Legand of the Poinsettia

We have a special treat for you today! Our guest blogger is our own TCE Program Director, Lynne Herlein. Lynne has written some thoughts about the beautiful Christmas flower, the poinsettia. We trust you will enjoy reading her post and that it will help you further enjoy the beauty of this season.

Do you enjoy seeing the festive lights and decorations at Christmas? I do! Lights, trees, Christmas ornaments, manger scenes, candy canes, etc. begin popping up sometime in November and everywhere we turn we are reminded of Christmas.

One Christmas decoration we see a lot are the festive potted poinsettias. Their showy display of red and green seem custom-made for Christmas. But have you ever wondered how the poinsettia became part of our Christmas tradition?

The poinsettia was found growing wild in Mexico by Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, America’s first foreign minister to Mexico. In the late 1820’s, the avid gardener brought this flower, known as the “Flower of the Holy Night,” with him to the U.S. The flower later came to be known by the name we call it today, “Poinsettia.” The following is a legend that has come to be part of the story of the poinsettia.

The Legend of the Poinsettia

Many years ago in Mexico there lived a little girl named Pepita. Pepita and her cousin, Pedro, were very poor. It was nearly Christmas so, as usual, a manger scene was on display at the church. All of the children talked excitedly about what gifts they wantedto bring to the Christ child on Christmas Eve. However, because Pepita andPedro had no money, they had nothing they could bring to lay at the manger.

Christmas Eve arrived and, rather than feeling joyful as she walked towards the service, Pepita was very sad. Pedro saw the sadness and said, “I’m sure that even the most humble gift, given in love, will be acceptable in his eyes.” Not sure what to do, but believing her cousin, Pepita stopped and picked some common weeds along the roadside and formed them into a bouquet of sorts.

As Pepita walked towards the manger she remembered the words Pedro had spoken and humbly laid her “bouquet” at the manger. Suddenly, the bouquet burst into beautiful red flowers. The people attending the service that night felt as if they had witnessed a Christmas miracle! From that time on the flowers were known as the “Flower of the Holy Night” because they bloomed each Christmas.

Although this is merely a legend, the message is applicable today. Perhaps this year has been especially difficult for you. With the recession came loss of jobs or cutbacks. Perhaps you have had personal or family struggles, lost a loved one or heard devastating news about your health. At times the harshness of life may have nearly robbed you of your joy. It may be that your gift-giving is going to be a bit sparse this year...and it brings a certain sadness because you want to do more than you are able. It may be helpful to remember the nugget of truth found in Pedro’s wise words: “...even the most humble gift, given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes.”

We often say that Christmas isn’t about the gifts, but has it become that to us? What kinds of things could you do this Christmas that show your love for Christ to others? Perhaps it is giving baked goods or spending time doing things the people you love enjoy (reading books, playing games, watching a movie, taking a walk, sharing a cup of coffee.) Maybe it is volunteering to help those who are less fortunate.

Perhaps you can share the good news of Christmas with the children who live around you or send a note of encouragement to your TCE graduates. Maybe you have received a blessing that could be shared with someone else...making it even more special! Although your “bouquet” may not spring forth into beautiful red flowers...it will be received with love and joy, and Christ will be pleased because your gift was given in love.

We are so thankful for each of you, our IOTs, and the gift you are to our ministry. Thank you for giving your time and creativity to your TCE students. They have surely benefitted from your “bouquets!”

Peace on Earth

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men” (Luke 2:14).

Peace is rare in our world! According to the Personnel Journal, “Less than 8% of the time since the beginning of recorded time has the world been entirely at peace.” Now that’s a depressing thought!

One observer put it this way: “Peace is the brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.” (Lloyd Cory, Quote Unquote)

So, what happened to the peace promised by the angels on the night of our Savior’s birth? It is not a peace brought about by a treaty between nations. This is a peace given to individuals. It is a deep, inner calm in the hearts of those who know the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, as their Savior.

Knowing the peace of God doesn’t mean living free of stress and pressure! God’s inward peace comes in the midst of trouble. It is what keeps us level when all around us is tilted by turmoil. Theologian A.T. Pierson said, “The peace of God is that eternal calm which lies far too deep in the praying, trusting soul to be reached by any external disturbances.” This is not a peace understood by the world. That’s why there is so little peace in our world! But it is a peace available to every person who seeks it.

Contrary to what some people think, being in ministry does not automatically guarantee a peaceful path! Preparing classes and working with TCE students, along with all the other things you do in ministry can be stressful and exhausting! But as you look back over this past year, can you trace the peace of God in your life, even through the stressful times? And isn't it wonderful to know that His peace goes with us into 2010!

As we enter this most special season, our prayer for you is that the peace of God would rule in your heart, in your home and in your place of ministry. No matter what the year ahead may hold, may our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with His heavenly peace!

Living a Life of Thanksgiving to the Lord

It's Thanksgiving time here in America. We at the Cafe pray that God will bless you and your family with hearts of gratitude to the Lord. Today's post comes courtesy of Back to the Bible broadcast.

For God's people, Thanksgiving is far more than a special day on the calendar. The Bible urges us to live a life of thanksgiving each day. Being thankful to God for all of His blessings is truly a mark of the Christian. So let me give you four biblical ways to express your thanksgiving to the Lord at this wonderful season of the year. The base I want to build on is Psalm 100, a song of praise to God as our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer.

I see at least four ways that Psalm 100 instructs us to praise and worship God. Some may be a little scary to those who are not used to joyously expressing praise, but I encourage you not to be afraid!

1. Don't Be Afraid to Shout Praise to the Lord. The Bible says, "Make a joyful shout to the LORD" (Ps. 100:1). In the Bible, shouting is associated with great achievement or joy. Joshua told Israel to march around Jericho for six days and on the seventh day to lift a great shout. When they did, the walls fell down (Josh. 6).

When you are thanking and praising God, don't be afraid to be a little loud. God loves to hear our praises, and it will also make you biblical!

2. Don't Be Afraid to Serve the Lord with Gladness. "Serve the LORD with gladness" (Ps. 100:2). Gladness means mirth, gaiety and happiness. No service to the Lord, whether great or small, should be done grudgingly.

Sincere and true delight in service to God should accompany our words and deeds of worship. When you are serving the Lord, don't be afraid to do it with a glad heart—and don't be afraid to smile!

3. Don't Be Afraid to Come into the Lord's Presence. "Come before His presence with singing" (Ps. 100:2). God calls us to come into His presence privately each day and together in corporate worship. "Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice" (Ps. 55:17).

It was said of the fledgling New Testament church that they met daily in the temple for teaching from the Word, fellowship, worship and praise. Little wonder that Hebrews 10:25 begs us not to fail to regularly assemble with other believers in thanksgiving, hearing the Word and worship.

4. Don't Be Afraid to Get to Know the Lord. The rest of Ps. 100:3 says, "Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture" (emphasis added). The psalmist calls the people to recognize and "know" God's words, works and ways.

He wants us to know that He is Jehovah God and we are not, that He is the Creator and we are His creatures and that we are His sheep and He is our Shepherd. The heart-longing of every godly person is to get to know God more intimately.

Let's make it our determination to praise and worship God this holiday season!

