‘Christian Youth In Action® multiplies the workers for the harvest and plants seeds for lifelong ministry in the hearts of young believers,’ said CEF Vice President of Administration Fred Pry.
For Immediate Release
August 4, 2025
ST. LOUIS — As International Youth Day on August 12 highlights the vital role of young people in shaping their communities, Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) equips them to do just that — by training them to teach children about God and His Word in effective and engaging ways.
Through the ministry’s Christian Youth In Action® (CYIA™) program, young people attend a one- to two-week training where they learn to present the Gospel clearly on a child’s level, counsel a child for salvation and lead a fun and dynamic 5-Day Club® ministry for kids. At a 5-Day Club, children hear the timeless truths of the Bible in exciting, engaging ways, and many come to know Jesus as their Savior.
These trained CYIA leaders then return to their local community and teach 5-Day Club, VBS and camps at various locations with a team of other young people.
By participating in this training, they learn how to reach boys and girls with the Gospel; see their own faith and vision grow; build new friendships that will last a lifetime; grow in communication, teamwork, endurance, responsibility and self-confidence; and gain experience for ministry in their own local church, school or future vocation.
“Christian Youth in Action is about training teenagers to reach children, but it’s also about these young leaders themselves experiencing spiritual growth,” said CEF Vice President of Administration Fred Pry. “Young people often tell us that while they expected to learn how to impact children, they found themselves changed and their faith in God strengthened.”
In addition to CYIA, the ministry’s Junior Youth Challenge® (JYC™) equips young teens with a biblical worldview, inviting them to discover what the Bible says and how it applies to their lives. Today, many CEF workers have come through various programs. JYC teens are encouraged to join CYIA to begin serving in a CEF 5-Day Club, Camp Good News®, or Good News Club®.
At a Good News Club, each week an exciting Bible lesson is presented. Every club includes a clear presentation of the Gospel and an opportunity for children to trust the Lord Jesus as Savior.
Through the ministry’s most effective outreach, Good News Club, CEF staff are not only bringing the Gospel to children, but they are also inspiring future generations to take part in JYC and CYIA, and continue the cycle of leadership.
A CEF staff member shared a story about how a young boy named Elijah paved the way for launching a JYC club in his middle school:
“When the middle school aged kids stopped attending the Good News Club, God stirred 13-year-old Elijah’s heart to arrange a student-led Bible club. Elijah had faithfully attended Good News Club, 5-Day Club, and completed the Children Reaching Children™ training. Elijah helped secure permission to use the social studies classroom in the middle school where the after-school Bible club meets. Elijah even led a group of seven peers through the book of Romans on Wednesday afternoons!
“The following school year, Elijah transferred to high school, but he had prepared the way for a JYC club to be launched at the middle school he had attended!”
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 2024, through the combined ministries of CEF, more than 31 million children worldwide were impacted for Christ. More than 533,000 teachers were trained around the world to reach children.
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.
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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.