Good News Club

An introduction by James Richardson

There are many ‘Good News’ Clubs throughout the UK which exist mainly to accommodate children who are unable to attend Sunday School at their local church.

We have had our own Good News Club at Grace Baptist Church, Peel for the past 13 years.  It is held every Tuesday night at 6.30pm until 7.30pm during school term time. 

The format is very similar to the Sunday School in that we have a number of biblically based choruses, scripture memory verses, and a Bible narrative which usually spans several weeks.

This is always interspersed with a quiz to test how well the children are remembering!  As the Club runs for an hour, we usually break off for refreshments halfway through. Time permitting; we will also have a craft activity.

The Good News Club is aimed at children who are between the ages of 5 and 11. However, if anyone slightly older or younger wants to attend, they are certainly welcome, provided the younger ones are able to understand.

We feel it is vital that children nowadays are taught the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ, and all that He came to achieve whilst He was here. During His time on earth, Christ never turned children away, but always welcomed them and taught them.

This shows  how important it is for children to be given solid scriptural teaching, which will stand them in good stead for the future.

As Christians, our main responsibility is to try and follow the example of Christ Jesus; and in the Good News Club we aim to share some Biblical truths with the children of Peel.

There is a verse in the Old Testament book of Proverbs (chapter 22 verse 6), which says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” 

These words are the ‘back bone’ of the Good News Club, and indeed all the other ministries at our church, which involve children. Over the past 10 years, we have had many Peel children come to the Club on Monday night, and every one of them will have been taught the Good News of the gospel as it is found in Christ Jesus.

Our aim at the Club is to be a source of good in their lives, in a world where so little is seen. And we trust that what the children learn on a Monday night will indeed stand them in good stead for their future.