Copyright © 2009 The Good News Broadcasting Association, Inc. (Back to the Bible) Lincoln, Nebraska, USA Used by permission. All rights reserved http://www.backtothebible.org

Culture Point #4 - Evangelizing Children

Over the past few months, we have been examining our six CEF culture points – principles that guide all we do in our ministries around the world. So far, we have discussed godly leadership, the spiritual welfare of our workers and the importance of prayer. Today we take a closer look at the heart of our ministry—evangelizing children!

Here is culture point #4:

Importance of Evangelizing Children There is no limit to the number of organizations that do many good things that are important to boys and girls in need. We are thankful for them and believe that God uses them to help hurting children. CEF, however, has been called by God to exclusively present the Gospel so children may be saved and discipled in God’s Word. We must stay on point.

When we consider today's children around the world, we can identify many profound needs. There is poverty, hunger, AIDS, homelessness, illiteracy, abuse and children without parents or families just to name a few. Our hearts go out to the masses of hurting children. We all wish we could do something that would take away the pain so that every child could be adequately fed, clothed and cared for. And certainly most of us try to do what we can for children who are in our immediate sphere of influence.

This culture point, however, reminds us of our primary mission. As this point states, there are many good organizations seeking to meet the physical needs of children—and CEF has often partnered with them, but our God-given task is to meet the child's spiritual need. Our call from God as an organization is to present the message of salvation clearly and simply, to lead boys and girls to the Savior, to disciple them in the Word of God and direct them into the local body of believers. There is not another Christian organization to our knowledge with that specific aim.

Since our founding in 1937, CEF has been a beacon shining in a dark world. We have been used of God in many places to be a change-agent, helping the Church see that the Great Commission cannot be fulfilled without sharing the Gospel with the little ones, and that children must be evangelized before they can be taught to demonstrate Christian character traits. And our task is time-sensitive! George Barna reminds us from his studies that, “If people do not embrace Jesus Christ as their Savior before they reach their teenage years, the chance of their doing so at all is slim.” (Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, p. 34)

Eternity is at stake! Scripture puts it this way, “For what shall it profit a man [or a child], if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). In discussing the need for believers to return to the priority of evangelism, Christianity Today editor, Ajith Fernando writes, “The stark fact of lostness places before us the urgency of evangelism.”

When we have an opportunity and the means to meet a physical need, we are compelled by Scripture to do so. But, we must encourage our TCE students to stay true to the purpose for which our ministry exists—to, first and foremost, evangelize and disciple children. We all know that Christians, in general, do not focus ministry on evangelizing children. If we drift from our purpose, who will be there to clearly and consistently present the Gospel? Let’s be sure we are staying on point—let’s keep the main thing the main thing!

We're Back!

Have you been searching for us? We’ve had to take some time away from the Café to handle other things in the Department of Education – we hope you missed us!

Now that we’re back, we want to update you on some exciting things happening at CMI Online!

Apply Now for January 2010 courses!

Enrolling in Understanding Today's Child or Teaching Children Effectively Level 1 requires application and acceptance to the Children's Ministries Institute. The approval process takes 3-4 weeks from the time the application is submitted and must be completed before students can register for either course.

Don’t delay! Prospective students should Apply Now!

Understanding Today’s Child
Dates: Jan 17 - Mar 13, 2010
Registration Open: Nov 21 - Dec 13
Cost: $330 plus books

Teaching Children Effectively™ Level 1
Dates: Jan 17 - Mar 27, 2010
Registration Open: Nov 21 - Dec 13
Cost: $330 plus books

For a complete listing of all upcoming courses at CMI Online, see the sidebar, CMI Online News!

Announcing: Teaching Preschoolers to Know and Love God

The newest addition to the Teaching to Transform seminar series on CMI Online, Teaching Preschoolers to Know and Love God is a 30 minute seminar designed to provide preschool teachers with valuable information to be considered as they prepare for and teach their class. Parents of preschoolers may also benefit from this seminar. What are preschoolers like? Can a preschool child really be saved? What are important characteristics of a preschool class session? How do you teach preschoolers? These questions will be answered during this seminar. At the end of the seminar, you will be equipped with information that can help you become a more effective preschool teacher.

Cost – only $5!! (groups up to 50 people can take this training for only $25!)

Enroll Now!!!

Brand new CMI Online promotional

If you know people who want training, but wonder if online training will work for them, you’ll want to show them this video. In this two-minute video, a recent student explains how the online training works and why she feels it is valuable training for teachers. View this video promotional at: http://online.cefcmi.com/videos/promos/cmionlinepromo/cmionlinepromo.swf

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We are excited about what God is doing through CMI Online! The program continues to grow as new courses are added and new students discover us. And there's lots more to come! Be sure to let folks in your area know about our online training. If they can't come to your training courses, CMI Online is the next best thing! Help us spread the word about this convenient, quality training!

Be-Attitudes for Teachers

We’re going to take a little break from our look at the CEF culture points for the following special treat! Recently, we came across a Web site called the Ministry Tools Resource Center. They have lots of very interesting articles and resources for teachers. We recommend you check them out.

One of their resources is a book called, Be-Attitudes for Teachers, that contains 30 devotionals. They have given us special permission to reprint one of those devotionals here at the Café. This special permission was granted to us for this one-time printing. Please do not copy this article for other use. You can visit their Web site to see all they have to offer.

We wanted to share this article with you to continue inspiring you to be creative in teaching your TCE courses—and other training as well. So read and enjoy—then go visit the Ministry Tools Resource Center!

Be-Attitudes for Teachers

“Who ... me? Be creative?”

Yes, everyone has the potential to be creative! That bold assertion can be made because in Genesis 1:26-27 God said “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness . . .” Certainly that would include His creative quality.

When you were a preschooler you were imaginative. You could make play toys from almost anything. You may have even created imaginary friends. You were curious, investigative, inquisitive, filled with wonder and awe. You were very sensory-oriented.

But it wasn’t long before significant adults in your life would say “No. Don’t touch.” Even when what you were doing was not harmful or inappropriate, they may have halted your inquiry because they didn’t want to be bothered or inconvenienced.

You went to school and encountered teachers who would penalize you for taking initiative, for deviating from their expectations. Perhaps you heard your parents say something like --- "Why can’t you be like other children?"

On into adolescence you went and discovered a term called peer pressure. You wanted to be liked and accepted by your peers so you would dress, act, and talk like them.

Think about it: Is the problem that you have no creative ability or that your creativity has been stifled?

Perhaps you need to travel back to the days when you learned by touching, looking, listening, tasting, and smelling. Allow yourself to wonder, to question, to brainstorm, to expose yourself to new ideas. Get out of your rut and try something new. When you do, you will find the joy of discovery. Learning will take on a new dimension.

As a teacher, you must remember that your students learn best this way too. They also were made in the image of God and consequently have creative resources. Are you going to work within or against God’s design?

At the root of a teacher’s aptness toward creativity lies his/her philosophy or view of the teaching-learning process. How you believe people learn will determine how you will structure the learning experience.

The traditional, non-creative teacher believes people learn by sitting still, listening to what is being said, and acquiring facts. Consequently, this teacher will see his role as an authoritarian, a teller, and a fact-giver.

The more innovative, creative teacher, on the other hand, believes people learn by getting involved (doing), personally discovering truths, and understanding meanings behind facts. As a result, this teacher will structure lessons to include opportunity for interaction and participation. The teacher’s role will be that of a guide and motivator, stimulating students through the use of audiovisuals and meaningful activities to explore God’s Word and discover His truth. Learning becomes exciting, fun, relevant, and meaningful.

