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CMI Institute
Graduation at the Children's Ministry Institute:
I was very honored to be asked to give my testimony during the graduation services.
Graduation Video
_Fellow classmate and local director to Hawaii, Ricardo Hosein, video taped the entire graduation and uploaded it to Youtube if you would care to watch. Moises Esteves, VP for USA Ministries delivered the graduation sermon.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2gFei_kGlw
Part 2- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESaasHf8308&feature=youtu.be
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2gFei_kGlw
Part 2- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESaasHf8308&feature=youtu.be
Week 9 & 10: Ministry Strategy and Development
Bev being analyzed for color by Lynne Herlein.
In this course I received instructions on the ins and outs of the local, state, and national organizations. The emphasis on the necessity of prayer was excellent. Some of the topics covered were:
• Developing a Prayer Program
• Raising Personal and Ministry Finances
• Developing Church Partnerships
• Promotion and Marketing
• Writing and Designing Effective Newsletters
• Designing for Media
• Strategic Planning
• Building Your Ministry Team
• Developing CEF Ministries
• Managing Your Office
On Saturday afternoon, we had the opportunity to have ourselves analyzed for what colors look the best on us by Lynne Herlein. I found out I'm a 'winter' which means no orange,gold, or browns but I'm suppose to look really good in bright, crisp colors. I think I need a trip to the mall for a whole, new wardrobe but Mike is being very doubtful about it! :-) (Big Sigh.)
Bev & Mike at CMI
• Developing a Prayer Program
• Raising Personal and Ministry Finances
• Developing Church Partnerships
• Promotion and Marketing
• Writing and Designing Effective Newsletters
• Designing for Media
• Strategic Planning
• Building Your Ministry Team
• Developing CEF Ministries
• Managing Your Office
On Saturday afternoon, we had the opportunity to have ourselves analyzed for what colors look the best on us by Lynne Herlein. I found out I'm a 'winter' which means no orange,gold, or browns but I'm suppose to look really good in bright, crisp colors. I think I need a trip to the mall for a whole, new wardrobe but Mike is being very doubtful about it! :-) (Big Sigh.)
Bev & Mike at CMI
Week 8: Distinctives of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF)
The Distinctives class held class such as:
• Historical Development of CEF
• Getting to Know CEF
• Committee/Director Relationships
• CEF Around the World
• Taking a Look at CEF Literature
• CEF - Ministry Opportunities/Ministry Staffing Program
One of the major focuses was on the 4 - 14 Global Summit in Singapore. The above video came from that summit. Over 700 heads of churches met together to look at where they should pin point their efforts to ensure the future of the church. They chose the 4 - 14 window because there is an 85% chance of a child coming to Christ and an 83% chance of that child staying in church through their adult life.
• Historical Development of CEF
• Getting to Know CEF
• Committee/Director Relationships
• CEF Around the World
• Taking a Look at CEF Literature
• CEF - Ministry Opportunities/Ministry Staffing Program
One of the major focuses was on the 4 - 14 Global Summit in Singapore. The above video came from that summit. Over 700 heads of churches met together to look at where they should pin point their efforts to ensure the future of the church. They chose the 4 - 14 window because there is an 85% chance of a child coming to Christ and an 83% chance of that child staying in church through their adult life.
Week 6 & 7: Instructor of Teachers (IOT)
What an intense two weeks but well worth the time and effort! Because of this training Sheri and Bev will be able to offer an accredited course in Teaching Children Effectively 1 for all who are interested in improving their skills in reaching and teaching children. Look for a course coming soon in a facility near you.
TCE 1 is a practical learning experience designed to equip students with basic skills and effective methods to evangelize children and immediately begin a neighborhood outreach ministry. Attention is focused on the spiritual condition of the child without Christ and the biblical basis for child evangelism. Emphasis is placed on organizing and conducting meaningful classroom activities which can enrich children spiritually. Through lectures, class interactions, demonstrations and practice, students will be introduced to methods of evangelism, such as the Wordless Book, the evangelistic Bible lesson and community outreach ministry.
Bev and Mike at CMI
TCE 1 is a practical learning experience designed to equip students with basic skills and effective methods to evangelize children and immediately begin a neighborhood outreach ministry. Attention is focused on the spiritual condition of the child without Christ and the biblical basis for child evangelism. Emphasis is placed on organizing and conducting meaningful classroom activities which can enrich children spiritually. Through lectures, class interactions, demonstrations and practice, students will be introduced to methods of evangelism, such as the Wordless Book, the evangelistic Bible lesson and community outreach ministry.
Bev and Mike at CMI
Week 5: Teaching Children Effectively 2 (TCE)
Emily and Miss Bev
In Teaching Children Effectively 1, students learned how to present the Gospel message within the context of the Bible lesson, songs, and memory verse. The emphasis was on evangelizing the children. But what do you do when a majority of the children are saved in your Good News Club? Do you keep evangelizing? The goal of CEF is to evangelize children, then disciple them, and help establish them in Bible believing churches. That is where Teaching Children Effectively 2 (TCE2) comes in.
