago in Iran. Each testimony reflects a question, asking what we would do if faced with persecution. Some of their responses may surprise you.
• From the CEO: On occasion, VOM receives letters and phone calls criticizing the “ugly” nature of the photos we print in our monthly newsletter. Such photos make us uncomfortable when confronted with the ugly truth of Christian persecution. But CEO Corey Odden shares how in reality, such photos teach us beautiful, eternal truths. 

• Christian Martyrs: The year was A.D. 304, and it was a dangerous time for Christians in the Roman Empire. Read how six of the eight men made a strong statement to show their readiness to die for Christ. 

• Iran Special Report: Reports of Christians being arrested in Iran have been numerous since the first of the year. This article will update you on the current situation and how VOM is getting the gospel and encouragement into the hostile nation of Iran.

• William Booth DVD: When William Booth and his followers set out to preach Christ in London’s East End, they meet a band of thugs armed with clubs and rocks who are determined to keep them out. But William and his “Salvation Army” are not dissuaded. Inspire your children to boldly evangelize with this new edition to the Torchlighters DVD series.

The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter is the flagship publication of The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada. Published monthly, it is available free of charge to anyone in Canada who requests it.

You can subscribe online here.

A long bus ride in Algeria

This story was originally published for Kids of Courage, the children’s ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs.

Gerard is a Christian worker in Algeria. In 2006, the government passed a new law that said churches must register with the government. But the authorities did not grant many churches registration, so churches that continued to meet were “illegal.” Then the government began closing down unregistered churches.

“The government is always going to come up with new laws,” said Gerard. “They are not believers, so they cannot understand the hope we have.”

The government gives individual Christians a hard time, too. Two years ago, a student in a secret Bible school was stopped at a checkpoint. When soldiers found Bible study materials in her bag, they arrested her.

Gerard was also bothered by the police. He was riding on a bus when it was stopped by police at a checkpoint. After they searched his bag and found a Bible, they began to curse him. “This is my faith. This is what I believe,” Gerard told a policeman. The policeman spat on him.

Everyone on the bus saw what happened, so they found out that Gerard was a Christian. For the rest of the bus ride, they insulted him. “All of them started to say bad things,” Gerard said. “I hoped that the long ride would finish soon.”

No one on the bus hurt Gerard, but he has been beaten for his faith before. Still, his trust in Christ remains strong. “Even if they arrest or beat me or something, they cannot come into my mind and change my mind,” he said.

For other stories about the persecuted Church to share with your kids or Sunday school class, visit Kids of Courage today!

Students at orphanage in India forced to pay idol worship fee

Christian orphans in West Bengal, India, have been forced to contribute funds for idol worship in order to gain admission to a high school, reports Compass Direct.

Rev. Dr. Subimal Dutta, the director general of Ambassadors Service Society which operates the Gilgal Children's Home, has faced threats for opposing the collection of money for idol worship at government schools or government-aided schools.

In early September, the extremists stormed into the Society compound and warned Dutta to stop all Christian activities within seven days or they would forcibly shut down the mission. They also sternly warned him that his life would be in danger if he involved police or any administrative officials.

At a meeting on September 23 with the village head, the local political party, and the Ambassadors Service Society, an agreement was reached for re-opening the Society. However, the agreement required all students at the government high school to pay the idol worship fee without complaint.

You can help by praying!

• Please pray that the Lord will protect Dutta and the children he is responsible for. 
• Pray that they will not be afraid to continue to meet together to worship Him. 
• Pray the Lord will grant wisdom to Dutta in this difficult situation. 
• Pray that those who oppose Christians would repent and know Christ.

For more information on India's suffering believers, please visit the India Country Report.

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.

Canadian kids raise funds for Bibles in China

Kids from Wetaskiwin, Alberta, raised money
to print and deliver Bibles in China.

In early July, Calvary Baptist Church in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, hosted a VBS program in its community. One of the organizers, Tammy Issler, suggested the kids gain experience in missions work by raising funds to print and deliver Bibles in China.

Tammy learned about the opportunity to provide Bibles to Chinese Christians in VOM's April newsletter and quarterly children’s magazine, where we reported that Bibles are still in great need in China, despite misleading reports that state otherwise (to subscribe to these free resources, click here).

Tammy’s kids in the VBS program were excited to get involved! They did chores around the home in exchange for money to go towards the donation. Her son, age 11, dried the dishes, vacuumed, cleaned the basement, straightened his room and mowed their large backyard. Meanwhile, Tammy’s daughter, age 8, cleaned the bathroom, folded and hung up laundry, and cleaned up her sister’s bedroom.

Approximately 37 children attended the program. They, too, responded enthusiastically to the challenge to raise funds for Bibles in China. During the one-week program, $590 was donated while another $360 was raised at the VBS’s closing evening event. The church’s Christian Education board matched the donated amount, meaning $1,900 was raised! This money will provide Christians in China the opportunity to read and study God’s Word.

Is your church hosting a VBS program this summer? Consider how you could encourage the kids in your church to sacrifice their time or allowance money to make a difference in the lives of their persecuted family around the world!

