At our HQ, half of our students enrolled in our FREE Bible Correspondence Lessons Program are adult prisoners who have come to Christ for salvation, and half are children. At our other CBM locations across the country, 90-100% of the students enrolled in the Bible Correspondence Lessons Program are children.

CBM is a Global Ministry, and Townsend is where our Headquarters are located. Learn more about our 7 beautiful cabins that are open to churches, groups, and families, as well as our 24 locations of ministry, Missions Internship Program, and more, TuckaleecheeReatreatCenter.com

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Teaching Bible lessons to children is like planting seeds of faith in fertile soil.
These early experiences can blossom into a lifelong relationship with God. However, creating engaging, memorable,
and age-appropriate Bible lessons can be challenging. Here are some tips and ideas to help you nurture the spiritual growth of the young ones in your care.

Tips and Ideas to Teach Bible Lessons to Children

1. Make It Interactive and Fun

Children learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process.
Turn Bible stories into interactive experiences by using crafts, games, and role-playing. For example,
you can create a Noah’s Ark craft where children make their own animal pairs to go into the ark, or have them act out the story of David and Goliath using simple costumes and props.

2. Use Visual Aids

Visual aids can help children understand and remember Bible stories better.
Use colorful pictures, videos, and flannel board stories to bring the lessons to life. You can also use a children’s Bible with illustrations to make the stories more engaging.

3. Relate to Their Lives

Help children see how Bible lessons apply to their own lives. Discuss real-life situations where they can
practice the values they learn, such as kindness, honesty, and forgiveness. For instance, after teaching the story of the Good Samaritan,
you can talk about ways they can be a “Good Samaritan” in their school or neighborhood.

4. Encourage Questions and Discussions

Children are naturally curious and may have many questions about the Bible.
Create an open and welcoming environment where they feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their thoughts.
This will help them develop a deeper understanding of the lessons and how they relate to their faith.

5. Reinforce Lessons with Music and Songs

Songs and music are powerful tools for reinforcing Bible lessons. Choose songs that are
related to the stories you teach, and encourage children to sing along. This not only helps them remember the lessons
but also makes the learning experience joyful and engaging.

6. Foster a Sense of Community

Creating a sense of community among the children is essential for their spiritual growth.
Plan group activities that allow them to work together and build friendships. This can include group prayers
, Bible-themed games, and collaborative crafts. A strong sense of community will help them feel connected to their faith and each other.

7. Keep It Simple and Age-Appropriate

Tailor your lessons to the age and developmental level of the children. Use simple language
and concepts that they can understand. For younger children, focus on the basic themes of love, kindness,
and God’s presence in their lives. For older children, you can delve into more complex topics and encourage deeper discussions.

8. Be a Role Model

Children learn a lot by observing the adults in their lives. Be a positive role model by
demonstrating the values and behaviors you teach. Show them how you live out your faith through your actions, words, and attitude.

9. Incorporate Memory Verses

Encourage children to memorize key Bible verses.
This helps them internalize the lessons and gives them a foundation to draw upon in their daily lives.
Make it fun by using songs, actions, and games to help them remember the verses.

10. Pray Together

Prayer is a vital part of teaching Bible lessons. Begin and end each lesson with a prayer,
and encourage the children to participate. This helps them develop a personal relationship with God
and understand the importance of prayer in their faith journey.

Teaching Bible lessons to children is a rewarding and impactful ministry.
By making the lessons interactive, relatable, and fun, you can help nurture their faith and plant seeds that will grow throughout their lives.
Remember to be patient, loving, and creative, and trust that God will guide you in this important work.

Here is a link to more information about we have to offer: https://childrensbibleministries.net/camps/correspondence

Learn more: https://www.cbmcamp.com/brt

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By CBM National intern, Paul Daly –

Jesus said to “love your neighbor” but “Who is my neighbor?” the lawyer tested Jesus. In his mind, neighbors were those that were of his nationality and religion. His neighbor was the man that was a Jew, like him. The lawyer’s intention behind the question was flawed. Nevertheless, Jesus’ intention behind His answer was different, and His response teaches us a profound lesson about what He expects from us.