For the sake of your students, let go of those fears and be who God made you to be —a creative person.

© 2001 Ministry Tools Resource Center, http://mintools.com/ Special permission has been granted to CEF only to copy this Be-Attitude onto our blog. This devotional is taken from the Ministry Tools Resource Center’s book, Be-Attitudes for Teachers.

Culture Point #3 - Prayer

We have been taking a close look at the six principles that comprise the culture of Child Evangelism Fellowship. Earlier, we examined the first two culture points—the Importance of Godly Leadership at Every Level and the Importance of the Spiritual Welfare of our Workers. Both of these points are significant in our ministry as instructors of teachers.

Today, we want to focus on the third culture point:

Importance of Prayer as Our Foundation It is not the work we do, the meetings we hold or the decisions we make that bring the greatest advances in the work; it is the time spent before the throne of God in prayer, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that brings power, laborers and resources into the ministry.

If we were to take an informal poll, asking our CEF family to rate the importance of prayer in our ministry, it would undoubtedly rank at the top of the list, right alongside reading the Bible. Yet, for all our talk about prayer and its importance to our task, how many of us have a deep and consistent prayer life?

This culture point states that prayer is “our foundation.” This is true of our ministry, both in a literal as well as in a spiritual sense. D. L. Moody once said, “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” If you go back to the beginning of CEF’s history, you find our founder, Mr. O, was that kneeling figure—a man of prayer. He knew that the great task of building a ministry to children could not succeed without it!

In the book, The Indomitable Mr. O, his biographer tells about how, from the very beginning, Mr. O bathed this ministry in prayer. He would rise every morning at 4:00 and go to his “prayer closet” in a grove of trees on his property and pour out his heart to God for the children. As the work grew, he used a world globe to pray for the children of the nations. Even toward the end of his life, Mr. O was still actively and consistently praying for the workers in CEF around the world—by name!

In his book, Everything by Prayer, Mr. O makes his prayer philosophy very clear:

“Every spiritual program must be defended and supported by definite believing prayer. Every God-called man and every God-planned enterprise must have praying folk to pray out the problems. To carry on the work of God is to wage a terrific warfare with Satan and all his hosts. Before the battle there must be preparation wrought in prayer; during the battle the warriors must be upheld by those guided of God to be intercessors; after the battle there should be praise.”

Scripture teaches many principles about prayer. We are to pray in the will of God and with confidence (1 John 5:14-15); we are to pray in the name of Christ (John 14:12-15); we are to pray in faith (Js. 1:5-8); we are to pray for definite things (Rom. 8:26-27); we are to pray with a grateful heart (Phil. 4:4-7). These are just a few of God’s prayer principles.

As instructors of teachers, we need to be leaders who set the example in prayer. Do you pray for the children in your area and around the world? Do you pray for your TCE students? Do you pray for your TCE graduates? Do you pray for the clubs your students are teaching? Do you pray for God to give you more students? Do you pray that God will raise up more IOTs from your courses? Do you pray for the financial needs of the ministry? These are just some of the areas of prayer we should be involved in.

Many of you are very conscientious in praying for your students. Some IOTs set aside definite prayer times during their TCE courses. Some secure prayer partners outside of the courses to pray for individual students. One IOT shared how he and his family keep the names of their TCE students on index cards and pray for them at family meals. How encouraging it would be for your students—and graduates—to know that you are remembering them in prayer on a regular basis!

If you ask most CEF workers what the greatest need is in their ministry, they will mention two things: workers and finances. Please notice the last statement in our culture point on prayer: “It is the time spent before the throne of God in prayer, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that brings power, laborers and resources into the ministry.” Clearly the answer to our ministry needs is found in prayer.

Mr. O said, “It is wonderful to know that God is still the owner and sovereign, and He is a friend of mine. When we pray we ask an omnipotent Friend, the owner of all, for the thing we need, or we commit to Him the problem.”

As IOTs and ministry leaders, let’s be people of prayer. Let’s pray for the children. Let’s pray for our students. Let’s pray for more workers. Let’s pray for our financial needs. Let’s pray for each other. And then let’s rejoice together as we see our faithful God at work!

Do you have a special way to pray for your TCE students and grads? Click the "comment" link below and share it with us. You might have a great idea that will inspire another IOT to be more dilligent in prayer!

Culture Point #2 - Investing in the Spiritual Lives of Others

A few weeks ago, we began taking a close look at the culture of CEF—what we believe, what we value and how we function. Our leaders have developed six culture points that define us as a ministry. Each of these are hallmarks that we, as IOTs, need to be sure we are exhibiting in our training ministries.

Earlier this month we examined the first point – the Importance of Godly Leadership at Every Level. This point reminds us that, as ministry leaders, we must have a heart for God and an ability to discern His will as we lead. We also considered the foundations of godly leadership such as having a growing relationship with God, spending time in His Word and in prayer, yielding ourselves regularly to the control of the Holy Spirit and being clean vessels through which God can work.

Today, we want to consider the second culture point:

Importance of the Spiritual Welfare of our Workers It is vital that we are never satisfied to simply teach our staff the methods of how to reach children and how to train others to do so, but we must purposefully invest in the spiritual lives of our staff. When CEF staff are men and women who are primarily driven by passion for God and His glory and have a clear call from the Lord, the work will prosper. If we keep our focus on God and on His calling, then we will be sustained in times of challenge.

This culture point is especially important for those of us in the training ministry. Our work as instructors of teachers is so much more than just teaching our students the skills needed to reach and disciple children effectively. We are investing in their lives; building into their character; adding vital links to their spiritual life chain. Those intangible things can’t be accomplished just by teaching a curriculum. So how do we see to the spiritual welfare of those God has entrusted to our leadership? Here are some thoughts to get you started:

Balance academics with inspiration When you have to communicate a lot of information, evaluate and grade student performance, it’s easy to get focused on academics. But you need to also give attention to the inspiration of your students. Keep in mind that the inspirational aspects of your classes should not be focused just on what students are doing, but also on who they are and what they are becoming. Encourage your students to let God’s Word soak into their own lives before they try to share it with the children. Remind students often that their strength for service comes not from developing a technically-correct lesson, but from time spent with the Author of the Word they are teaching.

Remind students frequently that their ministry is not a “job” but a calling Even volunteer teachers can begin to feel like their club is a job they must do. You need to constantly remind your students of God’s call to this ministry of reaching children. As this culture point reminds us, “If we keep our focus on God and on His calling, then we will be sustained in times of challenge.” Those of us in children’s ministry encounter challenges all the time. There are always reasons to quit. When those times come, it is often the reality of God’s call on our lives that keeps us going! Use Scriptures such as Matt. 18:14, Mark 10:14, Mark 16:15 and Rom. 10:14-15 to inspire your students for the work God has called them to do.

Share in practical ways Looking out for the spiritual welfare of your students is not just what you say in class. You can also encourage them in practical ways.

• Encourage students through informal conversations during the course. Ask how they’re doing and how they’re feeling about what they’re learning. Offer a word of personal encouragement when you sense a student is struggling.
  
  
• Have scheduled and unscheduled prayer time with your students. You might want to have a “God Can” in your TCE class. Encourage students to write down requests to put in the can, and then take time at each session to pray for them. Have prayer partners among the students and also from outside the class. When a student shares a need with you personally, stop and pray immediately for that need.
  
