Most people are never more receptive to hearing the gospel than when they are children. Yet, evangelism aimed at children is often overlooked.
“One of the most beautiful passages in the Bible that reflects the heart of God is concerning children,” Moises Esteves, executive vice president of Child Evangelism Fellowship said.” “Psalm 78 says we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord and his power and the wonders that he has done. The government is not going to do it. God wants believers to communicate to the children, to the next generation, about the knowledge of God. That’s our responsibility. Someone one day communicated with us, and it is now our responsibility to communicate with the next generation.”
CEF, an international nonprofit ministry based in Warrenton, Mo., has been unwavering in its mission since 1937 — ensuring every child is reached with the gospel, spiritually nurtured and integrated into a local church. Located in all 50 states and in most countries around the world, CEF’s new goal is to minister to 100 million children each year globally with the gospel in the near future.
To reach this goal, CEF has established several in-person ministries, including the Good News Club. Described by Esteves as “an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, sort of a high-powered Sunday School,” these clubs combine fun with Gospel-centric teaching. “It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of learning, and we share the gospel so the unsaved child can have an opportunity to receive Christ as their Savior,” he said.
CEF trained nearly half a million teachers worldwide last year. Esteves highlighted the importance of ensuring that teachings are biblically consistent while also culturally sensitive. The methodology, he said, involves producing literature with strong biblical principles, which is then translated with cultural nuances in mind.
“If the child is interested in receiving Christ, what do you do?” he asked. “They need to be trained in how to counsel the child for salvation, and then there’s a whole slew of skills that need to be trained and understood when you minister to children. The structure is in place, the boots are on the ground to grow this ministry exponentially. And we have strict strategies, like children reaching children, which is teaching older, more mature children to evangelize their peers. It’s a beautiful training that we’re accelerating in the coming years.”
For more information, visit www.cefonline.com.
