Politically-Correct Greetings!

Isn't this a strange day in which we live? People can't even wish each other a simple "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" without getting into trouble with somebody! In the spirit of fun, the following tongue-in-cheek greeting was written in the most careful, politically-correct language possible. Enjoy!

Please accept, with no obligation implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or choice of computer platform of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and
warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

Whew! Well, politically correct or not, your friends here at CMI wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year!

True Christmas

Christmas is coming and once again the battles are raging in our country over the “political correctness” of this special celebration.

The secular world never seems to stop trying to remove all aspects of God from our culture. Christianity seems to be under attack now more than ever.

As believers, we refuse to cave in to the cultural downsizing of Christmas. We love and want to share its true meaning. So, in the spirit of political INcorrectness, we offer you this original poem:

True Christmas
by Lynda Pongracz

We’ve reached that special time of year
When all the world takes pause
To think about our Savior dear,
Or revel in Santa Claus.

Each year the battle rages on
Between two different views;
To celebrate God’s only Son,
Or bow to this world’s ruse.

The atheists would love to see
A festive celebration
Of secular and worldly things
Across our diverse nation.

But we know well without a doubt
No matter what may be,
That Christ is what it’s all about;
He came to set us free.

When we believe God sent His Son
To pay our debt past due,
We can rejoice that it’s been done
And celebrate Christmas true!

So, as you celebrate that day,
Don’t bow to worldly views;
Be bold to tell of Christ, the way,
Proclaiming the Good News!

CEF workers all around the world are proclaiming that Good News to children in Christmas party clubs. Let’s pray for much fruit this month as many children hear about the true meaning of Christmas.

Sometimes You Just Have to Smile!

Well, the Christmas rush has officially begun and maybe your nerves are already a little frayed around the edges. So, this week at the Café, we’d like you to just sit back and smile as you enjoy some of these gems from the minds and mouths of the little ones. You might see ways you can use some of these as illustrations for TCE classes—but really, we just want you to relax and enjoy!

Ancient Artifact

A little boy opened the big, old family Bible with fascination, looking at the old pages as he turned them. Then something fell out of the Bible and he picked up and looked at it closely. It was an old leaf that had been pressed between the pages.

"Momma, look what I found," the boy called out with astonishment. "It's Adam's suit!"

Animal Crackers
When a mother returned from the grocery store, her small son pulled out the box of animal crackers he had begged for, and then he spread the animal-shaped crackers all over the kitchen counter.

"What are you doing?" his mom asked.

"The box says you can't eat them if the seal is broken," the boy explained. "I'm looking for the seal."


Feeding Shamu
At Sea World, our grandson absolutely refused to see the show featuring Shamu the killer whale, but he wouldn't tell us why. No amount of discussion could get him to change his mind.

Later, when we got home, we discovered the reason for his reluctance. It seems his Aunt had told him how exciting the show would be because, "They choose children from the audience to feed Shamu."


Rough Boys
A little girl asked her mother, "Can I go outside and play with the boys?"

Her mother replied, "No, you can't play with the boys; they're too rough."

The little girl thought about it for a few moments and asked, "If I can find a smooth one, can I play with him?"

Gabie-isms
Following are some interesting insights from a five-year-old boy named Gabriel (Gabie):

Gabie’s observation upon walking into Walgreens drugstore:
"Man, when are they ever going to get around to painting this place? The walls are still white -- not green!"

Gabie the mathematician:
I invented a new number. I call it “ten-ty” It's another word for a hundred. Ten-ty is a little more than ninety.

Gabie, after getting a cactus needle in his ankle:
"Mom, this injury is pretty serious. I think I'm going to need a cast and a handicapped parking pass."

Gabie the Gourmet:

Gabie: “I'm going to make your sandwich today Mom. I have a new recipe you're really going to like. It's called a peanut butter, honey, bologna, tuna sandwich.”

Mom: “Uh, sounds great Gabie, but I think I'm already making my own sandwich, so I’ll pass.”

Gabie: “But Mom it's not a pain to make at all. And it's my yummiest sandwich ever. You might even get addicted to it. That means you want it all the time.

Mom: (thinking there's little chance of developing a peanut butter, honey, bologna, tuna addiction, but you never can be too careful) “No thanks Gabie.”

Gabie (persistent as ever): “If you like it you can make it on your own. But you might need a little bit of help, so I'll help you with it. I'm the only one who knows how much to put in it. And which side to put the peanut butter on. It has to go on a certain side.”

Mom (half annoyed, half amused): “Listen Gabriel, I don't think I would like those ingredients together. Thanks for offering, but I really truly do not want a peanut butter, honey, bologna, tuna sandwich.”

Gabie: “But how do you KNOW you won't like it if you've never tried it?!?”

Mom’s thoughts: Help! He's using my own logic against me. It's hopeless. Do I give in like a coward and let him make the sandwich, take a few nibbles off the edges while he glows with pride and then dispose of the rest when he trots off to watch Sesame Street, or do I hold my ground??.

Mom’s reply: “You betcha!”

Gabie the con-man:
Gabie: “Hey, lets all have some pudding.”

Mom: “Sorry buddy. We can't have pudding right now, it's lunchtime.”

Gabie: “But I want some pudding. We could each have a different flavor.”

Mom: “No Gabie. It's lunchtime.”

Gabie: “Oh, alright... then can I choose what we have for lunch?”

Mom: “Sure. What should we have for lunch?”

Gabie: “Pudding!”

Mom: **sigh**

So, are you smiling yet?? We hope so! Do you have a favorite kid’s quote, goofy observation or words of wisdom? Click the “comment” link below and share it with us. We all need to take some time to smile once in a while!

Give Thanks

We’ve arrived at that wonderful time of year here in the states called Thanksgiving. It’s supposed to be a special time when we celebrate the first settlers to our nation and give thanks for all our God has provided for us.

Of course, like many other aspects of our culture, things have become a bit twisted. The focus has shifted to food, football and shopping, doubt has been cast on the true motives of the Pilgrims and it’s not even politically correct to call the holiday Thanksgiving anymore! Some public schools are now calling it “Diversity Day” – oh brother!

Eric Reed, the managing editor of Leadership, put it very well when he said, “Santa is seizing November. And Pilgrims, once champions of religious freedom, are being sacrificed as bigots on the altar of political correctness. So who's calling us all to give thanks now?”

Good question! We have become a nation of ungrateful people. We’d often rather complain about things we don’t like, don’t have, can’t do or wish we were, instead of giving thanks to God for all He has provided and all He does and continues to do for us.

Consider these thought-provoking words from theologian Patrick Henry Reardon:

“Suppose for a moment that God began taking from us the many things for which we have failed to give thanks. Which of our limbs and faculties would be left? Would I still have my hands and my mind? And what about loved ones? If God were to take from me all those persons and things for which I have not given thanks, who or what would be left of me?”

Indeed, if God took from us all for which we failed to give Him thanks, we’d surely be in big trouble! One thing we can be thankful for is that we have a God of abundant grace and mercy. Psalm 103 reminds us to praise God and not forget “all His benefits.” This is a great time to do as the old Gospel song suggests: “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!”

When we count our blessings here at CMI, we count all of you, our instrucctors of teachers! We are so grateful for each of you and the time and energy you give to equip teachers to reach and disciple the children. Thank you for your labor of love.

