Court ruling could threaten GNC access to public schools....

Our office received a letter today from Child Evangelism Fellowship
president Reese Kauffman with some urgent news. On June 2. 2011 the 2nd U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, NY in a 2 -1 decision ruled that New
York City can ban churches from using public school facilities for Sunday
worship services and this does not violate free speech. Judge Pierre Leval
commented "At least one request(ed) to hold Jewish services (in a school
building used for Christian services on Sundays) was denied because the building
was unavailable on Saturdays. This contributes to a perception of public schools
as Christian churches, but not synagogues or mosques. ... When worship services
are performed in a place, the nature of the site changes. The place has, at
least for a time, become the church. In the end, we think the board could have
reasonably concluded that what the public would see, were the Board not to
exclude religious worship services, is public schools, which serve on Sundays as
state-sponsored Christian churches.” (Read more here).

Mr. Kauffman saw an article about this and immediately called Matt Staver,
of Liberty Council, and asked if this ruling could affect Good News Clubs.
Mr. Staver responded " YES, AND IT'S SERIOUS." In his letter, Mr.
Kauffman writes "Anyone who loves children needs to know about this threat... it
is all the more urgent to start as many Good News Clubs as possible." I've
mentioned last week that the Time is Now for reaching children. We need to go
while the Supreme Court is still on our side. This is U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals ruling is proof that the time grows short for reaching children in the
public schools.

What would you say to this child?

One of the classes I taught this summer at Summer Missionary Training School was on counseling a child when he or she responds to an invitation to receive Christ. Most times this class is taught it covers a lot on what to do if a child says "I want to receive Christ" and a few minutes on what to do if a child says anything else. After seeing many people, regardless of age, struggle the first time they get in a counseling situation, decided to talk a new approach. I researched my files and developed a list of actual responses I've received to the question "What did you want to talk to me about?" I thought you might enjoy trying your hand at this exercise too. So, what would you say to this child?

Actual Responses from children

1. If I pray hard enough, can I do the signs of Moses?

2. My grandma died several years ago.

3. How do I get baptized?

4. My brother doesn’t believe Jesus is real ….But I believe Abraham Lincoln was real and I never seen him!

5. I want to know more about God.

6. How did God create the world?

7. How did Jesus know when He was to come back to life?

8. Is it true that everyone who says that they are saved is?

9. I’m having a problem with a friend at school.

10. I want to stay and talk with kids who come back. I want to tell them what it is like to live for the Lord

11. I have always seen people come back to talk to you about God, but I never have. Now I am here

12. How do I know what God wants me to do?

13. I want God in my life.

14. I know that just being good is not good enough to go to heaven.

15. On his second trip to counseling. “ I really want to become God’s child. I didn’t really mean it last time.”

16. If I already know the Bible, why do I have to read it

17. Why do some people worship on Saturday, the Sabbath, and Sunday, the Lord's Day?"

18. Why does God want me to be His child?

19. I am God’s child and I have cancer.

20. After a lesson on Elijah “Did King Ahab and Queen Jezebel ever pray to receive Christ as Savior?”

21. Two weeks ago when I was here, I became God's child and I want to get to know more about Him.

22. My mom taught me how to lie, cheat, and steal.

23. I have three Bibles at home. You have inspired me to read them.

24. it's easy to love those who are mean to you because "Jesus was nice to me when I was mean to Him"

25. I just love God and I have sinned a lot."

26. My 21 year old brother who smokes and sleeps on the basement floor. My father and brother are always yelling at each other.

27. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross to forgive sin? Why could he not just say, your sins are forgiven?"

28. Why did they have to use nails? Why couldn’t they just use duct tape?

29. Will God still love me even if I sin? I did ten bad things.

30. I think my house is haunted.

31. My stepdad’s short on money and we can’t pay the rent this month.

32. I hear a voice in my head telling me to not go to church.

33. I’ve never made a decision 2 believe in Jesus. I love Jesus and my friends make fun of me for it. I want to become God’s child so I can tell them too.

"I never knew learning about Jesus could be so much fun"

The phone rang at the 5-Day Club host's home. It was still several hours before Wednesday's 5-Day Club would begin. A mom of several of the children in the club called and told the host. "My kids just love 5-Day Club. They get up early in the morning asking if it is time yet to go to club. When they come home after each day, the kids are filled with excitement ready to tell me everything that happened. I never knew learning about Jesus could be so much fun!"


When the host told me this story, I was blown away. This story is proof positive that the more we get out there and share HIS story in a FUN way the more kids and their parents will see the true character and heart of Jesus and not some pre-conceived, negative idea about Him. Praise God!

