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Memorial Day weekend is here once again! As the unofficial start of summer, this is the time when we kickoff the Hang 10 Summer Reading Program.

"Hang 10" is the phrase we use to encourage kids to hang out with God for 10 minutes every day through Bible reading and prayer. The Hang 10 Summer Reading Program continues building and strengthening these habits of daily Bible reading and prayer.

This year's Summer Reading Program focuses on walking kids through the Bible, using stories selected from each Bible book. Each week for 14 weeks - beginning this Sunday and continuing through the Saturday before Labor Day - the plan will provide daily Bible readings and additional "bonus" content designed to help kids dig deeper into the Bible.

The first eight weeks of the program are now available on the KiDs Beach Club® website, featuring stories from:

• The Books the Law
• The Books of History
• The Books of Wisdom, Poetry and Praise
• The Major Prophets
• The Minor Prophets
• The Gospels

We will continue to add more weekly content as the summer progresses.

LINK:
Hang 10 Summer Reading Program

RELATED:
Tips for Getting Kids into God's Word this Summer
New 'Hang 10' logo

As always, the Summer Reading Program isn't just for kids! We are encouraging everyone to "Hang 10" this summer. Parents, teachers, volunteers and other Beach Club supporters can lead by example and spend at least 10 minutes each day with God through Bible reading and prayer.

Follow our social media accounts where we'll post each week's Summer Reading Program along with daily reminders for your kids and your family to read the Bible and pray. We encourage you to share them with your friends and family who may not yet participate in Beach Club or who are looking for a summer devotional activity.

Please follow us at @KiDsBeachClub on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and be sure to share your posts by mentioning us or using the hashtag #Hang10SRP. We would love to see photos of your children or grandchildren with their KBC Study Bible. 

This summer's Hang 10 Summer Reading Program was designed to be used with the KBC Explorer's Study Bible, which is given to every child in every Beach Club. If you do not have the KBC Study Bible and would like one, it is available for only $20 in the Surf Shop. You can still participate in the Summer Reading Program without the KBC Study Bible, but you won't be able to read the bonus materials.

When you first opened the Hang 10 Summer Reading Program this year, you might have noticed the new Hang 10 logo! This logo incorporates a life-preserver as the zero in the number 10. The idea was inspired by Dallas radio talk-show host Chris Krok during a speech he delivered at the 2016 Bibles for Beach Club Benefit Dinner. About kids who don't attend Beach Club or don’t already attend church, he said:

"These kids are not getting the truth at home. They're not seeing God or Christ in their homes. (KiDs Beach Club®) is your one shot. This is your chance to do something for them to bust the mold. What do you think this program is doing for this lost generation? What kind of life preserver is being thrown to them? You should consider re-naming this ministry 'Kids Life Preserver' or 'Kids Life Saver.'"

While we have not changed the name of our ministry, we have taken hold of this this idea, believing that if we can "save" a child, we can save his or her heart, which will then have a positive change in our schools and communities, and most importantly, for God's Kingdom. That is a theme we'll be sharing at the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting next month in Dallas as we strive to help even more churches go outside their walls to share the gospel and have an impact in their communities.

The new logo will also appear on the weekly Hang 10 pages given to students in Beach Club during the school year to take home to study with their families.

It’s no secret that teachers and parents want kids reading during the summer. It’s important for kids to keep practicing and improving their reading skills. God’s Word is the best book a kid can read. As a parent, you set the tone for making Bible reading important… and fun! Here are some simple tips to encourage your child to read God’s Word this summer.

• “Hang 10” – At KiDs Beach Club, kids are encouraged to “hang out with God” for 10 minutes each day through Bible reading and prayer. Set an alarm at the same time every day as a reminder that it’s time for “Hang 10.” When the alarm sounds, pause what you’re doing and devote 10 minutes to Bible reading and prayer.
  
  
• Hanging out with God may be a new concept for you and your child. Use the tip-in pages “Spending Time with God” in the KBC Study Bible (between pages 242-243) as a guide to help you understand when, where, what, and how. Make a family plan for spending time with God every day… and stick to it.
  