  
• Keep your eyes open for inexpensive inspirational gifts for your students. A card at their place with an inspirational quote or Scripture verse can be a real encouragement. Small inspirational books or other gift items can be found at your local Christian bookstore or on Web sites like http://www.christianbook.com/.

Share your heart, not just your head When you consider what illustrations to use in a class session, go beyond just the stories about how you put a certain teaching skill into practice (although they DO need to hear those stories!). Think also about personal stories that reveal your own struggles and how God is working in your life. Your students love to know that you are still a “work in progress” just like them! Don’t depress them—but do share about times you feel uncertain or even defeated in the ministry and how God lifts you up on those difficult days.

Follow up your TCE grads After students graduate from your TCE course, keep in contact with them beyond their involvement in the ministry. Maybe you can develop a monthly or quarterly e-mail letter to your TCE alumni to encourage their spiritual walk as well as their ministry with children. This type of brief communication can go a long way to keep them inspired and motivated. Plan a yearly get-together for TCE alumni – a time for sharing and encouragement – and of course dessert! This type of follow up lets your students know they are not just a statistic on your monthly report, but a part of your CEF family.

Set a good example This is undoubtedly the hardest of these suggestions to carry out. We all have “unlived-out” truth in our lives. We know what we’re supposed to be and do, but often fall short. It’s the same struggle Paul describes in Rom. 7:15-24. There are no perfect instructors of teachers. Did you hear that? None! But, we need to be yielding ourselves to God daily so that the Fruit of the Spirit can be revealed in our lives. When you have challenges in your TCE courses, with your TCE students or even with your fellow instructors, check your attitude. Ask God to give you grace to be the example of a Spirit-controlled teacher as you interact with others.

Look out for your own spiritual welfare What are you doing to continue developing your own spiritual life? We all have our own ways of recharging our batteries. Whether you refresh your spiritual life by reading good books, setting aside extended times to be alone with God, talking with spiritual a mentor or keeping a journal, you need to find ways that work for you. And don’t forget that taking care of your physical needs relates to your spiritual life as well. Make sure you are getting sufficient rest and time to just relax with friends.

Remember, it is vital that “we are never satisfied to simply teach our staff the methods of how to reach children and how to train others to do so, but we must purposefully invest in the spiritual lives of our staff.” How are you doing in this area? Are there some things you need to do differently or better? Do you have additional ideas or suggestions? Please click the “comment” link below and share with us!

New CMI Module Now Online!

The CMI Online team has been diligently working to create a training option for people who minister to children and cannot attend the Children's Ministries Institute or local training. We are very excited to announce the launch of a new course – Understanding Today’s Child.

Students who successfully complete this course online will receive credit toward the on-campus CMI diploma program and various certificates. If you are a CEF worker needing to complete your CMI training, here is your opportunity to take the week 2 module in the comfort of your own home!

Children today are growing up in a world that is incredibly complex and ever-changing. For an effective ministry, children’s ministry leaders must have insight into the child’s unique problems and an understanding of how to meet his/her needs in the classroom, one-on-one and as part of their overall ministry. Join us or encourage someone you know to join us for this practical and effective course online this September!!

Course Dates: September 13-November 21, 2009
Registration Open: August 15-30
SPACE IS LIMITED

Emphasis in this course is placed on the role of the children’s ministry leader/teacher in helping children to develop physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Students will also learn ways to effectively minister to children dealing with the effects of divorce, abuse, natural disasters and death of a close relative or friend. In addition, students will learn how to teach children from various religious backgrounds.

Individual and group assignments along with community forum discussions allow students to interact with the curriculum on both a personal and interpersonal level. As well, project assignments provide the students with practical tools that can be directly used in ministry.

Read more about this online course Here.

Prospective students need to Apply Now!

(Note: The approval process takes 3-4 weeks from the time the application is submitted and must be completed before you can register for this course on August 15.)

Spread the word in your area about this excellent opportunity to learn how to effectively minister to today’s children!

Culture Point #1 - Godly Leadership

Thank you for your patience with us in updating the blog! Like many of you, our blog administrator has been busy with ministry, including CYIA training. But we're back in the saddle now and ready to go!

A few weeks ago we listed the CEF culture points – those principles that should guide our ministry. Over the next few weeks, we will take a closer look at each culture point. For our examination of the first point, we thank Dr. Martha Wright for allowing us to adapt this material from her seminar on being a “Leader of Influence.”

The first of our CEF culture points is:

Importance of Godly Leadership at Every Level Spiritual leadership is the highest form of authority. The men and women who lead must have a personal heart for God in order to be able to discern the will of God and lead the ministry effectively. Regardless of the skill of a leader, if he or she lacks a heart for God, the work will be eroded at its very foundation.

A leader has been defined as “a person that influences others; the ability of one person to influence others to follow him/her.” Christian leadership, however, carries that definition a step further. For the Christian, “True leadership is giving oneself to God’s service and the service of others.” If we are fully given to serve God and others, our leadership will influence others for the kingdom of God. You may not see yourself as a leader, but you have TCE students who are watching and learning from you--and not just from the classes you teach!

King David is a wonderful example of godly leadership. Psalm 78:72 says, “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart, with skillful hands he led them.” David not only did the things a leader should do with skillfulness, he also had a heart of integrity to be the person God wanted him to be. Even in times of failure, David was able to correct his course and move forward by God's grace. Godly leadership is not so much what one does outwardly, rather what one is inwardly.

The Lord Jesus Christ is, of course, the greatest example of godly leadership. As you read the Gospel accounts of His earthly life and ministry, you see Him leading with compassion, integrity, strength, humility and grace. He understood the weaknesses of His followers, encouraged their growth, mentored their learning, forgave their failures, challenged their faith and set the example by His own life.

Godly leadership begins in the heart of the leader. God uses those who are in a right relationship with Him (2 Chron. 16:9a; 1 Sam. 13:14). When a leader is right with God, he can be used to influence others despite his own limitations. God can use all of the experiences in your life, good or bad, to build character required for leadership that could not be developed in another way.

What are the foundations of godly leadership:

A growing relationship with God Are you constantly seeking to know God better? Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Author Henry Blackaby says, “Leaders who neglect a close relationship with God will not be able to accomplish God’s will through their organizations.”

Regular time spent in Scripture and in prayer Spending time in the study of God’s Word and in meaningful prayer is the resource of strength for godly leadership. You not only need this time for your own well-being, but for the wisdom you need to lead others. Remember, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Under control of the Holy Spirit Are you daily allowing God’s Holy Spirit to fill and control you? Ephesians 5:18 reminds us to, “Be filled with the Spirit”—He is your guide! Only the Holy Spirit can produce spiritual change. He alone can give wisdom and bring about the results that will ultimately accomplish the task.

Regular times of confession of sin Are you keeping short accounts with God? Godly leaders must be clean instruments through whom God can work. The Apostle Paul said, “. . .”If a man cleanses himself from the latter (wickedness) he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work” (2 Tim. 2:21).

Godly leaders aren't perfect people, but they are consistently growing in their walk with God. When these foundations are in place, your leadership will be characterized by compassion, grace, humility and forgiveness.

Our world is filled with competent leaders. There are scores of people who have natural leadership abilities and who have learned good leadership skills. But as a believer—and a CEF instructor of teachers—we need to go a step beyond. We need to be godly leaders!

