New addition to SSB Online focuses on children's work

                                                                                                                                                                                                  Vol. XI, No. 2, February 1998

Though the latest addition to the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board's Internet site is currently targeted to children's workers, it eventually will include features designed to attract children themselves.

KidTrek, located on the Internet's World Wide Web at www.bssb.com/kidtrek, went live Jan. 13 and already includes information about Sunday school, Bible study, Vacation Bible School, devotional and leisure-reading materials produced by the children's biblical studies section in the SSB's Bible teaching-reaching division.

In addition, the new area features three special sections:

     1) ParentSource -- a biweekly article for parents, a monthly feature article from ParentLife magazine and helps for leading a child to Christ.

     2) Sunday School Worker's Warehouse -- articles and resources for children's division directors and other children's workers, information about upcoming conferences for children's workers and Bible Searchers Extra!, supplemental ideas for teachers leading fifth- and sixth-graders using the Life and Work Sunday School lessons.

     3) Kids Korner, which is currently under construction, but eventually will feature games, learning activities based on Sunday school lessons, and stories and games from More, Adventure and Bible Express periodicals.

"We want to offer a practical and relevant website that meets the needs both of children's workers, parents and the kids themselves," KidTrek coordinator Kenny Adams said. "Our hope is that it will become an interactive site that enhances Bible learning for children and helps them mature in their understanding of Christ and their love for him."

A fourth SSB online site, "StarQuest Online," designed to promote and supplement the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board's Vacation Bible School materials for 1998, recently went live on the Internet. The site can be accessed by clicking on "SSB Sites" on the Sunday School Board Online home page, located at "www.bssb.com." Or, Web surfers can go directly to the VBS site by using the following Internet address: "www.bssb.com/yourvbs."

StarQuest Online reflects the Sunday School Board's space-related theme for its VBS '98 materials -- "StarQuest: A Galactic Good News Adventure." Among the site's numerous features are: VBS tips and testimonies, downloadable logos and planning suggestions, titles and Scripture references of all VBS lessons, links to NASA sites, an online catalog of resources, and ordering information. Also included is a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs).

SSB marketing specialist Jim Johnston said the board plans to continue adding resources to the site through the summer months. "We don't want our involvement with churches in VBS to end once they order our resources," Johnston said. "The Internet allows us to walk with our VBS directors and teachers every step of the way. In a very timely fashion, we can help answer questions, give them access to value-added teaching materials, graphics and ideas and link them with others who are dealing with the same challenges in VBS. We believe it will be a great VBS tool in 1998 and beyond."