In a Sunday morning worship service in early January 2015, I heard Pastor Wallace make an announcement requesting volunteers to serve in a Good News Club at Haynes Elementary. This thought immediately came to mind: I do not know what a Good News Club is, but if they can have one at Haynes, why can’t we have one at Hay Branch? This announcement challenged me to begin praying and scheduling conversations to learn more about a Good News Club.

On June 15, 2015, I met with my campus principal seeking permission to move forward with starting a Good News Club. With her permission, a meeting was scheduled for July 27, 2015, for current and former Hay Branch staff to learn more information about a Good News Club. Elaine Clark, now a member of First Baptist Church, came to my house to lead this meeting. Seven people attended this meeting, including Sherry Ward, who served on the Hay Branch team as the lead counselor.

The Good News Club at Hay Branch Elementary began on October 8, 2015, with 56 children in attendance. In this first semester of Good News Club, the attendance ranged from 56 to 60 children; three of these children prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior.

As I sat before the Lord early in the morning of October 17, 2015, He told me to get ready for 100 children in the spring. This preparation required much prayer and planning meetings with the leadership team. The Lord amazed us! He added nine volunteers to the leadership team, making a total of 20 Child Evangelism Fellowship volunteers. Good News Club attendance for the spring semester of 2016 ranged from 84 to 105.

In the fall semester of 2016 and the spring semester of 2017, the Lord continued adding volunteers to the Hay Branch team. The Lord worked mightily through His team of Child Evangelism Fellowship volunteers as they shared the Gospel of the Lord Jesus with children, many of which had never held a Bible in their hands nor attended church. The harvest continued. Nine children, in the spring of 2016, and twelve children, in the fall semester of 2017, prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior. My campus principal commented to me that the number of office referrals had decreased. She attributed this decrease to the positive difference that Good News Club was having on the campus.

It was my joy to serve as the Team Leader for six years, until my retirement from Killeen ISD in May 2022. During these six years of Good News Club, the average attendance was 81. A total of 65 children made decisions to receive Jesus into their lives as Savior.

During these years, many members of First Baptist Church served on the Good News Club leadership team.

In the fall of 2020, I began asking the Lord what He wanted me to do after my retirement from Killeen ISD. It was my desire to continue to serve Him. After many months of seeking His will in prayer, I knew He was calling me to be the Local Coordinator for Child Evangelism Fellowship in Central Texas.

On Sunday, October 17, 2021, Marquita Everson, the Local Director at that time, stopped me on the sidewalk outside of First Baptist Church. She asked me to begin praying about becoming the next leader. I replied, “Marquita, the Lord and I have been talking about this; I have told Him, ‘Yes.’” On May 5, 2022, Marquita stepped down as Local Director and passed the baton to me. (The Lord led Marquita to First Baptist Church in the summer of 2020. She became a member in April 2021.)

In the fall semester of 2022, Ted and Susan Andreas, members of First Baptist Church, started a Good News Club at Maude Moore Wood Elementary School. A total of eleven FBC members served as CEF volunteers in the Maude Moore Wood club and five FBC members served in the Hay Branch club during the 2022-2023 school year.

Most recently, members of First Baptist Church are beginning to serve in Party Clubs in addition to their service in a Good News Club. A Party Club is a one-day event, conducted with a “party” atmosphere, in which children hear the gospel and are given the opportunity to receive Jesus as their Savior.

Pastor Bud has given Child Evangelism Fellowship permission to conduct two Party Clubs at First Baptist Church this upcoming fall semester (2023). The “Ice Cream Message” will be conducted on Saturday, September 23 and “Backwards Birthday Bash” will be presented on Sunday, December 17. Registration forms will be given to the students at six elementary schools in Killeen ISD. It is our prayer for the Lord to bring us 112 children, many of whom will be unchurched. Members of First Baptist Church, who are trained Child Evangelism Fellowship volunteers, will serve in these Party Clubs, sharing the gospel and teaching the children about Jesus! It is our prayer, our vision, our desire, for the Lord to work mightily through these Party Cubs and begin to build relationships with these unchurched families! Children will be reached; the gospel will extend to their families; entire families will begin coming to First Baptist Church and receive Jesus as Savior.

It is my joy to serve the Lord as Local Coordinator for Child Evangelism Fellowship: Central Texas. I see the Lord at work. In the past few weeks, He has opened the Greater Waco area. Seven Party Clubs have been scheduled in McGregor, Robinson, and Hewitt. This is an exciting time!