For Such a Time as This
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing;
it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:8-10
[This testimony was written by Martha Clouse in October of 2022]
Perhaps the gospel was preached in the church our family attended sporadically when I was growing up. If so, I was not ready to hear and believe.
My freshman year of college, a friend in math class at OSU told me he had a personal relationship with God and knew he would see Jesus one day. I was intrigued and jealous. My friend shared a gospel tract with me, but I had a problem seeing myself as a sinner; I tried to be a good person and do what was right.
But God had started the work and over a period of 3-4 months I was seeking, hungry to know God personally. Through reading His Word and watching committed Christians’ lives, I became convinced that Jesus lives and surrendered my life to Him.
After marrying, my husband Jeff and I moved around while he served in the Army. Because I did not know Jesus as a child, I had a desire to give children the chance to trust Him early. I began teaching in Sunday school and VBS right away in our first few postings and learned God’s word right along with the children.
The Lord kept challenging me through Child Evangelism Fellowship staffers in different locations, teaching me how to share the Gospel with children more effectively. By this time, I had children of my own to nurture also.
In Columbus, Ga, I was required to attend CEF training for Sunday School teachers. I learned how to weave the gospel into any Bible lesson. That was a light bulb moment that changed how I taught children forever!
At West Point, NY, I wanted to hold a Good News Club in our home. The CEF staffer there, Beth Stone, was stretched thin, but said she would train my friend and I to teach the club ourselves. We met with her for 6 weeks. I learned that the gospel message should always be paired with a growth message for saved children! The Good News Club was such fun, and I trust God has used His Word to grow champions of faith.
That summer, a Kings College team came to do 5-Day Clubs, and we had one at our home. The next few churches we attended were small in attendance. I suggested doing 5-Day Clubs at homes rather than VBS.
For the next 8-10 years, I co-chaired those summer ministries, coordinating teams and church support for the clubs, as well as leading a 5-Day Club in our home. It was great to see children from our neighborhood excited to learn about Jesus and a blessing to see some trust Him for the 1st time, others grow in faith.
When I moved to Williamsburg in 2014, the Lord put me back into training. The latest CEF Training is such a treasure trove of how to use each segment of a 1-hour Good News Club! One session I love is on how to give a simple invitation that lets children trust Jesus NOW if the Holy Spirit is leading them. Specific training on how to counsel a child follows and is so necessary; to be sure the child understands the Gospel message.
God has kept His promise to never leave me. (Hebrew 13:5) As a Good Father, He continues to provide training in righteousness and in passing on His perfect gift – salvation through Jesus alone.
Right now, children need Jesus more than ever before. The uncertainty and isolation caused by Covid has hurt these little ones. Now, I am a volunteer CEF staff member. I want to encourage committed churches and individual Christians to get the free training CEF offers in order to effectively reach children through the after-school Good News Clubs.
What has the Lord led you through that equips you to make a difference “for such a time as this”? If you have a heart for children, I encourage you to attend the free training CEF offers. Your ministry will never be the same!
Contact Korey Kelley, CEF@cefpeninsula.com, for more information on Quick Start Training in Williamsburg during the month of October.