Bagels and Bibles!

Amazing things can happen over bagels, cream cheese and coffee!

Last time, we began a series on our CEF Culture points. Our desire is to examine each of the points and how they should impact our ministries as instructors of teachers.

This week, however, we are going to take a brief detour. We wanted to share the following testimony with you that came from one of our CMI Online students regarding her experience in taking the TCE Level 1 course online. We thought you'd be blessed by Eileen's words!

Just today I used material from Teaching Children Effectively Level l to get three adults – elders of their church! - to rethink their belief that young children cannot be saved.

Over bagels, cream cheese, coffee and prayer, all of us brought our Bibles to the table. I turned to specific pages of the TCE Level 1 manual, and then, God happened! The more I shared the Bible passages, the room became very quiet. The men and woman became thoughtful. All the time I shared in love God’s beautiful words from Matthew and Mark and John and Romans…

Did I change their thinking? They went away blessed and we will meet again.

So here is one terrific reason for taking Teaching Children Effectively Level 1. TCE 1 puts it all together – God’s precious Word - through his fabulous back-up team – CEF online administrator and her colleagues at World Headquarters! You will watch videos that amaze you with facts – facts that need to be explained and explored. Such as: What sin is and how a child, who does not hear the Good News, is not led to Christ. What that means for his or her life. What kids could avoid if they were given the Gospel and became believers when they were young.

You will learn from the great saints, from the founder of CEF to his own searching and questions as to could a child be saved? From Moody to Spurgeon – well, it is an awesome study.

So – don’t miss it! If you love the Lord and have a heart to serve kids, this is the best course ever. I have been a teacher for over 35 years and until I took this course, had never been able to explain salvation to one of my students – and then I used the Wordless Book - all taught in the class – and you can’t stop me now!

Have a great time, drink in God’s word and learn from his earthly missionaries why children can – and should – be evangelized.

Isn't that a great testimony! It might be something you could use in promoting your own TCE courses. Our thanks to online instructor, Carla Ratcliff, for sharing this testimony with us and for helping students like Eileen get excited about the ministry of reaching children for Christ!

The Culture of CEF

Every organization has a culture. The dictionary defines culture as “the sum of attitudes, customs, behavior and beliefs that characterize the functioning of a group or organization; transmitted from one generation to the next.”

We, in CEF, have a culture that is unique to us. It incorporates what we believe, what we value and how we function. It has been handed down to us, beginning with our founder, Rev. Jesse Irvin Overholtzer. We, in turn, must protect and pass this culture along to the next generation of CEF workers.

Recently, our leadership determined to put down on paper what it is that defines us as a ministry. They have distilled all of our unique hallmarks into six “culture points.” As you read through these six significant points, think about how you and your ministry as an IOT exemplify each of them:

CEF Culture Points

Importance of Godly Leadership at Every Level - Spiritual leadership is the highest form of authority. The men and women who lead must have a personal heart for God in order to be able to discern the will of God and lead the ministry effectively. Regardless of the skill of a leader, if he or she lacks a heart for God, the work will be eroded at its very foundation.

Importance of the Spiritual Welfare of our Workers - It is vital that we are never satisfied to simply teach our staff the methods of how to reach children and how to train others to do so, but we must purposefully invest in the spiritual lives of our staff. When CEF® staff are men and women who are primarily driven by passion for God and His glory and have a clear call from the Lord, the work will prosper. If we keep our focus on God and on His calling, then we will be sustained in times of challenge.

Importance of Prayer as Our Foundation - It is not the work we do, the meetings we hold or the decisions we make that bring the greatest advances in the work; it is the time spent before the throne of God in prayer, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that brings power, laborers and resources into the ministry.

Importance of Evangelizing Children - There is no limit to the number of organizations that do many good things that are important to boys and girls in need. We are thankful for them and believe that God uses them to help hurting children. CEF, however, has been called by God to exclusively present the Gospel so children may be saved and discipled in God’s Word. We must stay on point.

Importance of a Clear and Biblical Presentation of the Gospel - The fact that a young child can comprehend the simple message of salvation and become a child of God is the foundational principle of CEF. Everything else that we do is based upon this fact. The good news of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. We must present it clearly and accurately.

Importance of a Commitment to Excellence, for the Glory of God - Every aspect of the work, no matter how big or small, has significance. This includes the training we conduct, the materials we produce, the facilities we use and the way we present ourselves. In every area we must strive for excellence to the glory of God!

In the weeks ahead, we will examine each of these culture points more closely and think about how they affect our ministry as instructors of teachers.

Candace's Story

Our friends from CEF of South Carolina gave us permission to share the following testimony that appears on their Web site. This is another powerful reminder of why we do what we do!

This was her first time to a CEF after-school Good news Club, but Candace really liked the songs, games, and especially the Bible lesson. As the volunteer teacher told the story from God’s Word, Candace listened intently. "...and God has made the promise from Hebrews 13:5, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’…"

As the invitation was given at the end of the Bible lesson, Candace responded. "I want to know the God that will never leave you." she said beginning to weep. She wept deeply as she explained why she wanted so desperately to know ‘the God who would never leave her’. Months earlier, her mother decided she would no longer care for little Candace. So, her Grandmother took her in and began to love Candace in a way she had never been loved before.

Months had passed and ‘Grandmomma’ began to get sick—so sick that she could no longer care for the little girl. When Candace’s mother was called upon to begin caring for her once again, her mother refused and signed the child over to the State. Now living in a foster home, Candace was being cared for but she so missed the love and attention she had received from her Grandmother.

"Will God really promise to never leave me? Will He hear me if I talk to Him about my Grandmomma?"

That day, Candace accepted the love and salvation of God. She still hurts and wants to be with her Grandmother but she has found a new relationship that she is growing in - a relationship with the Almighty God.

The volunteer workers at the after-school Good News Club are continuing to help Candace grow in her new found relationship through visits and guiding her through a special discipleship tool called The Wonder Devotional Book. Through this two month devotional and additional volumes to follow, Candace, and all the children who come to Good News Club, are not only learning about God but are learning how to spend time with ‘the God who will never leave them nor forsake them’. That’s really good news, especially for little Candace.

It is amazing how many children come to an after-school Good News Club with such heart-wrenching stories. Children just like Candace are finding hope in a real and everlasting relationship with Jesus Christ.

There are so many hurting children like Candace, who need to know the Father’s love. You might want to share Candace’s story with your TCE students as a reminder of why we need to know how to effectively present the Gospel and lead children to Christ. We’re glad those volunteer teachers in Candace’s club were well trained in how to evangelize the children and then follow them up. Because of them—and the work of the IOTs who trained them—Candace has the opportunity, not only to know God, but to develop deep roots in her relationship with Him.

Thank you to all of you who are faithfully training those teachers and volunteer workers. May God continue to multiply your efforts so that children around the world can come to know the God who will never leave or forsake them!

In the Zone!

This week we have a special guest blogger visiting the Café! Ashley Alden is not only a fellow instructor of teachers, she is also the CEF Wonderzone.com Coordinator! We’ve asked Ashley to tell us a little about Wonderzone.com, how we can use it in our training ministries and how we can be involved ourselves.

