International (MNN) — The following article takes a bit of a departure from the normal format followed by MNN.
After interviewing Keys For Kids’ Executive Director, Greg Yoder, I had a bit of trouble starting this article. I keep getting stuck here: “There are 1.5 billion children in the world today who don’t know Jesus.”
(Photo courtesy of Keys For Kids)
That’s more than the current population of China right now. Then, he said, “If we viewed every one of these souls as someone who is literally dying, let’s say dying of hunger or because of the places in which they live, because they were under attack by ISIS, I think we would be more prone to be talking about Christ and working with some of these kids and making sure that they had the food that they needed and the medical needs met.”
Whoa. This 1.5 billion isn’t in one place…. They’re on the move, and “the 10/40 Window people say that 80 percent of kids today around the world are looking for spiritual truth. They’re already seeking it. They’re going to find some kind of ‘truth’. The question is: will they find the Truth? That’s what Keys For Kids Ministries wants to be. We want to be that place where kids can find the Truth that’s only found in Christ alone, through His Word.”
How do you get Truth into their 1.5 billion hands? It’s a huge job that’s too big for any one ministry to do alone, and too important to not to try to do together. For example, “Keys For Kids ministries last year was able to reach about 2.1 million kids and their families through the various resources we have, whether it be our online radio station at Keysforkids.net or through our online devotionals or our print devotionals.”
(Photo courtesy of Keys For Kids)
This year, after some careful planning, Keys For Kids ministries is poised to begin working with other ministries. “We also have opportunities through a new device that we’re calling the ‘Keys For Kids Storytellers’. They’re audio Bibles, [and] we’re not only going to put audio Bibles on, but also our Keys For Kids audio devotionals will be going on these Storyteller devices.”
In order to reach 1.5 billion kids, the content can’t be in only one language. Yoder assures, “We’re hoping to do Spanish, two versions of Mandarin, traditional. We also want to reach out in Greek, Macedonian, and Albanian, and we just began talking with an organization in Arabic about producing these — not only our devotionals in print, but also producing an audio version of Keys For Kids.”
Once these are in production, he says, “We have the possibility of reaching about 500 million children, if we’re able to reach everyone in all these different languages.” Who knows how God will grow this?
(Logo courtesy of Keys for Kids)
The idea of ‘pray, give, go’ sounds simplistic, but as you and I begin praying about 1.5 billion kids’ hearts and their need to be introduced to Christ, Yoder believes it’s going to begin creating urgency in our hearts. In turn, that translates into action. “Only God can make it happen by using His people. We’ve set up a minimal goal. We would like to see about 500 people come on as monthly prayer partners and donors.”
Finally, Titus 3:3-7 came to mind:
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The cause of Christ is worthy of our fullest efforts because the Gospel of Christ is man’s only hope. Those of us who are followers were shown the way…. Could we do any less for these precious kids?