May you and your family have a blessing-filled Thanksgiving!

An Instructor's Influence

A while back, we received a wonderful testimony from CEF instructor Alice Smith in Corpus Christi, Texas. Alice (who has served with CEF 51 years!) wrote to tell us about an amazing lady named Mary Gates and her daughter Mary Fayne. We thought you'd enjoy reading this testimony.

Alice writes:

I had another call today from Mary Gates, 91 years old, asking for more Wonder Books and devotional books. Those calls come about every two weeks, and I usually send her from 4 to 6 Wonder Books, which at the first opportunity, she passes on to the mom's and children who need Jesus. She knows the mothers will read the books to the children, and will hear about Jesus too.

Recently, she told me the story of her daughter, Mary Fayne, and how she came to Jesus. I was so touched by the story, that I asked her to write down the information for me. For those who might be interested in CEF history from way back, the Navy couple she mentions in the article are Lowell and Betty Eason. Betty Eason was the daughter of Shirley Wisner (a long-time CEF instructor of teachers). The saddest part is that Mary Fayne is now very ill with Alzheimer's. Her 91 year old Mom, who is incredibly sharp, always tears up as she tells that.

CEF has a rich history in Corpus Christi and we want to make it available for folks to enjoy, especially as we celebrate together the 70th anniversary of CEF.

Not Too Young!! by Mary Gates

In 1945, my neighbor and I went to a CEF teacher training class in Corpus Christi, Texas. We took along my 4 year, 8 month old daughter, and her 6 year old nephew. The teacher was a young Navy wife, whose husband was with her that day.

She presented the message of salvation so well, that when the invitation was given, two little hands went up! She took the little boy aside and her husband took my daughter, Mary Fayne, over by an open window, which had no screen on it. He took her on his knees, reviewing the plan of salvation. She told me later she knew if she had fallen out of that window, she wouldn't have been ready to meet God! She prayed to receive Jesus as her Savior that night.

The next Sunday, as I went to my Sunday-school class, I told the pastor that Mary Fayne wanted to talk with him. He was a tall man, so when he saw her coming, he knelt down so he could understand her. Later, when she was baptized, the pastor told the congregation, "If you don't think she knows what she is doing, just come up and ask her questions."

Mary Fayne was a witness to the children in our neighborhood. She would bring little friends home and ask me to tell them about Jesus. One day a little boy knocked on my door. He said, "Mrs. Gates, will you tell me about Jesus? I want a clean white heart like Mary Fayne has."

She witnessed in grade school and high school and encouraged her friends to memorize Bible verses. Many of them joined her in Bible Memory Association, an organization that rewarded people of all ages for memorizing Scripture.

Mary Fayne taught first grade for 21 years in Bryan, Texas, mostly at Allen Academy Christian School. She always prayed in the classroom and encouraged the children to pray. She later said, "I am thankful for a loving God who loves little children, and for a pastor who understood a little child's heart."

I'm sure there will be many in heaven whose lives were touched by her loving, caring ways! And it all began at a CEF teacher training class!

Isn't that a powerful testimony of the long-term influence an instructor of teachers can have? As you teach those TCE courses, remember God may be working in ways you can't see. Generations from now, someone may testify that their fruitful life and ministry began in YOUR TCE class! What a legacy to leave behind!

If you have a testimony of a teacher or child touched through your training ministry, e-mail it to Lynda.Pongracz@cefonline.com. Include a picture if possible. We'd love to feature your testimony here in the Cafe! It might be just the encouragment some other IOT out there needs.

Important Stuff You Should Know

Every now and then here at the Café, we want to give you updates and reminders of important details that pertain to your ministry as an IOT. Please take note of these items and pass this information along to other instructors who may not have access to this blog.

IOT Credentials
The renewed IOT, LTI and Preschool credentials have been mailed. Along with the credential are a new Update CD and a letter. Please read the letter carefully as it refers to requirements for maintaining active status as an instructor.

If you do not receive a credential and think you should have, please e-mail Cheryl Oetting at Cheryl.Oetting@cefonline.com or phone her at 636-456-4321 ext. 291.

Teaching in Teaching Children Effectively™ Overseas
Several of our IOTs on occasion have taught in a TCE™ course overseas. This is great that you are able to do so. Remember though in order to teach a TCE course overseas you will need permission from your state director, the USA department, international ministries department and the national CEF office of the country that you wish to teach in.

Overseas courses are not registered with the CMI office; therefore, if you want the overseas TCE course to count towards your one a year required course, then you need to e-mail Cheryl Oetting at Cheryl.Oetting@cefonline.com giving her the name of the country, dates of the course and list the subjects and practicums you will be participating in.

Advertise Your TCE Courses in Teach Kids
Remember you can have your TCE courses listed in Teach Kids magazine. The deadline for sending in your course information for the January/February issue is November 1. Send in the beginning date, location (city, state) and a contact telephone number to Cheryl.Oetting@cefonline.com and we will send the information to the magazine.

CMI Online
We are hard at work preparing for the launch of CMI Online! The first phase will involve individual seminar subjects presented with audio and PowerPoint.

The second phase will be a three week course called The Romans Road for Children. That course will give students a taste of what online learning is like. It will involve streaming video presentations, downloadable student notes, interactive discussion boards, live chats, quizzing and assignments.

Later in 2008, we will be launching TCE Level 1 online. Right now CMI staff members are busy taping class sessions and writing instructional materials to guide students through the online process. A new CMI Web site is under construction. Keep watching for the new site. It will contain a link to CMI Online.

CMI Online Instructors
Are you ready to be an instructor in cyberspace? When we launch CMI Online, we are going to need lots of online instructors to facilitate the courses. We are hoping to provide training for online instructors early in 2008. If you think you might be interested in becoming an online instructor, please send an e-mail to Carol.Nolen@cefonline.com. You will not be obligated, but Carol will keep your name on file so we can send you further information as it becomes available. This will be a great opportunity for you to discover your “virtual” self! :-)

That’s the latest IOT news from headquarters! Thanks to all of you who stop in regularly at the Café. We appreciate your interest and hope this blog is a help and encouragement to you. If there is something particular you’d like to see on the blog, please let us know. Drop a note to Lynda.Pongracz@cefonline.com and share your suggestions and ideas with us. Also, let your fellow instructors know about the blog. We’re still meeting IOTs who don’t know about the Café and they’re missing out on all the fun!

What Kind of Teacher Are You?

Your blog team apologizes for the delay in updating the posts. Here at CMI, we've just completed a very crazy couple of weeks with a large group of students. Weeks six and seven at Institute are always very busy. We run three modules simultaneously: IOT Level 1, IOT Level 2 and Dynamics of Teacher Training. Extra students always come in for those modules.

We had an added challenge this time around. Just before week six began, we learned that Grace Swensen fell and broke her hip. That meant she and Joanne Anderson would not be here to teach the IOT Level 2 course. The rest of us scrambled to cover all the bases. Many of us taught classes we don't usually teach--or had not taught for a long time. We also had to bring in some outside staff to help with practicums.It was quite a challenge, but God provided the needed strength and wisdom.

