7 Ways CEF® Can Help You Reach the Lost "in your own backyard."
/“For a decade of my life I was privileged to lead a church that was very effective at reaching the lost. Through prayer, hard work and a relentless Gospel focus we experienced strong growth primarily due to new believers being added to our church roles. During that time God taught me many hard and valuable lessons that have stuck with me to this day. […] And I’ve noticed a pattern in these churches…most of them are not effectively reaching the lost with the Gospel in their own communities.” - Greg Steir, Source
Adapted from
“7 Reasons Most Churches Are Not Reaching the Lost in Their Own Backyard”
and 7 ways CEF® can help you do just that!
Good News Club in Northeast Alabama.
“They’ve lost their Gospel urgency.”
Steir points out there doesn’t seem to be a “whatever it takes” attitude in our churches today. But in CEF®, we never lose sight of what is at stake and what is to gain for the child who comes to faith in Jesus Christ. In our training and our practices, we know that God desires for children to know him and to be saved. We want to equip our volunteers to live in Gospel urgency by imitating God’s heart, not just for children, but for all people.
“The leadership doesn’t model it.”
One component of ministry that we greatly value at CEF® is seeing volunteers of all demographics working together. When your church partners with CEF® to reach the community through Good News Club®, we help you create an atmosphere where church members and leaders are serving alongside each other. Pastors, elders, and teachers can live out the Great Commission shoulder to shoulder with church members. This ultimately strengthens the whole church and the evangelism efforts of the church. Find out more about the process of beginning ministry here.
CEF teen Summer Missionaries (CYIA) pray over a map to intercede for those nations in which the Gospel can not be preached.
“Intercessory prayer is not a true value.”
Prayer is the foundation of all we do. It is one of the sweetest gifts given to us by the Lord Jesus, when his sacrifice for us tore the veil in the temple and gave us ready and confident access to the Father. Prayer is built into every part of CEF® ministry. Not only is there frequent prayer during our programs (Good News Club®, Christian Youth In Action®, and 5-Day Club®), but children are even taught how to pray! And when your church becomes part of Good News Club® or Summer Missions, the needs of the community will become evident to the church, who will then bring those needs before the Father in intercessory prayer.
“Evangelism training rarely happens (if at all).”
If training is the game, CEF® is the name. We offer a variety of training, from how to teach in Good News Club® or 5-Day Club® to how to share your faith or lead someone to Christ. While the training is specific to reaching children, it is applicable in a variety of evangelism settings. Jesus did say, after all, that all must come as a little child. Whether your church is interested in being trained to conduct a Good News Club® or 5-Day Club® in the community, or a Sunday School class wants to be trained to lead someone to Christ, CEF® of Northeast Alabama can help meet that need. Find out more about the training we provide in the area here.
Volunteers attend training in Northeast Alabama.
“The Gospel is not relentlessly given.”
One thing you can always expect from CEF® materials is to see the Gospel presented. Every component of a CEF® program connects to teach the whole message of the Gospel, and every lesson taught from scripture has the way of salvation intentionally woven through it. With CEF® materials and training, you can be prepared to always proclaim the Gospel in every situation. Find out more about our message here.
“The people in our churches don’t know their neighbors.”
CEF® is an effective tool for community outreach. Good News Club®s typically take place in a public school and present incredible opportunities to connect not only with students but also with their parents and families through a regular, weekly interaction. 5-Day Club®s often take place in homes and backyards. Church members can use a week-long summer 5-Day Club® in their home to connect with children and families in their very own neighborhoods. Find out more about the impact that summer missions can have here.
5 Day Club takes place at a local park in Northeast Alabama.
“Evangelistic story telling is not a part of the culture.”
“In churches that are effective at evangelism, stories of changed lives and saved souls are told consistently. […] True stories of disciple multiplication help believers move all this talk about evangelism from the “fiction” shelf of their mental library to the “non fiction” section. “ Source
When your church engages the community with prayerful and intentional ministry through CEF®, you will see God move and you will see people come to know the Lord. As you share these stories with your church, God will sow the seeds that will grow into an even more fervent desire to reach the community.
Please explore the various opportunities and training that CEF of Northeast Alabama has to offer by following the included links or navigating our website. If you have questions or are interested in being involved you can submit an interest form or contact Local Coordinator, Jim Simoneau at 334-399-1733.
View the original article, “7 Reasons Most Churches Are Not Reaching the Lost in Their Own Backyards” by Greg Steir here.
