FAQ

KiDs Beach Club® is an after-school Bible club that meets on public school campuses for one hour a day, one day a week for 24 weeks to present the gospel to students and connect them to a local church. Each student who attends is given a KBC Explorer's Study Bible. Many times, it is the first Bible in that student's home, since 62 percent of Beach Club attendees do not claim to have any church affiliation.

Students experience Jesus and discover truths from God’s word in a small-group/large-group setting. High-energy games, spirited worship and bringing the Bible to life in an active learning environment is facilitated by volunteers. Students are hands-on with their Bibles in every session.

In 2003, while serving as minister of children in a Dallas-Fort Worth area church, our founder Jack Terrell was challenged by his pastor to take the children’s worship experience outside the walls of the church. It resulted in the birth of what is now called KiDs Beach Club®.

“Treasure Island” was the theme of the church’s childrens worship under Terrell’s direction. His desire was to transfer the ministry culture fostered in Treasure Island, to area public schools in after-school clubs called “Beach Clubs.” While going through the 501(c)(3) organizational process in 2006, the word “KiDs” was added to Beach Club to further define the intended target. To this day, KiDs Beach Club® desires that every 3rd through 6th grade boy and girl have a Jesus experience within the culture of their public school.

KiDs Beach Club® identifies unchurched families in your neighborhood and provides a blueprint that connects them to your fellowship. We uniquely place your church in your neighborhood public school, providing you with a legal access into the public school. Partnering with KiDs Beach Club® accelerates opening doors allowing your church to focus on reaching families.

As a KBC partnering church, you gain access to KiDs Online Management System, where you will find current data on every student enrolled in your club. You then use that data to make home visits and invite KBC families to your church or special events. Our partnering churches have found that parents of Beach Club students to be warm and open to a visit because of the Beach Club connection.

KiDs Beach Club® establishes an appropriate legal partnership with each school district, leasing space after school and working closely with principals so the club can meet each week. Students can only attend club after their parent (or legal guardian) signs a permission form or submits one online. The signed permission forms are provided to the local school. Within the permission form, it clearly communicates to parents that KiDs Beach Club® is a faith-based Bible club that connects kids to Christ and puts Bibles in their hands.

Yes! In 2001 the United States Supreme Court ruled affirming the Equal Access Law. Faith-based groups have the same access as any other groups in providing after-school activities on public school campuses.

Yes! We are always watching to see where God opens new doors. Please contact us and let's explore how KiDs Beach Club® might be able to come to your area.

Time after time, we have seen God provide the needed volunteers and financial resources for small churches to bring KiDs Beach Club® to a neighboring school. If your church has the faith, we will gladly partner with you and help find creative solutions watching God meet every need. Watch: Hickory Tree & Floyd Elementary

KiDs Beach Club® requires a minimum 10:1 ratio of students to volunteers, so the number of volunteers needed depends on the attendance in your club. We recommend 8-12 committed volunteers for new clubs. Once club registrations have been submitted, you’ll know whether more volunteers are required. Click here to see what a typical Beach Club Team looks like.

KiDs Beach Club® strongly recommends that ministry partners follow their own policy concerning volunteering. All volunteers, 18 years and older, must undergo a national background check to qualify. If additional qualified volunteers are needed, volunteers can be parents of students in the club, other church members, senior adults, college students or even school faculty with principal permission. When God opens the door, He also provides the people. Need more help enlisting your team? Contact your local KBC club relations specialist.

The club fee extended to our church partners is $3,000, paid annually by August 31. We never want finances to be the obstacle that prevents a church from providing a Beach Club. We offer a variety of payment options as well as a multi-club discount. Ministry partnership contracts go out in April with a paid-in-full date of August 31. Special financial arrangements are discussed individually with each ministry partner. The actual total cost of each after-school Bible club is $5,800. The remaining balance is graciously covered through “love gifts” given by our generous KBC family and our amazing KBC donors. Any financial questions should be directed to our corporate office staff at 817-510-5885.

Yes! Your church may provide as many clubs as you are able to staff with volunteers. Please contact your KBC Club Relations Specialist for more information regarding our fee structure or call us at 817-510-5885.

While Beach Clubs are designed to take place on school property, we offer other option which allows churches to use the KBC material and format in any location outside your church walls, such as apartment complexes or community centers.

KiDs Beach Club® only partners with one church as the sponsoring church, but that church may work with sister churches however they choose. We have several churches that coordinate club funding and volunteers through ministerial alliances or by working with another church.

Yes! Hosting a Beach Club at a private school or Christian school is possible. We encourage you to evaluate that school’s current Bible teaching and evangelism before committing to providing a club in that location. Our heart beats for students who are not already connected to a church or exposed to the truth of God’s word in their schools.

We want churches to have as many club meetings as possible in the school year in order to build lasting relationships with students. Ministry is about building relationships! We have found 24 weeks to be optimal. New clubs starting mid-year will meet less than 24 weeks, with some very late starts meeting only six weeks, which is the minimum available.

Only on rare occasions. The Supreme Court is clear on this matter and our program falls within the boundaries of equal access. Also, we diligently follow all district policies and procedures and we secure parent permission before their child may attend club. We work hard to foster positive relationships with school districts and to maintain a good reputation in the community. We partner with First Liberty for protection and support in the event of significant opposition.

Beach Clubs are promoted at the school in a variety of ways. Your KBC Club Relations Specialist coordinates with each principal individually and helps your church tailor club promotion in each school. But the best promotion happens when students have a great time and invite their friends to join them at Beach Club!

Typical promotional methods include: sending promotional club flyers and permission forms home with students; posting the club on school or district websites and on social media; putting up posters in the school; making announcements at PTA; setting up a registration table at school events, such as open house or meet the teacher; and encouraging students to wear their Beach Club t-shirt.

The preteen years are key years in spiritual development. Studies show there is a spiritual readiness and understanding of the gospel that is unique to 3rd through 6th grade students. By focusing on this age group, we can tailor our Bible lessons and activities to be on-target, relevant and age-appropriate for preteen students.

The lessons and materials we provide is written specifically for preteens with hands-on Bible skills development that is above the ability of most young children, which can make behavior management and effective teaching difficult. In addition, clubs lose their “cool factor” for older students when younger ones are present. Exceptions have been made at the agreement of both the church and the school to allow for siblings or younger grades to be included in the club. Also, we currently have Beach Clubs operating on middle school and junior high campuses.

Giving Bibles to students is a priority and a big part of what we do in club. It was important for us to provide a full Bible (Old and New Testaments) with preteen-friendly study features in a reliable translation. We selected the Explorer’s Study Bible in the New King James Version because it best met our parameters of the options provided by our publisher HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Tommy Nelson Kids division.

Our curriculum is Bible driven and character based. Beginning with Bible content, we developed a four-year cycle of Bible stories with a balanced selection between the Old and New Testaments each year. Each Bible story is then assigned a character word that best complements that story. We do not try to fit in every character word each year, so some character words are highlighted more frequently than others. Lessons are written by a team of trusted experts in child development and ministry to children across the United States that include KBC staff, children’s ministers, pastors, educators and KBC volunteers.

Have an additional question? Visit our Contact Us page.