Please join us in praying for Grace's recovery. She is home from the hospital, but is dealing with uncomfortable side effects from her medication. If you want to encourage Grace and Joanne, you can send a card to them at: 225 Hialeah Lane, Grayslake, IL 60030, or e-mail them at gswensen@sbcglobal.net.

Now to today's post! Stan Toler is a motivational speaker and writer. In a recent publication he listed qualities of a good teacher. We thought this list was very appropriate for those of us who are IOTs. See how you rate in these five important areas:

1. Teach sincerely
People are not only affected by your skills, they are influenced by the way you live. The greatest lessons you will ever teach will come from your own experience. Your transparency will be a greater source of inspiration than your facts or theories.

2. Teach purposefully
Vibrant teaching focuses on building productivity and responsibility. It observes weaknesses and teaches strengthening. It recognizes possibilities and offers plans. It estimates damages and offers reconstruction.

3. Teach methodically
Methods must fit the occasion and lessons must be aimed at the learning level of your students. And don’t forget, steady doses are better than overdoses.

4. Teach sacrificially
Every teacher is given a moment—a window of opportunity--that may never open again to influence a life. You may have to subtract time or energy in order to add the resources for someone’s development.

5. Teach sympathetically
The best teaching comes from the heart. Your students not only need your experience, they also need your attention. Teach them by not only respecting who they are, but also by what they will become.

Someone has said, "We should be in the business of building people up. There are too many people in the demolition business."

Our prayer for you, as an IOT, is that you are building up your students through your compassionate teaching.

Comment on this post? Click the comment link below and tell us what you think!

Teaching Children the Truth

We are all aware that the majority of people in our world today do not hold a biblical worldview. In fact, George Barna discovered from his research that "only five percent of Americans hold to a biblical worldview." That's pretty frightening, isn't it?

Barna also discovered only 35 percent of Americans believe in absolute standards of morality -- that is, believe that right and wrong do not change with time or circumstances. No wonder we have children in our clubs who are skeptical about the Bible and about our God!

Postmodern philosophy teaches children that there are no absolutes, truth depends on the circumstances and there is no one right way to believe. It teaches them that they should be "tolerant" of all belief systems and that all are equally valid.

If you've been reading the messages in the Shoutbox in the sidebar on the right, you probably saw the timely question from IOT Deb Gephardt. She asks:

I'd like to hear how some of you may have dealt with/taught others to deal with children who do not accept the Bible as truth and perhaps do not accept that God exists. What are some ideas to begin helping these children as we share the Gospel?

So, what are your thoughts about this? What are you doing in your clubs to help children understand that God is real and the Bible is Truth? Probably many of your TCE students have the same struggle with children in their clubs.

Click the comment link below this post and share your ideas with us. Let's help each other think creatively about how to bring today's children to the Truth!

Little Witness

What does a frog have to do with witnessing? Glad you asked! Alice Smith, an IOT from Corpus Christi, TX, sent us the following story. Read this wonderful account about how God used a little guy to be a witness for Him,

Last fall my 9-year-old son, Austin, had his tonsils removed. Before the surgery, Austin's anesthesiologist came to start an IV. He was wearing a cool surgical cap covered in colorful frogs. Austin loved that "frog hat."

The doctor explained that he had two choices. He could either try to start the IV right away, or he could wait until Austin was up in the operating room. In the OR the doctor would give Austin some "goofy" gas, and start the IV when he was more relaxed.

"So, Austin," he asked, "which do you want?"

Austin replied, "I'll take the gas."

But when the doctor started to leave, Austin called, "Hey, wait."

The doctor turned. "Yeah, buddy, what do you need?"

"Do you go to church?" Austin asked.

"No," the doctor admitted. "I know I probably should, but I don't."

Austin then asked, "Well, are you saved?"

Chuckling nervously, the doctor said, "Nope. But after talking to you, maybe it's something I should consider."

Pleased with his response, Austin answered, "Well, you should, 'cause Jesus is great!"

"I'm sure He is, little guy," the doctor said, and quickly made his exit

After that a nurse took me to the waiting room. Someone would come and get me when Austin's surgery was done.

After about 45 minutes, the anesthesiologist came into the waiting room. He told me the surgery went well and then said, "Mrs. Blessitt, I don't usually come down and talk to the parents after a surgery, but I just had to tell you what your son did."

Oh boy, I thought. what did that little rascal do now?

The doctor explained that he'd just put the mask on Austin when my son signaled that he needed to say something.? When the doctor removed the mask, Austin blurted, "Wait a minute, we have to pray!"

The doctor told him to go ahead, and Austin prayed, "Dear Lord, please let all the doctors and nurses have a good day. And Jesus, please let the doctor with the frog hat get saved and start going to church. Amen."

The doctor admitted this touched him. "I was so sure he would pray that his surgery went well," he explained. "He didn't even mention his surgery. He prayed for me! Mrs. Blessitt, I had to come down and let you know what a great little guy you have."

A few minutes later a nurse came to take me to post-op. She had a big smile on her face as we walked to the elevator."Mrs. Blessitt, I couldn't wait to tell you something exciting that your son did."

With a smile, I told her that the doctor already mentioned Austin's prayer.

"But there's something you don't know," she said. "Some of the other nurses and I have been witnessing to and praying for that doctor for a long time. After your son's surgery, he tracked a few of us down to tell us about Austin's prayer. He said, 'Well girls, you got me. If that little boy could pray for me when he was about to have surgery, then I think maybe I need his Jesus too."

She then recounted how they joined the doctor as he prayed to receive Christ right there in the hospital. Wow! Austin had played a small part in something wonderful. But then, so did the nurses who prayed and witnessed.

I thought about John's words in his Gospel, "One sows and the other reaps" (John 4:37). Austin's experience taught me that, although we never know which role we may be called to play, in the end it doesn't matter. What's important is that we remain faithful in sharing the Gospel.

Isn't that a great story? It would make a good illustration in your TCE Level 2 class on Being a Witness for God. It could also be used in Level 1 in the class on Encouraging the Newly Converted Child. You can probably think of other ways to use this story. Thanks to Alice for sending it our way. If you have any good illustrations like this one, send them to us and we'll post them here in the Cafe so other IOTs can benefit from them.

Also, our thanks to Alice for the too-cute video we've placed in the sidebar. Click on the arrow and watch this adorable little girl give her version of the 23rd Psalm. Great motivation for teaching Scripture memory verses to kids!

Got Margin?

Have you noticed lately how busy—and tired—we all are? Consider these statistics:

People now sleep 2½ fewer hours each night than people did a hundred years ago. You’re sleeping less than your grandparents did.

The average workweek is longer now than it was in the 1960s.

The average office worker has 36 hours of work piled up on his or her desk. It takes us three hours a week just to sort through it and find what we need.

We spend eight months of our lives opening junk mail, two years of our lives playing phone tag with people who are busy or who are not answering, five years waiting for people who are trying to do too much and are late for meetings.

We are a culture that is chronically rushed, chronically late and chronically exhausted. Many of us feel like Job did when he said, “I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil." (Job 3:26 NIV). Simply put, we’re stressed by the pace of life.