Rather than answering, “A Jew should love a Jew,” like I believe the lawyer wanted to hear, Jesus tells him a story. Jesus never reveals the nationality or religion of the main protagonist; instead, He refers to him as simply “a man.” He was beaten by robbers and left for dead. A priest walked by, saw the man, and ignored him. A Levite walked by, saw the man, and ignored him. But it wasn’t until the Samaritan saw him that the man in Jesus’ story was helped.

The Good Samaritan was not the neighbor that Jesus’ interrogator was expecting. The Good Samaritan was a stranger, an annoyance, and an enemy. He was not of the Jewish lawyer’s nationality, religion, or political standing.

Every day, I walk into an apartment complex full of modern day Samaritans and help them with their homework. These people have different nationalities, religions, and politics, but to Jesus, they are my neighbor and need genuine love. They are Congolese, Nepali, Karen, Afghani, and Iraqi. Some of them are Christians, and some of them are Muslim. Their names are Hassan, Michel, Seraphin, Fatema, Mustafa, Ariette, Taha, and Aung, among many, many others. These are our neighbors, Church.

A couple Friday nights ago, I visited a boys’ Bible study led by a missionary who lives in the apartment complex. Twenty-one refugee boys sat in a small living room, silent and respectful, as the missionary explained why Jesus had to suffer on the cross for us. It was beautiful, inspiring, and a demonstration of how God can show Himself mighty, beginning with Homework Help.

We are totally different than Jesus, yet He counted us as His neighbor. He loved us enough to do much more than help us – He obediently gave up His very life to save us. If Jesus can love a sinner like me, I can love my neighbors, such as the refugees.

Find a neighbor. Learn their name. Learn their culture. Learn their needs. Love them first, and then, when the opportunity is open, intentionally introduce them to your Savior.

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Luke 10:36-37

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Written by Ryanne Stout

Today was the picture of one of the hardest things about my job. This morning we got the call that one of our lambs was leaving later today. It’s been a busy week and was already shaping up to be a busy weekend before we got that call. 

Working at an orphanage is an emotional roller coaster. There are so many ups and downs while a child is with us. We see them processing and dealing with whatever it was that landed them here in the first place which for all our kids is some sort of abuse. Often, they have to reconcile the desire to go back to what was their normal with being out of that bad situation. Most of them go through phases of acting out before we get to know them for who they really are.

We love them, we show them Jesus, we help them learn new things, and then they leave. 

We always circle around them and pray over them on their departure day. I cry every single time. 

The hardest part is not knowing the situation they’re going into or worse yet, knowing that they are going back into the same situation where the abuse happened. Now, don’t get me wrong, it would be amazing if they could go back to their families in a safe way. While they are here, we know that they are getting three meals a day, they’re in school, and they have everything they need. None of that is a guarantee when they leave. But what can we do?

It would be easier to become callous. To distance myself from the kids and only spend time with them when they are with the horses. It would be easier not to love on them and become attached. It would be easier to not feel the way I do every time someone leaves. 

Being a missionary isn’t easy. Living in a different country than your family isn’t easy (especially in the middle of the craziness these days). Loving on people for months knowing that one day they’ll leave, and you may never see them again, isn’t easy. 

Some days the only thing I can do is ask myself “do you believe God is who He says He is?”  and then I remind myself who He says He is. He is good. He is faithful. He is with us always. He is our strength, our hiding place, our rear guard, our help, our hope. He is working out all things for good according to His purpose. 

I know with every fiber of my being that God has called me to this place for this season. There are days like today when I have to preach to myself the Truth of who God is. On those days I feel like I’m holding onto the knowledge that God has called me here with white knuckles. God often calls His people into hard places. Sometimes walking in faith looks like staying in a hard place and loving people well even when you know you will end up getting hurt. 

Today as we were praying over the girl leaving, I was reminded of this:

God loves her more than I do. He wants the best for her more than I do. He can watch over her better than I can. He will be with her when I can’t. And I can trust Him to do that because He is trustworthy.

It isn’t always easy to be where God has called you, but sometimes faith stays in hard places. 

The Lord GOD is my strength [my source of courage, my invincible army];

He has made my feet [steady and sure] like hinds’ feet

And makes me walk [forward with spiritual confidence] on my high places [of challenge and responsibility].

