Child Evangelism Fellowship
Encyclopedia
Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) is an international evangelical
nonprofit organization founded by Jesse Overholtzer (1877-1955) in 1937, headquartered in Warrenton, Missouri
, United States. The organization lists as its purpose to teach the Christian
Gospel
to boys and girls and to get them involved in local Christian churches, focusing specifically on teaching children the Bible. It has programs established in all 50 states and 167 countries around the world, with 750 full-time workers in the USA, and an estimated 40,000 volunteers in the USA and Canada, and over 1,200 missionaries overseas, approximately 1,000 of whom are nationals. During the reporting year ending in August 2008, they reported teaching more than 9.3 million children, mostly in small group settings. CEF is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
(ECFA).
The primary ministries of CEF are Good News Club and Five Day Club. Both of these programs focus on training church members from various evangelical churches to effectively teach children in homes, neighborhood centers and schools. On June 11, 2001 the USA Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing CEF's Good News Clubs to meet in public elementary schools after school hours, based on equal access and protection from viewpoint discrimination. Since that time CEF has been working to establish Good News Clubs in public schools around the USA.
Five Day Clubs are taught by youth that are trained through Christian Youth in Action (CYIA). CYIA is a program all around America that trains teenagers to effectively teach children Bible stories, missionary stories, Bible verses, and the Wordless Book as well as organize games and interact with the children.
Children's Ministries Institute is the official training institute of CEF, and holds 12 weeks training sessions in at least 15 countries around the world every year including two complete 12 week sessions on the CEF campus just west of St. Louis, Missouri. The organization has fair, camping, open-air, telephone and correspondence outreach programs for children, and provides classes to train their workers and other Christians who are burdened for evangelizing children. Additionally, CEF Press produces and distributes Bible and missionary lessons and related materials for use in teaching children to help accomplish the goals of the ministry. One evangelistic tool that CEF promotes is the Wordless Book
.
Since 1998 CEF has had a high volume correspondence course program called the [CEF Mailbox Club]. The correspondence course program was renamed the Truth Chasers Club in 2011. Lessons are available for every age group of children and for adults as well. The program is staffed primarily by volunteers who come from all over the country to help with the work. Hundreds of thousands of students have enrolled in the program and more than 15,000 lessons are graded and mailed on a normal week. The CEF Mailbox Club is used by several other organizations as a discipleship program for the children whom they reach. These partnering agencies include the Jesus Film Project
, Prison Fellowship International
and Samaritan's Purse
with the Operation Christmas Child program. Children are enrolled not only from around the USA but from countries all over the world.
board of education
to distribute materials in that district's schools during open houses in 2007 and 2008. The Fellowship took the matter to U.S. District Court. In February, 2009, Judge Ann Montgomery ruled that the school district's order deprived the Fellowship of its freedom of speech
rights. She went on to say that the school district could still prevent the group from distributing materials if it adopted a policy of closing the schools to all such groups, which the school district did in March, 2009.
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
nonprofit organization founded by Jesse Overholtzer (1877-1955) in 1937, headquartered in Warrenton, Missouri
Warrenton, Missouri
Warrenton is a city in Warren County, Missouri, United States. The population was estimated at 7,398 in 2008. It is the county seat of Warren County. Warrenton is located in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. Warrenton's slogan is "A City for All Seasons."-Geography:Warrenton is located...
, United States. The organization lists as its purpose to teach the Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to boys and girls and to get them involved in local Christian churches, focusing specifically on teaching children the Bible. It has programs established in all 50 states and 167 countries around the world, with 750 full-time workers in the USA, and an estimated 40,000 volunteers in the USA and Canada, and over 1,200 missionaries overseas, approximately 1,000 of whom are nationals. During the reporting year ending in August 2008, they reported teaching more than 9.3 million children, mostly in small group settings. CEF is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is an accreditation agency to promote fiscal integrity and sound financial practices among member organizations. Founded in 1979, it comprises over 2,000 evangelical Christian organizations which qualify for tax-exempt, nonprofit status and...