Hello there, fellow IOT! I am delighted to be able to share with you this week! My name is Ashley Alden and right now God has me working at CEF International Headquarters as the Wonderzone.com Coordinator in the International Ministries department. I’d like to share with you today about the AMAZING discipleship tool of Wonderzone.com so that you can give this information to your teachers, as well as consider becoming involved yourself!

Wonderzone.com, the online discipleship ministry of CEF, is an interactive, fun, exciting Web site where kids can learn more about God and be discipled in their walk with Him! Wonderzone.com features games, e-cards (called Wonder Cards), daily devotionals from the Wonder Devotional Book, and a series of adventures! These adventures are the “heart” of Wonderzone.com. The adventures can be one-level or multi-level, and each one teaches the child truths about God and His Word through flash graphics, games, and devotionals.

When a child completes an adventure on Wonderzone.com, his answers to the devotionals are sent to the message center, where a very special volunteer, called a “Trail Guide,” will answer that message. The Trail Guide corrects the answers from the child, prays for any requests, and encourages that child in his or her walk with God.

Our Trail Guides get to read all kinds of messages from the children that touch their hearts. Here are just a few:

"Are Jeses and god the same thing? If you ask god for forgiveness and he forgives you before he punishes you will he still punish you? I hope to hear from you soon."

"I fell very embarrassed to ask the question, "How do I know if I'm going to heaven?" ...whenever anybody asks me I say I think I do...but I feel guilty because I'm pretty sure God would like me to know and I'm avoing the fact that I don't. Can you please tell me how to get to heaven and how I know I will go to heaven. Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedual to talk/write to me."

"I just believed in Jesus on this website."

"I want ALL trailguides to know i like it here at wz. there arent very many christian websites for children like this one i totaly appriciate this website."

"I love this place. I think it's the coolest website ever."

"I love these WZ adventures! They are really bringing me closer to Christ!!"

Imagine getting to respond to comments like these! It’s no wonder our Trail Guides love their ministry! Read what some of them have said:

"It has been a real blessing for me to interact with kids through the WZ. I try to get on line every day, if possible."

"It is always a challenge to respond to a student, and I always ask God to guide me. We never know how what we say will impact someone, and everyone needs to be encouraged. I enjoy doing the Adventures, too! They are well written, with good, colorful graphics and fun games."

"Another way Wonderzone has impacted me are the challenging questions. I have always shied away from answering anyone’s challenging spiritual questions because I thought I didn't know the Bible, but now I enjoy answering these challenges. It makes me research the Bible more. In fact, I have begun writing down these questions so I can research and tell future children. "

One advantage to being a Trail Guide is the flexibility of this ministry. Trail Guides can disciple kids online ANYTIME—there is no specific time commitment, no specific place and no specific time to “report for duty!” It’s a perfect fit in today’s busy schedules.

Wonderzone.com is a powerful tool for discipleship of today’s kids! They are online—so that’s where we want to be! There were over 2,400 log-ins to Wonderzone.com in the past week. Since November 2008, over 36,000 lessons were completed online. And Wonderzone.com is not just about discipleship. Since November 2008, there have been 133 professions of faith on the Web site!

Will you tell your TCE students about Wonderzone.com? Will you commit to telling kids you know about this exciting discipleship tool? Will you consider being a Trail Guide—giving some of your time to disciple kids online?

Come visit us at: http://www.wonderzone.com/, and see what all the excitement is about! If you, or one of your teachers, are interested in becoming a Trail Guide, visit http://www.disciplekids.org/. For more resources on promoting Wonderzone.com, please email me at: ashley.alden@cefonline.com.

Thanks Ashley for giving us a glimpse of Wonderzone.com. We are so grateful to Ashley and all of the Trail Guides for the great work they are doing to disciple children online. Be sure to share this information with your TCE students and encourage them to direct the children in their clubs to Wonderzone.com!

Happy Birthday CMI Online!

Recently, we had a very unusual birthday party in the department of education. It was celebrated in the CMI Student Lounge and featured, goodies to eat, balloons...and certain staff members in pajamas! It was the first birthday of CMI Online -- you know, the place where you can "study in your pajamas!"

It's hard to believe that it has been one year since CMI Online went live on the Internet. A lot of work preceeded that launch--and a lot has been going on since then! We've asked Carla Ratcliff, CMI Online Administrator, to give you an update about what's been happening in our Internet training courses and what's ahead.

CMI Online celebrated its one year birthday of being live on April 1, 2009, and we are growing! There are now 433 users from 42 countries, including users from two of our target countries, Afghanistan and Cape Verde.

Additional seminars have been added to the site so that there are now seven seminars available in the Teaching to Transform Seminar Series. These seminars provide basic, introductory teaching and can be used effectively both by individuals and groups. Pastors and other children's ministry leaders can use our individual seminars for training groups.

Romans Road, our three-week demo course, was offered again in March. This course had 13 students including a student from Malaysia and one from the United Kingdom. A new online instructor was trained during this course and will be able to facilitate future online courses on her own.

Romans Road will be held again in May. We are praising the Lord that 43 students have enrolled! This is our largest group yet! We’re excited because there are three students from Japan, two from the Middle East, one from Jamaica, one from Malaysia, one from the Philippines, one from Ghana, one from Indonesia, and one from Kenya. These students represent five regions of the world!

In addition, five students successfully completed our first online offering of Teaching Children Effectively™ Level 1, and this course is proving to be effective online! The following is a testimony from one of our online students.

As a Deacon, Faith Trained Member, Gideon, and Disaster Relief Chaplain, I have had other training in soul winning (presenting the Gospel to others), but none has been as good as the TCE Level 1 online training that I received through CEF. Out of all of the members of our Good News Club team, I felt I was the least qualified to lead a Good News Club meeting.

At a point which was a little over half way through the TCE Level 1 training, I presented the Wordless Book and the memory verse. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to guide the boys and girls in any decision that they might make. Seven of the boys and girls out of the fourteen that were there that day came forward to ask Jesus into their hearts as their Lord and Savior. Our great grandson and great granddaughter were two of those that came. We rejoice and praise God for those that came to believe on Jesus that day and for the other three that came later.

With what I have experienced as a result of the TCE Level 1 online training, I now feel confident enough to help lead children's church, and I am considering starting a Good News Club in our small town of New Haven, Mo. next year. God does not call the qualified, He equips the believer. I pray that you will be one of those that He equips. Yours Truly, Phil Hamby

Encourage someone you know, who cannot attend a course in person, to take TCE Level 1 online today!

Teaching Children Effectively Level 1
ONLINE
June 21 – August 29
Apply Now!
Registration Dates: May 15 – May 28!
To find out more, visit us at:
http://www.online.cefcmi.com

CYIA is Coming!

Many instructors of teachers are called upon to train summer missionaries in CYIA™ programs. Here in the states, CYIA training varies in length and content. Some use the CYIA manual presented by the USA Ministries department in training the teens for summer ministry. Others use TCE™ Level 1. Those of you in other countries probably have a variety of training approaches as well.

This summer’s series in the states, The Wordless Book Visualized, presents a number of challenges for those who use TCE Level 1. There are actually four different types of lessons in this series: topical, Gospel account, evangelistic narrative and spiritual growth. Since TCE Level 1 is designed to be used with evangelistic narrative passages, you will need to help the students understand how to teach the three other types of lessons.

