Military Children's Ministry is a joint
venture of Cadence International and Child Evangelism Fellowship Inc® .
(CEF). With the strength and experience of Cadence International in
working within the military culture added to the proven success of CEF®
in reaching children for Christ, we create a synergy that allows more
powerful ministry to these special children.
About four million people call the U.S.
military "home." This includes over one million children of military
and civilian personnel. Within this American subculture, approximately
25 to 35 percent of the people in a given community move every year. Most assignments for people in the U.S. military last a mere two to
three years with the end of the assignment possibly bringing a move
across the world. Children in this environment must continually adjust
and make new friends. One or both parents may leave on deployment or on
an unaccompanied assignment for six months to a year. Military life can
be difficult for all involved. These children need people in their
lives to anchor them in Jesus, the Rock of Age.
Cadence International
At Cadence International, our passion is serving the
military community through hospitality, Bible studies, and
discipleship. We serve U.S. military personnel and those of other
countries, their families and youth.
Far from home, family and friends,
and perhaps even their own culture, military personnel are in a
position to think about foundational life issues. Demanding duty
schedules alternate with the boredom of off-duty hours. Deployment and
potentially deadly combat are ever-present possibilities. Most are
young, just deciding what to do with their lives apart from their
families. Many are ready to seek strong relationships with people and
with God.
"Home away from home" best describes our hospitality
ministries with their warm family environments. House directors offer
Bible study groups for couples and singles, as well as one-on-one
mentoring and discipleship. Home-cooked meals are a regular and popular
feature!
Off-duty activities, including sports activities, trips to
local places of interest and retreats provide great opportunities for
relaxed fellowship and relationship building. Specific ministries vary
depending on the needs of each base, but most locations have a
combination of family and singles ministries.
...Then Jesus came to them and said, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I
have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age."
Matthew
28:16-20 (NIV)
TODAY,
THE WORLD IS LITERALLY AT OUR FINGERTIPS!
According to the Kids
& Digital Content study, Playing games is the most prevalent activity on the four key
devices – 84 percent are gaming on a computer, video game system, portable
digital music player (PDMP) or cell phone.
Wonderzone.com provides an amazing opportunity to evangelize and disciple children using the Internet.
If you are interested in serving as a Wonderzone.com Trail Guide,
please CLICK HERE to contact the Wonderzone Team asking for more
details. You can also check out disciplekids.org for more information.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.
Matthew 25:35-36
Prison Ministry - A ministry for reaching the children of incarcerated prisoners.
CEF has committed to coming alongside the children of inmates to help them have the most promising future possible. These kids are bearing the consequences of their parents' actions. An inmate chooses to walk the wrong path and his/her children often follow.
Fact: In 1980 there were 500,000
prisoners in America; in 1990, one million; and today there are 2.1 million
prisoner incarcerated in this country.
Fact: There are more than seven
million children who have a parent under some form of correctional supervision.
Fact: According to U.S. Senate
Report (Report 106-404 September 8, 2000), children of prisoners are six times
more likely than other children to be incarcerated at some point in their
lives. Without effective intervention strategies, as many as 70 percent of
these children will become involved with the criminal justice system.
Fact: We must break the cycle of
children of prisoners becoming prisoners themselves. With this critical need in
mind, it is our goal to put the What Went Wrong? booklet in the hands of every
one of the 2.1 million inmates in this country.
What if all the children in the world had a book in their own language that simply and clearly answered their questions about the God who loves them? That is the goal of The Every Child Project, a unique means of sharing the Gospel with boys and girls who might not attend Good News Club® or Sunday school. Through The Every Child Project, children receive The Wonder Book which lays out the Gospel message by answering questions such as, “Who is God?” and “How can I go to Heaven someday?”
In 1996 several ministries met to discuss ways to give the
gospel to unreached children of the world. As a result of that meeting, Child
Evangelism Fellowship® was asked to develop a piece of literature that
could be easily understood, biblically true to God’s Word, and inclusive enough
to explain the gospel, the origin of the Christian faith, and the need for a
growing relationship with God.
