But I’m 9, What About Me? By Alan Wimbish
Child Evangelism Fellowship has been in New Mexico, doing active ministry, since 1935. But, what IS Child Evangelism Fellowship? What is it that we do that sets us apart from other children’s ministry? A few months ago, I was helping at an After School Good News Club in a local elementary school in Albuquerque. An After School Good News Club is a Bible Club that is held in a public elementary school after school hours, with parental permission, in which children learn awesome songs, memory verses, a Bible lesson, missionary story, have a snack and play exciting games. Each Bible Club lasts approximately an hour and a half. At the end of each Bible Club, each child is given an opportunity to speak with a CEF trained volunteer about putting their faith and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. We want to make sure that a child understands exactly what they are doing when they want to get saved. We do not ask for a show of hands and say, “Repeat this prayer after me”. Instead, we counsel children one-on-one for salvation. God has to do the work in their heart to convict of sin, we do not talk them into it. Counseling is questioning. During this one particular Bible Club, I was helping the teachers with whatever they needed. There were about eighteen children in attendance and there was one particular boy in the back of the class that I knew was not paying attention. I assumed that the entire Bible lesson had been lost on this young boy. After the Bible lesson was over, the young boy came over to where I was, and had some questions. I asked him, “Why did you come back to speak with me?” I thought he would say that he needs to go to the bathroom or something like that. Instead, what he said, blew me away. He said, “My four year old cousin was shot and killed last week and I know that she is in heaven, but I’m nine, what about me? Where will I go when I die?” I asked him, “Who was your cousin?” The little girl who was in the same class as him, spoke up and said, “You know, Lilly.” Lilly was the young girl who was tragically shot and killed in a road rage incident on I-40 in Albuquerque earlier this year. I was speechless. I used a tool that we use often in CEF called the Wordless Book. Using this tiny book with five colors, I shared with him and showed him from the Bible, the love of God, the sin problem, the solution to that problem (which is always Jesus.), forgiveness of sin through Christ alone, and the assurance of that forgiveness. The Holy Spirit was already working in his heart and used a tragedy in his life to cause him to think about his own mortality and his need for a Savior. God wants children to come to him through faith in the Lord Jesus. Children are sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit; they get it. Right there, in a public school classroom, this boy came to faith in Jesus Christ and his life was changed for eternity. He is now beginning to grow in his faith. Praise the Lord! God is at work in the hearts of children.
That’s what Child Evangelism Fellowship does. That’s who we are. Reaching boys and girls with the Gospel, even in the public schools, and leading them to faith in Christ. We are interdenominational and we partner with Bible believing churches to reach the next generation for Christ. We’ve been doing it for 81 years. If you have a desire to reach boys and girls with the Gospel, even if you’re not a ‘children’s worker’, there is something you can do. Call me at 505-881-9848 or email me at cefofnewmexico@gmail.com and I can share with you all of the ways that God can use you in this powerful ministry to the most neglected mission field; children. You can also check us out on Facebook/CEF of New Mexico.
