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ENCOURAGEMENT

CARDS PUT GOD FIRST!

GEORGE LUKE meets Graham Steel, the man behind Bibliocards,
collectable cards proving a global hit with kids

A year ago, at the height of the Pokémon craze, a salesman from Swanley had the idea of creating a series of collectable cards based on Bible characters.

Today, there are over 250,000 Bibliocards in circulation, in 31 countries around the world. A third card series is due for release later this year, and the cards are proving just as popular with unchurched children as they are with their Christian counterparts.

“We’ve had requests from various countries asking for them to be translated,” says Graham Steel, founder of Bibliobits, who produce the cards. “As yet we’re no way near being able to fork out the amount it would cost to have that done. The Dutch are certainly interested in having them translated, but we can’t do it at the moment. We’re a small operation; God lets you have just as much as you can cope with, and not too much.

“A lot of people have put a lot of time and effort into this, many of them voluntarily. There’s Chris Watts, who works on the website and does a lot of the artwork, and other people who help promote the work. My home church – Christ Church (URC) in Swanley – have supported me greatly.

“I see myself more as an itinerant minister in children’s work, and the church is supporting me for the next year to do that full-time, and to concentrate on the Biblio side of things. Over the next year, they’re organising six holiday clubs and doing drama workshops.”

Other Bibliobits products include the ‘Bibliobiscuit’ (sort of a cross between a Bible story and an Origami puzzle) and the ‘Bibliobible’ – a Bible-shaped container for keeping card collections in. The Bibliobits website has crosswords, quizzes and games, and there are plans to produce a CD-ROM compilation of all the website’s interactive material. The sharp-suited Biblioman is a recurring character in all the products, and Graham dresses up as Biblioman at Kids’ Clubs and other events.

“We’ve had letters from churches all round the country, whose kids have taken the cards to school and given them away to their friends,” Graham says. “And what’s happened is that the kids they’ve given them to – and even some of their teachers – have been making enquiries about the cards. Some children are even coming along to the clubs.

“They might be coming along simply for the cards – but to me, any way of getting a child into church is breaking that preconceived idea people have that Christians are weird. And it’s working. I received a letter the other day from a church whose children’s ministry has doubled in number since they introduced the cards.”

The third Bibliocards series will be based on the theme ‘Bible Baddies’. Says Graham: “I think it’ll be the most popular with the kids. We’ve purposely done Bible characters and the life of Christ first to secure the adults, so that they can see that this isn’t something dodgy, but something that will build strength and truth into their children. However much children like the cards, it’s parents and churches who pay for them, so we had to get them on board. But the biggest response we’ve had from children has been ‘give us Bible baddies’, so that’s going to be our next series.”

Graham freely admits to being a fan of what he sees as his products’ two main competitors. “I won’t knock either Pokémon or Harry Potter,” he says. “They’re both great. I used to collect Pokémon cards myself; I’d get my son to trade them for me in school. Of course it was with the ulterior motive of learning how they worked, but I’ve got no problems with them. However, I am jealous as a Christian that my kids can come home from school more excited about made-up characters than they are about real ones.

“In church, we have this culture of telling people things aren’t good for them – ‘you can’t read that book’ or ‘Pokémon cards are bad for you’ – but we never say ‘here – have this as a Christian alternative’. The most exciting thing we tend to give kids is books – which are great, but can’t replace the excitement kids find in the secular world of collecting cards and swapping them with their mates. Kids will collect things – and at the end of the day, I’d rather they were collecting something like this, that’s putting good values into them, than something else.”

George Luke is a freelance journalist based in London

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		ENCOURAGEMENT CARDS PUT GOD FIRST! GEORGE LUKE meets Graham Steel, the man behind Bibliocards, collectable cards proving a global hit with kids A year ago, at the height of the Pokémon craze, a salesman from Swanley had the idea of creating a series of collectable cards based on Bible characters. Today, there are over 250,000 Bibliocards in circulation, in 31 countries around the world. A third card series is due for release later this year, and the cards are proving just as popular with unchurched children as they are with their Christian counterparts. “We’ve had requests from various countries asking for them to be translated,” says Graham Steel, founder of Bibliobits, who produce the cards. “As yet we’re no way near being able to fork out the amount it would cost to have that done. The Dutch are certainly interested in having them translated, but we can’t do it at the moment. We’re a small operation; God lets you have just as much as you can cope with, and not too much. “A lot of people have put a lot of time and effort into this, many of them voluntarily. There’s Chris Watts, who works on the website and does a lot of the artwork, and other people who help promote the work. My home church – Christ Church (URC) in Swanley – have supported me greatly. “I see myself more as an itinerant minister in children’s work, and the church is supporting me for the next year to do that full-time, and to concentrate on the Biblio side of things. Over the next year, they’re organising six holiday clubs and doing drama workshops.” Other Bibliobits products include the ‘Bibliobiscuit’ (sort of a cross between a Bible story and an Origami puzzle) and the ‘Bibliobible’ – a Bible-shaped container for keeping card collections in. The Bibliobits website has crosswords, quizzes and games, and there are plans to produce a CD-ROM compilation of all the website’s interactive material. The sharp-suited Biblioman is a recurring character in all the products, and Graham dresses up as Biblioman at Kids’ Clubs and other events. “We’ve had letters from churches all round the country, whose kids have taken the cards to school and given them away to their friends,” Graham says. “And what’s happened is that the kids they’ve given them to – and even some of their teachers – have been making enquiries about the cards. Some children are even coming along to the clubs. “They might be coming along simply for the cards – but to me, any way of getting a child into church is breaking that preconceived idea people have that Christians are weird. And it’s working. I received a letter the other day from a church whose children’s ministry has doubled in number since they introduced the cards.” The third Bibliocards series will be based on the theme ‘Bible Baddies’. Says Graham: “I think it’ll be the most popular with the kids. We’ve purposely done Bible characters and the life of Christ first to secure the adults, so that they can see that this isn’t something dodgy, but something that will build strength and truth into their children. However much children like the cards, it’s parents and churches who pay for them, so we had to get them on board. But the biggest response we’ve had from children has been ‘give us Bible baddies’, so that’s going to be our next series.” Graham freely admits to being a fan of what he sees as his products’ two main competitors. “I won’t knock either Pokémon or Harry Potter,” he says. “They’re both great. I used to collect Pokémon cards myself; I’d get my son to trade them for me in school. Of course it was with the ulterior motive of learning how they worked, but I’ve got no problems with them. However, I am jealous as a Christian that my kids can come home from school more excited about made-up characters than they are about real ones. “In church, we have this culture of telling people things aren’t good for them – ‘you can’t read that book’ or ‘Pokémon cards are bad for you’ – but we never say ‘here – have this as a Christian alternative’. The most exciting thing we tend to give kids is books – which are great, but can’t replace the excitement kids find in the secular world of collecting cards and swapping them with their mates. Kids will collect things – and at the end of the day, I’d rather they were collecting something like this, that’s putting good values into them, than something else.” George Luke is a freelance journalist based in London © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.