13 Years of Reaching a New Generation of Kids for Christ

So much has happened in these past thirteen years of Kids for Christ USA that sometimes I forget what all has happened, so for the sake of the many of you who did not "live it" like I did, I am going to take a journey through time.

In the tail end of 2000 I was just a residential window cleaner on hiatus from children's ministry. I was working with youth at the church I attended, while I prepared for the next step in ministry, which I thought was moving to my wife's home state and starting a church. I had all these ideas, or pieces of a vision that didn't seem to fit together until I realized that God's plan was KFCUSA; not me becoming "Pastor Bob." 

We launched in January 2001 at the school my sons attended. My oldest son was in third grade and my middle son was in kindergarten. Once we were granted permission to start our club, God dropped a bigger vision into my heart. One that I couldn't fathom how to achieve, and as a mater of fact, has been reshaped several times over the years.

On the first day of the first club, with 77 kids and 12 decisions for Christ, I had no idea that this was only the first of tens of thousands still to come, in just the next thirteen years. Now we work with and/or have assisted over 120 clubs across the USA.

We have seen young children grow to become amazing leaders in their schools, and even colleges. In fact, one of my favorite programs of KFCUSA is mentoring a group of student leaders that run FUSE, the secondary school's version of Kids for Christ. I have gotten to walk with this group of eighteen students from the time they were 8th graders through their senior year, as they learn to plan meetings, lead worship, minister and simply love their peers. In fact I have been privileged to write letters of recommendation towards scholarships for four students in the past three years. All four were awarded significant scholarships. 

I have written a book that has been instrumental in launching clubs across the nation. One such story was a lady in Iowa who read my book, called me and then went out and started a club. It has grown into five clubs in her area over the last five years. This has happened in many times over. 

So many stories I could share, so many indelible marks made by the love of God in the lives of kids. I was just told last week of a team member who gives bibles to children who don't have one. (He does this at his own expense.) He asked one of the little girls, who had received one, if she was reading it. She replied, "I read it when I can, but my mom doesn't like the Bible and I don't want to make her mad. I like it and I love Jesus, that is why I come to Kids for Christ. If it wasn't for Kids for Christ I wouldn't get to go to church." 

I honestly believe I could write another book filled with just the testimonies of the children and families touched by KFCUSA through the years. I am so thankful for the opportunity to speak into children's lives and inspire so many of them to go after God with all their hearts, as well as  helping adults to reach out to the schools, and be a part of touching so many precious lives. 

--Bob Heath