Besides being instructors of teachers, most of us also wear many other hats. Maybe you are also a local or state CEF director, you have ministries to coordinate, meetings to attend, reports to fill out, newsletters to write, clubs to teach and teachers to train. You also have family responsibilities, church responsibilities and maybe even community responsibilities. The question is, do you have margin?

Margin is a change of pace spot in your life. It’s been described as the space between your load and your limit. Margin is time spent doing something a little different than usual—a way to relax your mind and spirit. For some, margin is going to the gym or to Curves. It might be taking a walk or working on a favorite hobby. Sometimes margin means getting away for a while. Sometimes it means taking time out for coffee with a friend.

Why do people already busy in ministry need margin? Because most of us are on constant overload and headed for a crash! Dr. Richard Swenson, a medical doctor, says this:

“The conditions of modern day living devour margin. If you’re homeless we direct you to a shelter. If you’re penniless we offer you food stamps. If you’re breathless we connect you to oxygen. But if you’re marginless we give you one more thing to do.

"Marginless is not having time to finish the book you’re reading on stress. Margin is having the time to read it twice. Marginless is our culture. Margin is counter-culture, having some space in your life and schedule. Marginless is the disease of our decade. Margin is the cure.”

God knows His workers need margin. Consider Elijah. He was working overtime as God’s prophet—speaking, traveling and performing miracles! Then he went into total burnout—even becoming suicidal How did God respond? God knew His prophet needed margin and provided it through rest, physical nourishment, reassurance of His presence and help and a helper—Elisha. (1 Kings 19:5-18)

Jesus knew the importance of having margin in our lives. He consistently made time to get away from the work for rest and reflection. He made sure His disciples also took time away from the crowds. He invites us to enjoy a balanced ministry (Matthew 11:28-30).

What will margin do for you? It will give you time to think, relax and enjoy life. It will improve your health, giving you body time to rest from daily stress. It will improve your relationships, providing time to reconnect with significant people in your life. It will increase your effectiveness in ministry, enabling you to appreciate what God is doing through you and giving you renewed vigor to serve Him.

So…how are you doing in the area of margin? Do you have a hobby or interest that has nothing to do with CEF? Do you plan time into your schedule to just relax or do change-of-pace things? Are you making time for family and friends? Click the comment link below and share with us how you put margin into your life…or how you intend to do so in the future!

Good Ideas Needed!

Don't you wish sometimes that you could pick the brain of another IOT for help with things like introductions, illustrations and promotion?

One thing we've learned out here at CMI is that no one person has all the great ideas! It's when we get together and pool our creativity that really good things begin to emerge. That's why when we work on developing new classes or updating old ones, we work in groups and bounce ideas around until we arrive at the best one.

Since you are all scattered around the country--and around the world--it's a little harder to get that kind of input. But that's why we created the Instructors' Cafe! One of the purposes of this blog is to create a virtual conference room where we can share ideas with each other. We don't want you to just read the blog and move on. We want you to interact with us and with all our IOTs out there.

The easiest way to interact with a blog subject is to click the "comments" link at the bottom of each post. Type your ideas or other thoughts in the comment box, choose your identity (you can click "other" and type your name, or click "annonymous" and remain a mystery!), and click "publish your comment." That's all there is to it. Your comment will appear on the comment page in the order it was received.

The Instructors' Cafe is designed to be a meeting place for friends to gather and talk (bring your own cappuccino!). Please take a moment to respond to the posts--especially when your input is requested. That's the best way we have to come together and encourage and help one another. If each instructor reading this blog submitted just one idea, think of all the good input that would benefit all of us!

If you just want to say "howdy" to the rest of us, you can do so in the little Shoutbox in the right sidebar. Just click "name" and type your name, click "message" and type your brief message. You can add a smiley face if you want by clicking "smilies", then just click "shout" and your comment will appear in the scrolling box. The chat room link at the bottom of the box is for Shoutbox Pro and is not connected to our blog. Go there at your own risk!

We also encourage you to go to the guestbook (in the sidebar on the right) and click "view guestbook." You'll see comments from other IOTs there, often sharing prayer requests or testimonies. Sometines they are asking for help. If you can offer help to them, either e-mail the person or leave a comment in the guestbook or on the post comment link. If you want to leave your own question in the guestbook, click "sign" and be sure to include your e-mail address.

Recently, Rex Eads left a message in the guestbook asking for help in promoting TCE 1 and 2. Here's your chance, IOTs, to be a help and encouragement! What are some of your ideas for promoting your TCE courses? Click the comment link below and tell us at least one idea for promotion that works for you.

We love that you are visiting the Cafe every week. Now, let us know you're out there by talking to us and to each other!

Appreciation

In TCE Level 2, we teach a class called, Developing the Child’s Appreciation of God. We all know how important it is in our spiritual life to show our gratitude to God for all He is and does for us. But that expression of appreciation should extend to God’s children as well. As believers, we should be quick to encourage and show gratitude to one another.

In his Tuesday Mornings newsletter, Dr. Tom Barnard shares the following story, reminding us of the power of appreciation.

Jaime Escalante, the teacher on whom the movie Stand and Deliver was based, tells an amazing story about a mistaken identity and the difference it made in a young man’s life.

This teacher had two students in his class who were both named Johnny. One Johnny was an excellent student, a happy child, and always had his homework completed on time. The other Johnny was always in trouble, never had his work finished, and generally made the teacher’s life miserable.

The night of their first PTA Open House of the year a mother stayed after the meeting to ask about her son, Johnny, and how he was getting along in the class. Assuming it was the mother of the “good” Johnny, the teacher replied, “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate him. I am so glad he’s in my class.”

The next day, for the first time all year, the “problem” Johnny had all his work done, he spoke up in class, and never once caused a disruption. He even volunteered to help another student. The teacher was astounded!

At the end of the day when everyone else had left, “problem” Johnny came up to the teacher and said, “My Mom told me what you said about me last night. I haven’t ever had a teacher who wanted me in his class.”

That Johnny became one of the best students the teacher ever had – and all because of a mistaken dose of appreciation!

No matter who or how old we are, we all want and need to be appreciated. Your TCE students need it. The children in our Good News Clubs need it.

How do you express appreciation to your TCE students during and/or after the course? How do you encourage your TCE grads to show appreciation to the children they teach? Please share your ideas in the comment section by clicking the link at the end of this post. Let’s help one another in this crucial area of showing appreciation.

By the way…did we mention how much we in the department of education appreciate YOU?? We do!! You are the best, and we are so grateful for your sacrifice of time and energy to train those teachers out there. So, keep up the good work!

One at a Time

The following story comes to us from Kobus Viljoen in South Africa and is used by permission.

Several times my daughter had telephoned to say, "Mother, you must come to see the daffodils before they are over." I wanted to go, but it was a two-hour drive from Laguna to Lake Arrowhead. "I will come next Tuesday", I promised a little reluctantly on her third call.

Next Tuesday dawned cold and rainy. Still, I had promised, and reluctantly I drove there. When I finally walked into Carolyn's house I was welcomed by the joyful sounds of happy children. I delightedly hugged and greeted my grandchildren.

"Forget the daffodils, Carolyn! The road is invisible in these clouds and fog, and there is nothing in the world except you and these children that I want to see badly enough to drive another inch!"

My daughter smiled calmly and said, "We drive in this all the time, Mother."

