Persecution Blog

VOM’s Kids of Courage VBS Curriculum

VOM’s Kids of Courage resources help parents and educators teach children ages 5 to 13 about persecuted Christians around the world. The resources also provide opportunities for the children to serve and pray for suffering believers. 

After some minor editing changes, the Kids of Courage VBS curriculum is again available.

The curriculum includes true stories of children from 5 countries: Egypt, China, North Korea, India, and Nigeria. 

Kids learn that Kids of Courage: Trust God, Get Prepared (by learning about how Christians in other countries and in the Bible faced difficulties), Forgive Others, Witness Boldly, and Remember Persecuted Christians. They learn that they, too, can be Kids of Courage.

Learning about persecution does not have to include graphic details. Kids can understand from a young age that we can trust God when we are afraid or having problems, and that we can praise Him even in adverse circumstances. Kids can be introduced to the concept that some people have false ideas, and that non-Christians may get angry with people who tell the truth and do the right thing. 

Children can discover that persecuted Christians may experience joy and victory in times of struggle, and they can learn about obedience to God and perseverance in tough situations. They can also learn about forgiving and praying for enemies.

The VBS is being used in small and large churches, and is quite affordable for all groups. Some children’s workers are finding that the curriculum includes so much information, they can also use it in Sunday school and other settings after their VBS is over. Several groups have said they plan to use it for two years. 

The curriculum includes opportunities to share and explain the gospel to children who have not yet trusted in Christ as their Savior. Directors who have used the curriculum report that children have come to Christ during the VBS.

Each kit includes:

• 5 teachers’ guides, one for each country

• Director’s guide

• Skits and plays book

• Games, snacks, and activities book

• Craft and classroom activities book

• Photo CD; Music CD

• Resource and project guide

• VOM prayer map

www.kidsofcouragevbs.com has more information, samples of the curriculum, and feedback from VBS directors. www.kidsofcourage.com provides additional resources, including free downloads of material similar to what is in the VBS.

Teaching children about persecution

"I have concerns about materials that might introduce pain, torture, and death to a young child without a context for them" — Scottie May, author and professor of Christian Spirituality, quoted in Christianity Today

There is widespread recognition that teaching children skills and academic subjects should be done in an age-appropriate and kid-friendly manner. But some Christians seem to doubt that the same approach is possible when teaching kids about persecution.

Certainly it would be inappropriate to "introduce pain, torture, and death to a young child without a context for them." The following are just a few of the concepts that ARE, in general, appropriate to introduce to children that can help them learn to "Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also" (Hebrews 13:3).

Children can learn that:

*Some people do not know that the Bible is true, so they oppose Christianity. (See John 16:3.) Christians can stand strong in the face of such opposition.

*Christians can praise God even when they are afraid. (See Psalm 56:3-4.) We can trust God in the middle of trials and struggles.

*Following God may sometimes mean being in the minority. (See 2 Timothy 1:15.)

*Christians can continue to do good even when rewards are not immediate. (See Hebrews 11:39-40.)

*It is difficult to reach some countries with the gospel. Christians around the world witness boldly and in creative ways. (See Ephesians 6:19-20.)

The Voice of the Martyrs' Kids of Courage materials, many of them available for free download at www.kidsofcourage.com, provide resources to introduce these and other appropriate concepts to children.

VOM's Kids of Courage resources help parents and educators teach children ages 5 to 13 about persecuted Christians around the world, and provide opportunities for children to serve and pray for them.

Controversy Over The Voice of the Martyrs VBS Materials Which Aim to Teach Children about Christian Persecution

Recently, The Voice of the Martyrs has presented the new Vacation Bible School materials through our Kids of Courage program, which was unveiled in 2011, and  aims to share the persecuted church with children.

However, some controversy has taken place because some are questioning whether or not sharing the plight of the persecuted church with small children is helpful or harmful.

Christianity Today has written a very fair article about the controversy, which you may read here.

There is also some discussion about this on our Kids of Courage website which you may read here.

The Voice of the Martyrs USA Media Director, Todd Nettleton says concerning the curriculum,

"Launched last year, the ministry's 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 media director Todd Nettleton."

Please pray for parents as they train up their children in the Word of the Lord and decide whether or not their child may benefit from learning about the persecuted church.