NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–The Southern Baptist Convention’s newest teenage superhero will make his debut at the SBC’s annual meeting June 13-14 in Orlando, Fla. He’s Super Dude — “defender of the faith, defeater of evil, and dressed in dapper duds.”
“Super Dude and the CP Squad” is a new resource to teach boys and girls about missions and evangelism, said David Hankins, vice president for the Cooperative Program with the SBC Executive Committee.
The Super Dude and the CP Squad materials include colorful activity books, a comic book-style witnessing tract, skit books, Super Dude toys and a four-week Bible study guide featuring the Super Dude characters.
“Our state conventions have been asking for some new, creative ways to communicate the CP missions message to children,” said John Kyle, director of Cooperative Program development. “We feel Super Dude provides a fun, imaginative way for three groups to learn about CP missions simultaneously — youth, adults and children.
“Adults learn as they help prepare the Super Dude Bible studies,” Kyle said, “the youth prepare as they perform the Super Dude skits and the children learn through watching the skits and working through their activity books.
“Kids love heroes and Super Dude is a missions hero who will make learning about missions and missionaries fun,” Kyle added. In addition, children who complete the activity books and Bible studies will have the opportunity to become a member of the CP Squad along with Super Dude.
Super Dude is among a number of projects initiated in connection with this year’s “Partners in the Harvest” celebration of the Cooperative Program’s 75th anniversary. CP is the channel by which Southern Baptists finance missions and ministry endeavors of state Baptist conventions and the SBC’s national and international outreach.
The Super Dude story line: David Hicks, an ordinary Southern Baptist teenager, wins a Bible Drill competition. His prize is a Bible that hasn’t been opened in 700 years. When he opens the Bible and begins to read Scripture, David receives a visit from an angel named Fred who gives David the opportunity to become a Christian superhero.
David joins forces with Andy the Faithful Sidekick, Katie, Tater the computer guy, and Fred. Together, they are Super Dude and the CP Squad. And their mission is to show kids how they can take the gospel of Christ to the world.
“Super Dude takes a proactive approach to missions education,” Kyle said. “Most heroes wait until something bad happens and then move into action. Super Dude and the CP Squad take the initiative and encourage our children to be on mission at their schools, churches and with their friends.
“As our kids become missionaries where they are, they can also better understand and support national and international missions with their prayers and their gifts to their church,” Kyle added.
“One of the best things about Super Dude is that he really is one of them,” said Daniel Brown, CP production manager and illustrator of the project. “He is a young person interested in missions and is involved in spreading the good news of God’s love through CP Missions. It shows them they can be a hero to someone as they pray for and support missions.
Super Dude and the CP Squad was created by Todd Starnes, assistant editor of Baptist Press, the official news service of the SBC. The characters were adapted from a collection of plays written by Starnes called, “The Great Adventures of Super Dude.”
Super Dude and the CP Squad will be featured at the Cooperative Program exhibit during the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Orlando. A youth drama team will perform a live stage version of the Super Dude skits and Super Dude will make a special appearance at the SBC Day Camp.
For more information on how churches can order the Super Dude project, Kyle said state Cooperative Program offices can be contacted or the national CP office at 1-800-722-9407.
Additional (BP) photo and logo posted in the BP Photo Library. Titles: SUPER DUDE and SUPER DUDE AND THE CP SQUAD LOGO.
