Being the Church

BEING THE CHURCH

A WELCOME INFLUENCE ON A LOCAL SCHOOL CAMPUS

by Crissy Cochran

In 2016, my oldest child started kindergarten in the public school system. I was terrified. The anti-christian teachings that are being implemented had left me stricken with fear of what my child would be exposed to. I sought counsel from other women in our church and was quickly reminded the One who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world. It was then that God opened my eyes to the spiritual influence my child and our family could have at his school. I had a revelation of how much the public schools need our Christian children to show the love of God and I asked God how we could be used to further His kingdom.

He answered quickly.

Soon after, I learned about Good News Clubs from a lady, now friend, who shared about them at our women’s Bible study. Good News Clubs are a program of Child Evangelism Fellowship. GNCs are after school Bible clubs that meet for an hour once a week and are structured much like a Sunday School class with worship songs, a Bible lesson, games and snacks. I quickly signed up. It took a few months of prayer and guidance but God paved the way. Not only did we receive the district’s approval, but we also had use of a teacher’s classroom, accommodations made by the principal, snacks and donations were given by family members, and over 30 kids showed up on the first day with parent permission slips in hand. Hallelujah!

In our second year of Good News Club our membership rose to over 50 kids and 37 of them accepted Jesus as their Savior. Can I get an Amen? I thought to myself what Jacob said, Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.

Last fall I took a casual inventory in club to see who goes to church regularly. “Ok kids! How many of you are going to church this Sunday?” Only a few kids raised their hands and enthusiastically shouted out their church names.The reality is most kids in GNC’s don’t attend church on a regular basis, and half of those non-attenders only go on Christmas and Easter.

“This is my church!” One little boy proclaimed proudly. “Good News Club is my church!” My heart rejoiced and ached simultaneously.

I know this little guy and his family personally. I know the struggles of life circumstances that his family goes through--double work shifts on the weekends to make ends meet hardly allows for a sabbath. Their reality considers a church routine a luxury they can’t afford.

His proclamation to name Good News Club his church, which would make me his pastor, tells me how vital my role is in his life and other children like him. Our Good News Club is the only regular spiritual feeding most kids will get. We have 1 hour once a week to share the Word and make it applicable to their little lives--praying each word is planted and taking root in their young hearts.

I have to remember that my time with these kids is precious with extreme eternal significance. My anxiety of what the school would teach my children had changed to a heart passion of how we can be an influence at the school.

Many are needed to make Good News Clubs happen at our public schools; however, few are able and willing. God has commissioned some of us to be the church on school campuses and I’m up for the task. Are you?

If you would like to connect with a Good News Club and show the love of God on a Bakersfield school campus, contact Crissy at goodnewsclub@canyonhills.com

Crissy Cochran is a wife and mother of 3 school age children. She is the Good News Club coordinator at a local elementary school and has been attending Canyon Hills since 2003.