Amanda's Testimony

Recently, Kennon Hofer, CEF director in Sioux Falls, SD, sent us a wonderful testimony from one of his Good News Club teachers. Amanda Barton is a mom who teaches a club at Valley Springs Elementary School in Sioux Falls. We thought you would enjoy reading what Amanda has to say about the importance of the teacher and what God is doing in her club.

As a first-year Good News Club teacher at Valley Springs Elementary, I often wondered at the beginning of the year how much of an impact the lessons we teach have on the lives of the children God brings to club. Of course we know it's a good thing to do, but how much are they really getting? Was God really at work here?

Then one week a third-grade girl came to class with her entire Wonder Devotional Book that she got the week before completed. She didn't have any answers filled in, so I told her in order to receive the prize for completing it, she had to have the blanks filled in so I could know for sure that she went through them all. Later in class, we started talking about the armor of God. This young girl shot her hand up in the air and said, "I read about that in the Wonder Book. It's something about being in an army." She was retaining the things she read. She does not attend church, so she is soaking in most of this information for the first time. The next week, she came back with her book completely filled out and got her second book. She is now on book four and continues to learn and apply God's truths to her life.

Another young man is a friend of my son's and came over to our home after club one week. He saw the armor of God puzzle we had on the counter and said, "We learned about that at Good News Club."

Just this week another mom told me how her daughter was sitting in church with her. The pastor was talking about a general concept and the girl whispered to her mom, "We talked about that at Good News Club." Her mom was quite delighted as her daughter is only in kindergarten and very soft-spoken. I praise the Lord for showing me these little realizations that the children are paying attention and are retaining the truths conveyed at Good News Club.

So is it any wonder that when talking about the tongue, James 3 starts out by cautioning believers to not be quick to become teachers because they will be judged more strictly. I had always taken a personal application to this passage, but the first verse continued to ring through my mind as I read the rest of the chapter. James went on to use the comparisons of a bit in a horse's mouth and a rudder on a ship controlling the whole vessel. He further compared the tongue to a spark which can set an entire forest on fire. Keeping verse one in mind as I continued through the chapter brought me to the realization that the words a teacher conveys to his or her students can likewise set the course of their understanding into the future. It may be one concept, a specific teaching, or a general character trait that you relay to a child that affects their perspective and direction for the future. Wow! No wonder teachers are held to such a high standard.

Teaching children about spiritual matters comes with great responsibility because with the power of God's spirit, they are listening and remembering. Teaching should not be taken lightly, but truly as a privilege from God. A child's entire course of life may be determined by the one lesson, the one year, the one caring heart that you share with them. May we all keep an eternal perspective in the words we use and love we show to others around us, knowing the words we say and the things we do affects the lives of those around us in ways that may last their lifetime.

Wow, well said, Amanda! This would be a great testimony to share in your TCE class session on the Importance of the Teacher. Let's remind our TCE students that it's not only what they teach, but they way they teach it that counts!

Refreshment!

Don't you love the word 'refreshment'? The dictionary defines refreshment as “to provide new vigor and energy; to cheer (in mind and spirit); to restore; to renovate; to freshen; to enliven; to renew." It is the opposite of dispirited and discouragement.

As IOTs, we all need refreshment from time to time so our TCE courses will stay fresh and lively. If you've been teaching TCE for a while, you know how easy it is to get stagnant. We find ourselves using the same old illustrations, introductions and methods course after course. Sometimes we wish we could watch someone else teach these classes, just so we could get a fresh perspective.

Well, have we got something special for you! How would you like an opportunity to see all of the TCE Level 1 classes taught by the pros at CMI? And, you don't even have to travel to Missouri to do it - you can enjoy these classes in the comfort of your own home - yes, even in your pajamas!!

We are excited to announce the first ever Instructor of Teachers Level 1 Refresher Course online! (are you cheering??) Whether you are an instructor who has been teaching TCE for years or a brand new IOT, this is a course that will benefit you! There are no assignments or practicums to worry about - just good, quality classes to watch. We have taken all of the video presentations in our online TCE course and packaged them just for you. You can watch them at your own pace and pick up some new ideas, illustrations, introductions and conclusions and teaching methods – all at the incredibly low price of only $20!

How do you get in on this amazing offer? It’s easy! Just follow these simple instructions:

• Go to CMI Online
• Create an account online. (Need help? Watch a presentation that shows how to create a user account.)
• Type in your username and password on the right hand side of the page
• Click “Login”
  

If you are not already enrolled in any other courses, on the right you will see “Course Categories”:

• Click on “Instructor of Teachers” under “Course Categories”
• Click on “Instructor of Teachers Level 1 Refresher”
• Scroll down the page to enter your payment information
• Click on “Enroll me in this course”
  

If you are already enrolled in another course, click on “All courses” on the right under “My Courses”:

• Scroll down and click on “Instructor of Teachers Level 1 Refresher”
• Scroll down the page to enter the payment information
• Click on “Enroll me in this course”

If you are a credentialed IOT or IOT Candidate, don’t wait! Register today and bring some refreshment to your next TCE 1 course!

