Blog

When people think of KiDs Beach Club, they might consider the students having a great time, the powerful message of salvation burning like a lantern on a hill in our public schools, KiDs Beach Club TV which provided virtual clubs during the pandemic known as Beach Club at Home!, our newsletter, community, volunteers, and so much more; but how often do we consider the impact all these factors have on the many friends of KiDs Beach Club? 

One of our dear friends is actor Zach Colmenero for KiDs Beach Club TV. Zach’s acting career began when he saw his first movie, The Peanuts Movie, six years ago, and it was as he watched the escapades of Snoopy and Charlie Brown that he felt his passion for filmmaking ignite into his earthly calling. 

In the years following, Zach fell in love with the acting industry, especially the comedic arts, taking several acting classes along the way before arriving at his audition for KiDs Beach Club TV.

In the weeks leading up to this audition, Zach had been reflecting on what type of acting he wanted to do. “Well, I really liked comedy,” he said. “I was like, ‘If I go into acting, I want to be a comedian.’ So I like comedies. But I also liked that film acting has life-changing stuff with a purpose.” 

This passion for changing the world with his acting helped land him the job with KiDs Beach Club and a wonderful friendship began. 

As Zach built friendships with his fellow cast members, he started making his impact on kids all across the United States through his portrayal of Alex, the wise-cracking character he portrays in KiDs Beach Club TV. But Alex’s impact isn’t limited by his age or his acting; he’s already started a foundation to assist in cancer research and to provide fun things to do for cancer patients who are kept in quarantine due to their fragile immune systems. 

Zach's passion for cancer patients is rooted in his friendship with Kacey, a young lady battling cancer. Zach’s foundation has provided stories, Legos, and even KiDs Beach Club Explorer's Study Bibles to his friends in cancer wards across the United States. Zach’s passion for inspiring others with life-changing stories is the driving force behind his desire to reveal those who are sick or injured to the wonders of their Forever Friend—Jesus Christ. 

Zach’s ministry of spreading hope and joy to those less fortunate than himself is an inspiration to his fans, old and young alike. 

His devotion to his faith, calling, friends, family, and community is an inspiration best reflected in 1 Timothy 4:12, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (NIV) 

Zach’s story tells of a boy who loves his Savior and His Kingdom. If you’d like to see Zach’s acting in action, then go check out KiDs Beach Club TV right now. All the episodes can be seen by clicking here.

Though he is only eleven years old, Zach’s story can be the story of anyone in the KiDs Beach Club community. We all have special talents and gifts to put to the work of the Kingdom; the question is will we be like Zach, who multiplies the influence of the talents God has given, or will we bury our talents away until the Lord’s return? 

KiDs Beach Club is excited to announce that KiDs Beach Club TV has been honored by the 42nd Annual Telly Awards with Bronze wins in four different categories: Online General - Children, Online Craft - Writing, Online General - Religion/Spirituality, Online General - Not-for-profit & Fundraising.

"It's an incredible honor to be recognized by this prestigious organization," said KiDs Beach Club founder and President Jack Terrell. "It's amazing to think of the journey on which Father has taken KiDs Beach Club TV. It has gone from concept in a staff meeting to now being recognized on a national platform. God is good!"

“In the face of a year like no other, KiDs Beach Club has continued to defy the limitations of our new world, in continuing to create compelling and engaging work,” says Telly Awards Executive Director Sabrina Dridje. “This year’s submissions doubled down on what we already know about the industry. Creativity cannot be stopped. Collaboration will always prevail. New ideas and stories will always find a way to break through to an audience.” The full list of the 42nd Annual Telly Awards winners can be found at www.tellyawards.com/winners.

KiDs Beach Club TV started as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 as our 10,000+ Beach Club students were forced to leave their schools for at-home learning. Beach Club at HOME! provided an online platform for these students to continue learning about Jesus, in their homes, for the remainder of the school year. Through the incredible generosity of GMI Commercial Contractors in Southlake, Texas, who sponsored season 1, Beach Club TV became a network quality show by moving to CRM Studios in Las Colinas. After seeing the show, executives of newly formed Christian TV entertainment network, PAX-TV added KiDs Beach Club TV to their lineup and is now airing episodes to millions around the world in five different languages.

