CEF is a world leader in training children's workers for effective classroom ministry. Our goal is to help those who have a vision for ministry to children to be as effective as they can be in teaching Biblical truth to children. Individuals who have been Sunday School and Club teachers for many years are surprised and impressed with how much they can learn and grow in their ministry through CEF training. CEF Ontario offers a number of different training opportunities and we will do our best to package something to fit your particular needs.

CEF offers almost 30 seminars for children's workers. Each is 45 – 60 minutes in length. These seminars are often taught in conferences, but even more frequently in churches that wish to arrange a special event for the children's workers. A CEF staff member can be present to offer a single seminar, or you can plan up to a whole day of training by selecting from the list of seminars below.

1-2-3 Jesus Loves Me (this seminar is a prerequisite to both Life-changing Bible Lessons, and Guiding a Child to the Saviour): Help children understand the Message of Salvation. An overview of foundational truths is discussed and then a method of using symbol flashcards to present the Message of Salvation to children is taught.

Life-changing Evangelistic Bible Lessons: Learn how to prepare and present the Bible lesson in an interesting way so that the children will not only listen, but be challenged to apply its truths to their own lives. The practical skill of drawing the gospel out of the lesson will also be taught. This principle may be used with any curriculum.

Drawing in the Net: This class presents principles and procedures for giving a salvation invitation in a children's program. It also answers the question "Why should you give an invitation?"

Guiding a Child to the Saviour: This workshop addresses the steps to follow when counselling a child who has indicated that he wants the Lord Jesus Christ to be his personal Saviour. General counselling of children is also discussed briefly.

The Final Authority: Why evangelise children? What do the Scriptures say about this? Can a child be born again? This seminar answers these questions and gives real life examples of adults who became believers as children.

Teachers That Touch Lives: This workshop covers such questions as "What is Teaching? What is Christian Teaching?, How important is the Teacher? Can you tell where your students are spiritually? How should I prepare for my class?" The teacher is challenged to be a person committed to being used by God to touch lives for eternity.

Confidential – For Your Heart Only: This seminar explores the absolute necessity for

1. Personal preparation
2. Personal observation
3. Personal application of the Word of God as a prerequisite to teaching.

I'm Not Too Little: What are pre-schoolers like mentally, socially, physically, emotionally and spiritually? The question "How do you teach pre-schoolers?" will be answered with practical suggestions and ideas. Memorization, Discipline, and Music will also be discussed.

From A Child's Perspective: How well do you know the children you teach? This seminar discusses the value of knowing your children, understanding the variety of ways they learn, and offers practical ideas that will help you teach.

Discover Your Child's World: Age-group characteristics are discussed in relation to the types of responses we as teachers can expect from our children. Their relationships with their peers, their families, and those in authority over them are also looked at. Questions such as, "What spiritual truths can be taught to each age group?" are answered in this seminar.

Managing Your Classroom: The causes for discipline problems are discussed under the following headings: The Children, The Room, and The Teacher. We will then look at practical and effective ways to prevent these problems.

I Will Sing a New Song: Help children not only enjoy the music in your program but also deepen their faith in Jesus Christ. Visualized songs will be available on a variety of subjects such as salvation, Christian growth, prayer, missions, worship and witnessing. We will discuss how to teach a new song, and the importance of selecting the types of songs that suit your children and your program.

Review Can Be Exciting! Review is important, not only to reinforce good teaching, but also to evaluate previous teaching. Come and discover a variety of games and types of questions that will be fun, and will also encourage the learning process.

Foundations For Life: Learn how to teach the memorisation of the Word of God so that the children in your class will not only remember the words of Scripture, but also understand them and apply them to their own lives.

Around the Corner—Around the World: This seminar teaches how to incorporate a missions segment into your class hour. Ways to teach Missions are presented under the headings: Knowing, Praying, Giving, Going. Visualised missionary biographies are also recommended.

Visualize or Fossilize: Learn to use visual aides effectively so as to enhance learning in your class. Many types of visuals are discussed especially in relation to the ages of your children.

Basic Steps to Maturity: This seminar covers, not only the need to teach new Christians, but also the way to teach in order to produce Spiritual growth. Teachers are encouraged to help the child understand his new life.

Life – changing Growth Bible Lessons: The preparation and presentation of a Bible Lesson that includes the gospel message and also challenges the Christian child with applications specifically suited to their lives as young believers.

Gourmet Food for the Soul: This workshop presents ways to encourage your children to have a daily devotional time. It addresses the importance of a quiet time and also ways children can read the Scriptures so that they can understand it and apply it to their daily lives.

Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving: Learn how to teach your children to pray. Prayer in general is discussed along with different types of prayers. This is a practical class and will certainly help you as the teacher to encourage your children to have their personal quiet time, and also to pray out loud in class.

Where He Leads Me I Will Follow: In this seminar we will be discussing how to teach children about God's will for their lives. We will see what the Scriptures have to say concerning God's guidance and learn some basic principles we can teach our children.

Speak Up – Speak Out: Train children to share their faith, not only in what they say, but also in how they live. Basic questions about witnessing are addressed; several methods are demonstrated; teachers are taught how to encourage their children to express themselves clearly and to share their faith in a natural way.

One Step at a Time: We as believers know that because of Christ in our lives, we can have victory over sin. This seminar helps you, in a very practical way, teach this wonderful truth to your children.

Developing Knowledgeable Children: Learn how to teach doctrine in a very simple way. This workshop teaches why we need to teach doctrine, and explores some of the doctrines that can be taught through your lesson and other parts of the class programme. An excellent way to teach why we believe what we believe.

Tweeners: Are you having difficulties teaching your 11-14 year olds and holding their attention? This workshop will help you to understand who they are and what will attract their interest. Be prepared to think outside the box and radically alter your approach and teaching methods. You will find this workshop to be of great value as you are given practical suggestions and the opportunity to actually prepare a lesson.

Developing a Biblical World View in Children: Our children are bombarded by secular attitudes to life. This seminar shows teachers how to build fences for our children so that they can change worldly thinking into godly principles and practices. See how you can to teach kids to view the world around them through God's eyes. You will work through the issues, materials and steps that need to be taken into consideration in order to ensure that children are taught a proper Biblical Worldview. Learn how to guide children to look for truth and then use truth in their daily lives.

Spiritual Parenting: Many well-intentioned Christian parents are falling short in their responsibility to pass their faith on to their children. Accepting responsibility for the spiritual development of their children means parents must be intentional about helping their kids learn about God, learn about the Bible, and come to faith in Christ. This seminar provides practical guidance for parents who want to be deliberate in building faith in the lives of their children.

Grandparents and a Legacy of Faith: Grandparents can play a very important role in the spiritual development of their grandchildren. This seminar provides practical guidance and help for grandparents who want to leave a legacy of faith for the children in their family.

Children's ministry leaders and workers who are interested in a higher level of training may wish to take CEF's two 30-hour Teaching Children Effectively courses. Level one has a focus on evangelistic ministry i.e. preparing evangelistic lessons and teaching the unsaved child. Level two focuses on discipleship ministry. i.e. preparing growth lessons and teaching the Christian child.

Each course involves in-class demonstrations and student evaluations. A certificate is awarded following the successful completion of the post-course practical requirements.

TCE Level one is a pre-requisite for TCE Level 2.

TCE courses are offered at various times and locations throughout the year. Most are presented over a series of consecutive Friday evenings and Saturdays. Periodically they are offered at the CEF Ontario Apps Ridge Camp & Training Centre, full time Monday to Friday.

Click here to find out when the next TCE course is being offered.

For those who are interested in a high level of training for children's ministry, perhaps in preparation for a vocation in this field of ministry, CEF International offers the 12-week Children's Ministry Institute. For information about this comprehensive training please click here.

For two weeks each summer, typically beginning on the last Sunday of June, CEF Ontario offers the Summer Training Institute. This is designed primarily for those teens and young adults who are committed to working with CEF during six weeks of summer ministry. They will learn principles and techniques important to any children's worker, and will receive training specific to that year's 5-Day Club ministry program. On completion they will be fully prepared to embark, with their partner, on a summer of ministry to children.

Every year we receive some students who are not planning to work for the summer as CEF missionaries. They are sent to STI by their church to receive training, and return home to work in their own church's summer ministry program. There are limited training spots available for these students, so churches that want this training should apply early to secure a reservation. Click here for a STI only registration form or visit our CYIA page for more info.

Several times each year CEF Ontario offers special training retreat weekends at its Apps Ridge Camp & Training Centre. Training normally begins after dinner on Friday and concludes at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Each event has a different training focus. Churches are encouraged to send two or three of their key leaders, so discounts are offered for multiple registrations from the same church. Meals and accommodation are included.

Click here for a schedule of our weekend retreats scheduled for 2012.

CEF Ontario Provincial Director, Rob Lukings, is a frequent guest speaker in church services and conferences. Rob's special emphasis is to encourage vision and understanding of the importance of ministry to children. Several other members of the CEF Ontario staff are also available for church ministry. Please contact our office to arrange for a speaker for your church or special event.