The prototype book, called The Wonder Book, contained 64
pages of text, illustrations, and activities, and was first produced in
English, then was then easily translated into French and Arabic and since has
been translated into over 100 languages.
Each copy of The Wonder Book contains the first lesson of a discipleship
correspondence program called The Mailbox Club. The combination of
evangelism and discipleship has been highly effective. It with a series of
critical questions. Each of these questions is preceded by “Have you ever
wondered”? “Have you ever wondered, who is the true God?” “Have you
ever wondered, why Jesus is called the Savior?” These questions are
followed by a series of emphatic statements all beginning with “ You can
know!” “You can know Jesus saved you from your sin.” “You can know
God hears and answers prayer.”
Shortly after distribution began in Europe, a 24 year old man in Morocco picked
up a copy of The Wonder Book in a second hand store. As he flipped
through the pages he noticed several underlined passages marked by the previous
owner. He purchased the book, took it home, and carefully read each
page. He then completed and mailed the correspondence lesson that was
still enclosed in the back of the book. Along with the lesson, he
enclosed a note of thanks for allowing him the opportunity to come to know
Christ.
God continues to bless the outreach of The Wonder Book. Individuals
and ministries across the nation and around the world are seeing the
effectiveness of an outstanding evangelistic tool coupled with a proven
discipleship program like The Mailbox Club. It is a wonderful combination!
The Every Child Project
Individuals, groups and Child Evangelism Fellowship units who are interested
in distributions of 500 or more copies of The Wonder Book are encouraged to do
this through The Every Child Project. The distribution is coordinated through
the CEF World Headquarters. Each Every Child - Wonder Book distribution
project must be approved in cooperation with the USA Ministries and/or
International Ministries departments of Child Evangelism Fellowship Inc.
Applicants are asked to submit information pertaining to the proposed
distribution needs, distribution plan including
geographical target area,
organizations and groups partnering in the project and distribution schedule.
The goal of the Every Child program includes the following:
Finding new ways to reach
children that are not already being reached through current ministry
programs.
Partnering with
organizations such as Foster parent groups and State Family Service
offices to reach children involved in their programs.
Working with shelters
and local outreach organizations such as the Salvation Army and Red
Cross.
Local Pastor Alliance
groups and churches.
Recruiting with minimal
training; opening the door for future ministry relationships with workers
interested in reaching children in your area.
Offering opportunities for
donors to find projects that create immediate ministry growth.
Purchasing Wonder Books for
distribution as an Every Child project are specially priced and are not
for re-sale. Books for re-sale are available through CEF press.
Funding for some projects may
be partially subsidized by The Every Child Program if finances are
available.
The CEF Mailbox Club™ is an exciting through-the-mail discipleship ministry for children and adults. It began in 1999 as a follow-up course for the spiritual growth of children who had been introduced to the Gospel through The Wonder Book™, and has grown to reach over 255,000 people in more than 130 countries. Twenty-five percent of the students are adults, while ten percent are prisoners.
The CEF Mailbox Club includes six different age-related series of lessons, which are available in English, Spanish, large print and Braille. A series consists of seven to ten lessons, for which there is no charge.
After the student completes and mails in the first lesson, it is processed by a volunteer who prays for any needs the student might have, writes an encouraging note, and sends a new lesson. Students who complete the first series of lessons receive a certificate of completion and the 365-page Wonder Devotional Book. After completing the second series of lessons, students receive an age-appropriate book. To enroll in the CEF Mailbox Club, click here .
The CEF Mailbox Club works in partnership with other Christian organizations such as Prison Fellowship Ministry and Joni and Friends, and provides the opportunity for volunteers to have an impact on the lives of the spiritually hungry. If you would like to volunteer in the CEF Mailbox Club at World Headquarters, e-mail volunteer@cefonline.com, or call CEF at 800-300-4033.
