KBC Blog (2021)

My Dearest Friends,

As I reflect over 2021 and in anticipation 2022, it is clear how much greater God’s plans were for KiDs Beach Club in 2021, and I can only imagine His plans for 2022 to be far greater than anything we have ever seen.

When everything shut down in 2020, KBC definitely had a, “What will we do now?” moment. I’d been praying the prayer of Jabez from 1 Chronicles 4:10 where, “Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. So, even during the uncertainty of last year, seeking God’s blessing to continue was clearly needed, but I was not as confident about the “enlarging my territory” part.

God knew that it was time for us to explore other possibilities of Mobilizing and Multiplying in order to reach more kids for Christ. He knew it would require us letting go in order for KBC to be totally in His hands.

It started with a simple streaming of a Beach Club TV program for our KBC kids to watch at home on their computers called Beach Club at Home! Our church partners were able to share access to the weekly videos with the students in their Beach Clubs and to our delight, the kids loved it.

But God had far greater plans to bless and enlarge KBC’s territory! Soon we were being approached by a streaming television network who wanted to partner with us and use our video club for their children’s programming.

Through numerous God-connections this summer, that one TV partnership has grown into partnerships representing more than 500 broadcast, cable, and satellite TV channels. In August, the show aired for the first time on broadcast TV in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Today, it is airing each week across all 50 states, the Caribbean, and Africa. And we have more partnerships in the works which will place the show on cable systems across all of Europe, and satellite channels that touch almost every corner of the world. Right now, our potential reach is 490 million homes. You need to know that these stations don’t pay us to air an episode, but in turn they give us free air and advertising time to promote KiDs Beach Club. Clearly, God is not finished enlarging our territory.

A longtime friend challenged me to think beyond the after-school environment and see if there was a way to develop our character words into a curriculum that could be taught by classroom teachers. From that challenge, we developed a new curriculum called CharacterLeads™, and an unexpected new door of partnership is emerging. God has enlarged our programming to now include a secular character education program that can be taught in public schools during school hours. Take a look at the curriculum at CharacterLeads.com and pass it on to any educator you know!

God is opening so many opportunities up for us to Mobilize and Multiply to reach countless thousands of kids for Christ. You may be asking, “How is this possible?” Largely because of YOU! KBC is blessed to be part of a generous community of supporters that give and that giving has allowed us to capitalize on the possibilities before us. 

For example, with KBC-TV being such a huge success, we get to continue to create original programming. Each episode costs approximately $11,000 to produce, and that is funded entirely through generous donations from our generous community of supporters. We’ve produced 35 episodes at a cost, well, you can do the math… It’s a lot!

KBC has invested nearly $20,000 to create the CharacterLeads™ program. And of course, as we Multiply exponentially in schools with our after-school KiDs Beach Clubs®, there are costs associated with materials for those, most especially the Great Treasure Days where every child receives – a new KBC study Bible, and our annual cost to provide a Bible to every 3^rd – 6^th grade child is approximately $50,000 per year. 

It’s been a HUGE year for KiDs Beach Club. God is enlarging our territory with so many great opportunities, and it’s our responsibility to steward His given possibilities wisely and that’s why your continued support is needed.

So, I’m asking that as we enter into 2022 that you would join Tammy and me by making a monthly gift or simply by making a gift that represents Father’s blessing upon you. Click here to give your gift today!

In closing I pray as we start 2022, Father’s blessing as explained to Moses in Numbers 6.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord show you his kindness. May he have mercy on you. May the Lord watch over you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 (ICB) International Children’s Bible

On behalf of the entire KBC family, thank you and may God bless you in 2022!

Planning and pre-production for Season 3 of KBC-TV is underway. That means more characters and more shows to help teach kids about the hope offered in the Gospel message. But to determine who will play our new characters, we needed to find some new child actors. And that’s where studio auditions for Season 3 came in. On January 15, 11 amazing young actors attended the live studio audition round at CRM Studios in Las Colinas. They were joined by three returning cast members so that Executive Producer Frank Banfill, Show Writer Beth Banfill, and Director/Producer John McGlothlin could see their chemistry. According to John, “The auditions went incredibly well. It was by far the hardest selection process we have been through because every kid was so good.” Frank Banfill shared, “Wow! All of these kids are good! I can hardly wait to start filming in March!”

