‘Raising kids to know the love of Jesus brings all kinds of benefits, including a healthy mindset,’ says CEF Vice President of Administration Fred Pry
ST. LOUIS — Children can develop mental, behavioral and developmental struggles at any age, with some experiencing symptoms before their third birthday. According to the CDC, one in seven U.S. children ages 3 to 17 years has a diagnosed mental or behavioral disorder. Thankfully, the Gospel can bring the light of Christ into a child’s heart, offering hope, emotional healing and the foundation they need to grow stronger in Him every day. As a result of extensive research, George Barna said: “Whatever a child believes by age 13 is, in most cases, what he will die believing.” He goes on to say, “In other words, 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.”
Society also recognizes the importance of spiritual input. “Young people who are brought up to value faith and going to church fare better than those who don’t have religious or spiritual input,” according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. “Compared with no attendance, at least weekly attendance of religious services was associated with greater life satisfaction and a number of character strengths.”
“Raising kids to know the love of Jesus brings all kinds of benefits, including a healthy mindset,” says Child Evangelism Fellowship® (CEF) Vice President of Administration Fred Pry. “In our Good News Club®, 5-Day Club®, and other ministries such as Christian Youth In Action® (CYIA®), we have seen the power of God’s hope and healing come alive in young people every day.”
The CYIA® program is transforming the lives of young people across the United States and around the world. Teens take one to two weeks of intensive training in how to present the Gospel clearly on a child’s level and how to counsel a child for salvation. They emerge with confidence, faith and leadership skills to lead the 5-Day Club for boys and girls. Through CYIA, CEF trains thousands of teens on how to reach children in their community with the Gospel.
“Teens in CYIA® see and experience the life-changing power of God’s Word — finding hope, healing and growing into confident, Christ-like leaders equipped to impact others for His Kingdom,” says Pry.
CYIA® leaders Mya and Karissa shared how one child came to know Christ. “7-year-old Mary had a personal question for the Christian Youth in Action leaders. It had been burning on her heart for a long time, ‘Does God really know my name?’ During counseling, Mary got to see for herself what God says about her in His Word. She is seen, known, and greatly loved by her Creator. Mary’s face lit up with the realization that the King of the universe knows her name and sent His Son for her. These are the moments of CYIA® we will never forget.”
Another leader named Angel, who came out of a troubled background, also found purpose through CYIA. “I had gone from this hopeless situation to where I wanted to do something with my life,” she said. “Joining CYIA gave me the opportunity to make my life not about me, but about serving others.”
A CEF volunteer in Illinois shared how the 5-Day Club benefits not only the children who attend but also often brings the Gospel to their families and blessings to the volunteers.
“I was asked if we could host a 5-Day Club in our yard. On the first day of the club, when Jack, the summer missionary, gave the invitation to trust in Jesus for salvation, a little boy, Dakota, leaped to his feet and ran over to pray with Jack. Dakota was gloriously born again.
“Dakota and his grandpa became very faithful attendees at church and Dakota eventually was baptized. As a result of that service, Dakota’s grandfather’s friend, Elsie, began coming to church regularly and became a believer in Christ. Elsie said, ‘I finally got saved on St. Pat’s Day. I’ve listened to him (the pastor) talk about it, and I finally surrendered at the age of 81. And it all started with Dakota!’”
Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), which was founded 88 years ago, has been establishing the Good News Club in countries around the world for decades. Clubs are thriving worldwide, in countries including Australia, Cambodia, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda, and many more.
In 2023, through the combined ministries of CEF, more than 25.2 million children worldwide heard the Good News. More than 577,000 teachers were trained around the world.
For more CEF news, see the ministry’s latest edition of the online magazine Impact.
CEF is an international, nonprofit, Christian ministry that has been dedicated to seeing every child reached with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, discipled, and established in a local church since 1937. CEF is located in all 50 American states and in most countries around the world, with over 3,500 paid staff and tens of thousands of volunteers around the world.
###
To interview a representative from Child Evangelism Fellowship, contact [email protected], Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, Dawn Foglein, ext. 100, or Daniel Moyer, ext. 104.