TCE2 helps the GNC teacher move into the mode of discipling and helping the children grow in the Lord. No... we don't forget about the children who are not saved. The lessons include evangelization but the emphasis is on the saved child and challenging him/her to consecrate his life to the Lord Jesus.
The lesson presented as a practicum was God Chooses David to be King from our fall series on David. The lesson developed into hidden sin in the heart and how God still knows what is on the inside even though everything looks very nice and beautiful on the outside. It also set up for an object lesson the next time using tokens and a box.
Bev and Mike at CMI
TCE2 helps the GNC teacher move into the mode of discipling and helping the children grow in the Lord. No... we don't forget about the children who are not saved. The lessons include evangelization but the emphasis is on the saved child and challenging him/her to consecrate his life to the Lord Jesus.
The lesson presented as a practicum was God Chooses David to be King from our fall series on David. The lesson developed into hidden sin in the heart and how God still knows what is on the inside even though everything looks very nice and beautiful on the outside. It also set up for an object lesson the next time using tokens and a box.
Bev and Mike at CMI
Progressive Methods of Child Evangelism
Week 3 & 4.
For more click on the picture.
The class on Progressive Methods of Child Evangelism is a two week course with many hours devoted to the understanding of the biblical perspective regarding children. Jesus said their angels always behold the face of the Father. (Matt. 18:10)
We have looked at the different philosophies of child evangelism and have written a major defense paper to help us better understand why we evangelize children and do not wait until they are adults. Satan certainly doesn't wait until they are older. He starts as soon as he can using the sense gates of pleasure. Children can and do understand a loving Father in heaven and a Savior who died for them. James Dobson came to the Lord at the age of 3, Corrie Ten Boom at the age of 5, and Jonathan Edwards at the age of 7. The Barna Research Group did a study and found "people who became Christian before their teen years are more likely than those who are converted when older to remain absolutely committed to Christianity."
On the fun side, I attended a class on puppetry and face painting. Little Emily, the daughter of one of the students, was my model for many attempts at painting and she named my puppet Elizabeth which I shortened to Beth. Saturday, we were invited to the Big Kahuna picnic. Mike made a tie dye shirt and I worked on my defense paper until time to eat. (Does that seem right to you?) Until next time, keep praying for the children and the GNC's which are starting. Bev & Mike at CMI
We have looked at the different philosophies of child evangelism and have written a major defense paper to help us better understand why we evangelize children and do not wait until they are adults. Satan certainly doesn't wait until they are older. He starts as soon as he can using the sense gates of pleasure. Children can and do understand a loving Father in heaven and a Savior who died for them. James Dobson came to the Lord at the age of 3, Corrie Ten Boom at the age of 5, and Jonathan Edwards at the age of 7. The Barna Research Group did a study and found "people who became Christian before their teen years are more likely than those who are converted when older to remain absolutely committed to Christianity."
On the fun side, I attended a class on puppetry and face painting. Little Emily, the daughter of one of the students, was my model for many attempts at painting and she named my puppet Elizabeth which I shortened to Beth. Saturday, we were invited to the Big Kahuna picnic. Mike made a tie dye shirt and I worked on my defense paper until time to eat. (Does that seem right to you?) Until next time, keep praying for the children and the GNC's which are starting. Bev & Mike at CMI
Children's Ministry Institute (CMI), Warrenton, MO
Believing that ministry to children is crucial for world evangelization, the Children's Ministries Institute:
Prepares students to evangelize unreached children with the Word of God, disciple them and establish them in a local Bible-centered church through children's ministries training courses.
Equips them to offer practical training for adults desiring to have an impact on future generations through dynamic outreach ministries to children through teacher training courses.
Helps them to build the managerial and leadership skills needed for developing a children's ministry primarily in Child Evangelism Fellowship, and also in other missionary organizations through leadership development training courses.
Prepares students to evangelize unreached children with the Word of God, disciple them and establish them in a local Bible-centered church through children's ministries training courses.
Equips them to offer practical training for adults desiring to have an impact on future generations through dynamic outreach ministries to children through teacher training courses.
Helps them to build the managerial and leadership skills needed for developing a children's ministry primarily in Child Evangelism Fellowship, and also in other missionary organizations through leadership development training courses.
Teaching Little Kids. (Week 1)
Preschool children create a wide open mission field and is probably one of the least considered. With the influence of TV, electronic games, social media, etc., these children are already beginning to establish doubt and are losing their ability to trust. By the age of 5, children have gained half of what they will learn in their lifetime. Are they too young to learn about our loving Lord and make a decision for Christ? The statistics say no. It is an ideal time to begin sharing with them our Lord Jesus Christ and start them on a life-long path of serving our Lord and Savior.
I just finished the class called "Teaching Little Children" and being an educator for 26 years I figured I wouldn't learn a lot.