KiDs Beach Club TV - Season 1 has been seen by thousands of children and features character education through the lens of scripture. It includes all the fun elements that kids experience in their after-school Bible club and is now available as a DVD set in the KBC Surf Shop

"While we remain prayerful that KiDs Beach Club will be able to fully return to all of our public schools in the fall, we are excited to be able to share the gospel with potentially millions of children through KiDs Beach Club TV," said Dr. Frank Banfill, KBC's Executive VP for Strategy and Organizational Growth. "Please pray with us that the episodes we are currently taping in Season 2 will have an even bigger impact for the Kingdom than Season 1 did."

For more information on KiDs Beach Club and sponsorship opportunities for Beach Club TV - Season 2, please contact us here.

In the heart of Central Florida hangs a T-shirt. The T-shirt has been hanging on Pastor Jack Parrott’s door, waiting for the day it will be worn again. You might not think a T-shirt would be an abnormal sight for most who enter the office of a church pastor, but for Pastor Jack Parrot, it’s a symbol of the resolve he has for returning to the students in KiDs Beach Club. 

The story starts way back when Pastor Parrott and his church family got together to discuss an inspiring new vision a member of their church named Jannine had for future ministry into their community. A plan was devised, and an after-school program was drafted for the neighboring school. The staff would walk the kids from the school to the church and minister on the home front. 

But then they hit their first roadblock as a communications error led to the entire church being blindsided by the news that the school was being torn down and rebuilt from the ground up; in the meantime, the students would be bused across town to continue their studies. 

Jack and the team sought new ways to minister to the kids, including the option of renting the school on Wednesdays to find a solution—albeit an expensive one. It was around that time in late Fall of 2019 that they were introduced to KiDs Beach Club, and a solution emerged! As they began meeting in January of 2020, everything was smooth sailing, and the kids were loving every second of the club. 

Jack says when remembering those early days, “I would often reassure the parents that safety was our priority, and I would return them more equipped, learned, and happier than when they were left in our care. I upheld that promise week-in and week-out. We had an incredible time as the Father guided our ministry and brought smiles to all our faces.” 

As the lead pastor at his church, Jack would conclude his work at the church early on Wednesday afternoons and grab his KiDs Beach Club T-shirt, which always hangs in his office, and rush all the way across town to set up and lead the club. 

That is until COVID shut down the school, and the club meetings were suspended until further notice. Jack still keeps that T-shirt hanging on the door in his office, longing for the day when he’ll be able to throw it back on and head out the door to rejoin his KiDs Beach Club family in person. 

Though the school remains locked for now, and many of our volunteers await their chance to rejoin their students, it's important to remember that even in the trials of this pandemic, our mission isn’t aborted; we are still on call in this ministry, ready to rush back into it at a moment’s notice. 

As Jack says, “Listen, we're Christians. If you're an evangelical and really believe we must reach people with the love of Jesus Christ and the message of Jesus, then that particularly means we must reach the next generation. In my home state, 80% of Floridians don't attend anybody's church. They're not believers. These kids are experiencing a time of radical personal and cultural change. They're wiring themselves emotionally, spiritually, mentally, everything else, and kindergarten through fifth grade is our mission field for Christ!” 

We at KiDs Beach Club join those of our volunteers in fervent prayer that they will soon return to their clubs and receive those same smiles, laughs, and fun that accompanies our ministry every step of the way. Lord willing, many hangers will be vacant as our volunteers throw on their leader T-shirts and return with more passion than they left with as the Spirit spurs us back into action with KiDs Beach Club next semester! 

Allesandra Rufino and her family were living their daily lives in Orlando, Florida before the 2020 pandemic began. Allesandra’s daughters, Sarah and Clara, had just started attending a new KiDs Beach Club after-school Bible club at Westpointe Elementary, sponsored by Church of the Lakes. 

As Allesandra planned the many chores, events, and activities for the family, she and her husband struggled to find time to guide her daughters to dive into the Scriptures and commune with the Father as a family. 

Not only that, they wanted to teach their daughters how to get into the habit of studying the Word.