Show Writer Beth Banfill talked about the need to add more characters as KBC-TV moves closer to airing around the globe. “We have greatly expanded our cast of Clubhouse Kids this year. With God allowing KiDs Beach Club television to “go global,” we are very conscious of our expanding audience and the need to resonate with more backgrounds and cultures. Little by little, we are doing that. This season, you’ll meet Saanvi, played by one of our new cast members. You will also meet Kai, Eliana, Lucas, Nicholas, and Maisy. You’ll have to watch to find out more details!”

When asked what he was most looking forward to in Season 3, John McGlothlin responded, “Seeing these new characters and their story lines. Can’t wait to see what Beth has up her sleeve.”

As John mentioned, Season 3 will see not only new characters, but also new storylines based around real-life situations in which preteens find themselves questioning how they should react or handle difficult situations. Beth offered this peek behind the curtain. “Last season dealt a lot with the home lives of the Clubhouse Kids as they dealt with divorce, death, and difficulty. This season, we’ll deal more with some of the real-life issues they face while at school. We’ll explore cyber-bullying, drug use, cheating, body image, race relations, and there may even be a few big surprises along the way. While I love creating these storylines, I’m most excited about the underlying theme of every character word that we explore: Jesus is the answer to all of life’s problems, and He is waiting for you to choose Him as your Forever Friend.“

Season 3, which will include 20 episodes, begins filming in March, with an expected premiere in late 2022. This will bring our show total to 55 episodes full of entertainment, character lessons, and the reminder that no kid should ever feel alone. God calls us to spread His message of hope and that is what we intend to continue doing… even we begin to look ahead to Season 4!  

Imagine being an after-school club leader or volunteer and having all the tools you need for club right in the palm of your hand. Imagine watching KBC-TV and wondering, “how can I find Hang 10 pages and Bible conversation starters for my family?” Imagine being a school district administrator and needing a new character curriculum to meet statewide standards. Now imagine that these things no longer must exist just in your imagination. They’re all coming in 2022 with the development of 3 unique KiDs Beach Club apps!

KBC After-School Bible Club App

Though still early in the process, we at KiDs Beach Club® expect to roll out all three apps by summer 2022. The first app will focus on our After-School Clubs. Volunteers will be able to take attendance, pull up curriculum and videos, and find training tools. Parents will be able to register their kids for club, keep track of Hang 10 pages, and watch KBC-TV videos with their family. Kids will find information about what it means to make Jesus their Forever Friend and play fun games to help remember what they’ve learned in club. Even Beach P.A.T.R.O.L. members will be able to keep up to date with prayer lists, important tasks, and informational updates. We really think this app will make life simpler for club leaders and volunteers, while helping parents and students stay engaged.

"We love our volunteers," said KBC Founder and President Jack Terrell. "We've had close to 23,000 men and women serve the Lord by making Him famous in public schools since we started in 2003.  Anything we can do at the corporate level to help them with their calling as great commission disciples, we are excited to do," said Terrell.  "We really believe this app will not only provide fingertip access to everything a volunteer needs in club, but will also provide parents what they need to have spiritual conversations in their homes, which is desperately needed in our communities today."

KBC-TV App

As KBC-TV becomes more accessible not only in the United States but all around the world, our hope is that viewers want to learn more and find additional ways to engage their families. That’s what the KBC-TV app will bring. Besides being able to watch TV episodes whenever they want, those who download the KBC-TV app will also be able to find Hang 10 pages, learn how to form a club at their local school, and play games to help remember the lessons taught on each episode of KiDs Beach Club TV.

"The Lord has opened up so many doors for us to Christian TV networks, not just across the United States but all around the world," said Dave Crome, KBC's VP of Marketing and Communications.  "With a potential viewing audience expected to surpass 500 million, for us to have a simple app to point kids and parents to with fun ways for families to engage in gospel conversations is a no brainer. We can't wait to see what the Lord will do with this!"

CharacterLeads™ App

Finally, our CharacterLeads app will make it easier for counselors and school administrators to start using the CharacterLeads curriculum in their districts. As a reminder, CharacterLeads™ is a new program for public elementary schools to use in their assemblies and classrooms to develop tomorrow’s leaders by building character in children today. CharacterLeads™ uses video segments from the multi award-winning KiDs Beach Club TV as part of a new robust, non-religious, curriculum for teachers and school counselors to educate children around key character words--character concepts that link directly to effective leadership.

"Our elementary school teachers and counselors are already overloaded in their day-to-day responsibilities," said KBC Executive VP, Dr. Frank Banfill.  "The more convenient we can make it for them to stream our videos to their screens, via the app, is a game changer.  No other character education program out there provides 18 weeks of curriculum, with kids talking about application of each week's character word," says Banfill. "When the students in the classroom see kids on the video wrestling with applications of the character trait of the week, there is instant connection, which is invaluable to our educators today."