Habakkuk 3:19 AMP

Ryanne Stout is a CBM missionary who serves with Little Lambs Orphanage in Jalapa, Guatemala. Ryanne runs a horse therapy ministry for the orphans. To learn more about the ministry follow them on Facebook. 

CLICK HERE

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By CBM Mission Team

Here are our mission team updates.

Zachary Douthit

I haven’t done many things but I can mark off going on a mission trip overseas. For the mission trip this year we went to Ukraine. We went to two places there: Desna, a large military base out in the country of around 10,000 soldiers and Bilogordka a small town outside of Kyiv the capital of Ukraine. We were going to help run the camps that the Churches there were running. My task was to prepare a lesson to teach the teens.

In Desna, we did a lot of stuff with the kids like sing silly songs, play games, and do a craft. Then we’d hang out with the teens in the evening. Pastor Igor’s testimony shows the awesome power of God to change lives. Igor grew up in Desna and got into drugs and stealing. He was arrested and then he realized that he was either going to end up dead or in prison. He gave his life to Christ and now is the pastor of the church in Desna and also on the city council! On top of that, some of the people he committed crimes with go to the church in Desna.

On Saturday, a few of us played in a basketball tournament. We had no details about this event other than the sport that we were playing. When we got there, we quickly realized that this was a real tournament and we they were skilled. We played and to our credit we didn’t get shut out and got fourth place out of five teams. On Sunday, we walked around Kyiv and looked at the old orthodox churches and did some shopping at some street vendors. We ate lunch at possibly the best McDonalds in the world and that’s something because I don’t like fast food.

The next place we went was a small town outside of Kyiv named Bilogordka. The church service in Bilogordka was amazing. There was more worship music than what we do here at home but it was spaced out in the service. There was also a time when Johnathan and I gave our testimonies and Stephen Holmes preached. The camp there was similar to the one in Desna except for one small detail: the young people ran the camp! We played a pick-up game of soccer and I haven’t played in a while so it was nice to play with them. 

One thing that gets emphasized a lot in the internship is flexibility and we got our flexibility muscles stretched. Many things that we had planned for were changed. The first thing that happened even before we left for the trip was that two of our team member’s passports didn’t come in time and they could not go. The children spoke mostly Russian which affected our Bible verse lessons and a few songs we had prepared in Ukrainian. Also, because the children in both areas were unfamiliar with the Gospel, we mainly focused on teaching that which changed some the lessons we had prepared. In spite of whatever hiccup we had, we adapted and most importantly we were there to serve God and help the Ukrainians.

I enjoyed my short time in Ukraine and I hope I can go back there for longer.

Jonathan Evans

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to go to the Ukraine and lead the games with the local believers. It’s an experience that I’ll never forget. My favorite memory was communicating with the locals. Even though we didn’t understand each other’s language we still were able to communicate by hand signals. It just shows that when there’s a will there’s a way. When things got lost in communication it added a twist to the game that usually made it more enjoyable. Even if the game doesn’t go as planned seeing the joy on the children/teenager’s faces made me remember the bigger picture. 

Rainey Rowell

This trip was absolutely amazing! God worked in so many ways from getting us there, keeping us healthy and being with us as we were far away from family. We planned and went into the week thinking we knew what we were doing but we did not know at all that would happen, which brings in our favorite word here in the internship: FLEXIBILITY. We had to change things to meet the needs of the church/people we were serving but it all went great. I loved that all the people there in the Ukraine were so nice to us. We got to teach them some cool handshakes and how to speak a bit of English and they showed us some amazing food and how to speak Ukraine and Russian. I loved it! All in all, it was an amazing experience that God allowed me to have and I thank Him for everything.

Kaytie Davis 

I started my day off with prayer that I wouldn’t get sick on the flight. There was so much prayer put into this trip I can’t even explain! The weeks before we left, we saw the spiritual war going on. Passports coming late, team members coming from all over and worried we might have been exposed to sickness (None of us were!). There were feelings of anxiety, depression, and being unprepared, or confused on what to do. Our team never left the spiritual war!  We prayed daily together and for each other on our own. Getting to the Ukraine it was absolutely amazing. I saw God’s work in everything. Every small little detail from not getting sick on the plane, to making it off the plane to the bathroom to puke (I get motion sickness every time I fly), to liking food I’ve never like before, not having energy to get up and play with the kids, not being able to talk but still communicate! We didn’t bring God with us; He was already there! He was preparing all of us, from both teams. It was so incredible to see the people there work with such passion and joy! 

