2021 faith goal: God’s Word for 135 MILLION children and youth!
Thank you for partnering with your OneHope family in a brand-new year of ministry. Our God-given goal for 2021 is to give God’s Word to 135 million children and youth all over the world!
You’ll be sharing the Gospel with children like Abby, a young girl in the African nation of Ivory Coast, who met Jesus when she saw The GodMan film at a local church.
She was so excited that she went home and told her mother about the beautiful story of Jesus. Abby begged her mom to come to church with her … despite her poor mother being in the midst of a difficult pregnancy and already far past her due date.
Her mom came to the Bible Club meeting with her daughter … learned about Jesus and chose to place her faith in Him — and that day went into labor and delivered another healthy baby girl!
A whole family was transformed by the power of God’s Word. Thank you for your prayers and generosity, which make this global ministry possible. Enjoy this exciting update about the impact you’ll make, sharing the Gospel with the next generation in 2021.
To start the new year — a poem that sounds like miracles …
by President Rob Hoskins
We believe.
That God’s Word IS enough.
So we plan to reach every child on the planet with a
message of hope within the next decade.
It’s simple. Miraculous.
It’s a step out of the boat. First one foot, then the
other. Now walk …
Keep your eyes on Me. ALL things are possible.
But then we start to think, and without meaning
to, we are tossed about in waves of doubt. The goal
becomes slowly obfuscated in pages upon pages and
layers of murky grey complexity.
Then us big, bulky grownups stagger; burdened
under the weight of our calling, finally falling down
on our knees. Postured like a child: crying for faith
like a child.
simple
small sentences
delightfully familiar verses
the repetition of our favorite stories,
“again!”
We stand up. Eyes fixed and hearts resolute.
“I’m listening.”
And in that act—that lost art of listening—we hear…
something. And it sounds like miracles.
When God gave my father, Bob Hoskins, this OneHope vision, He didn’t say to take the Word to certain people groups, or a specific nationality, or only the underprivileged; He said to take His Word to EVERY child. And Dad listened and obeyed.
Since then, with your love and prayers, we’ve pursued the vision night and day:
God’s Word. Every Child.
It’s 4 small words, made up of less than 20 letters. Yet it’s the mammoth undertaking which God has called us to achieve. This year, by His grace, 135 million more children will receive the Good News! Thank you for standing with us in this amazing calling.
From hopelessness to hope in Christ!
The African nation of São Tomé and Príncipe has some rich natural resources … but their cultivation has not made life better for most of the inhabitants.
Susi knew an education was important for her future and tried her best in school, but she also knew job opportunities for her would be limited because unemployment is so high — and she had seen friends succumb to hopelessness, drinking, and drugs.
But then she received the Book of Hope and was invited to study it with other young people.
“I learned more about God; I learned to pray,” Susi says.
“I gave my life to Jesus, and my life has changed completely. Today, I speak of Jesus to my friends. I am striving to stand firm on the Word of God.”
Thank you for sending the hope of God’s Word to Susi!
You’re helping to reach 135 million children and youth worldwide … what about the children and youth in your own family and church?
OneHope programs are shared through churches and ministries from Africa and Latin America to Europe, Asia, Russia, and around the world — and by His grace, lives are transformed!
But our resources are also available in North America for families and churches to use, too. See below for more information about programs that can share the Good News with the young people in your life today.
Parents, grandparents, and churches: we’ve got you covered with great resources to share God’s Word!
The Bible App for Kids
Created with our partners at YouVersion, the Bible App for Kids shares the most important stories from God’s Word through animation, engaging audio, games, and more.
Children as young as 2 or 3 years old have used the app to learn about Jesus — and digitally-savvy children through primary school, and even middle school, continue to engage with it.
You can download the Bible App for Kids today in the App Store or on Google Play.
DonateThe Kids Bible Experience
Now available as part of the YouVersion app, the Kids Bible Experience was created to keep pre-teens engaged with God’s Word.
It’s perfect for older children who have already used the Bible App for Kids and for young people
who’ve never used an online Bible before. The Kids Bible Experience encourages daily interaction with God’s Word through features like:
- A Scripture verse to help them frame their world in the light of God’s Word.
- Relevant insights from contemporary voices they relate to today.
- Content that’s regularly updated with new insights and devotions.
Enable this feature in your YouVersion app today!
Feed:
Tailor-made for Gen-Z
Gen-Z — young people born between 1997 and 2013 — comprise 25% of the world’s population. Growing up with the internet is the defining characteristic of this generation …
Alarmingly, Gen-Z is declining in biblical literacy and disengaging from church life within the United States.
That’s why we conducted extensive research and developed Feed.
It’s a comprehensive program to help churches and families share God’s Word with young people in relevant and powerful ways that speak to their heart-felt needs in this digital age.
How Churches Are Using Feed
- Catechism is our devotional book containing 70 questions and answers that explore core scriptural truths. Each section focuses on one question and supports the answer with a Bible verse, discussion question, and application question. This format offers plenty of opportunities to kick-start discussions in a small group setting.