With easier accessibility and more opportunities to connect and engage, these apps will allow us to continue to mobilize and multiply the ministry of KiDs Beach Club in 2022.

If you would like to learn more about all three of these areas, check out the following websites.

After-School Bible Clubs - www.KiDsBeachClub.org

KiDs Beach Club TV - www.KiDsBeachClub.TV

CharacterLeads™ - www.CharacterLeads.com

If you have any schools or Christian TV stations you would like us to reach out to, please send us an email at info@kbcmail.org.

For the last 5 years, Theresa from Lakeside Baptist Church in Canton, TX was the KiDs Beach Club^® Bible Connection leader at Canton Intermediate School. As the Bible leader, she empowered students to live out the lessons she taught from her KBC Bible. Over time, she was instrumental in leading many of her students to make Jesus their Forever Friend. Her investment was their motivation to serve Christ.

Tragically, this past February, Theresa passed away after a brief illness. Her Kingdom Impact - her legacy of faith - still lives on within the hundreds of students she touched through KiDs Beach Club^®. Her love for God’s word was such that her family placed Theresa’s KiDs Beach Club^® Study Bible in her hands as she was laid to rest.

Karen from Cross City Church in Euless, TX shares the same passion that Theresa had in teaching God’s word. For the past 17 years, Karen has been volunteering in KiDs Beach Club^® schools. In 2011, one of her students was a 10-year-old girl looking to connect with other students. Her mom, Renee, enrolled Mandy in her school’s KiDs Beach Club^®. Soon Renee began volunteering, and on September 29, 2011, after Karen had shared the Bible story, Renee listened as Mandy asked Jesus to be her Forever Friend. Not long after, Mandy and Renee followed Christ in baptism. Together, they remained in Beach Club until Mandy went into Jr. High. End of story… right? No. Mandy’s story was just beginning.

Mandy grew up and became active in The Hills Church in North Richland Hills, TX where she taught Sunday School, distributed goods to people in need, and was active in the singles ministry. Each of the last three years, Mandy went to Brazil on mission trips, giving Brazilian children the same hope she had been given by Mrs. Karen at Beach Club back in 2011. On October 2 of this year, Mandy’s life was cut short in an automobile accident. At the young age of 20, she went home to be with the Lord and heard the words, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Her joy of dancing is now being displayed on streets of gold and passion to praise her Savior is now enjoyed face to face. Mandy, from the age of 10, followed Jesus and reflected His excellence in her journey.

These stories are not about loss or defeat but about the triumph experienced once Christ followers align passion to God’s purpose. These stories tell of Kingdom builders who are God’s heavenly champions. Yes, they may be in glory, but their legacy continues. I suggest we listen to the thousands of students that are grateful for the lives of Theresa and Mandy, and the ongoing ministry of Karen.

Paul writes in I Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (NIV). Resting in the will of God, regardless of life’s events, plus giving thanks, requires believers to see life through the lens of the cross.

Looking back over the last 18 months, some would say, “Rejoice over what?” Others are asking, “What is God’s will in all of this?” If Paul were alive today, I believe he’d say, “Rejoice and give thanks for this new normal and see that it is the will of God in Christ Jesus. Now let’s roll-up our sleeves and help people discover God.” The question for us is what are we focusing on? Are we listening to people or to God? When was the last time you asked the Lord to realign your passion with His purpose for growing His Kingdom? Clearly, Theresa and Mandy did, and Karen continues as well.

More than ever before, our schools and communities need Godly servants looking to invest their passion toward a Kingdom impact. KiDs Beach Club is the vehicle that connects God’s servants to these needy communities. Your support of KBC by your giving allows other Theresas to make an impact and allows the Mandys of this world to discover salvation found only in Jesus. By God’s grace, Mandy is one of 9,468 who have trusted Christ as Savior. She is one of the 109,497 students who have attended a Beach Club and had their lives eternally impacted by God’s word. Thank you for your continued faithful and gracious stewardship. Together we are seeing lives eternally changed!

Whether it’s because your school district hasn’t opened back up yet or you’re playing it safe for health reasons, we know many of you aren’t as active with KiDs Beach Club^® as you were prior to the pandemic. We understand. We at KiDs Beach Club^® have been very deliberate about what to do with this ministry during the pandemic. So in the interest of helping you stay connected to KiDs Beach Club^®, we’re excited to offer seven different podcasts to keep you informed and inspire you through the ups and downs of daily life.