(NOTE: This course is for credentialed IOTs and IOT Candidates only. These demonstrations have been created for you to use as a study tool. Keep in mind that they are not designed to substitute for live demonstrations or lessons in an actual TCE 1 course.)

But wait! There's more! We have two other tools you need to be aware of that could greatly enhance your training ministry:

Wordless Book Training DVD
The little book with no words has been used as a tool to lead untold numbers to the Lord Jesus Christ. Training in effective methods for using the Wordless Book is now available on DVD. The 30-minute seminar is designed to equip individuals to effectively present the message of salvation. Also, included is a complete demonstration of a Wordless Book presentation.

Only $8.29

Ask about discounts available for CEF chapters!

Newsletter Training DVD/CD Combination
Make your newsletter stand out among all the other pieces of mail that people receive! Learn how to write and design an effective newsletter that contains the key elements that keep the reader's interest, have a great format, and are enjoyable to read. Training in how to develop a dynamic newsletter as well as step-by-step instructions and notes are included on this DVD/CD combination!

Only $16.59

Ask about discounts available for CEF chapters!

Check out these great training tools by contacting CEF Press at 1.800.748.7710 or visit them on the Web at http://www.cefpress.com/.

God Is at Work in Sioux Falls

Kennon Hofer, CEF local director of Sioux Falls, SD, recently sent us a wonderful testimony from one of his club teachers. Amanda Barton is a mom who teaches a club at Valley Springs Elementary School in Sioux Falls. She wrote to tell of her experiences as a first-year teacher.

As you read Amanda’s testimony below, be encouraged in what God can do through those students you train in your TCE courses! You might also want to share her words of wisdom at the end of her testimony with your students.

As a first-year Good News Club teacher at Valley Springs Elementary, I often wondered at the beginning of the year how much of an impact the lessons we teach have on the lives of the children God brings to club. Of course we know it's a good thing to do, but how much are they really getting? Was God really at work here?

Then one week a third-grade girl came to class with her entire Wonder Devotional Book that she got the week before completed. She didn't have any answers filled in, so I told her in order to receive the prize for completing it, she had to have the blanks filled in so I could know for sure that she went through them all.

Later in class, we started talking about the armor of God. This young girl shot her hand up in the air and said, "I read about that in the Wonder Book. It's something about being in an army." She was retaining the things she read. She does not attend church, so she is soaking in most of this information for the first time. The next week, she came back with her book completely filled out and got her second book. She is now on book four and continues to learn and apply God's truths to her life.

Another young man is a friend of my son's and came over to our home after club one week. He saw the armor of God puzzle we had on the counter and said, "We learned about that at Good News Club."

Just this week another mom told me how her daughter was sitting in church with her. The pastor was talking about a general concept and the girl whispered to her mom, "We talked about that at Good News Club." Her mom was quite delighted as her daughter is only in kindergarten and very soft-spoken. I praise the Lord for showing me these little realizations that the children are paying attention and are retaining the truths conveyed at Good News Club.

So is it any wonder that when talking about the tongue, James 3 starts out by cautioning believers to not be quick to become teachers because they will be judged more strictly. I had always taken a personal application to this passage, but the first verse continued to ring through my mind as I read the rest of the chapter. James went on to use the comparisons of a bit in a horse's mouth and a rudder on a ship controlling the whole vessel. He further compared the tongue to a spark which can set an entire forest on fire.

Keeping verse one in mind as I continued through the chapter brought me to the realization that the words a teacher conveys to his or her students can likewise set the course of their understanding into the future. It may be one concept, a specific teaching, or a general character trait that you relay to a child that affects their perspective and direction for the future. Wow! No wonder teachers are held to such a high standard.

Teaching children about spiritual matters comes with great responsibility because with the power of God's spirit, they are listening and remembering. Teaching should not be taken lightly, but truly as a privilege from God. A child's entire course of life may be determined by the one lesson, the one year, the one caring heart that you share with them. May we all keep an eternal perspective in the words we use and love we show to others around us, knowing the words we say and the things we do affects the lives of those around us in ways that may last their lifetime.

Well said, Amanda! And thank you Kennon for sharing this testimony with us. We are so grateful for teachers like Amanda, who put their whole heart into their ministry! As Howard Hendricks would say, “may her tribe increase!”

Prospecting for Gold!

Here’s an interesting thought: As IOTs we are like gold prospectors – always on the lookout for potential gold mines! Those are some thought-provoking words from the pen of Dr. John Maxwell. Okay, he didn’t say the part about IOTs – we added that! But he was referring to inspirational leaders – which every IOT should be! And he had lots more to say that we think is worth passing along to you.