  
• Put a sticker on a calendar every day your child reads his or her Bible. At the end of the summer, count up the stickers and celebrate your child’s Bible reading success with a simple treat, like an ice cream cone or an afternoon in the park.
  
  
• Print out a copy of KBC’s “Hang 10: Summer Reading Program” and put it on your kitchen table. At breakfast or dinner, read that day’s assignment and talk about the Bible story or verses as a family. Take a look at the Bonus Reading and Challenges sections to dig deeper into the Bible.
  
  
• Taking a family road trip? Pack your Bibles and take the summer reading plan with you. Make the most of family time in the car by reading and discussing God’s Word. Email us a picture of your children with their Bible on vacation: photos@kbcmail.org, use hashtag #Hang10SRP or mention us on your social media posts @KiDsBeachClub.
  
  
• Help your child get comfortable with the Bible by practicing Bible skills. The tip-in page “The Bible is God’s Word… so LOVE IT! LEARN IT! LIVE IT! (just inside the back cover of the KBC Study Bible) contains five different activity options to help your child practice finding things in the Bible and memorize scripture. Use one or more of the activity options for a meaningful family game night.

There is no doubt that you have experienced someone trying to explain something to you that you just couldn’t wrap your head around, but after they used a visual aide, it made perfect sense.

That is exactly what the leaders at Southaven Intermediate School in Southaven, Miss., did to share the gospel with their club. 

Brown Missionary Baptist Church, which partners with KiDs Beach Club® to sponsor the club, has a Beach Club of more than 100 children, and club leaders and volunteers need to keep the kids engaged to ensure that Beach Club runs smoothly. This is especially necessary during the weekly Bible Story. 

In one of the last meetings before the Beach Club ended for the summer, the storyteller decided to try a new method of presenting the gospel, which he called “The Cover Up.” It was an extremely unique idea that included different colored t-shirts to tell the gospel through layering, modifying and removing them to show each colored shirt at the right time to better illustrate the gospel. 

He started in the beginning with the story of Adam and Eve. He had on a brown t-shirt representing the dust of the earth. He shared with the children how God's creation was perfect and good. 

He donned a white t-shirt next to represent pure and holy fellowship with God. Then he explained how sin entered the world through the serpent deceiving Adam and Eve in the garden and the two eating the forbidden fruit. 

Next, he put on a black t-shirt to represent sin. Explaining how this disappointed God and separated Adam and Eve from God, he told the children how much God loved them in spite of their sin and told them about Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. 

He then donned a red t-shirt representing the blood of Christ that covered the sin. 

After further explaining the forgiveness of sin, he removed the red and black t-shirts, revealing the white shirt again. He explained how we still sin, which he demonstrated by putting black spots on the white t-shirt, but covered them with red (the blood of Jesus) spots to “remove” the black blemishes. 

After this, he covered the spotted shirt with a bright highlighter, neon yellow t-shirt representing that we are to let our "light" shining for Jesus. He used this time to review many of the character words they had learned this year and how those words could be applied to letting your light shine.

He then presented an invitation to any students who were still "dressed in the black t-shirt" to believe in the blood of Jesus and forgiveness of sin and invited them to "wear the white t-shirt.”

“I don't think I've ever heard a gospel presentation to kids that was as illustrative as this,” said Vickie Sneed, the KBC club relations specialist for Tennessee and Northern Mississippi. “He clearly painted a picture through the t-shirts that the kids could visualize and understand.”

The club leaders had the opportunity to counsel two students following this Gospel particular presentation, with one electing to make a profession of faith. 

School is almost out! But, did you know that you can still enjoy KiDs Beach Club® throughout the summer? With KBC Explorer’s Study Bibles in kids’ hands and in their homes, boys and girls can continue learning with Beach Club. Once again, this summer, KiDs Beach Club® is providing a summer Bible reading plan for kids and their families.

