Record SuperKids Summer; Ministry at 101 Locations

This past summer, for the first time in its history, SuperKids ministered at over 100 locations around the country, reaching children with the Good News of Jesus at each one. This represents a 20% increase over the summer of 2011.  The programs involved more than 5,000 children and their families and was supported by over 800 volunteers from sponsoring organizations, partner ministries and churches.  

 SuperKids locations stretch from northeastern urban areas to coastal beach resorts to major southeast cities. At each location, highly committed and trained volunteers shared God’s love in Jesus with the children who attended. SuperKids features singing, Bible memory, games, Bible stories and small group studies. This year, the curriculum was called “On Your Mark, Get Set…Go” and was built around the Gospel of Mark. Here are snapshots of four of the most exciting SuperKids missions from last summer. Three are new; one is in its fourth summer.

 Poor City, “Rich” Children

Reading, PA is perhaps the poorest city in the nation and known for its high crime and struggling economy.  During July, in the middle of City Park, 118 children (plus anyone in the surrounding neighborhood) were able to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ through a 5-day SuperKids program.  Twenty five volunteer staff from a local church conducted this new outreach. Many children and family members reported new or renewed commitments to the Savior.

 Training for the Future

 Last August, The Salvation Army Corps in Mansfield, OH invited SU’s Northeast Regional Director, Sonia Dobson, to conduct a SuperKids program in their local community center.  In addition to reaching children with the Gospel, a major objective was to train the Salvation Army staff to present the SuperKids curriculum in the future. Twelve volunteer staff shared the Gospel with over 30 children that week. In the fall, the Salvation Army division will offer a PrimeTime afterschool program where these same children will learn more about following Christ.

 Oldest and Newest

 In New Jersey, one of the oldest SuperKids Missions has given birth to one of the newest, most successful beach ministries. The Beach Haven, NJ SuperKids, now in its fourth year, is a spin-off of a SuperKids in nearby Surf City, NJ, one of the oldest SuperKids missions in the US. A local church in Beach Haven works closely with the SuperKids team there to get the entire community behind this outreach. For a period of ten days, the Beach Haven SuperKids team shared God’s Good News with nearly 120 children.

 SuperKids in the Big “D”

 In SU’s South Central Region, SuperKids partnered with a summer camp to conduct an outreach to approximately 75 at-risk children from inner city Dallas. The children were bused in daily for an all-day program of three meals (part of a summer feeding program provided by the camp) and the SuperKids ministry of singing, memory verses, small group studies, games—and life-changing friendships. This was a new SuperKids outreach that holds great promise for coming summers.

 To learn how you and your church can reach children with God’s Good News through the SuperKids program, visit www.SuperKidsmission.com or call 1-800-621-LAMP (5267).