Allesandra was incredibly thankful for KiDs Beach Club offering an opportunity for the girls to engage Scripture. But once COVID hit, she faced a challenge. How could she get her girls into the Word consistently with kids being locked out of the schools? 

The short answer is: God works, even when we aren’t looking. While the world was being turned upside-down, God had already made a way to prepare a new generation. 

Allesandra discovered KiDs Beach Club’s interactive Summer Reading Program called Hang 10. With this program, she had a done-for-you Bible engagement curriculum for her daughters to get into the habits of reading scripture daily and communing with their heavenly Father consistently. 

The girls fell in love with the program and began delving into Scripture every day. She then extended the invitation to other mothers and soon had a small group of girls assembling weekly for Bible study. These “All-Stars,” as they call themselves, have become their own KiDs Beach Club in many ways, all guided by the Hang 10 Summer Reading Program. 

Today, the entire Rufino family eagerly awaits next semester when they can participate in KiDs Beach Club in person again, but until then, they love the Hang 10 program

Allesandra describes it as, “Discipleship for the kids, not only on Sunday. This is something they need for the week because evil is coming from all fronts: TV, the internet, phones, you name it. But when you make something like that, you can put the important things in the kids. You can remind them they need to know about the Bible. They need to know the good things, the right thing, the right time, the right place with the right person—Jesus Christ.”

Even though the world may seem a jumbled mess in many ways, God is making moves we cannot always fully comprehend, but He is still reaching kids for Christ and engaging them with His Word. 

Through the Hang 10 Summer Reading Program, kids are taught the incredible habit of spending at least 10 minutes in the Word every day. Each month contains a handful of scripture broken down and simplified while keeping the powerful lessons and values that will encourage the students to seek and maintain a strong relationship with the Father.  

Click here to explore more about the Hang 10 Summer Reading program and engage your kids in the Bible this summer.

Who am I? It’s a question we all ask of ourselves at one point or other in our lives; most of us would put this one right up there with Why am I here? or What is my purpose?

But often we forget to reflect on these seemingly simple questions once we’ve passed the development stage of our lives. 

A rare few know exactly who they are from a young age, such as Wolfgang A. Mozart, Stevie Wonder, or Venus Williams, but for the rest of us, we must experience the journey of a lifetime to understand exactly who we are. 

Jason Earls, a famous Christian comedian and actor with KiDs Beach Club at HOME!, made this journey long before he knew exactly where God would lead him. His journey is one of humble beginnings and humorous aspirations.

He described his early years, saying, “I've always wanted to do standup comedy sets, especially since high school, but growing up, my parents were and still are very strong Christians. In fact, my dad is a pastor. Both of my grandfathers were pastors. Even a lot of my uncles are pastors.” Jason jokingly concludes, “Even my dog is a pastor! We call him the Reverend German Shepherd.”

With his natural sense of humor and strong Christcentric family life, he was destined to have a great impact on the Kingdom of God. Even so, his confidence took a turn when he was in high school.

One day he came to his dad with a eureka moment. “I told my dad, ‘Dad, instead of going to college, I want to go to the improv and study to be a comedian.’ And my dad laughed! He was like, ‘Boy, you funny!’ So I thought, Well, that's the end of that.”

Soon Jason was off to Virginia State University where he met his wife and really got serious about his walk with the Lord. “I started teaching Bible studies on campus, and I felt like comedy had taken me down this long, dark road,” Jason said. “I needed to let it go. But one day I was just sitting outside... and I just felt the Lord say to me, Jason, I made you funny. You can use this. I want you to use it for me.

I realized that my God gave me a jovial persona and a lot of comedy naturally, and it kept coming out whenever I would teach. So I started doing skits and sketches and doing them at churches to help teach a Bible lesson.” 

After this realization that his comedic abilities were hardly a “dark road” on his journey of discovery, Jason went to seminary, where he had another life-changing experience.

Jason described the event for us, saying, “I was taking Bible Study Methods by the legendary professor, Dr. Howard Hendricks. And we had to present a Bible passage, Acts 3, the gate called beautiful. I did it just as a comedic monologue, and everybody stood up clapping! Dr. Hendricks said, “Ladies and gentlemen, that is what I'm talking about!” 

