Soil & Seed - Rain & Harvest

The soil and the crop has changed. Speaking of the world and the culture.

The Church can no longer burrow it's head in ground to avoid seeing and hearing what they often do not want to face.

It is necessary that we understand the condition of the soil. The soil of the heart of many ministries across our land has lost the most important essential and vital to life nutrients. Many are showing very evident signs of drought resulting in a dense and compacted soil. Hardness of heart. We also observe a very flaky type of soil that nothing is held together by truth and faith. The substance that God told us about in Hebrews 11:1-3.

Jesus referenced several soil conditions in the parable that He told in Matthew 13.

I wonder how many of the hearers on the beach that day, did not care to get the full meaning of the lesson.

The condition of the soil is important for us to understand but, what can we do to change the soil type of another persons field?

Rather should we be more concerned about SEED that we sow?

Is the SEED in the lesson the centerpiece?

Are we sowing the healthy, abundant SEED of the Gospel clearly to a lost world, giving them real HOPE?

The SEED of Gospel has never changed!

We must sow the proper SEED! It is the SEED of the Gospel that is abundant! It is the SEED of the Good News with the MORE. Matthew 13 (verse12).

For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

At a CEF Good News Club the SEED OF THE GOPSEL is clearly presented to the children. We only plant, and water and it is God who brings the increase.

Pray for God the Holy Spirit to open the hearing and hearts of the children as they come to Club to hear God's Good News , the abundant SEED.

The Power is in the Gospel! Romans 1:16

Robin

That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:15-16

America in Crisis or Turning Point in Our Nation?

Have you ever thought to yourself or said aloud? "America needs God." It is just that simple. America needs to turn back to God in conversation and in action.

On June 17, 1963 , by an 8-1 vote the United States Supreme Court ruled that school sponsored Bible reading in public schools was unconstitutional. (???)

The case removed God from public schools and altered the understanding of separation of church and state. Many more court cases in the 80's, 90's and 2000 have further cast long shadows on the subject and has removed the Ten Commandments for schools, banned prayer led by clergy and student-led prayer at high school football games. There are a lot of mis-understandings about separation of church and state by the public and schools! There are lots of mis-understandings about the US constitution.

In June of 2001 the U.S. Supreme Court made Equal Access in America more clear.

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Good News Club v. Milford Central School District June 11, 2001

It is legal to allow Good News Club® to meet in school facilities.

On June 11, 2001, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that Child Evangelism Fellowship® could have access to public school facilities to conduct Good News Clubs. The decision stated that Bible clubs such as the Good News Club must be given the same access to school facilities accorded any other non-school-related outside group.

In Good News Club v. Milford Central School District, the United States Supreme Court ruled that a public school which allows use of its facilities to secular groups may not discriminate against religious groups. The Good News Club case involved an adult-initiated and adult-led after-school religious club sponsored by Child Evangelism Fellowship. (CEF)

CEF in Illinois and the Southern Illinois Chapter has been training hundreds of volunteers from churches that partner with CEF to adopt-a-school and host and conduct an after-school Good News Club. The Good News Bible Club is for children in grades K-5th.

Volunteers attend a nine hour training, have a nation-wide background check and complete a Child Protection Policy class. CEF sponsors the Clubs and provides liability insurance to the school district.

CEF provides a registration form and every thing needed for host churches to teach the club.

Parents are given an opportunity to register their child if they wish. Every child who attends Club MUST have a signed and fully completed registration form. Club is 90 minutes, one day a week. Many parents who sign their children up for Club express to churches and volunteers their appreciation for taking the time to conduct a fun and meaningful after-school Bible Club.

Good News Club (GNC) teaches respect for authority, the importance of honesty, and kindness to all people. Each week there is a Bible lesson with application for life. Other club activities include memory verse lesson, songs, games, wonder-time, mission story, and a snack.

There are over 6,000 Good News Clubs meeting after-school in every state in the USA. Some states have time-release and GNC is offered during the school day. Illinois is NOT one of these states however, there will soon to be 18 active Clubs in Southern Illinois meeting immediately after-school.

If your church would like to adopt your local elementary school to host and conduct an after-school Good News Bible Club please CALL ME!

Robin

cefsi.com

Growing In The Midst Of A Global Pandemic!

Only God can do that! We are so thankful for the increase that God has given us in the Southern Illinois Chapter.

When the world shut down and schools closed CEF went hard to work to stay in touch with the kids who attend a Good News Clubs in the Southern Illinois.

CEF International Headquarters and CEF USA worked around the clock to produce online resources such as:

U-NITE TV https://unite.cefonline.com/

U-NITE a You Tube Channel for Kids https://www.cefonline.com/articles/videos/promotion-videos/u-nite-a-youtube-channel-for-kids/

U-NITE Radio for Kids https://www.cefonline.com/uniteradio/

The Southern Illinois Chapter sent Wonder Book Devotionals and other resources to host churches so that they could get them to the Good News Club kids in their community. We emailed lessons to Team Leaders to send to their club kids. Some of the clubs went virtual to still offer club to the children at home.

MOST OF ALL WE PRAYED! We had virtual prayer meetings and in-person prayer meetings when possible to meet in small groups or outdoors. We prayed for the children county by county, school by school.

When schools re-opened the Good News Club was there ready to receive those little ones to give them Good News.

John 3:16 says "For God so loved the world" - all the people in the world no matter what language they speak, where they live or the color of their skin. God loves every one of us because HE created us. HE understands our fears and HE cares.

When Jesus walked on the earth HE had a human body like us, but HE was still God the Son. While on earth HE cured many diseases and did other miracles. HE also taught people about God. But the reason HE came to earth was to make a way for us to be forgiven of our sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be nailed to a Cross, where HE bled and dead for our sin, HE dead, was buried and came alive again on the third day. Now HE is in Heaven preparing a place for those who believe in Him.

We plant, we often water but....Only God can bring the increase!

Photo of GNC at Vienna Grade School hosted and conducted by: Fellowship Baptist Church

Thank you for your partnership!