CEF New Mexico circa 1939

Origins of Child Evangelism Fellowship

of New Mexico

 

CEF of New Mexico received a visit from founder, Mr. Jesse Overholtzer in 1936 which marked the beginnings of Child Evangelism Fellowship in the state. CEF's first director was Miss Mary Fought from West Virginia who began her work in 1949 and made it her priority to establish a strong CEF Board of Directors. This committee was made up of community and business leaders who later purchased a home in Albuquerque which was the state headquarters office until 2024. 

 

In addition to Good New Clubs, Mary started a sign language club in 1956 for the Santa Fe School for the Deaf as well as a summer camp at Mountain Conference Grounds. A young teen named Clare Weaver, gifted in sign language, became a club teacher and later a CEF New Mexico Director from 1965-68. Mary raised many financial supporters for the work and trained teen workers as Junior counselors and soon the ministry outgrew the camp. During the 1960's and 70's the ministry grew and so did the training of workers. The Albuquerque office became a key teacher training center for CEF New Mexico. God brought many leaders during this time and moved the ministry forward and new opportunities opened for After School Clubs and even a club in a woman's home.   

 

In 1987, Janice Johnson, a teacher at CEF Headquarters Children's Ministry Institute became the new CEF of New Mexico Director. Janice brought her excellent teaching skills to the ministry and a unwavering obedience to go wherever God called her. Janice chose for her first bible course to be in Chillili NM, a Spanish land grant community southeast of Albuquerque. She and two student teachers, who fortunately spoke Spanish, taught the course to children and all of them gave their hearts to Jesus. The club continued in that area until the local Catholic priest in the area shut down the clubs. Undeterred and with warnings from others, Janice chose other little villages and towns in the area and ran 5-Day clubs which were were very successful. God led Janice and her students to other villages in Mora Valley area and started Good News Clubs, some continuing into 2014, and After School Clubs in elementary schools. Janice served as CEF New Mexico till 1994 and is currently a missionary for CEF International. 

 

God continued to bring capable leadership for New Mexico through Skip and Betty Spaulding (1994-2004) and Edward Tate (2008-2014). CEF's growth in those years had been nothing but the touch of God's broken heart for children as the doors flung open for the gospel. Hundreds of volunteer teachers throughout the state brought the good news into public schools, recreation centers, churches in dozens of counties. 

 

God has called CEF to reach a multitude of children in New Mexico making the harvest field full. "Many hands make light work" - the Bible says it this way,"the harvest is full, but the laborers are few".  We invite you to join us in the most wonderful commission of reaching an unreached, unchurched, a lost people group - the children of New Mexico.  

Child Evangelism Fellowship

Global Impact

 

CEF® is a Bible-centered, interdenominational, worldwide organization, composed of born-again believers whose purpose and mission are to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, disciple them in the Word of God, and establish them in a Bible-believing church for Christian living. CEF has over 3,500 missionaries internationally, approximately 3,400 of whom are nationals. Out of those missionaries, 852 full-time workers serve across the USA and Canada with the help of an estimated 40,000 volunteers.

 

CEF was founded by Jesse Irvin Overholtzer in 1937. Growing up in a religious family, Jesse was convicted of his own sin at the age of 12 and sought counsel from his mother. He was told, “Son, you are too young.” It wasn’t until Overholtzer was in college that he heard the Gospel and trusted Christ as his Savior. Later as a pastor, Mr. Overholtzer read one of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons which stated, “A child of five, if properly instructed, can, as truly believe and be regenerated, as an adult.” The Lord used this statement in Mr. O’s life to lead him to begin the ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship when he was 60 years old. The ministry has grown into the largest evangelistic outreach to children in the world. CEF is currently ministering in countries around the world and in every state in the U.S.