It was in those formative college years that Jason’s mission became clear to him. Once he returned home from college, his mother had a surprise for him in the form of his first gig. She was leading a women’s group and asked him to do a few of his skits for the ladies.

Jason responded with a Thanks mom, but I’m good, really. But after some thought, and Dr. Hendricks’ words echoing in his head, Jason agreed to use his talent for God, and he agreed. 

After Jason had them rolling in aisles with his Biblical skits, a lady came to him and asked, “Oh, didn’t your brother come to my church to preach?” Jason said afterward, “That shows you how much comedy was detached from the church. It was actually me. I had been at her church, but she was thinking, ‘He can't be the same preacher guy.’ And so she asked me if I could come to her church to do a comedy event.”

Jason agreed, and the next time he was in his hometown of Dallas, she called him. She said, “Okay, we're going to sing, read a scripture, and pray. The rest of the two-hour program is yours.”

Jason was stunned! With only two skits in his repertoire, he was caught completely off guard. He knew he only had one option—prayer. He prayed that if this was what God wanted him to do that he would be given the inspiration, courage, and wit to pull it off.

As he dropped his last punchline at the end of the two-hour session, he was shocked once again. “The crazy thing was, as I finished, people were laughing!’ Jason says, “I'll never forget. I saw this old man on the front row, and I was thinking, I need to calm down because this man is going to hurt himself.” 

Seven people came to the front of the church and received Christ as their savior that very night when Jason concluded. As he took his final bow and began to leave the stage, he was met with another surprise. The pastor's wife said, “Hold on, will all the pastors and local ministers in the building, come up here and lay hands on brother Earls?” 

Jason froze, and his mind began racing as he thought, What kind of mess is this? I'm a seminary student. “I'm thinking there's only one reason they’d do this; I was just studying this; when they laid hands-on in the Bible, it was either to heal the sick or to commission somebody to go out in the mission.

I’m not sick. So... oh no! Don't do it.” They put their hands on Jason and prayed for his mission. Jason was confused, and to a good degree nervous. How could the talent he thought was the problem be his mission in life? 

“I'm just up here and making people laugh,” Jason said. “The next morning a pastor came by my parents’ house. And he said, ‘Young man, I saw something that I'd never seen before. I had never seen that many people in the church laughing that hard. In fact, I started going over CPR in my head, because there was an old man on the front row...I thought for sure he was going to have a heart attack.’”

So Jason returned to seminary with a new mission. He was determined that if he was going to be a comedian, he would be one of the greats, not just the church funny guy.

In the years after, he attended many different rallies, conferences, and events and became a well-respected Christian comedian. On a certain trip to Washington D.C., a driver picked him up to take him to the event. He turned around and asked Jason, “Hey, a comedian heard that you were coming and he saw your name on a flyer. And he called up to the church and asked me to put you in contact with him. So here's his number.” 

Jason called him. The voice on the other end answered saying, “Hey man, you don't know me. I'm [John Doe].” Jason remembered him because he’d seen him on television on a stand-up comedy show! The man said, “Man, about two years ago, you went to a retreat. And a man came back and asked me if I knew you. I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Never forget this man's name because he's going to be something.’”

The man concluded saying, “I never forgot your name. I saw you on this flyer, and I'm asking you to come to this comedy show tonight to perform. There's also a guy putting together a television show. I think you should be a part of it.’” 

The man put the producer through with Jason, and the producer agreed to hire Jason without so much as an interview. Years after he first had that notion in high school of being a professional comedian, Jason Earls is living that dream! 

From mission trips to mega-churches, Jason has impacted thousands of people with his comedy on multiple continents. Fourteen years after that life-changing D.C. trip, Jason found a new way to demonstrate his skill and love for laughter when another series of conversations amongst friends, and friends of friends, provided him with a KiDs Beach Club Connection. 

Jason has always loved ministering to kids, fathering his own six along with his loving wife, so KiDs Beach Club was right up his alley. On KiDs Beach Club at HOME!, Jason plays himself as a KiDs Beach Club volunteer who helps the kids with their struggles growing up in this modern world and encourages them while teaching valuable life principles. 