Much of our training focuses on developing our teachers’ technical skills – and that’s important. But don’t forget that your training should also be inspirational. Your teachers want an instructor who will encourage them, believe in their potential, and help them grow. It's really a matter of putting 1 Corinthians 13 into practice toward your students!

So, by permission, here are some thoughts from Dr. Maxwell on being an inspirational leader. Think of how you can apply these thoughts as an IOT.

Five Attributes of an Inspirational Leader*

Attitude of Service
To be an inspirational leader, you must adopt an attitude of service toward those you lead. This requires laying aside selfish interests to add value to another person. When you serve, you awaken something magnetic inside of you. People are drawn to follow you because they know you'll find ways to make them better.

Affirmation
To inspire means to have a positive view of others. If we're not careful, we become fault-finders, magnifying the flaws in everyone around us. Instead, leaders should emulate gold prospectors - always on the lookout for potential gold mines. When they find traces of ore, prospectors assume there's a rich vein to unearth, and they start digging. In the same fashion, leaders ought to search for the best traits within a person and commit to uncovering them.

One of the best applications of this idea is expressed in what I call the 101 percent principle: Find the one thing that you believe is a person's greatest asset, and then give 100 percent encouragement in that area. Focusing on a person's strengths inspires them by promoting confidence, growth, and success.

Attentiveness
Great inspirers know the desires of those they lead. As much as people respect the knowledge and ability of their leaders, these are secondary concerns for them. They don't care how much their leaders know until they know how much their leaders care. When leaders attend to the deeply felt needs of their team, the determination and commitment of each team member skyrockets.

Availability
Leaders inspire by intentionally investing time in the people they lead. They make themselves available. People cannot be nurtured from a distance or by infrequent spurts of attention. They need a leader to spend time with them - planned time, not just a conversation in passing. In our fast-paced and demanding world, time is a leader's most precious commodity. While it feels costly to give up, nothing communicates that you value a person more than the gift of your time.

Authenticity
To inspire, leaders have to be genuine. More than anything else, followers want to believe in and trust their leaders. However, when leaders break promises or fail to honor commitments, they reveal themselves as being inauthentic, and they lose credibility. Trust rests upon a foundation of authenticity. To gain trust, a leader must consistently align words and deeds, while showing a degree of transparency.

Summary
Inspirational leadership can be confused with momentary charisma. I prefer to think about inspiring as more of a process than an event. More than a brilliant speech, it's cultivating habits of brilliance that manifest themselves daily. By modeling the five attributes of an inspiring leader, I trust that you'll win the respect of those you lead and earn the right to influence them.

Wow! There’s no doubt that an instructor who serves and affirms his or her students, gives attention to them and is available to help, and who does it all with authenticity (puts 1 Corinthians 13 into practice!) is going to be a blessing and an inspiration to them. In turn, this instructor will bring out the best in his or her students – and maybe uncover that hidden gold mine!

*This article is used by permission from Leadership Wired, GiANT Impact's premiere leadership newsletter, available for free subscription at www.giantimpact.com.

A Change in Leadership

By now, most of you have probably seen the communication from our president, Reese Kauffman, about the change in leadership in the Department of Education. Dr. Martha Wright has stepped down after 20 years of faithful service as Vice President of Educational Services.

Martha came to Warrenton in 1990 to develop and launch the TCE program that is now the standard training for CEF worldwide. During her time here she was instrumental in developing projects such as the Children’s Ministry Resource Bible and co-authored The Wonder Book. Martha also sought and achieved recognition of our Children’s Ministries Institute training in numerous Bible colleges and universities, including CEF’s partnership with Liberty University.

Martha loves pioneering ministry and breaking new ground, and she has felt for some time that her work here was drawing to a close. She is working with our president to explore the possibility of a new position that would allow her to use her gifts and talents in a more productive manner involving education and leadership training on a larger scale.

We are going to miss Martha’s leadership in the daily working of our department. Those of us who have been privileged to work with her know her as a woman of vision and passion. She has been more than just a boss—she has been our friend and mentor. Under Martha's leadership, the Department of Education has developed into an effective team. We have all learned so much from her about what it means to be a great teacher and a godly leader. Her influence has also impacted countless students who have come to Warrenton for training or who have been in her training sessions on the field.

After prayer and consideration and discussions with Reese and other CEF leaders, Lynda Pongracz has agreed to take the leadership of our department. On January 1, 2010, Lynda became Interim Director of Educational Services. Martha will remain in the area through May to mentor Lynda in her new responsibilities and assure a smooth transition. Please pray for Lynda as she assumes her new responsibilities. And pray for Martha, as she seeks God's direction for her ministry.

Change is hard for many of us and no one knows what challenges await this year. But we do know this: God is already there! With that assurance, we can step with confidence into the unknown and anticipate all that He has in store for us! One thing that will not change is that our very capable staff in the Department of Education will continue to seek ways to serve you better. As a team, we will continue to provide the very best training and materials we can for you – our IOT family!

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!