Caitlyn Windham 

I am incredibly thankful that God had allowed me the opportunity to do His work in Ukraine. While I was there, He reminded me how He sees me. At one of the camps, we were serving at, a very beautiful girl came up to me and told me I was beautiful. She thought I was beautiful? Me? The girl who doesn’t wear any makeup (save for certain occasions) is a bit on the heavier side? Later that week, I told a different girl that she was beautiful. She was surprised. She didn’t think she was beautiful. But she was. She was fearfully and wonderfully made. I was fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 134:14 tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Sometimes God reminds us of this in pretty unique ways. 

Zach Jones 

Being able to go to the Ukraine for my first overseas mission trip was such an answer to prayer. I have always been hesitant to go overseas for a mission trip because I do not like to fly. However, during the flights, I used the time to pray and seek the Lord for comfort and peace. The Lord gave me a peace of mind, that could only have come from Him. When we got there, we were welcomed by our brother and sisters in Christ. They were willing to open up their homes, serve us any way possible, and show us the love of Christ. I had the unique opportunity to teach the fruit of the spirit to the children at the two camps where we were able to serve. It was interesting to teach children that have a different language then myself, but the Lord still worked through the language and culture barrier. I was able to hear the testimony of one of the pastors and to hear how God was able to change his life. Family has always been huge to me and going on this mission trip and meeting everyone in the Ukraine, helped me to see that I have Christian family even in another country.

The CBM Internship program, which exists to encourage young people to experience missions! To learn more about the CBM Internship program click www.childrensbibleministries.net/internships.

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Written by Mark Redka

If you need to know about kindergarten, just ask me, I attended three of them. No, I didn’t spend 3 years in kindergarten, our family just moved a lot that year.  My first kindergarten was my favorite.  My mom would pick up the kids down the street and drive us to some house in the west end of town where we spent our day, coloring and playing until nap time.  When that was over, this old couple (they were probably in their 50’s, but when you’re 5, that’s ancient) brought us cookies and the best chocolate milk that ever graced the planet.   

I don’t remember much about my second kindergarten except that my sister and I would trudge down the hill, through deep snow to this big, gray stone building.  My third experience was vastly different.  It was Clayton Ave. Elementary school in Vestal, NY. My “classroom” was really big with a play kitchen for the girls plus a jungle gym. The school had a trampoline, a real cafeteria and an auditorium where we watched movies on rainy days.  It was during that time that President Kennedy was shot.  I watched his funeral on a little black and white TV set in my uncle’s living room.

That was a big event, but something even more disturbing was happening and I didn’t know it.  Someone got expelled from my school.  An Atheist, Madeline Murray O’Hare, filed a lawsuit which went all the way to the Supreme Court. When it was all over, God and the Bible were kicked out of our educational system, the one I had just enrolled in.  I have no memory of a teacher or principal reading or referencing the Bible.  We had a moment of silence right after the pledge of Allegiance, but no reason for it.

So, my generation, and all of those since, countless millions of people spent 6 or 7 hours of our day in a spiritually sterile environment where vigorous effort was made to keep God out of it.  This vacuum was replaced with secular humanism, a religion that glorifies man rather than God.  Looking back now, with more knowledge and experience, I can readily see how I and my fellow students were being indoctrinated into a new way of thinking.  These new godless ideas (which have actually been around since the beginning of time) didn’t stick to me because the center of my world was my family, which attended a wonderful, Bible believing, Bible teaching church.  I remember those fun, exciting Sunday School classes and the loving teachers I was blessed with.  Pastor Bob’s sermons captured my heart even at an early age.

Guess what, most of those public school lessons did stick to my peers.  They were like seeds being planted into open, innocent minds which germinated and grew.  Today’s society is reaping the harvest.  Have you ever asked yourself how things got to be so bad?  It’s not complicated.  You reap what you sow. (Galatians 6:7)

Several years ago I saw a book which graphed out that harvest and it showed just how dramatic things changed right after that decision was handed down.  Suicides, murders, thefts, school violence, sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancies rose in number, while SAT test scores and graduation rates plummeted. The moral decline continues half a century later and it all started when I was in kindergarten.

