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Good News Club® is a ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship in which trained teachers meet with groups of children in schools, homes, community centers, churches, apartment complexes, just about anywhere the children can easily and safely meet with their parent’s permission. Each week the teacher presents an exciting Bible lesson using colorful materials from CEF Press. This action-packed time also includes songs, Scripture memory, a missions story and review games or other activities focused on the lesson’s theme. As with all CEF ministries, the purpose of Good News Club is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living.
Virtual Good News Clubs can be viewed at U-Nite, is the CEF YouTube
U-Nite is a CEF YouTube channel which shares God’s Word in a fun, engaging way to draw children to both understand and apply biblical truths to their lives. Songs, Bible lessons, and Scripture verses presented are great ways for children to memorize God’s Word as they sing of God’s promises and commands, the message of salvation, and other biblical truths. Each Bible lesson clearly teaches the Gospel since it is woven throughout the lesson.
School Good News Club® ministry held immediately after school in local public and private schools is happening with the partnership of local churches, ministries, and CEF. These 60-90 minute Bible-centered clubs are held with parental permission. Other programs, like mentoring, tutoring, and character values education may be offered at adopted schools depending on need and available resources.
- CEF Bible lesson series offer a systematic approach to Bible teaching.
- Each series includes five or six lessons based on a theme, character or book of the Bible.
- Biblically sound Gospel presentations and growth applications are built into each lesson.
Principles & Strategics to help all N.C. schools flourish!!! (Durham Local Website – Overview)
Power & Light and other workshops are offered in a series of 1 hour sessions, each adaptable for all school-age groups, faculty, and other audiences. These workshops, conducted in school classrooms, will challenge students at a very strategic time in their development. See Outcomes, Workshops, Seminars, Assemblies, and strategies for schools below.
We provides principles & strategies to help all N.C. schools flourish. Special events, workshops, and seminars are scheduled when requested by a school.
Outcomes: Students, Faculty, and Schools accept the truth about their identity, value, and destiny as world-changers. Where everyone is valued and matters.
All workshops, seminars, and follow-up activities use discussion, object lessons, high-energy games, and relevant applications.
Assemblies: Amy Williams, Humble Tip, Bouncing Bulldogs, and the Strongest Redneck in the World are scheduled in 2022-2023 as assembly speakers in schools.
We have a New Partner
The Maxwell Team has agreed to partner with our character education programs by providing a curriculum, called iLEAD, for weekly student-led discussion groups within classrooms where we offer school assemblies and workshops. Students used this during our 2022 collaborative summer camps. Find our more about iLEAD.
Stay connected regarding orientation and training courses for facilitators, as well as, how to serve and support values-based character education workshops and special events at local schools. The 2022 schedule at local schools will resumed (via COVID, etc.)
PrayDurham seeks to cover the streets and strategic sectors of our city with prayer through a collaborative of churches, individuals, and intercessory prayer groups. This site is a venue for encouragement, motivation, and a challenge to the Church at Durham to fulfill the Law of Christ, to bless our city with Godly peace and mercy, to pray and serve with our city — not merely for our city. We follow the teaching of Jesus for engaging our city through Prayer Evangelism.
- Engaging – 7 sectors of our city with Prayer Evangelism is the 1st leap towards spiritual transformation of the marketplace, home, city, etc.
- Ministering – to those in need are encouraged to adopt their own residential street for regular prayer to see the Kingdom of God flourish in the homes of each resident and neighborhood.
- Affirming – our city officials, schools, and marketplace in Durham have intercessory for 20+ years. Durham Ministries in Prayer share a common vision and heart to pray for Durham. Meet on Tuesday at 9:30-10:30 am, Dayspring/New Path Durham / 9th St.
- Justice – Church and marketplace intercessors meet monthly at the Durham County Courthouse to pray for judges and the local judicial systems. Monthly ZOOM: TBA
- Marketplace & Schools – Praying within the Durham’s marketplace, including local schools and strategic locations believing God will repair, rebuild, reconcile, and heal.