WOW! Was I ever surprised! The first thing I had to start working on was my use of language. Many of the words which normally flowed from my lips had to be changed. For example, God the Son became God with a body; believe with all your heart became believe with all your body, and there were many, many more. My timing of lessons and memory verses was now interrupted with movement, songs, and the senses. These active little bodies had to move, touch, taste, feel, hear, and see everything. Which they did at every opportunity.
Reaching these little ones for Christ moved very high on my list of priorities. Perhaps you or people you know would be willing to teach a half hour lesson in a day care or nursery school setting once a week. CEF Press has wonderful curriculum for the non-reader age and it is jammed packed with ideas, activities, stories, and yes memory verses in picture form. We will be glad to help train the team so you can talk/teach a child on his or her own level, and perhaps when you tell the story of Jesus Calms the Storm, you can be the one to spritz water over their heads.
I just finished the class called "Teaching Little Children" and being an educator for 26 years I figured I wouldn't learn a lot.
WOW! Was I ever surprised! The first thing I had to start working on was my use of language. Many of the words which normally flowed from my lips had to be changed. For example, God the Son became God with a body; believe with all your heart became believe with all your body, and there were many, many more. My timing of lessons and memory verses was now interrupted with movement, songs, and the senses. These active little bodies had to move, touch, taste, feel, hear, and see everything. Which they did at every opportunity.
Reaching these little ones for Christ moved very high on my list of priorities. Perhaps you or people you know would be willing to teach a half hour lesson in a day care or nursery school setting once a week. CEF Press has wonderful curriculum for the non-reader age and it is jammed packed with ideas, activities, stories, and yes memory verses in picture form. We will be glad to help train the team so you can talk/teach a child on his or her own level, and perhaps when you tell the story of Jesus Calms the Storm, you can be the one to spritz water over their heads.
Understanding Today's Child (Week 2)
Boring is not a word in my vocabulary these days and neither is free time. The main areas of learning this week consisted of Age Group Characteristics, Personality Development, Children at Risk, Teaching Children from Different Religious Backgrounds, and Adolescents. I tried to attend the Little Kid's class instead of the Adolescent's class but they wouldn't let me as I had taken the full course last week.
During the course of the week, there were many readings, an annotated bibliography of eight books, an information chart on one major religion based on class notes and personal research, a study group on single parent homes, a field trip to a local school for observations followed by a two page paper, and participation in a drama on the characteristics of two and three year-olds and oh yes, survived giving my testimony in front of the entire staff of CEF. My new friend, Kim, from Georgia and I decided we were tired by the end of the week.
On Friday, the teachers announced the four books we are to read during the next week and to enjoy our 'free weekend' because next weekend would be filled with writing a defensive paper of not more than twenty pages. Yipes! It's been over twenty years since I wrote a paper of that magnitude and that paper was my master's thesis at Kansas State University. I declared that I would never write another paper as long as I live. I should have known better...alas, the Lord always proves me wrong.
All in all, it is wonderful here and I am enjoying the classes, the learning and making new friends. I just hope my head can hold it all and doesn't leak on the way home in November.
Hope to have a slide show added later this week so you can see how beautiful the campus is.
Lots of love to all and keep helping children find Jesus. Also a big thank you to all who have helped in this endeavor. You are in my prayers and my thanks.
Bev
During the course of the week, there were many readings, an annotated bibliography of eight books, an information chart on one major religion based on class notes and personal research, a study group on single parent homes, a field trip to a local school for observations followed by a two page paper, and participation in a drama on the characteristics of two and three year-olds and oh yes, survived giving my testimony in front of the entire staff of CEF. My new friend, Kim, from Georgia and I decided we were tired by the end of the week.
On Friday, the teachers announced the four books we are to read during the next week and to enjoy our 'free weekend' because next weekend would be filled with writing a defensive paper of not more than twenty pages. Yipes! It's been over twenty years since I wrote a paper of that magnitude and that paper was my master's thesis at Kansas State University. I declared that I would never write another paper as long as I live. I should have known better...alas, the Lord always proves me wrong.
All in all, it is wonderful here and I am enjoying the classes, the learning and making new friends. I just hope my head can hold it all and doesn't leak on the way home in November.
Hope to have a slide show added later this week so you can see how beautiful the campus is.
Lots of love to all and keep helping children find Jesus. Also a big thank you to all who have helped in this endeavor. You are in my prayers and my thanks.
Bev
For more information:
CEF of Idaho Top Ten Counties Chapter (CEF Idaho Top10) Free online training is available. (click here)
PO Box
965
Kamiah, ID 83536
Beverly Wisdom, local director
[email protected]
208.935.7996
Reaching the 'unchurched' children
of northern Idaho with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Good News Clubs (GNC),
Jesus You Connection (JYC), 5 Day Clubs, and Christian Youth in Action
(CYIA).
PO Box
965
Kamiah, ID 83536
Beverly Wisdom, local director
[email protected]
208.935.7996
Reaching the 'unchurched' children
of northern Idaho with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Good News Clubs (GNC),
Jesus You Connection (JYC), 5 Day Clubs, and Christian Youth in Action
(CYIA).