Summer of Hope Campaign Supports Devotionals for Kids and Teens

Grand Rapids, Mich. (K4K) – Keys for Kids Ministries is on a mission. The ministry knows it can have an impact on the spiritual lives of kids, teens, and families. Christian parents even know, deep down, they have a responsibility to disciple their kids. But they’re not doing it.  

Why? We’re not sure. Pew Research reported that only about 25-percent of Christian parents with kids under 18 say they talk with their children regularly about religion. For Keys for Kids Ministries, that statistic points to a growing need: parents often want to help their children grow spiritually, but many say they lack the time, confidence, or tools to do it consistently.

That’s why Keys for Kids Ministries is in the middle of its Summer of Hope Campaign, a two-month effort to raise $300,000 for our Devotional Fund. The fund helps provide Keys for Kids devotionals for kids and Unlocked devotionals for teens to families, churches, schools, outreach partners, and public events across the country.

Greg Yoder, president of Keys for Kids Ministries, said that response is common when families discover the ministry at conferences and events.

“Moms and dads come to our table and say, ‘Why didn’t I know about you? This is perfect. This is exactly what we need to stay on track,’” Yoder said in a recent Mission Network News interview. “It’s got great stories. It’s entertaining for the kids, but it also teaches biblical truth.”

Yoder said family discipleship doesn’t have to be complicated. The goal, he said, is to help parents, grandparents, and caregivers begin with simple, regular conversations around God’s Word.

“We encourage families to just spend five minutes together around God’s Word, around a Keys for Kids devotional, or an Unlocked devotional for teens,” Yoder said. “Consistency beats complexity.”

The Summer of Hope Campaign is also taking place during the ministry’s summer reading programs for kids and teens. Those programs provide free devotionals, prizes to encourage reading, and additional resources to help children and teenagers develop a daily habit of reading the Bible along with Keys for Kids or Unlocked.

The Devotional Fund supports several outreach efforts. More than 28,000 devotionals are being provided through the ministry’s public school outreach program in partnership with the 3 Heath Brothers, which starts in the fall. Thousands more are distributed at homeschool conferences, women’s conferences, fairs, festivals, and large events such as Unity Fest, a four-day Christian music festival in Michigan.

In addition, thousands more copies are placed in schools, churches, stores, restaurants, and other locations where kids, teens, and families may find them and begin using them.

Keys for Kids Ministries knows how to do it. Users agree. One teacher described Keys for Kids as “such a powerful tool” and added that “it is touching lives.” Another reader said, “My kids [use] the daily devotional every night.” One parent said the resources “help stay on track for character building devotions for our kids.” A reviewer of Unlocked called it “simple and easy to use,” while a youth ministry leader said, “My youth love it.”

Stories from former listeners and readers show how long that influence can last. Sarah Beth, a 27-year-old from Missouri, said Keys for Kids resources helped shape her faith as a child and continue to help her encourage others as an adult. When other adults say they do not know how to teach children about salvation or a relationship with Christ, she said she often tells them, “Here’s this great resource that helped me.”

For Keys for Kids Ministries, Summer of Hope is about more than placing printed devotionals in hands. It is about helping kids, teens, and families develop daily habits in God’s Word—habits that can point them to Jesus for years to come. Habits that can be handed down generation after generation. If you’d like to support the Summer of Hope campaign with your One More Gift, go to keysforkids.org/summer.