CEF of Mississippi, Inc
Children's Ministry
ABOUT CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP
About
Child Evangelism Fellowship is a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living.
CEF has many different ministries for children, but the primary ones are the Good News Club and the 5-Day Club.
The Good News Club and 5-Day Club ministries take place in neighborhood settings such as homes, backyards, schools and community centers all over the world. These fast-paced, one-hour programs are designed to bring the Gospel of Christ to children on their level in their environment.
Along with these clubs, CEF also has fair, camping, open-air, and internet ministries for children. Last year through these combined ministries over 22.9 million children worldwide heard the Good News.
CEF provides classes to train their workers and other Christians who are burdened for evangelizing children.
In fact, training Christians to effectively minister to children has been core to our ministry since it was founded in 1937. Training is offered throughout the USA and around the world through seminars, conferences, and formal courses.
The Children’s Ministries Institute, a modular three-month course located at CEF International Headquarters in Warrenton, Missouri, is dedicated to providing quality, practical training for those called of God to take the Gospel message to children. Similar training is offered in various locations around the world. Courses are also offered online.
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.
Teaching materials are available to the public. Visit our web store. Many products are translated into over 89 different languages and distributed around the world.
An exciting program for teenagers is Christian Youth In Action (CYIA).
In June all across the USA thousands of young people are trained to conduct 5-Day Clubs. Throughout the summer they have many opportunities to present the Gospel to boys and girls, experiencing the joy of leading others to the Lord.
An additional summer opportunity is Summer Missions. College-age adults are trained and teach 5-Day Clubs in large urban centers and in foreign countries. This program offers challenging, often times life-changing experiences that God has used to spiritually enrich many lives.
Our History
CEF® was founded by Jesse Irvin Overholtzer in 1937. Growing up in a religious family, Jesse at the age of 12 was convicted of his own sin and sought counsel from his mother. He was told, “Son, you are too young.” It wasn’t until Overholtzer was in college that he heard the Gospel and trusted Christ as his Savior.
Later as a pastor Mr. Overholtzer read one of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons which stated, “A child of five, if properly instructed can as truly believe and be regenerated as an adult.” The Lord used this statement in Mr. O’s life to lead him to begin the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship when he was 60 years old.
The ministry has grown into the largest evangelistic outreach to children in the world. CEF is currently ministering in countries around the world and in every state in the U.S.