“Hang 10” is the phrase that KiDs Beach Club® uses to encourage kids to hang out with God for 10 minutes each day reading the Bible and in prayer. At the end of each club meeting, kids are given “Hang 10 Pages” to take home and use as a guide to spend time with God each day.

The Hang 10 Summer Reading Program continues building and strengthening these habits of daily Bible reading and prayer. This year’s Summer Reading Program focuses on walking kids through the Bible, using stories selected from each Bible book. Each week for 14 weeks, beginning the Sunday before Memorial Day and continuing through the Sunday before Labor Day, the plan will provide daily Bible readings designed to help kids dig deep into the Bible.

The featured stories include: creation (Genesis), David and Goliath (1 Samuel), Esther Becomes Queen (Esther), God’s Love for Jacob (Malachi), and Matthew Follows Jesus (Matthew).

Better yet, the Summer Reading Program isn’t just for kids! We are encouraging everyone to “Hang 10” this summer. Parents, teachers, volunteers and other Beach Club supporters can lead by example and spend at least 10 minutes each day with God through Bible reading and prayer.

We hope you will stay connected to KiDs Beach Club® during the summer. We would love to see you, your children and your grandchildren with their KBC Study Bible. Please follow us at @KiDsBeachClub on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and be sure to like, comment and share your own posts and photos by using the hashtag #Hang10SRP or #MyKBCBible.

Look for the Hang 10 Summer Reading Program in your inbox and on our website next week!

The Hang 10 Summer Reading Program has been written for best use with the KBC Explorer’s Study Bible, which is given to every child in every Beach Club. If you do not have the KBC Study Bible and would like one, it is available for only $20 in the Surf Shop.

Giovanna Carrington agreed to volunteer for Beach Club at Woolmarket Elementary in Biloxi, Miss. this year. Although she did not attend Woolmarket Baptist Church, which partners with KiDs Beach Club® to sponsor the club, she was excited to fill the need the club had for surf team leaders.

By becoming a Beach Club volunteer, she has found out just what her calling is and that is sharing the gospel and loving children like Jesus does.

“God has used her to lead her entire surf team to Him,” said Missy Holaday, the KBC independent club relations specialist for Southern Mississippi. Holaday has had the great joy of watching Carrington share the gospel during Beach Club.

“What is so special about Carrington is the fact that she has now led 14 children to make a profession of faith while they were in her surf team,” Holaday said.

“Carrington fervently prays for the children in Beach Club, and specifically those in her surf team. She prays that they will know Jesus and accept Him.”

Earlier this school year, Carrington had a surf team of eight children. She shared the gospel with them in surf team time early on. She would ask them, “Do you love Jesus? Do you want Him in your heart? To be your best friend?”

The children responded to this invitation one or two at a time each week and would remind Carrington that it was their turn to accept Him. All the kids in her group responded except one.

This child did not desire to accept Jesus like the others in her group. But each week he would ask more questions and participate more. One morning, on the same day of Beach Club, Carrington heard the Lord tell her today would be the day for this child to accept Him and she should be ready. At Beach Club that day the boy made a profession of faith and Carrington was able to lead him through the ABCs and pray with him.

After each child in Carrington’s original surf team accepted Jesus, the club leader decided to rearrange surf teams to fix some behavioral issues. Although many were worried about children losing the connections and relationships with their surf team leaders, this change was used for good. Once the surf teams were rearranged, Carrington’s surf team had six new children, and they all, too, made professions of faith before the club finished meeting this year.

“God is amazing and so wonderful,” Carrington said. “These kids’ personalities are formed. They know how to memorize verses in the Bible and they know what they are saying. I want to make sure it is coming from their heart because they love Jesus. They have to put forth the desire.”

KiDs Beach Club® has helped Carrington find her calling. For years she was trying to validate her degree. Then she thought she needed to be teaching Spanish, but really it was Jesus she needed to be teaching others.

“It is the best thing that’s happened to me,” Carrington said. “Everything was turning around in my life, to have time to teach and to be at Beach Club. God told me to do this and I am going to do it.”