- Pray Walking – Justice. Unity. Solidarity. Prayer Walking with Communities.
Pray with DURHAM: Join a Prayer Group — National Day of Prayer: May 5, 2022
Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy Week, the last week of the Christian solemn season of Lent that precedes the arrival of Easter.
In the Bible, as well as from sources outside of the Bible, we see that the use of “palm branches” was often tied to “victory.” The Bible first shows us this in conjunction with the “Feast of Tabernacles.” As a part of this celebration, the Israelites were commanded by God to construct and live in “booths” (for 7 days), which were made from “the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook” (Lev 23:40)(also see: Neh 8:14-18). This was done to commemorate the way the people of Israel lived after God gave them “victory,” and brought them out of Egypt.
While not recorded in the Bible, history tells us that waving palm branches was also done to celebrate kings and conquerors. We also know that in Greek athletic competitions, victors were often given a palm branch, which they would wave to celebrate their “victory.” Palm branches are a part of Christian worship on Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday, as it is sometimes called. This event commemorates Jesus Christ‘s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, as foretold by the prophet Zechariah.
Palm Branches on Palm Sunday
- In the Bible, Jesus ‘ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem with the waving of palm branches is found in John 12: 12-15 (see below); Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; and Luke 19:28-44.
- Today Palm Sunday is celebrated one week before Easter, on the first day of Holy Week.
- The first celebration of Palm Sunday in the Christian church is uncertain. A palm processional was recorded as early as the 4th century in Jerusalem, but the ceremony was not introduced into Western Christianity until the 9th century.
The Bible tells us that people cut branches from palm trees, laid them across Jesus’ path and waved them in the air as he entered Jerusalem the week before his death. They greeted Jesus not as the spiritual Messiah who would take away the sins of the world, but as a potential political leader who would overthrow the Romans. They shouted “Hosanna [meaning “save now”], blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”
Jesus’ Triumphant Entry in the Bible
All four Gospels include the account of the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem:
The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.” (John 12:12-15)
Palm Branches Today
Today, many Christian churches distribute palm branches to worshipers on Palm Sunday, which is the sixth Sunday of Lent and last Sunday before Easter. On Palm Sunday, people remember Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, praise him for the gift of salvation, and look expectantly to his second coming.
Customary Palm Sunday observances include the waving of palm branches in procession, the blessing of palms, and the making of small crosses with palm fronds.
Palm Sunday also marks the beginning of Holy Week, a solemn week focusing on the final days of Jesus Christ’s life. Holy Week culminates on Easter Sunday, the most important holiday in Christianity.
Summer training via CEF Ministries of North Carolina Durham Area Chapter and Camps for City Kids are underway (virtually for now) #Zoom #GoogleMeet #teens #interns #dns_readingcamp #citykids #cityreach cyiatraining #summermissions
Reading and academic sessions, Bible (CEF 5-Day Clubs), etiquette classes, life skills, character development (Power & Light), and some health & wellness mixed in weekly provides a full schedule of relevant and helpful opportunities for students who will be starting a new school year in grades 4-8th in August. These camps run for 6-weeks June 15th-July 23rd.
Sponsorships are still needed for kids to attend our summer and fall camps. Tax-deductible donations are received at Camps for City Kids.
Since all clubs, schools, and camps are cancelled addressing care and prevention of COVID-19, CEF Durham, as many other organizations and agencies, is praying, brainstorming, and planning in many venues and modes of communication. Thus, we are innovating and adjusting how we minister to children and families. Some brief and direct contact with families has occurred to bring supplies, helps, breakfast, and the “Do You Wonder Why?” booklets to each home and child enrolled in CEF clubs.
Though we cannot be directly with the children in our clubs and camps, we are continuing to teach and love the kids in our weekly outreach and discipleship meetings via Zoom calls, web-based teaching, and prayer. Here are other FREE Resources CEF is providing for children, families, and teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Do not fear and be encouraged.