(ECFA).
The primary ministries of CEF are Good News Club and Five Day Club. Both of these programs focus on training church members from various evangelical churches to effectively teach children in homes, neighborhood centers and schools. On June 11, 2001 the USA Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing CEF's Good News Clubs to meet in public elementary schools after school hours, based on equal access and protection from viewpoint discrimination. Since that time CEF has been working to establish Good News Clubs in public schools around the USA.
Five Day Clubs are taught by youth that are trained through Christian Youth in Action (CYIA). CYIA is a program all around America that trains teenagers to effectively teach children Bible stories, missionary stories, Bible verses, and the Wordless Book as well as organize games and interact with the children.
Children's Ministries Institute is the official training institute of CEF, and holds 12 weeks training sessions in at least 15 countries around the world every year including two complete 12 week sessions on the CEF campus just west of St. Louis, Missouri. The organization has fair, camping, open-air, telephone and correspondence outreach programs for children, and provides classes to train their workers and other Christians who are burdened for evangelizing children. Additionally, CEF Press produces and distributes Bible and missionary lessons and related materials for use in teaching children to help accomplish the goals of the ministry. One evangelistic tool that CEF promotes is the Wordless Book
Wordless Book
A Wordless Book is a Christian evangelistic book. Evidence points to it being invented by the famous London Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon, in , 1866 to several hundred orphans regarding Psalm 51:7 "Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." It is called a "book", as it is usually...
.
Since 1998 CEF has had a high volume correspondence course program called the [CEF Mailbox Club]. The correspondence course program was renamed the Truth Chasers Club in 2011. Lessons are available for every age group of children and for adults as well. The program is staffed primarily by volunteers who come from all over the country to help with the work. Hundreds of thousands of students have enrolled in the program and more than 15,000 lessons are graded and mailed on a normal week. The CEF Mailbox Club is used by several other organizations as a discipleship program for the children whom they reach. These partnering agencies include the Jesus Film Project
Jesus Film Project
The JESUS Film Project is an evangelical organization created in 1981 by Campus Crusade for Christ founder Bill Bright to distribute the 1979 film, Jesus, not only in English, but many of the world's languages with the stated goal of reaching "every nation, tribe, people and tongue, helping them...
, Prison Fellowship International
Prison Fellowship International
Prison Fellowship International is an international non-governmental organisation of national Prison Fellowship organisations from 117 countries.-Primary Mission:...
and Samaritan's Purse
Samaritan's Purse
Samaritan's Purse is a non-denominational evangelical Christian humanitarian organization that works worldwide to assist people in physical need alongside their Christian missionary work. The organization’s president is Franklin Graham, son of Christian evangelist Billy Graham...
with the Operation Christmas Child program. Children are enrolled not only from around the USA but from countries all over the world.
Elk River case
The Child Evangelism Fellowship was prohibited by the Elk River, MinnesotaElk River, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,447 people, 5,664 households, and 4,400 families residing in the city. Recent estimates show the population at 21,329 as of 2005. The population density was 385.5 people per square mile . There were 5,782 housing units at an average density of 135.5 per...
board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
to distribute materials in that district's schools during open houses in 2007 and 2008. The Fellowship took the matter to U.S. District Court. In February, 2009, Judge Ann Montgomery ruled that the school district's order deprived the Fellowship of its freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
rights. She went on to say that the school district could still prevent the group from distributing materials if it adopted a policy of closing the schools to all such groups, which the school district did in March, 2009.
External links
- CEF official website
- CEF Wonderzone.com - Children's Website
- CEF CEFPress.com - Online Store for CEF Literature
- CEF CEFCMI.com - Children's Ministries Institute
- CEF SummerMissions.com - CEF Summer Missions for Students
- CEF Specialized Book Ministry
- CEF CEF (European Region)
- Kilchzimmer European Regional Office
- Youth Challenge (Europe)
- Bible Visuals International