"Well, you won't get me back on the road until it clears, and then I'm heading for home!" I assured her.

"But first we're going to see the daffodils. It's just a few blocks," Carolyn said. "I'll drive. I'm used to this. You will never forgive yourself if you miss this experience."

After about twenty minutes, we turned onto a small gravel road and I saw a small church. On the far side of the church, I saw a hand lettered sign with an arrow that read, " Daffodil Garden." We got out of the car, each took a child's hand, and I followed Carolyn down the path. Then, as we turned a corner, I looked up and gasped. Before me lay the most glorious sight.

It looked as though someone had taken a great vat of gold and poured it over the mountain peak and its surrounding slopes. The flowers were planted in majestic, swirling patterns, great ribbons and swaths of deep orange, creamy white, lemon yellow, salmon pink, and saffron and butter yellow. Each different-colored variety was planted in large groups so that it swirled and flowed like its own river with its own unique hue. There were five acres of flowers.

"Who did this?" I asked Carolyn.

"Just one woman," Carolyn answered. "She lives on the property. That's her home." Carolyn pointed to a well-kept A-frame house, small and modestly sitting in the midst of all that glory. We walked up to the house.

On the patio, we saw a poster. "Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking", was the headline. The first answer was a simple one. "50,000 bulbs," it read. The second answer was, "One at a time, by one woman. Two hands, two feet, and one brain." The third answer was, "Began in 1958."

For me, that moment was a life-changing experience. I thought of this woman whom I had never met, who, more than forty years before, had begun, one bulb at a time, to bring her vision of beauty and joy to an obscure mountaintop. Planting one bulb at a time, year after year, this unknown woman had forever changed the world in which she lived. One day at a time, she had created something of extraordinary magnificence, beauty, and inspiration.

The principle her daffodil garden taught is one of the greatest principles of celebration. That is, learning to move toward our goals and desires one step at a time--often just one baby-step at time--and learning to love the doing, learning to use the accumulation of time. When we multiply tiny pieces of time with small increments of daily effort, we too will find we can accomplish magnificent things. We can change the world.

As we read this story we thought of all the instructors out there, who may be feeling a little discouraged about the few courses they are able to teach or the low number of people they are training.

Take heart! Remember that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Even if the numbers are small, you are accumulating a great "garden" of teachers who are joining with countless others around the world, reaching the children for Christ.

If we could catch a glimpse of the thousands of teachers we have all worked together to train in this ministry--and the hundreds of thousands of children they have reached, it would indeed be a glorious sight!

So keep on training out there--one TCE course at at time; one teacher at a time--and to God be the glory!

Be Nice!

Have you noticed there seems to be an epidemic of rudeness in our culture these days? Even people who work in the “service” industry seem to be more and more impatient and unkind to those they are supposed to serve. We’ve all been in stores, restaurants, waiting rooms and on telephone help lines hoping for good service and support, only to be treated with crass disrespect.

In a Turning Point daily devotional, Pastor David Jeremiah writes:
"The words influence and influenza are cousins. Leslie Flynn points out that the word influenza was introduced into English in the mid-1700s, apparently coming from the Italian who attributed the origin of his malady to an influenza di freddo (influence of the cold).

We are, by our very natures, very contagious people—our influence tends to spread to others as easily as the flu. Our attitudes are "catching." When you're cheerful, those around you become more joyful. When you're forgiving, those closest to you become more merciful. And when you're brave, those around you grow more courageous.”

Pastor Jeremiah’s words are important for us to remember as instructors of teachers. You are infecting your TCE students! Your words, attitudes and actions are contagious. If you are impatient, rude, unforgiving or unkind toward your students, they will pick up those traits like a bad cold! Then they will very likely pass them along to the children they teach. Such negative examples not only do a disservice to our students, they grieve the Holy Spirit.

God’s word says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:29-32).

As instructors of teachers, we need to be influencing our students in positive ways. We can model patience, gentleness, forgiveness and kindness. As our teachers “catch” those attitudes from us in our words and actions, they will pass them along to the children.

The question is not whether you are contagious—you are whether you know it or not! The real question is, what are you passing along to others? Are you a positive influence or a toxic influenza? In other words, just BE NICE!

Do you have a comment on this subject? Click the comment link below and share your thoughts with the rest of us!

Kaylee's Story

Back in May, we received the precious testimony below from our friends and long-time instructors of teachers, Misses Wanda Nuhn and Wilma Wilkerson. We know you will be moved by Kaylee's story.

Last night (May 22, 2007) was the memorial service for one of our Good News Clubbers. Six-year-old Kaylee Jordan was killed suddenly when a basketball standard fell on her and the loose wire pierced her heart. She was playing in a vacant lot Thursday, May 17, when this happened. She died in her daddy's arms. She had just turned six.

Kaylee and her brother Michael have been regular members of the McGregor after school Good News Club. I (Wanda) had the joy of praying with both children as they have received the Lord; Michael in October, Kaylee much later. She came again for counseling April 16 to be sure that God meant what He said.

At the beautiful service at Temple Baptist her Sunday school teacher came to tell me that Kaylee recently said, "I just want you to know I have Jesus in my heart." The teacher's words were significant. She said, "I questioned her because we do not talk about salvation with 4-5 year olds unless they ask. But Kaylee insisted: 'Yes, I asked Him to come in. He forgave my sin.' " Because I had the privilege to tell the packed church Kaylee's story, the teacher now understood that she was telling it as it really is. Kaylee is with the Lord! Her Sunday school teacher was in tears. Oh, that teachers will learn to give the Gospel clearly to the little ones with an opportunity to receive Him.

Do pray for the Jordan family. They have big decisions to make. Kim, the mother, says she has to move. Kaylee is 'everywhere she looks.' She cannot stand it. Scotte and Kim Jordan were about to go their own ways, but God is holding them together right now. Isn't He marvelous?! Let's trust Him to make them a strong Christian family.

Michael is a very open, earnest nine-year-old. Two weeks before Kaylee died, Michael was working in his Wonder Devotional Book. He told me (Wanda) he wanted God to be his Decision Maker from now on. It is such a blessing to be a team. Wilma prays right through each GNC hour. Last night she met Michael. He is a very sincere boy in a torn up family. Thank you for praying for him.

We trust that you will lift the Jordan family up in prayer as they go through this difficult time of grieving. Pray especially for young Michael, that he would stay strong in the Lord.

What a special blessing to know that when children we have reached are taken in such a sudden way, they are with the Lord! Kaylee's story would make a wonderful illustration in classes such as Importance of Conversion, Reaching the Child in the Neighborhood, Bible Lesson Preparation and Presentation (on giving the invitation) or Importance of the Teacher. God will continue to use Kaylee's testimony and the faithfulness of her GNC teacher as we share her story with others.

We would also ask you to pray for Miss Wanda and Miss Wilma. These two dear saints are still fighting for the souls of children, both through prayer and in club ministry. How we praise God for such faithful servants! They have been role models for many of us in the training ministry. Both ladies have physical challenges that they deal with on a daily basis. They pray for all of us regularly. We know they would appreciate your prayers on their behalf.