City Kids should and can reach their own families, schools, and communities for Christ. Don’t neglect mission-centered discipleship.
Thousands of people are dying every day without knowing Jesus as their Savior. How will they be reached? Romans 10:14-15 reminds us that in order for people to hear about Jesus, someone must be sent. That’s why God calls missionaries to go! The children of today, which includes city kids, should be missionaries now and the rest of their lives. Therefore, it is essential that you and I understand our role in challenging saved children regarding the need for missionaries in their schools and communities.
Teachers should expect to intentionally incorporate a mission’s emphasis as an integral part of Good News Clubs, church-based youth classes, or even when hanging out, using practical ideas to share a missionary vision.
What are the reasons, aspects, and impact of teaching youth about missions?
Missions originates in the heart of God (John 3:16)
- Teach children about missions to help them develop a heart for missions like God
- Cultivate a heart of compassion for lost people globally and in their own city and neighborhood
- Challenge children to reach their own generation/peers for Christ
- Equip children with the foundational tools for sharing and living the Good News, the Gospel message
Missions is the responsibility of every believer (Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:18-20) – City kids can be involved in missions by:
- Knowing: Give them information about missionaries, different types of missions, countries, and cultures, etc.
- Praying: Specifically for the needs of select missionaries, their country, the salvation of its people, etc.
- Giving: Challenge children to give money, time, and encouragement to missionaries so that others can hear about the Lord Jesus.
- Going: Challenge saved children to participate in planned missions outreach events, mission trips, or efforts regularly.
Statistics show that exposure to missions is one way God calls people into full time Christian service as a personal lifestyle or with an organization or church
- 21% were called to missions as a result of a missions education provided in their local church
- 20% felt God calling them after listening to missionary speakers
- 19% were called because of their own family’s missions vision, experiences, and conversations
- 10% heard God’s call through reading books, watching movies, and listening to stories about missionaries and missions work
The impact of teaching missions to children is that each generation will be informed and inspired (Psalm 78:7, 8). If we are intentional and take serious our responsibility, young lives will be dedicated to the Lord for missionary service, fulfilling the Great Commission. If more reasons are needed than this, of course, there are other impacts on children taught about missions, which by the way, will impact their world.
- Children will have a vision and burden for those who are lost in sin and who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ
- Children will begin now to share the message of salvation with others
- Children will grow spiritually through involvement in missions
- Children will desire to engage local missions efforts regularly
Reality Checks: Before you make adjustments in your missions teaching
#1 – People are hungering for an experience of God, not just more information about God.
There is no doubt that teaching children about missions is vitally important because thousands of people are dying every day without Christ. How will the saved children you teach get a burden for missions and desire to be involved if you don’t make time for missions in your class or when hanging out? But how is this truth being applied to lives of children (anyone)? Thus, have children learn by doing missions work as well as hearing.
#2 – Presenting content about missions alone is a teaching short-fall and no longer the greatest need in an age where content fills the internet.
So what does this mean? Content used to fill a church auditorium or classroom because content was scarce and pastors/teachers were the authority or experts on the biblical content we needed to understand. You had to attend to hear a message or a Bible study or even children’s Christian education. However podcasts, YouTube and multiple social media platforms have changed that dramatically and permanently from what I am able to understand. As a result, you no longer have to be in the room to listen.
#3 – So many leaders talk about reaching the next generation but never include the next generation.
It’s going to take the leadership of the next generation to reach the next generation. Perhaps you, as the teacher, will have to make some changes and adjust your classroom or the time you spend with the city kids, to empower your students to reach their generation. Leading people to Jesus in a world that’s moving away from Jesus is an increasingly difficult challenge… and increasingly, it’s a larger opportunity. Who will I send… and who will go?
Check out the “7MIT Song” on YouTube (writers: John & Sean Blake, posted by: Anita McGee) via “7 Most Important Things”, Good News Club song from Child Evangelism Fellowship (www.cefonline.com)
John Blake shares his "Heart for City Kids" 