- The Small Group Series engages teens in conversations around the Bible and incorporates digital media as well. The entire Small Group Series is made up of 24 series. Each series contains 4-8 weekly lessons to spark conversation in small group meetings. Every lesson contains an icebreaker, a short video, a Bible passage, and discussion and application questions.
- Insights is a library of micro-assessment tools to help youth leaders measure the effectiveness of their youth ministry and the spiritual health of their youth.
You can help Gen-Z come to Christ and develop a bedrock faith. Feed is the tool you need. Find out more today at: Feed.Bible.
What church leaders are saying about our Feed curriculum …
“It’s been easy to use. We don’t always stick with all the questions, but they have been a good guide and led to interesting conversations. I like the depth of material. It’s challenged the kids in their thinking through what they believe for themselves and how they put it into practice.”
— Sharalyn Dixon, New Minas Baptist Church
“We kicked off our first week of Feed last night at youth. I was so excited to have our students and leaders engage with it. Here’s what we are trying for the first series ‘Identity.’ We played the video and sent students to their specific small groups where they read the Scripture and engaged with the rest of the questions. I made up booklets for the series (based on our branding) for the students to write in and engage with the verses for that week, too.”
— Sam Bell, Maple Ridge Alliance
Transformation! You gave Rafael — and his family — hope for the future
They lived in poverty amidst Venezuela’s chaotic social and economic freefall.
Rafael was being raised by a single mother in a home with 4 brothers and 2 sisters … none of them had the same father. Rafael’s dad had not been in the picture from the time he was a young child. One of Rafael’s older brothers was already in prison …
And it looked like Rafael would follow the same path. He and his siblings were focused on skipping school and finding trouble where they could.
But then a friend invited Rafael to a showing of a OneHope Youth Film featuring LUMO which shared about Jesus. It was an amazing story! Rafael was deeply moved and from that time, began attending youth group meetings at the local church.
Soon he committed his life to Christ — and a month later was baptized!
Other things began changing for him, too. With the help of his new church family, he found the strength and determination to get his academic life back on track … and he began bringing his family to church, too.
Today, his mother, sister, and younger brother are all worshiping at the local church with him. And Rafael has received a scholarship to a Christian boarding school where he’ll have the opportunity to prepare for a much brighter future!
NATION BY NATION
LIMITED ACCESS NATION — A Hindu family finds new life in Christ!
Sora comes from a Hindu family in a nation where Christians are at risk of persecution — nevertheless, his mother had come to know Christ as Savior.
She often tried to tell Sora about Jesus, but as a young teenager, Sora had little interest in spiritual things, and especially in Christianity! Sora’s mother was always looking for some way to share her faith with her children …
Then, her church began using the Book of Hope as an outreach tool. She eagerly took one home for Sora … He read the life story of Jesus … and chose to dedicate his life to Christ! Today, the rest of the family is also open to learning more about Jesus, and Sora and his mother are praying they will also make the decision to follow the Lord.
GUATEMALA —
Maria lived in a poverty- stricken village where she often went hungry, so when a church team arrived with care packages of food for the families in desperate need, she was thrilled. But even more exciting, she also received the Book of Hope and learned about Jesus Christ. Today, she has chosen to follow Him!
RUSSIA —
Adrik listened intently to the local church team that shared the Gospel with him, and he gladly prayed to receive Christ as Savior! The team then gave him the Book of Hope, but at this moment his uncle turned up, became aggressive with the team, and even ripped up the book! Later Adrik reconnected with the team and is determined to learn more about Jesus.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC —
Esmarlin was depressed. The pandemic had completely shut down her school and her social life … and this 12-year-old was struggling. But the bright spot came when her church delivered her the Royal Family edition of the Book of Hope! “Now I am happy and content,” Esmarlin says.
God’s Word. Every Child.
He didn’t think God was real … or could love him
“My name is Paul, and I am giving this testimony because I am totally astounded at what God has done in my life.”
Seventeen-year-old Paul from Kenya admits that he didn’t even believe in God. “It just didn’t occur to me that God could be real — or if He was, why would He want anything to do with someone like me?”
Paul felt worthless.
“I was aware that drugs had taken over my life,” he says. “I had grown dissatisfied. I couldn’t enjoy life. I was really angry at myself. This one day, October 10, I had admitted my weaknesses to myself, and I told God: Oh, show me if you are real!”
This was the same day a OneHope team came to Paul’s school and showed a OneHope Youth Film featuring LUMO about the life of Christ.
“Unbelievably, while I was seeing the movie, something nice began to happen in my heart,” Paul remembers. “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guided my heart and mind through Christ. Through seeing the movie, I found out that God really is real! Jesus really is real, and the Holy Spirit is alive and well living everywhere.”
This was the day Paul dedicated his life to Christ! The day that everything began to change for him, as he was able to give up drinking and drugs, and find joy in Jesus.
“Now I’m saved, doing well and growing in the Word of God. Thanks to God for using OneHope through the movie to rescue and save my life through Jesus Christ.”