The Connecting Communities podcast features KBC President and Founder Jack Terrell helping pastors understand how having a KiDs Beach Club^® meet in their local school not only touches the lives of students in club, but it also has a greater impact on the community as a whole and can be a useful tool for growing the church. The KiDs Beach Club^® podcast focuses on discovering how to bring scripture back into public schools. The KBC Training Portal podcast is meant for volunteers to learn best practices for clubs. The CharacterLeads podcast includes information about and the science behind KBC’s new program teaching kids about character during the school day. The CharacterLeads Character Lessons podcast offers parents a short character lesson to help kids start their day on the path to success. The Beach P.A.T.R.O.L. podcast offers tips and encouragement for Beach P.A.T.R.O.L. members and information for those considering joining the team. The KBCTV podcast shares details about the growth and production of the show which is now showing in all 50 U.S. states and available in nearly 490 million homes around the world.

KBC VP of Marketing and Communications Dave Crome talked about his vision and reason for creating the podcasts. “With our after-school Bible clubs slowly returning from the pandemic, the KBC podcasts are such a great way to stay connected to our Beach Club kids and their parents as well as with our donors and volunteers. Hopefully there’s a podcast for everyone to be entertained and inspired with how God used the pandemic to strengthen and bolster this ministry with exciting new products like KBC-TV and Character Leads, for years to come.”

Jack Terrell offered this bit of encouragement for those considering a listen to our podcasts. “So, why not give us a listen? Let us ride along with you in life. Who knows, you may even come to love Jesus like never before!” Couldn’t we all come to love Jesus like never before?

To listen to any of the podcasts or to read more about them, you can visit our podcast page or search for Kids Beach Club on your favorite podcast app.

Everybody needs a champion. For KiDs Beach Club^® our number one champion is Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose from the dead to give us eternal life. That is the exact same champion that Dallas/Fort Worth radio personality Chris Krok credits for turning his life around and giving him the passion to make a difference in this world. 

"When I was working in Atlanta 15 years ago, my job at WSB became my idol to the detriment  of my faith and my marriage. Our neighbors two doors down were committed Christians, walking closely with the Lord. Jim and Lori just sat, listened, and loved us. I saw what they had in their home, and I wanted what they had. The way they raised their children, the way they ran their home, they had peace. They led both my wife and me to the Lord."

Chris then made the commitment to live his life and use his platform on the radio for the Lord, and he has a very powerful platform. News Talk 820 WBAP Radio is a secular station heard in 48 states at night, which happens to be during Chris' 8pm - midnight shift during the week. "Over the years, God has sanded me down, refined me, to tell the stories, and instead of beating people over the head with something, I just do the show. People hear the values, and my faith will come out at the right times when God is prompting and leading. So, it's organic and natural."

In 2014, Chris heard about KiDs Beach Club^®, which was part of his church's ministry. "I thought it was beautiful when I heard about it," Krok said. After being amazed that volunteers from his church were able to teach character education through the lens of scripture to 3rd - 6th grade kids in public schools, share the Gospel with them, and give each child a Bible, he made telling the story of this ministry a priority. KBC purchased two weeks worth of ads on Chris' show leading up to North Texas Giving Day, a philanthropic day for many non-profits based in the DFW metroplex. Then on the actual day of giving, Chris basically turned his entire show into a four-hour radio-thon to help raise money to purchase Bibles for the kids in public schools, which has totaled nearly $100,000 and ultimately put more than 5,000 Bibles into the hands of these children.

"When you really know it's of God, everything aligns. KiDs Beach Club^® has been the way for me to help. It's amazing that we can share the Gospel in a public school. I actually get angry when people lazily say they have taken God out of the schools. We all used to say that, but it's not true anymore. I like to say to my audience, instead of spreading this false information, how about you help put God back into the school and praise the Lord, they have responded."

Part of the way Chris tells the story every year is by inviting KBC Founder and President Jack Terrell on his program for one or two segments as well as other friends of the ministry. This year's interview can be heard on the KiDs Beach Club podcast on our website, KiDsBeachClub.org/podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Chris is one of many examples of dedicated donors using their business platforms to grow God's Kingdom by promoting KBC, and the results are blessed by God. "My advice is to start praying for God to show you how and when to use your platform and influence to benefit this ministry," said Krok. "If you consistently pray about it and ask Him to show you opportunities, He will."