The international Camp Good News® program has been an active part of CEF's ® ministry throughout the years. Using CEF owned or rented facilities, trained staff maintain an exciting program focused on evangelism and discipleship.
The dates, format, and cost of Camp Good News are typically different in each local area.
5-Day Club® is an exciting, fun-filled hour held each day for five consecutive days. It includes: dynamic Bible lessons, creative learning activities, inspiring missionary story, meaningful songs, life-changing Scripture memorization.
Who sponsors the club?
5-Day Club is sponsored by CEF®, an international, Bible-centered organization, which has been in existence for over 60 years. CEF currently ministers in over 157 countries, teaching biblical principles to more than eight million children each year.
Who can attend?
5-Day Club is open to all boys and girls between the ages of five and twelve, regardless of religious background. You are welcome to attend the club with your child.
Who teaches the club?
Christians who are concerned for the spiritual well-being of your child teach the club. These teachers have received specialized training from CEF.
Is there any cost?
There is no charge for your child to attend. An optional missionary offering will be taken each day.
How will the club benefit your child?
Your child will learn: biblical principles, moral values, character qualities, respect for authority.
Will your child be safe?
CEF has taken specific steps to insure the safety of your child. All club workers have been carefully screened as required by CEF's child protection policy.
You and your church can partner with us! Please see our location finder to find a contact in your local area. You may also call 1-800-300-4033 and talk with a USA Ministries staff member for more information.
Currently over 3,400 weekly school-related Good News Clubs are held across the nation, reaching more than 119,000 students each week. Whether meeting off campus during school hours or on campus after school, these clubs provide opportunity for children in the public schools to hear the Gospel and learn truth from God's Word.
Can we really teach the Bible in public schools?
Yes! The Supreme Court ruled in 2001 in Good News Clubs v. Milford Central School that Good News Clubs can meet in public schools after school hours on the same terms as other community groups. After-school Good News Clubs are an asset to schools and do not add any cost or liability to the school district. Children who wish to participate stay after school one hour per week and must have a signed parental permission slip. Parents and guardians arrange for transportation home.
What is taught in Good News Club?
Each week the teacher presents an exciting Bible lesson using colorful materials from CEF Press®. This action-packed time also includes songs, Scripture memory, a missions story and review games or other activities focused on the lesson's theme.
As with all CEF ministries, the purpose of after-school Good News Clubs is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living. To accomplish this goal, each club includes a clear presentation of the Gospel and an opportunity for children to trust Jesus as Savior. Each club also includes strong discipleship training to build character and strengthen moral and spiritual growth. All children are encouraged to attend a local church.
Who teaches a Good News Club?
Christians who are concerned for boys and girls work together volunteering their time and energy to teach Good News Clubs. They are trained by Child Evangelism Fellowship® to have a club that is exciting and informative so that children will want to keep coming. Teachers are asked to sign the CEF® Statement of Faith and agree to abide by the policies of the organization. Adults working with the program are screened according to our child protection policy.
What can a Good News Club do for my neighborhood?
A Good News Club can identify a home in the neighborhood that is safe for a child to go to in time of trouble. It brings the teaching of biblical morality to his neighborhood. It connects the child and his family to others where they live developing a good community spirit. When you teach God's Word to children in your neighborhood, your neighbors learns what you believe. Community centers and housing complexes are also great places for a club.
How can I get involved?
If every public elementary school student in the United States could join a Good News Club, we could revolutionize our culture in one generation!
Many churches have caught this vision and have partnered with CEF to adopt a school as their mission field. They pray for the children, recruit teachersand seek ways to promote the club to the elementary children in the school. Once their team is assembled, CEF comes alongside to provide the training and materials to make the club a success.
You and your church can partner with us! Please see our location finder to find a contact in your local area. You may also call 1-800-300-4033 and talk with a USA Ministries staff member for more information.
Testimonies
5-Day Club Teachers a Blessing to the Whole Neighborhood
This summer, God answered our prayers for the 5-Day Club ministry at Ft. Hood.