Is there any hope that we can “fix” these problems?  Attacking those issues will not succeed.  What we have to do is address the HEART of the problem.  The roots of sin have grown deep in our society, and only by the power of God and His Word will they be removed.  It seems impossible, but with God all things are possible. It must start with us. Removing God’s Word started the problem, restoring the truths of the Bible is the only way to remedy it. Here’s a reminder of the greatness of God’s Word.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12

The Bible is POWERFUL.  It changes lives.  I’ve read stories about missionaries introducing the Scriptures to savages and a whole tribe is transformed.  I’ve heard countless testimonies from people whose lives have gone from sin and turmoil, to godliness and peace.  It changed me.

The Bible is PIERCING. It can cut out all of those weeds and reveal truth to a seeking mind.  It sheds light on the sin in our lives and makes us aware of its consequences.

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. -Psalm 119:9

The Bible is PURIFYING.  It takes that revelation even farther and helps us to get our hearts and relationship with God right again.  How delightful it is to be clean before Him.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. -John 15:5

The Bible is PRODUCTIVE.   While on His way to the Garden before He was crucified, He taught His disciples about bearing good fruit, much fruit.  He wants us to do the same.

Galatians 5 tells us that the world produces the following fruit:

Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings.  

It also tells us what the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, produces in us.  Here’s that list.  Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. -Psalm 119:11

The Bible is PROTECTIVE.  Ephesians 6 calls the Bible, the “Sword of the Spirit”.  It is our weapon to fight against the attacks of the world and of Satan.  God brings to remembrance Bible verses we have memorized just at the time we are being tempted to sin.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -Psalm 119:105

The Bible is PURPOSEFUL.  The Bible lights our path in life so that we avoid pitfalls and obstacles that would trip us up.  When you read the Bible, you get to know God and what His will is.  It helps you to make the right life choices.  God wants you to have a life of purpose.  He made you for a reason.  The Bible will help you discover and fulfill that.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. -Matthew 24:35

Lastly, The Bible is PERMANENT.  Rulers and tyrants have tried to destroy the Bible.  Governments have banned it.  Yet it remains.  They haven’t.  God promises that His Word will endure forever and He has the power to keep His promises.

The biggest chapter in the biggest book of the Bible is Psalm 119.  The whole chapter, all 176 verses, is dedicated to the value of God’s Word.  That would be a good starting point in refreshing your love for The Bible. Will you allow His Word to change you?  It’s a first step towards changing our world.  Will you boldly say, “Here I am, Lord. Change me,” and then commit to faithfully seeking His Word?

Mark Redka serves at Camp Red Arrow in northern Virginia. To learn more about the ministry of CBM of VA and Camp Red arrow visit their website https://www.cbmofvirginia.org

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Written by Jerrid Currey 

Since joining the Internship, I have had the pleasure and privilege of learning more and more about ministry and God’s calling on my life. I have been in this Internship for a total of nine months so far and still have three to go but within just that short, amazing time I have learned more about ministry than I have in my whole life. I’ve learned that if you are going to be a missionary you must dive into it with everything you got because it is really hard work. I have learned this through the shared experience and guidance of Children Bible Ministries (CBM) missionaries throughout the areas of CBM. But to sum up, in just a few words I have found out that to be a good missionary you must have humility, flexibility, excellence, unity, and servant leadership. I will explain what all these traits mean and why it is important to have them in ministry, starting with humility.

CBM’s definition of Humility is having a heart posture of reverence before God. What they mean by that is realizing how big God is compared to us. Having humility is very important in ministry because there are going to be a lot of situations and things that come up that you cannot control. However, being humble reminds us that it is never just the work that we do but the work that God does through us. We must remember that without God we can do nothing to bring Him glory. I saw a great example of this while on my first rotation at Camp Cornerstone in Pennsylvania. Ms. Christine who works for Camp Cornerstone presented a hard-working attitude and a humble spirit. No matter what jobs needed to be done around the campus she would immediately go and do it no matter what the job was. She was a great example of having a heart posture of reverence towards God.