Christian students in New Mexico suspended for handing out doughnuts and Bible verses

A student group in the Roswell Independent School District in New Mexico went to extreme lengths to share the gospel with their teachers. But their gifts of Krispy Kreme donuts along with Bible verses were not received graciously, reports Charisma Magazine.

A Christian student group called Relentless drove an almost six-hour round trip to the closest Krispy Kreme shop in Texas. They made it back to school on time to deliver the donuts along with a Scripture verse with each one.

The response to their kindness: suspension. One student was immediately sent home while two others were punished by having to spend four hours alone in a classroom Saturday morning.

The Liberty Counsel has filed a lawsuit with the district.

"Some teachers are worried about their students giving them bullets, and this school suspends students over a Bible verse! These students are living their Christian beliefs by showing kindness,” says Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel and dean of Liberty University School of Law.

The full story can be found here.

What’s your response to the story of these young people? If you were the parent of a member of Relentless, what would you say to your son or daughter after a situation like this? Would you take part in evangelistic efforts like these in your school or workplace? Why or why not? 

The most vulnerable part: Children of the persecuted Church

Khmu children in Southeast Asia

Do you have children?

If so, to what lengths would you go to protect them? What sacrifices would you be willing to make for their well-being? Your immediate answer might be, “Anything! I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure their safety and happiness.”

But for our brothers and sisters in restricted nations, these questions are incredibly difficult. Like any parent, they want the best for their children; they want their kids to be healthy and happy, to have stability and protection. But they also desire that their children learn the way of our Lord—to put Him first in their lives, regardless of the outcome.

From a young age, children of the persecuted Church learn that following Jesus does not guarantee a life free of danger or heartache. The reality is that many Christian children suffer threats, the loss of home or church, oppression from the community, and even death in their families.

“Children are the most vulnerable part of the suffering church,” Carl Moeller wrote in an article for Crosswalk. “They are highly susceptible to the impact of being persecuted for their faith. In lands where Christians are oppressed minorities, the youngest, weakest members of society are at particular risk because no one in power will advocate for them.”

Perhaps the earlier questions should be rephrased. Do you have children? If so, to what lengths would you go to ensure they understand their calling as Christ’s representatives? What sacrifices would you be willing to make as a family to whole-heartedly follow Him?

The Voice of the Martyrs is committed to standing with families and children of the persecuted Church as they seek to make Jesus their first priority. In the July edition of our monthly newsletter, we share stories of children who are suffering for Christ’s sake in Sri Lanka, India and Nigeria and how you can get involved in showing them love and support. You can sign up for your free copy here.

You can sponsor a persecuted child in India!

One building of the Sideras Children's Home in Indore, India

In August 2008, militant Hindus unleashed an assault on Christians in at least 12 districts of Orissa state.

More than 100 people were killed, 4,500 homes and churches burned, and 70,000 people displaced. Christians were told they could not return to their homes or remain safe unless they converted to Hinduism.

Following the attacks, VOM partnered with a ministry to provide 60 affected children with a place to live and an education. Word spread, and that number increased to 125 children, ranging in age from 4 to 16.

Today, VOM continues to support children at the Sideras Children’s Home who have lost their homes or, in some cases, one or both parents during the 2008 attack.

You are invited to join us in supporting these children.

For $40/month, you can provide a child’s education, clothing, housing, food and medical costs. You can support the child monthly or make a gift to cover the entire year. After we receive your commitment, we will send you a photo of your child along with information about him/her. We will ensure that you receive updated information about your child at least once during the year. Also, you can send letters to your child by way of VOM’s office.

Please prayerfully consider being a part of a child’s life!

Contact our office at 1-888-298-6423 today, as VOM sponsors a limited number of children.

Want to teach your kids about persecution?

Are you looking for ways to discuss Christian persecution with your children? We can help!

Bold Believers Magazine (BBM) is an exciting quarterly publication of The Voice of the Martyrs for Canadian kids ages 6-12.

Through BBM, your children will learn about the incredible courage of kids who are living in nations where it is dangerous to be a Christian. They’ll learn what it means to trust in and love God in all sorts of circumstances, how to share the love of God with others, and how to pray and reach out to persecuted kids around the world.

Subscribers to BBM also receive, free of charge, a subscription to The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter.

Go here to subscribe today!

PS. You must have a Canadian address to subscribe to BBM or The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter.

How to teach your kids about persecution

In our January BBM, kids
learn about the Khmu of
Southeast Asia.

Are you looking for ways to discuss Christian persecution with your children? We can help!

Bold Believers Magazine (BBM) is an exciting quarterly publication of The Voice of the Martyrs for Canadian kids ages 6-12.

Through BBM, your children will learn about the incredible courage of kids who are living in nations where it is dangerous to be a Christian. They’ll learn what it means to trust in and love God in all sorts of circumstances, how to share the love of God with others, and how to pray and reach out to persecuted kids around the world.

Subscribers to BBM also receive, free of charge, a monthly subscription to The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter.

Click here to subscribe today!