Another Winner from Washington

Janet Walker, director for CEF Lower Columbia chapter in Washington, sent us an interesting testimony--about another IOT! One of the graduates of Janet's IOT Level 2 course was Ed Cavallo. Ed is the director of CEF Yakima Valley in Washington. Ed is also an IOT for Level 1. He was excited about the training he received for Level 2. Ed's writes the following testimony:

"WOW! I am amazed at how useful this class is to help me plan ways to encourage the saved child to walk "...worthy of the high calling in Christ." The instructors modeled what they taught and held us all to high standards. I highly recommend these instructors and this class to anyone interested in improving their effectiveness to the saved child." (The picture is of a buzz group in the IOT Level 2 course. That's Ed in the red vest on the left!)

We appreciate Ed's enthusiastic response to this course. We also appreciate his encouragement of his fellow IOTs. Sometimes after we've been teaching TCE courses for a while, it's easy to become quite impressed with our own teaching! But we all can learn much from each other. We know Ed will model for his own teachers what has been modeled for him. That's what it's all about--passing along the vision and skills God has given us and building them into the lives of others.

Thanks to both Ed and Janet for this encouraging testimony! And thanks to all of you who shared your words and pictures with us. We enjoyed reading them and hope you are enjoying those colorful soccer balls!

Maybe you're wishing you had sent in a testimony, too. Even though the contest is over, we would still be glad to get your testimony and post it here in the Cafe. Just send it, with a picture if possible, to Cheryl.Oetting@cefonline.com. Cheryl will keep them on file and we will post them from time to time on the blog. There will also be more contests to come, so stay tuned!

Some TCE Reminders!

Are you planning late summer and fall TCE courses? Now is the time to have them advertised in the Teach Kids! Magazine. TCE course information for the September/October issue is due by July 1. Send the beginning date of your course(s), location (city, state) and a contact telephone number to Cheryl Oetting at Cheryl.Oetting@cefonline.com, fax: 636-456-4435 or mail to Cheryl Oetting, CEF, department of education, PO Box 348, Warrenton MO 63383.

Have you held TCE courses this spring and early summer? Did you send in your Student Registration forms? Remember they are due immediately after the course begins.

Remember to register your TCE courses at least one week before they begin by emailing, faxing or mailing them in to the department of education. We need your course schedule also showing the instructors’ names for each class. If you don’t have a Course Registration Form you can get one by emailing Cheryl at Cheryl.Oetting@cefonline.com.

Have you evaluated any IOT candidates recently? Remember to send in their evaluation forms and Post Course Supervisor Report Forms as soon as possible so that the candidate can receive their credential.

Several IOTs have left questions asking for suggestions or helps in our guest book. When you do this it would be helpful if you give your email address so that others can contact you. And be sure to check the guest book each time you visit the Instructors’ Café. Read about others’ ministries and leave a note about what is happening in your chapter.

Trusting you all have a great weekend, and a Happy Fathers Day to all of you dads!

Winning Testimony from Washington

One of the winning entries in our blog contest came from IOT Joyce James, CEF Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Her TCE student, Vicki Keaton, has been a blessing to the children and to Joyce. Here is Joyce's testimony about Vicki:

In January 2005, Vicki Keaton committed herself to the thirty hours of TCE training. Vicki had experience as a Sunday School teacher of toddlers and preschool children many years ago when her daughter was a toddler. She determined to teach the children rather than babysit. She often wrote her own lessons.

When she took the TCE class, she began to understand how a small child can . . . be saved. During the class she realized the importance of giving each child that opportunity to accept Christ into his life in every lesson. Last year she used the TCE skills effectively and was able to lead her daughter’s nine year old foster son to the Lord.

I have seen Vicki be so burdened for the children’s souls that she gives her time, energy and gifts to serving the Lord in the public schools. This past year she has taught Good News Clubs at two public schools.

The impact of the TCE course has entirely changed how she lives her life now. Teaching Good News Clubs has replaced her and her husband’s retirement activities. Bill shares his wife’s love for the children and the Good News Clubs. Bill faithfully attends one club with Vicki and helps with needs as they happen in club.

Vicki has told me that the commitment of seven months of teaching has brought her closer to the Lord and to the most wonderful precious children that she refers to as her spiritual grandchildren as she has led several to the Lord. She carries each of them inside her heart and in her daily prayers. She also has sacrificed time, gifts, and energy to share at the county fairs at the CEF outreach tent. It has been my joy to see her use her gifts in reaching the children with the Gospel.

In fall 2006, another TCE class was taught at Vicki’s home church. She faithfully attended each class as hostess in addition to auditing the class again. She related to me that it reinforced her commitment of reaching the children as well as giving her more insights to the way children can understand the Gospel. Vicki also uses the CEF teaching methods as she is able to teach children’s church every second or third month. Two of her friends from church also took the TCE class in 2006 and have used the teaching in their own outreach to others including adults.

Vicki has been a blessing to this IOT teacher as I have seen her love for the Lord and for the biggest mission field in the world, the children. Her comment about the importance of TCE is “every person in every church should be required to take this course before teaching anyone the Gospel.” She participated in the refresher course with a new resolve, with new excitement and new determination to share the Good News to children in a new, effective and “approved unto God” way.

We are excited to see TCE grads like Vicki, who take their training and put it to use in a variety of ways to further the kingdom! Praise God for this lady as she continues to reach boys and girls in her area. Thank you, Joyce, for a great testimny and for your effective work as an IOT that is bearing such wonderful fruit!

A Winning Testimony from Louisiana

Kay Taylor, CEF director for West Central, Louisiana, sent in a testimony from TCE graduate, Charles Rogers, assistant pastor of Hosanna Baptist Church. We are excited about the passion this pastor has for reaching the children in his area. As you enjoy the following excerpt from Pastor Rogers’s testimony, please note things his instructors did that impacted him (does that sound like a focus question??).

“I have known several people involved with CEF who have benefited in their walk with Christ by participating in Back Yard Bible Clubs as children. My current senior pastor has had a several decade walk with CEF and through him I have seen the superior application of CEF in the work of evangelism at both the adult and child levels.

"TCE Level 1 training [presents] the clear and urgent needs that exist for children to develop a walk with Jesus Christ. It is this passionate urgency that dramatically helps adults to put aside fears and rise to the challenge of presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to children.

"The material is simple, focused and clear. The reasons for each step of the process are well explained. Repetitive group teaching methods with group accountability and comment is a very effective format for teaching. Role playing for development of teaching skills is excellent for teaching and evaluating skills. Tool development and usage are enhanced by the examples taught by the training staff. They make it clear that one of their goals is for the participant to have success. Their patience and “war stories” are greatly appreciated.

"TCE Level 1 training was a must for me despite the fact that I have extensive seminary training in evangelism and have already identified our children’s evangelism coordinator. Our region has been without a director for a few years. Hosanna Baptist Church is the only active CEF church in our region, therefore, we will act as an interim regional director as we seek to get other churches involved in CEF."

Pastor Rogers and his church have a plan to develop Good News Clubs in several neighborhoods in their area. They are also making contacts for after school clubs in several locations. We praise God for pastors like Charles Rogers, who have a burden and vision to reach the children! May his tribe increase!

We also praise God for dedicated IOTs like Kay Taylor. Did you notice all the things she and her fellow instructors did that impacted this student? We noticed words like focused and clear, well explained, passionate urgency, enhanced by examples, patience and “their goal is for the participant to have success.” Wow! No wonder this TCE grad is so excited and motivated!