CBM’s definition of Flexibility is an attitude of selfless love for the Lord, exhibited by a willing heart to do anything, at any time because we live on God’s timeline. This basically means being okay if things do not go according to plan and being willing to go with the change instead of fighting against it. This is an important trait to have in ministry because more often than not plans can and will change without warning. There are going to be a lot of times when things don’t exactly go according to plan, but we need to remember that God’s plan never fails. So given that fact, we need to be ok when our plans fail because we know that His plans never fail. I’ve noticed this trait, especially in my coordinators. They are the ones who make the schedules and sometimes those schedules don’t turn out exactly as they had planned but they don’t fret or worry because they know that God’s plan reigns overall. I know that I have learned to become more flexible from watching how flexible they are.

 CBM’s definition of excellence is striving to have a quality of work that is pleasing to the Lord. This definition is a little bit more difficult to explain but what they mean is being able to work as if you are working to please God rather than people. Although we must strive for excellence this does not mean that we must strive for perfection because overall we are imperfect beings, but it just means to do an excellent job that would be pleasing to the Lord. Only one person comes to mind when thinking about this and that is Rhiannon who is working for Tuckaleechee Retreat Center (CBM HQ). During my first four months of training I was constantly seeing Rhiannon working around the clock but not just that but the jobs she was doing were excellent. I even got to help her clean one of the lodges one time and hearing her step-by-step process of what she did to make sure they were ready for the guests was nothing shy of excellence.

CBM’s definition of unity is an attitude of love, patience, and forgiveness towards others as Christ has shown us. Having unity in ministry is one of the most important things you need to be a missionary. The Bible tells us that we are to be the body of Christ and to do that we need to have unity. In order to have unity, we need to be quick to forgive, slow to anger, and always loving. I remember when I was first introduced to my team, we all got along right away. After a month, everyone was getting really aggravated with everyone else. It was only until we started to be more forgiving, patient, and loving that we started to become better as a team, and we began to work better together as well.

CBM’s definition of Servant leadership is being an example through service. Being a servant leader is basically trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, recognizing that you are a leader but being willing and ready to serve despite the fact. If at any time I am placed into a leadership role I need to remember that overall God has called me to serve just like Jesus did. Even He said, “The son of man came not to be served but to serve.” (Matthew 20:28) The best example I’ve seen by far of servant leadership is from Lincoln and Jamie who are the directors of CBM. They have shown a complete and total serving heart to do whatever they possibly can to help at any camp that needs it. They are always willing to help in anything and willing to work on anything even though being in that role of leadership which to me is inspiring.

In conclusion, how this Internship helped me have a better understanding of ministry could be easily summed up into the five core values. Being humble towards the Lord and realizing He is big, and we are small. Being flexible and willing to change plans because we know that God’s plan reigns overall. Striving for excellence to please the Lord instead of striving for perfection to please yourself. Having unity with other missionaries and believers because we are all the body of Christ. Finally, being willing to be a servant to others just like Jesus despite whatever role you are in. 

Jerrid is a part of the CBM Internship program, which exists to encourage young people to experience missions! To learn more about the CBM Internship program click HERE .

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Written by Jonathan Evans

I’ve been in this internship for eight months. When I first arrived in September, I thought I was great at communicating. Turns out, this was not necessarily the case. I realized I was only good at the frequent interruption and giving unsolicited advice, which gave me a know-it-all expression. This led to me hoarding the conversation most of the time. I didn’t want to open my eyes to my unchecked conversation habits. 

I began working toward a better relationship with God through doing my devotions combined with my leaders and peers who helped me understand that I needed to grow. They walked me through the problems that came up, talked to me privately, and didn’t make me feel bad when I was rude. It was hard for me to hear that I was being selfish for so long that I didn’t feel like changing. Truthfully, does anyone necessarily like change? Maybe not, but change is vital for growth. I began to understand that people aren’t going to want to talk with me or listen to me if I only cared about what I say. That thought impacted me in a huge way. 

