Child Evangelism Fellowship

The Children's Evangelism Fellowship ( CEF ) is an evangelical Christian mission oriented work, which has made it its mission to teach children the gospel of Jesus Christ, of course. The international designation of the movement is Child Evangelism Fellowship ( CEF).

History

As the initiator of KEB applies the German -American pastor J. Irvin Overholtzer ( 1877-1955 ). By Charles Haddon Spurgeon motivated writings on child evangelism, he was looking for creative ways to spread the gospel in a child- modern way. 1937 evolved from these beginnings, the Child Evangelism Fellowship. The German branch of this international organization was founded in 1949.

Organization and statistics

The CEF ( CEF) today operates in over 153 countries. It employs around 2,500 full-time and 40,000 volunteers worldwide. The headquarters of the international CEF organization located in Warrenton (USA).

In Europe are currently 500 full-time employees in 42 countries operate. Headquarters of the European KEB is Kilchzimmer Lange Bruck in Switzerland.

The German -language branch currently has 50 employees working in 17 regional bodies. In addition, the German KEB employs 30 Missionaries who are working abroad.

The CEF is a member of the Association of Evangelical Missions (AEM ).

Workspaces

Direct work with children

In the direct work with children children's home groups are supported, conducted retreats and support churches and communities in children's weeks, childhood and family worship. Furthermore, the KEB introduces children proselytizing by campsites, swimming pools and gardens. One aim of children evangelism is also to gain access to the children's parents.

Bible lessons for children

As part of the so-called mailbox Clubs Bible correspondence courses and devotional books for children from 8 years are offered. The Mailbox Club was established in early 2002.

Internet

Child Evangelism Fellowship movement operates a website for children, the evangelical themes conveyed in Internet games to children. In the center of personal faith is in Jesus Christ as Savior and Creator of the world. As creator he is represented, for example, in the game " Space Patrol Discovery ". There is said that the world was not created by a big bang and that by chance alone and evolution, life on Earth could be brought ". Unfortunately, none of the previous scientific theories of a precise and objective stand up to scrutiny " At the end of the game is summarized that Christians believe: " There is indeed a creator who made ​​everything! The everything has planned! "

History telephone for children

In several cities, KEB operates the so-called history of the phone. It is an evangelical announcement service which is similar to a Bible phone, but is specifically geared towards children. Every week a new 3- minute program for children ages 6 and up will be created in which events from the Bible or Christian short adventure stories are presented as a radio play for children. Sometimes more extensive biblical narratives are divided into multiple shipments. The purpose is mainly to evangelism and missionary work.

The first story phone was set up in 1992 in Kaiserslautern. At that time the Kindermissionarin Elfriede Grotz began with the production of three-minute devotions for kids that are available by telephone. There are now 182 locations in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg, where the history of telephone can be reached at the local rate in the fixed network and is supported by respectively local communities as a contact. According to the initiators of about 5,000 children and young people choose the biblical narratives on a regular basis. Even adults will often show an interest in the remarks.

Meanwhile, the manuscripts in Paraguay, the Philippines, in Macedonia and Kazakhstan have been translated into the local language.

Publication of materials

The KEB are extensive materials to work out with and evangelism among children who are discharged partly free, partly sold. These include numerous books, songs folders, Flanellbilder and Arches.

Controversy

While the KEB is hardly noticed in the German-speaking area of the media, an intense public controversy about the Child Evangelism Fellowship will be held in the United States. Was triggered by the decision of the Supreme Court in 2001 that operated by the CEF " Good News Clubs " access to schools should not be denied. Critics complained that the court had not sufficiently taken into account that the children were too young to distinguish the offer of the Good News Club from the official school offer. Associations such as " Americans United for the Separation of Church and State " see the U.S. principle of separation of religion and state in danger and are in favor of that public schools should have the right to religious groups to deny access to school. The Good News Clubs, however, argued for equal treatment with other extracurricular groups, such as scouts or chess clubs.