“I love the fact that I'm using my creative comedic acting ability to not just encourage kids, but helping make disciples with these kids,” Jason says. “But here's the crazy thing. Not only when I'm on set, acting, and helping to disciple kids on the set, we know ultimately this is going to kids across the world who are going to be able to grow in their relationship with God! 

Ultimately, I'm doing what Jesus told us to do, going into the remote parts of the world and teaching the Gospel, making disciples.

Although I have a lot more to do, it's these things that give you that life purpose of, ‘Lord, if you take me home right now, I've already got a few episodes that will forever be as long as they’re running it. Make an impact.’ The fact that my wife and I have been blessed with six kids, I know He's expanding the legacy every moment of every day.”

Jason Earls continues his comedic ministry in every aspect of his life. Those major questions of who, why, and what am I are answered for us all in the day-to-day life of any true Christian. Jason’s journey was one filled with constant company; his Forever Friend never left his side, no matter how confusing his path may have seemed at the time. Jason answers these simple questions simply when he says:

 “God didn't give everybody everything; He gave everybody something. We can multiply His Kingdom and make His name great with whatever our something is.

It's amazing that something as small as an ability to make people laugh or engage people, that can help with what KiDs Beach Club’s doing. If God's blessed you with financial resources, you’re able to, just as the disciples did with a little fish and a little piece of bread, take this piece and watch as God multiplies that and impacts many kids.

You gotta realize that if one kid is impacted through KiDs Beach Club, when you impact that person you impact anywhere between seven to ten more people. If you impact one little kid, you're going to impact that child's mom, dad, and siblings; you're going to impact that child's teacher; that teacher will go home and tell their family about that child's relationships. And that kid sits around at least six to seven other kids. When you're supporting KiDs Beach Club, you're supporting one kid who's going to impact anywhere between seven and twenty more people!”

Our purpose is nothing short of the fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven! The gifts God has given you can have just such an impact as Jason’s. As Jesus told us in Mark 9:23, “All things are possible for one who believes!” 

There are days where the Lord works in mysterious ways, and then there are days when He works in miraculous ways!

Today would definitely check both of those boxes for the entire KiDs Beach Club family, as we have just signed a deal with PAX TV to allow them to stream the first season of KiDs Beach Club at HOME! directly into your family’s home as well as families across the globe.

PAX TV will be a family-friendly channel, designed to broadcast light into darkness, whether in an individual’s soul or in an entire nation. They are dedicated to preserving the innocence of every child and adult alike who longs to enjoy a quality show without the constant barrage of secular ideologies of the day.

Their mission is quite simply to break the mold, just like KiDs Beach Club’s mission is to transform our public schools into modern ministries for Christendom. 

Unlike many streaming services, we won’t barrage your TV with a boatload of content to binge in one sitting. Season One will include 16 episodes and will air once a week on the PAX TV streaming site. 

Once streamed, every episode will additionally be available on the PAX TV video-on-demand channel.

In light of the many challenges we’ve faced over the course of the pandemic, this blessing comes as a great surprise in contrast to the crazy assortment of shocks we received last year. 

PAX TV’s CEO, Nick Schroeder, is just as excited about this opportunity as we are. He says, “Kids’ programming is big on our hearts, and we want to make sure our children have good content to watch.

That’s what KiDs Beach Club at HOME! brings. We love the show for what it is, but we also love that KiDs Beach Club is an actual after-school program nationwide,  providing God’s Word in our public schools!” 

KiDs Beach Club founder and President Jack Terrell shares our excitement. “We are thrilled that PAX TV is coming alongside KiDs Beach Club to reach every boy and girl with the Gospel of Christ. We can’t be more excited to be part of this network’s lineup on its worldwide launch. Please join us in prayer that millions of children worldwide will hear the Gospel through these episodes and ask Jesus to be their Forever Friend!”

In a world full of streaming services, social media, and a million other things vying for our and our children's attention, we are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to be a beacon of light in the darkness with PAX TV!

Just like Jack said, we must be fervent in prayer that the Lord will use this incredible streaming service, and KiDs Beach Club at HOME!, to bring the light of salvation to every child of God across the nation.

All this and more is coming to your home device very soon!