I’ve always wanted to be a leader. I wanted people to know I was the leader just by looking at me. That has been one of my drives ever since I was young. During the training portion of the Internship, there was a leadership class that I was able to be a part of. I was so eager to learn. One of the biggest things I took away is that a leader is someone who asks themselves how they can add value to their team. They put their teammates first before themselves. This made me think of, 

Matthew 22:37-39, which says, “And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

A leader is someone who isn’t selfish; they are intentional about other people, making sure everyone’s voice is heard. In leadership, it’s better to give more opportunities, to other people, because there is safety in not speaking. This is more for the people who talk about something they don’t know about, which is something I struggled with at times. Speaking for someone who wants to act like they knew everything, that is when I learned about what meekness is. It’s an amazing feeling to lead a group, but it’s a greater feeling to allow someone the opportunity to lead a project. There’s no point to speak on something if there is someone who can do a better job.

From that evening on, I would start my day by asking myself that question. It was great being able to see the change in the way I interacted with the other interns. Asking myself that question was just a seed that God used to work on my selfishness. I started to understand that communication isn’t just about talking, it’s about listening too. However, listening isn’t the same as waiting for your turn to speak. You can’t be a good communicator if you’re not a good listener. I learned that I needed to slow down and pay attention. It sounds easy to do, but I’m a very distracted person when I’m talking with someone. I do my best to have self-control. My mind tends to wander on what I’m going to say instead of putting my full attention on what the speaker is saying. This isn’t right because it’s selling the lie that I’m listening to them. Now, when someone is talking with me, I’m able to give them my full attention. By doing that, I don’t miss as much information as I was before. I always knew I was bad at remembering details, but I didn’t know why. Now, I am able to hold on to information a lot better because I actively listen. 

Something that I overlooked was the tone that I would use. I would say something true but since I didn’t say it in the right tone, it perceived that I have a stuck-up attitude. Someone showed me,

Ephesians 4:15 states,” Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,” 

Same as before when I heard that I needed to change because it was hurting my relationships with everyone whom I was talking with. This affects my testimony but more importantly, it brings down God’s name since Christians are the ambassador.  

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, it says, Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you, on behalf of Christ, to be reconciled to God.” (English Standard Version)

Having an understanding of it being God’s law brings me to understand that I need a commitment to make sure what I say and how I say things reflect who and what God is. This is convicting because I can remember so many things that would ruin God’s name, but He is faithful to forgive anyone who sincerely asked forgiveness. I am so glad; we have a God that loves us even though we are imperfect. I can remember times that I would speak before thinking and end up saying something that I would regret, this especially happened when I let my emotions carry me away. Emotions are a big part of communicating, I never really sat down to think how it can affect the people around me, but once I did, I became more aware.

To sum everything up, The Internship has opened my eyes to my habits that were negatively impacting my relationships but most importantly it was having a damaging effect on my testimony. I was humbled. I had to remind myself that Jesus never said that the Christian life would be easy. He does promise that he will always be with us, and that has helped me go through this journey to be more Christ-like. 

Jonathan is a part of the CBM Internship program, which exists to encourage young people to experience missions! To learn more about the CBM Internship program click HERE 

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Written by Rashidi Hines

Hey everyone, it’s Rashidi Hines from Team 13 and during my time as an intern, I struggle with not seeing myself as a leader. Then I had to remember that God does not make any mistakes in putting people in that position. I had to realize this from my first two camp rotations at Camp Grace and Ta-Pa-Win-Go. When I was partnered up with one of my teammates who struggle with staying focus being task-oriented during the times where you need to relax and where I helped uplifted them with compliments to get them through the day. A leader is someone who is a role model who can influence people with a vision of a Christ servant, who shows meekness and discipline. Being a leader can be hard and a big responsibility for some people to lead a group on the right or wrong path. Today I will tell you how you can be a leader in the right way through Christ.

The first thing about being a leader is controlling your tongue. James 3:5&6 (New Living Translation), “in the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” The tongue is the biggest part of being a leader because when you use it right; it can influence others and lead them toward the path of righteousness. For example, uplifting your teammates and being a group together with your motivation. One example of using the tongue for evil is talking back and cursing those who do you wrong. The tongue is the most deadly weapon of being a leader that can motivate and influence others. James‬ 3:9-10 (in New Living Translation) says, “Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so, blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!”As a leader, our tongue can bring glory to those around us but can also bring down others by slandering their names. Always remember to use your tongue the right way.‬‬

Another thing about becoming a leader is standing out from the group. By this, I mean like by the way you act when you are around a group of people. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (in New Living Translation) states, “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” Think carefully about what is right and stop sinning. For your shame I say that some of you don’t know God at all.”. The certain people you hang out with will determine the way you act towards someone. As a leader, you must be the one to show everyone that you are different and want to see them succeed. When you are around people you want to make that impact on them and influence them to be on the right path. Matthew 5:16 states (in New Living Translation), “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father”. As a leader people will see how different you are through Christ leading you down a different path. No matter as a leader you can lead others down the path of righteousness by standing out from the group and turning away from any temptations that will corrupt you throughout your journey.