"My son really said that!"

Isaiah. I first met him three years ago at a 5-Day Club a local Christian Day Care Center in our chapter area. Isaiah is one of those kids you just never forget. That first year he came, he was so interested in everything we were sharing about the Bible. Isaiah never missed a meeting those first few years. He was always the first one to say good bye after each meeting. As enthusiastic as Isaiah was, he never made a decision to receive Christ as Savior. Isaiah came to come the following year and still nothing regarding a decision to follow Christ.

This summer, when we arrived at the day care center, I instantly remembered Isaiah. He was listening carefully as I shared the story of Zaacheaus with the class. At the end of my Bible lesson, I gave the invitation to receive Christ. As I walked to the back of the room and waited for any children to come back to talk with me. I was thrilled when I saw Isaiah walk back to talk with me. I asked him why he came back to talk with me. He replied " I want to become God's child!" I was overjoyed as I reviewed the Gospel with Isaiah and as he prayed to receive Christ as Savior.

The next day at 5-Day Club the owner of the day care center introduced me to Isaiah's mom. I was pleased to meet her. I explained to her what happened with Isaiah the previous day. The mom looked at me with tears in her eyes and said "My son really said he wanted to receive Christ?" As I watched this mother, I was so pleased to see a parent understand how important and special this decision to receive Christ really is. After a while, the mom left the day care center with a smile and look of pure happiness on her face. Praise God!

CYIA--Day 4

The 10 are really applying themselves today. They are beginning to realize just how many Bible Lesson practicums they have to do. So when given the opportunity to study, they jump at the chance.

Besides shepherding the 10, I had two classes today: one on teaching music and one on counseling. Both classes went very well. After the music class, I had the 10 practice what they learned by introducing and leading song in front of all the Summer Missionary Training School before we all went to lunch. I was so proud of them.

Then after lunch, I had the daunting task of teaching then 10 plus all of camp how to counsel children for salvation. Of all the classes taught at CYIA, this is the one that is most important. I've been planning for this class for months. My goal in this class was to do something that has not been done before-- prepare the missionaries to be ready for any reason that the child response to the invitation. In the past, the lesson plan calls for teaching how to counsel if a child says " I want to be God's child." Of course I covered this important topic. However, we also talked about how to respond the rest of the time. This students seemed to do very well.

I am sitting in class now, watching them practice their first Bible lessons out loud. It is a joy to see them finally teaching and loving every minute of it.

All of the 5-Day Club track leaders met together today to plan out the teams for next week's 5-Day Clubs. So we are progressing well. Thanks for praying for us. More tomorrow.

CYIA--Day 3

The "10" are doing well today. Yolanda joined us a day late and has much to get caught up on. She is still learning the Wordless Book in the midst of memory verse and Bible lesson preparation classes. The rest of the "10" are really starting to open up. The each have unique and fun personalities. One of the aspects about this group I appreciate that they all understand why they are here at CYIA and are sure of what God is calling them to do.

Today we started classes on Bible lesson preparation and presentation. It was so awesome to watch them as they were learning. The look on their faces when the finally understood the concept of linking was priceless. (FYI: a link is a short transitional phrase from one concept to another).

The 10 are working on their first Bible lesson: Zaacheaus. For many of them, this is the first time they will be in a primary teaching role. On top of all this, then 1o learned how to teach a memory verse. I had them take turns practicing teaching the memory verse to each other and they did pretty well for the first time through.

I am very pleased with this group and I cannot wait to see what God is going to do through them this summer.

CYIA-- Day 2

Today was our first full day at CYIA. One of the major tasks on our plate today was the Wordless Book Practicums. The 9 first year CYIA students plus the 24 camp staff had the job of sharing the Wordless Book after learning it in just 24 hours. That is no easy task, but they rose to the occasion. We divided the students up into six groups. We had a few students who struggled the first time sharing the Wordless Book. Most of them had time to find success in this presentation.

I want to share with you the names of the 10 first year students: Josh, Tamarah, Holly, Vidi, Haleigh, Gloria, Caroline, Allison, Grace, and Yolanda. Tomorrow they begin learning how to take the truth's of the Wordless Book and inter-great them into Bible Lessons.

Our days are long -- starting at 6:15am and end at 10:00pm. But they are so worth it. The students here are so eager to learn and follow God's direction and path for their lives. Our chapel speaker this year is my good friend Bill Allison. God is using Bill to impact all of us and challenge us in God's Word.

So, we are doing well here today. Pray for the 10 first year students ( I'll call them the 1o from now on.)

I have three classes to teach tomorrow. Thanks for praying and readying . More tomorrow.