Our TCE Program Director, Lynne Herlein, has put together some helps that can be included in the Bible lesson teaching sessions to clarify how to handle each type of lesson in this series. These notes are designed to supplement either the CYIA manual or TCE Level 1 notes. Worksheets are also provided to give you helpful information. All of the notes are in several documents (both in Microsoft Word and PDF files) on the CEF download site. You can access these documents by clicking Here.

We realize that those of you outside of the states may be on a different cycle of summer lessons. You may want to access this material anyway and keep it on file for future use. If you have questions regarding these notes or how to incorporate them into the training at CYIA, contact lynne.herlein@cefonline.com.

CYIA training is a wonderful opportunity to disciple Christian teens and help them develop skills, not only for summer ministry, but for a lifetime of ministry to children! Just to encourage your heart, check out this wonderful testimony from a club hostess about how God used some teens last summer to bless a neighborhood in a 5-Day Club at Ft. Hood:

“The four young men that taught our 5-Day Club were excellent! They worked so well together. They took cues from each other and transitioned from one part to the next without a hitch; their enthusiasm was contagious! It was so evident that they thoroughly enjoyed teaching all parts of the 5-Day Club; even the singing! Because they were guys, they really kept the kids’ attention. I had mostly boys in our club, so they thought it was really cool to have guys teaching. The kids really felt loved, and felt like they could be themselves, just like the leaders. Thank you for all the time and training you’ve invested in these young men. They were a blessing to our whole neighborhood."

May God richly bless all of you who will be working in CYIA training programs around the world this summer!

Are You a Wrecker or a Builder?

In August of 2000, Elsie Holdren lost her job for being too kind!

The 68-year-old woman was a security guard at a courthouse in Florida. Her superiors wrote her a memo stating: “Due to your kindness and caring, you are compromising your position as a security officer. Being kind and caring is not a job requirement, nor is it what you are paid to do.” Ms. Holdren was transferred to another position.

If being too kind and caring were grounds for dismissal as an IOT, how many of us would be out of a job?

One of the most important ways we demonstrate kindness to our students is through our words -- when we talk casually with our students, when we teach our classes and when we evaluate practicums. We can either tear down or build up with our words.

Someone once wrote the following poem called, “A Wrecker or a Builder?” As you read it, ask yourself, "which one am I?"

I saw them tearing a building down,
A group of men in a busy town.
With a hefty blow and a lusty yell
They swung with zest and a side wall fell.

Asked of the foreman, “Are these men skilled?
The kind you would hire if you had to build?”
He looked at me and laughed, “No indeed!
Unskilled labor is all I need.

Why they can wreck in a day or two
What it has taken builders years to do!”
I asked myself as I went my way,
Which of these roles have I tried to play?

Are you a wrecker or a builder? You can’t deny the devastating effect harsh words can have on another person. Neither can you overestimate the value of edifying or building others up. Pascal wrote: “Cold words freeze people, and hot words scorch them. Bitter words make them bitter, and wrathful words make them wrathful. Kind words also produce their image on men’s souls. They sooth, quiet and comfort the hearer.”

Dr. Herbert Clark, a psychologist from Johns Hopkins University, has discovered with research the value of affirmation over criticism. His study has shown that it takes the average person about 48% longer to understand a sentence which uses a negative rather than a positive. People respond faster to positive affirmation than to negative criticism.

Wilbur and Orville Wright attributed their success in birthing the age of aviation to the affirmation they received at home. Orville wrote, “We were lucky enough to grow up in an environment where there was always encouragement to children to pursue intellectual interests, and to investigate whatever aroused curiosity.”

Howard Hendricks expresses the value of edifying and affirmation this way: “A pat on the back, though only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants, is miles ahead in results!”

Scripture has much to say about how our words are to be edifying. In the book of Proverbs, Solomon wisely teaches a lot about how our words can either build or wreck. Proverbs 15 is especially filled with good thoughts. Paul also had some important things to say in the New Testament books of Ephesians and Colossians. Consider the following verses, taken from the New Living Translation (NLT):

Prov. 15:1 “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare."

Prov. 15:4 "Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."

Prov. 15:23 "Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!"

Prov. 15:30 "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health."

Eph. 4:29-30 "Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."

Col. 4:6 "Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone."

How edifying and building are your words to your students? We talk about the importance of being positive in our evaluation, but it holds true in all of your communication with them. You can be edifying and positive in giving assignments, in giving directions—even in correcting wrong attitudes and behavior.

And remember, you not only edify by your words, but also by your actions. Positive words can easily be negated by negative actions. Do your actions back up what you say?

Unlike Elsie Holdren’s organization, it is not against CEF or TCE policy to be kind and caring! You won’t be putting your job at risk by doing so. But if you fail to be kind and caring, you may be putting CEF’s reputation and your own testimony at risk. More importantly, you will be dishonoring the God you serve.

Let's be instructors of teachers who are builders--known for our kindness--as we seek to edify our TCE students!

The Need to Reach Them as Children

Back in February we shared a testimony from one of our CMI Online students. In the TCE Level 1 course online, students are asked to post about their experience in sharing the Wordless Book with children.

The following testimony expresses the very point we strive to make with our TCE students—that we need to reach children while they are children, before their hearts become hardened to the Gospel.

Rosa (not her real name) just turned 15 the end of January. She is from El Salvador and is the sweetest, prettiest, brightest girl ever! I asked her if I could step outside of the tutoring and present the Gospel story to her. The reason I put it that way is that she has often told me how proud she is of being a Christian. She wears a beautiful gold cross and tells me she attends church every Sunday.

In a way I feel a little guilty. Why? Because first, she is not of the age group I am supposed to be working with; and second, she is probably already a child of the King. Still, I want to be able to write with integrity that I shared the message honestly, so Rosa accepted and I began.

I started with the gold page and she listened very attentively. I showed her the Bible I have with me and she looked at it lovingly. Then I showed her John 3:16 and we read the verse together. "For God so loved the world..." Again, she was right with me.

Then I began to go through the dark page, and she understood what sin is. She also understood that Jesus came from Heaven to die on a cross, was buried; and rose again. We read God's Word about Jesus shedding His blood for forgiveness, and her eyes became sad and she looked like she might cry. I asked her if she would like to become a child of God, and then she stopped. She looked at me and said she was not sure. She likes music, and not all of it is Christian. Then she exhibited incredible honesty and told me that she is not ready - with a clear heart - to become a Christian.

Wow. I smiled at her while asking God quietly, "Where do I go from here?" Well, God is so good. I told Rosa that it was a big step; that it was really wonderful of her to be honest; but that I had to tell her the choices were slim: one day she will meet Jesus in heaven or be forever separated from Him... she finished the sentence for me. But then I sensed she was struggling, so I handed her the Bible and told her how to read it; how the red sentences were the actual words of Jesus; how she might like to begin in the New Testament with the Gospel of Mark, and that we could talk anytime about being a Christian.

As I finish this post, the ending is in God's hands. I now understand what we learned early on in our course; how important it is to reach the little guys, for the world catches up with them really fast. My daily prayer list will now include Rosa, and I ask the rest of you to also keep her in your prayers.

You might want to use excerpts from this testimony in TCE classes such as, Importance of Conversion, Importance of Reaching the Child in the Neighborhood or How to Lead a Child to Christ. We so often share statistics about how most people come to Christ as children. Testimonies like this one are a good way to illustrate the truth that we need to reach children while they are children!

