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!