How are you doing in some of those areas in your TCE courses? Not every student will leave TCE as fired up as Pastor Rogers is, but that should be our goal as instructors. Great work, Kay! Hope you and the pastor get lots of use out of those colorful soccer balls!

A Winning Testimony from Michigan

Two of the winning entries in our contest came from Michigan. This one was sent in by Kari Ash, of the South Central chapter. We were so excited to see what God has done with one TCE student named Julie Pelmear. Here's her story as told by Kari:

Mid-way through our Teaching Children Effectively Level 1 Course in the fall of 1995, a young woman came to me with tears in her eyes. I’ll never forget what she said, “I just realized I’ve been teaching many Bible stories to children without sharing the truths of the gospel…. I just pray that God will forgive me and give me more opportunities to serve Him!” God answered Julie’s prayer with a resounding, “YES!”

Since that time, God has multiplied her ministry one thousand fold! Julie has taught multiple Good News Clubs each year, in addition to helping with 5-Day Clubs, party clubs, and in the CEF county fair ministry! She continued on with her training, attending TCE Level 2 and then an Instructor of Teachers Course in 1997!

Since that time, she has instructed in 14 TCE Level 1 Courses in the South Central Michigan chapter, as well as in several courses in two neighboring chapters! Imagine the impact of not only teaching thousands of children, but training hundreds of teachers! Julie has been a tremendous blessing to me personally and to our local work! God has graciously provided many, many opportunites for Julie Pelmear to continue to serve Him! Praise Him!

Don't you wish you had a whole bunch of Julie's in your area? Just goes to show what a great impact one TCE student can have on a CEF chapter! Of course, it also shows the fruit that can come from a dedicated IOT like Kari!

We congratulate Julie and Kari, and we hope they enjoy those colorful soccer balls coming their way! May God continue to use both of these ladies to bless and grow the ministry to the children and teachers of Michigan's South Central chapter!

A Soldier's Sacrifice

"Behind a church in the small town of Flint Hill, Virginia, you will find the grave of a young seminary student named Albert Gallatin Willis who died on October 14, 1864. Albert Willis' story is unusual.

Albert Willis served with the famed command of Mosby's Raiders during the Civil War. Because of Mosby's harassment of Federal supply trains, wagons, and stores, General Phil Sheridan ordered that Mosby and any of his men be hung on capture.

In October 1864, Willis and an unnamed comrade were captured by the 2nd U. S. Cavalry and sentenced to die by hanging. However, Willis was offered a Chaplain's exemption as a ministerial student. But because his companion was married, young Willis offered himself as a substitute for the comrade and died in his place so that the other might go free. Willis professed his 'Christian Readiness To Die,' prayed for his executioners, and was hanged." (Larry Vaughn, SermonCentral.com)

On Memorial Day, we remember the many sacrifices made by those in the military and their families. We give thanks for our country and the freedoms we enjoy that were obtained and are maintained for us at such great cost.

Memorial Day is all about remembering those stories of sacrifice. It is with grateful hearts we remember those who died and those who gave up sons and daughters on behalf of our country.

But there was one Father whose sacrifice was greatest of all. God the Father watched from Heaven’s portal as His only Son went to a far off place to serve. Jesus, God’s Son, left His home to come and dwell in enemy territory. He showed us how to live a life of integrity, courage and honor. Then He gave up His life so we could be free. There is no greater love. There is no greater sacrifice.

As you pause to remember sacrifices made on our behalf this Memorial Day weekend, be sure to thank our God for His greatest sacrifice.

If you would like, add a comment at the end of this post to express your thanks for all our military men and women or for a veteran in your own family.

Winning Testimony from Michigan

We've been inspired reading the testimonies sent in by those who entered our blog contest.

Our first testimony comes from Karen Rumley, CEF of Muskegon, MI, and her TCE student, Hazel Priest. As you read about Hazel, praise God with us for this wonderful--and busy--lady!

"Hazel Priest has taught children for many years, including Sunday School, AWANA classes, Christian school chapels, and almost any other class you can think of! However, it was not until 2002 that Hazel attended Teaching Children Effectively Level 1. That spring, she learned how to link the gospel into any Bible lesson and how to present it in a language that even children can understand. Hazel says that TCE 1 changed her life. Before TCE, she was afraid to give an invitation. But, once she learned how, God took over, and it just happens. After receiving this training, Hazel asked the Lord for another 20 years to use it!

The first time she taught AWANA after learning how to present the gospel and give an invitation, she realized that she would need to warn the other AWANA staff about what God was going to do. She knew they needed to know how to talk with the children that responded…so she held her own miniature instructional course for the other AWANA workers on how to help a child receive Christ, based on Scripture. When she began teaching, using the new methods, 22 children chose to accept Christ as Savior!

She also began a ministry teaching Good News Clubs in the local public schools. Hazel has taught multiple school clubs, chapel services, and anywhere else the Lord led her since taking TCE. One memorable school Good News Club had 53 children enrolled, and 17 of them accepted Christ during that season of club!

Since seeing what God could do through her, Hazel wanted others to see God at work in the lives of children. She committed to taking the training necessary to serve as an instructor for Teaching Children Effectively Level 1. Since taking the training, Hazel has overcome health challenges to teach two other classes of children’s workers how to share the gospel with children. The blessing of seeing children come to know the Lord is worth every bit of effort in preparing the lessons and teaching effectively."

Way to go, Hazel! May God continue to bless and use you to reach those kids in Muskegon! And way to go, Karen! Keep up the good work in training such great people in your area! Both Karen and Hazel have a Ball of Many Colors coming their way shortly! Stay tuned to the Cafe for more testimonies to come!

Contest Winners!

We have a winner! In fact, we have five winners! We challenged you to send in a testimony and picture about one of your TCE students. Responses were slow in coming and not very plentiful, but five of you did an outstanding job in sending some inspiring testimonies. Our five winners are:

Kari Ash, Michigan
Karen Rumley, Michigan
Kay Taylor, Louisiana
Janet Walker, Washington
Joyce James, Washington.

Congratulations to each of you! These five individuals will receive a wonderful Ball of Many Colors for themselves and one for the teacher whose testimony they shared. In addition, we will be posting the winning testimonies and pictures in the weeks to come.

Our thanks to all who entered the contest. We will be having more contests in the future, so keep visiting the Cafe and watching for your chance to win!

Good News for You!

We had a great time at the CEF National Conference, Good News Across America! It was fun seeing so many of our CEF family, including lots and lots of our IOTs! We enjoyed the wonderful Bible messages from Dr. Woodrow Kroll of Back to the Bible. There were also loads of great workshops on all kinds of subjects.

We had a special meeting for our IOTs. We were expecting maybe 50 or so to attend. Imagine our surprise when about 150 showed up! Yikes! I know those of you who were there enjoyed the "close" fellowship. It was good to see so many and to be able to update you on what's happening in the educational aspect of CEF ministry.

We talked about keeping up the quality of our TCE courses and giving attention to the paperwork that helps keep our records current. We talked about our new TCE Program Director, Lynne Herlein. She will be working with you as you set up courses, develop schedules and assign staff. She is your "go-to" person when you need advice or have questions.

