I guess every Good News Club leader asks the same question,
“Why is it taking so long to see fruit?”
We had been going non-stop at two clubs in Carrollton and not one student had budged – or for that matter, even shown interest in accepting Christ.
Were we doing something wrong? Was God trying to tell us something? Did we fail to keep our focus on Him? You know the questions that run through your mind when kids don’t even act interested.
We had already gone a full semester and now we were halfway into the second semester. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the harvest came. It started in our small club of 35 kids who were considerably younger. We managed the regular schedule, but the kids were hard to keep quiet on that day.
When we gave the invitation, six kids all of the sudden rose up. I wish I could have captured the look of panic and exultation in our eyes. Workers were scrambling to get their Bibles and a place to speak in a less noisy environment. Our hearts leaped with joy when two accepted Jesus as their Savior. The others were very close; but weren’t quite ready.
Word spread like wildfire within our church. Prayers were being answered and God was working a work.
Now, for our other club.
This club was even less interested (we supposed) than the younger club. We had many that had fallen out because they were “bored.” The predominant age in this group was 10-12. I knew they were the perfect age to accept Jesus; but they just didn’t seem to have the “want to.”
On this day, a book fair was going on in the library, so we didn’t get to meet in our regular spot. They put us in a room twice as small as the library and we happened to have 44 kids that day! They were sitting all over the floor and at the tables with as many chairs as we could find.
Understandably, they were rambunctious and full of life! We even had to use a whistle to get them to listen. There wasn’t a moment that they were all listening and sitting still. By the time the lesson was finished, we just chalked it up as another Good News Club in the books.
But then, our teacher said, “If you want to know more about how to accept Jesus as your Savior, go to one of these workers.” It was as if the flood gates were opened! Fifteen children popped up and started going to any worker that was available. Some workers were showing the plan of salvation to two or three at a time!
Oh weary Good News Club leaders, God is doing a work! These kids had been bathed in prayer BY NAME every week and the whole of Northside Baptist Church was behind us supporting us in every way. God will deliver a harvest in His time (probably when you least expect it). Our cup runneth over!
P.S. I am still smiling!
Beth Banning is a longtime faithful Good News Club leader. Her testimony is an inspiration and encouragement to the CEF Dallas staff and we hope it is to you as well. Beth alludes to the longevity of the efforts at these clubs, and you can read more about how one of the clubs began in an earlier blog post here.