It is also a powerful reminder that we must not assume a child is a Christian just because he or she goes to church, wears a cross or even uses biblical terminology. We must question and probe a child’s understanding and bring him or her to a point of decision as God’s Spirit leads. Challenge your teachers to this end…and keep Rosa in your prayers.

The Way of the Cross

As we consider the incredible, life-changing events of Good Friday, when our Savior gave up His life for us, we must also turn our hearts toward the third day, when He arose in victory! There are many in our world who stop at the cross and never move on.

Poet Annie Johnson Flint reminds us in her poem, "The Way of the Cross," that the cross must lead us all the way through the tomb to the triumph of the resurrection!

Some of us stay at the cross,
Some of us wait at the tomb,
Quickened and raised with Christ
Yet lingering still in the gloom.

Some of us ‘bide at the Passover feast
With Pentecost all unknown,
The triumphs of grace in the heavenly place
That our Lord has made His own.

If the Christ who died had stopped at the cross,
His work had been incomplete.
If the Christ who was buried had stayed in the tomb,
He had only known defeat,

But the way of the cross never stops at the cross
And the way of the tomb leads on
To victorious grace in the heavenly place
Where the risen Lord has gone.

May you and your family experience anew the remembrance of what our Lord Jesus Christ suffered for you on the cross and then secured for you through His glorious resurrection!

Honey in Malaysia!

Our guest blogger this week comes all the way from Malaysia! Khoo Siew Ean is an instructor of teachers with CEF Malaysia. Siew Ean has been teaching Super Seminars with great success in her area, but she was concerned about the lack of commitment she often saw in the students (sound familiar?).

One day, God gave her a creative idea for helping her students make a definite commitment to reach the children. Now she challenges them to “make HONEY” in their ministry for God. Following is Siew Ean’s testimony and her HONEY commitment tool.

At the beginning of the seminar I actually introduce the participants to the butterfly, botanist and bee. It’s not my original idea I read it somewhere before and adapted it. But there was no commitment part. The (HONEY) idea came while walking in the shopping mall when I saw their promotion brochure for Valentine’s Day which had two bees holding a honey pot. I prayed and told the Lord since He gave me the idea please confirm it by letting the mall donate their leftover cards to CEF. So on the 15 February I went back to the mall in the morning to ask for the cards. They gladly gave me all their leftovers--about 600 cards! I had to paste on the card to cover the advertisement part so I could put on the commitment note.

I begin by asking the people what are their reasons for coming to the seminar:

“Some people visit from seminar to seminar just like the butterfly visiting one flower to another. Some are like the botanist, who makes sure that he takes detailed notes but once he closes his file he forgets everything. But there are some like the bee who come to collect pollen than make honey out of it.

“I hope that you come like a bee for this seminar. Come and learn and go back and put it into practice and reach children with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what this Super Seminar Basic is about - evangelism.”

I usually will get the participants to help me with the skit while I narrate. I bring along artificial flowers and a butterfly for a volunteer to hold and move around the flowers; a magnifying glass for the 'botanist' to examine the flowers and take notes on his file; a bee for another volunteer to hold and visit the flowers.

At the end of my seminar which is the next day, I go back to the three items and challenge them to be the bee and sign the card if they want to:

Hard work is expected in
Obeying God’s call, to
Nurture children in the Word of God, but first,
Evangelise them, and may
Yahweh’s name be glorified in all these!

I ( ) will prayerfully commit to make HONEY for the Lord by doing my best to put into practice what I have learnt from the Super Seminar Basic. Reaching boys and girls with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will be my priority.

Signed by:

Date:

To follow up and encourage each other we are hoping to form a prayer group. Please pray with us concerning this matter. If every area where there is a CEF training can establish a prayer group that will be a great blessing to the children's ministry in Malaysia.

Last weekend (21 & 22 March) was my first training for the year. We had about 100 participants. At the end of the training a commitment was given to make HONEY for God and we had 75% who signed and stood up to commit themselves to the Lord.

We thank Siew Ean for sharing her creative idea with us, and we praise God for the wonderful results He is giving the work in Malaysia. Let’s uphold our brothers and sisters around the world who are training teachers to reach children with the Gospel!

Seeking Success? Avoiding Failure? Where Is Your Focus?

From time to time we are honored to have a guest post on our blog. Today we are privileged to hear from Mr. Jim Neigh, CEF Vice President of International Ministries. Recently, Jim wrote an article for IM’s publication, ILink, that we thought would be an encouragement to you. We all deal with feelings of failure at times in our ministry, but how we deal with failure is often a matter of perspective. Following is Jim’s article on this subject, used with his permission.

A few years ago I came across a book by motivational speaker and writer John C. Maxwell titled Failing Forward (Thomas Nelson Publications). I highly recommend it for your reading (and your library). Reading the book started me thinking about how failure affects our lives and the ministry of CEF. The book caused me to ask myself questions like: How do I perceive failure? How do I respond to failure? Is failure inevitable? Do I allow failure to negatively affect future action? If I were to ask you those questions, how would you answer?

Someone once said that success is 99 percent failure. J. Wallace Hamilton said, "People are training for success when they should be training for failure. Failure is far more common than success." It is important that we be trained and equipped to be successful in ministry, and we need to be putting such training into action. But when one comes back to Mr. Hamilton's words "Failure is far more common than success" one realizes that we are too often ill equipped to deal with failure in our lives and ministry. That includes personal failure and failure in the lives of those we know and those with whom we serve.

How do you perceive failure? How do you respond to failure? Are you learning from it and getting on with your life and ministry? Or do you let it get you down and keep you from doing ministry as effectively as you could? Let me share a thought from Donald Luce in his book Time-Out Leadership (Thomas Nelson Publications).

"Are you dedicating your energies in the pursuit of success, or are you spending your energies trying to avoid failure? No one likes to fail. The disappointment and embarrassment can be debilitating for many, especially for those with big egos.

"How do you get over the failure complex then? Start by seeing each failure as an opportunity to learn. If you succeeded in everything you did on the very first attempt, you would have no basis for what success feels or looks like. You acquire new skills only by understanding the dynamics of why they work. That usually happens when you grasp the consequences of not applying the skill. When you get it wrong, you have the opportunity to evaluate what you can do to be better the next time. You get the chance to improve on your style or design. Celebrate failure. Through it you will understand success."

Think of men in the Bible who could have been considered failures: Abraham, Moses, David, Peter and many others. But they were not failures. They failed, learned from their failure and went on to be used mightily of God for His purposes!

The idea of using failure as a stepping stone to more effective ministry has been in the minds of leaders throughout the ages. Here are some short quotes. Read them slowly and think about the impact each statement can have in your life.

• "When we give ourselves permission to fail, we at the same time give ourselves permission to excel." - Musicologist Eloise Ristad

• "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas Alva Edison

• "Failing doesn't make us failures. It makes us experienced. Failing should never be used as a means to disqualify." - Author unknown

• "What you have to tell yourself is, 'I'm not a failure; I failed at doing something.'" - Author Erma Bombeck

• "Teachability is an attitude, a mind-set that says, 'No matter how much I know (or think I know), I can learn from this situation.'" - Author unknown

• "Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ, and go out into the irresistible future with Him. Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action." - Oswald Chambers

Consider these thoughts before the Lord in the light of Ephesians 3:20, then determine to "fail forward" to His glory and for the sake of the children!