We talked about our blog--and invited those who haven't been to the Cafe to drop in for a visit. I see in our guestbook that some have done that! We also talked about the exciting upcoming launch of CMI online! Starting in September, some audio/PowerPoint classes will be offered. Later in the fall there will be a demo course that will involve assignments. All of this will help us get the bugs out of the system before we launch TCE Level 1 in January 2008. You'll be hearing lots more about all of this in coming days, so stay tuned!

Undoubtedly, the biggest excitement for our instructors was the new training CD called Good News for Children's Spiritual Formation. This CD contains 14 brand new training subjects you can use in a variety of ways. There are timely topics like teaching apologetics to kids, helping children live biblical lives in an unbiblical world, answering kids' tough questions and lots more. Each session has instructor notes, student notes and variety of visual aids, including PowerPoint and transparency masters. In addition, there are schedules for setting up your own training conference, promotional materials and slip sheets for notebook binders.

Besides presenting these subjects in a conference setting, you could use individual subjects in you teacher training classes or other training events. This will make a helpful supplement to your Super Seminars, as these are all new subjects.

We took 100 CDs to the conference and they went fast! Now here's the good news for you--you can get your very own copy of this CD for $50.00. Just request an order form from Pat Johann by e-mailing her at, Pat.Johann@cefonline.com.

In your blog administrator's humble opinion, this is the sharpest-looking CD we've ever done in the department of education. The notes are filled with practical and helpful ideas and the visuals are amazing! Our thanks to Pat for an outstanding job on those PowerPoints! We hope you enjoy teaching these subjects as much as we enjoyed developing them.

Vitamin Bs for IOTs!

Are you planning to attend the CEF National Conference, April 30- May 4, 2007 at Ridgecrest? It's going to be great! Besides the excellent Bible messages, inspiring workshops and wonderful fellowship, we're also going to celebrate our 70th birthday! (That's CEF's 70th birthday, not the blog administrators!)

This is going to be a conference that keeps on giving. The department of education has been working hard on a series of 14 special workshops that you'll be able to purchase on a CD so you can present your very own Good News Across America conference.

You're going to love the new workshops we've developed on subjects like Child-Size Apologetics, Transforming Children through the Spiritual Disciplines, Developing Biblically Focused Kids in an Unbiblical World and Using Images to Convey Truth -- just to name a few! The CD will have all you need--instructor notes, student notes, PowerPoint and transparency visuals and lots more.

But the most special feature of the conference (in our humble opinion) will be on Thursday afternoon from 1:00-2:00. That's when we're having our special IOT session called Vitamin Bs for IOTs! What in the world does that mean? You'll have to come and find out! Let's just say it will be a time for encouragement, information and...well...surprises! You won't want to miss it! So make sure when you get to the conference to block out Thursday from 1:00-2:00!

We appreciate each one of you and all you do to train others in this important work of reaching children for Christ. We can't wait to greet you at the conference and hear first-hand what God is doing in your area! See you at Ridgecrest!

PS: There's still time to get your entry in for the big blog contest! Send in your TCE testimony and picture by next Monday, April 30. See the March 26th post below for complete details!

Tragedy

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those on the Virginia Tech campus, the families of the slain and the survivors. We were all astounded as we watched and listened to the cold, enraged words of mass killer, Cho Seung-Hui. Our minds struggle to wrap themselves around such senseless horror. What in the world happened in this young man's life that triggered the downward spiral leading to such a vengeful act?

He wrote violent, obscene stories that all had a similar theme. They were about young people--mostly young men--being exploited by adults and then seeking astounding vengeance.

Was this young man a victim of childhood sexual abuse? Many signs seem to point in that direction--his hiding behind dark glasses, hats and fake names, his obsession with sexual depravity, his sense of victimization and rage--it all speaks of the shame and frustration typical of many who have been sexually abused. Was he a target of bullying or physical abuse? Many of his writings point to that possibility.

Undoubtedly his life will be studied from every possible angle. We may learn about some terrible abuse that set him on this path. Nothing we learn will ever excuse or fully explain his actions, but it may shed light on some of it.

This whole tragedy should remind each of us that we labor in the most important and determinative ministry field in the world! It should give you new motivation for the work you do as an instructor of teachers. Just think of the children those teachers you train are going to reach. What terrible events will never happen because a child is reached with the Gospel before sin takes hold in his or her life?

What if someone had invited little eight-year-old Seung-Hui to a Good News Club when he first came to this country? What if he had responded to the Gospel and become a child of God? Perhaps 32 people on the VT campus would still be alive today. Perhaps those families, that campus and our nation would not be in mourning.

This event should prompt us, as never before, to pray for our nation's children. The enemy of our souls is out to kill and destroy. He knows the value of a child's soul. He knows he can so damage a child that the effects can last a lifetime--and even spill over into the lives of others.

Unfortunately, we know that many in the Body of Christ have yet to get that message. Too many churches continue to entertain children on Sunday morning instead of actively seeking the salvation of every child God brings their way. Too many teachers hesitate to speak of sin and the blood of Christ or to give a salvation invitation. Too Christians are unconcerned about the unreached children in their community.

IOTs, this is a living illustration! Use this terrible tragedy to challenge your TCE students to the urgent need before us. Were there churches or believers in the neighborhood where Cho Seung-Hui grew up? Did anyone ever attempt to reach him with the Gospel? Was there a Good News Club in his area? He is one child we missed--and the ramifications of that fact are stunning.

Where Are You?

Hey all you IOTs--we know you're out there! We also know you're all busy with clubs, TCE courses, seminars, banquets, committee meetings, recruiting for summer ministries and all that other CEF stuff! But it's time to prioritize and remember what's truly important in life--our blog contest!!! Well, okay--so maybe it's not the most important thing on your schedule right now--we'll forgive you for that! And we're prepared to accommodate you.

We are announcing an extension of our blog contest! You now have until April 30 to send in a testimony from a TCE student as to how the course affected him or her or how the things learned in the course have impacted that teacher's Good News Club. Remember to include a picture with the testimony. The picture can be of the TCE course or of the teacher's club. We've noticed a number of you have been writing great testimonies in our guestbook. You could send us one of those with a picture!

Remember also what is at stake here -- the chance to win your very own "Ball of Many Colors"!! Just think of all the ways this amazing, Wordless Book-colored soccer ball will add to your training ministry. You could use it to review the message of salvation, to demonstrate a review game or to bop students on the head when they fall asleep in your class! (Oops, strike that last suggestion please.) And remember, the teacher whose testimony you send us will also win this amazing prize! Do you really want to deprive some deserving teacher the opportunity to own such a treasure? Huh? Do you?? We didn't think so!

Not only do you receive a great prize, your testimony and picture will be featured in a future post right here in the Cafe! Do you know how much people are willing to pay for that honor? Well, nothing actually...but we won't even charge you for this privilege!

So, have we convinced you?? Your over-qualified and under-paid blog administrators are looking forward to receiving your testimony. These people have nothing else to do and they're starting to annoy the rest of us, so please keep them busy! Entries will be evaluated and the top eight will be announced on May 11. Send an email to Cheryl.Oetting@cefonline.com with your testimony and picture today!