The final step into becoming a good leader is the attitude that you put into it. For the first couple of months, I had an attitude that was impacting the authority and my teammates. As a leader your attitude will have to be sharp and under control. One way to help keep your attitude good is by memorizing a Bible that will help you overcome any bad attitudes that could ruin the chance of you leading others. One of the Bible verses I memorized for my bad attitude was Colossians 3:13 (in New Living Translation) that states, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” This verse helps me a lot with my attitude towards others and builds a better relationship with them. When I memorized that verse, it helps remind me that I have to be more forgiving and be a better leader with a great attitude in any situation. Philippians 2:14-15(in New Living Translation) states, “Do everything without complaining and arguing so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Through Christ, a leader has to do everything without having a bad attitude or just being angry at someone. Also, Philippians 2:3-5 (in New Living Translation) states, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” You must have the same mindset to care for others and not just your own understanding but put others first before yourself. Your attitude as a leader will affect your whole team if your mind is not right.

It’s important to be a good leader to those who are around you because you don’t know what opportunity that God has planned out for you and your group. Being a leader can be hard at first but it will be a lot easier for you as you learn more about it. I hope my blog on being a leader helped you out and overcome the obstacle that is in your way.

Rashidi is a part of the CBM Internship program, which exists to encourage young people to experience missions! To learn more about the CBM Internship program click HERE .

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Written by Zachary Douthit

My name is Zachary Douthit. I am from Orange County, Virginia. It was some time ago when I was reading through the book of Matthew and stumbled upon the Great Commission “And Jesus spoke to them, saying “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you even to the end of the age”(vs.18-20). After reading this passage I figured I should do this sometime. I then booted up a video game and played it. However, the notion remained floating around in the back of my mind.

I went on a few disaster relief and rebuilding trips with Samaritans Purse when I realized I had a strong desire to serve others and my desire to fulfill the Great Commission grew stronger. I didn’t feel like I had the tools to do so. My knowledge of the Bible was lacking and on top of that, I didn’t feel like I was understanding the Bible. Despite attending many hours of Sunday school and sermons. The Internship is doing an excellent job in equipping me to accomplish the Great Commission through the classes they teach, experiences I had, gaining new skills, and improving the ones I already have.

I had read the Bible sporadically and there were many gaps in my knowledge of the Bible. I also had no clue about the rich history surrounding the Bible and its authors. The survey of the Old and New Testaments filled in gaps in my knowledge of the Bible. Having a general knowledge of the Bible helps a lot when I want to focus on a particular topic for my devotions or for teaching others. It doesn’t apply to only what’s in the Bible. There is a lot of background information that isn’t in the Bible that gives context to what is in it. For example, the four gospels were written for specific audiences and the way they were written reflects that. Also, because the authors of the gospels were writing for specific purposes as well. Knowing the background behind different parts of the Bible makes it more interesting and alive. 

When I was reading the Bible, I feel like I was getting little or nothing at all out of reading it. There is a class on interpreting the Bible and for the first few weeks, we came together each evening and dug into Colossians. Going through Colossians brought up questions about other parts of the Bible, so we went and examined those as well. We also had a class on the interpretation which broke down how to observe, analyze and interpret the Bible. Those things along with doing regular devotions (before the Internship my devotions weren’t so regular) the result is reading the Bible and understanding what it is saying.

An unexpected result of the interpreting the Bible class and the group devotions was being better equipped to teach the Bible. One week we were given the task to prepare a small group lesson. It was only for us, but I had little time to prepare, and I was nervous about doing it. I was doing my devotions in Habakkuk at that time, and I decided to do my lesson on that book. It took a day to prepare the lesson and before I gave it, I prayed to God to speak through me. Any nervousness I had melted away. I taught the lesson, and it went well. The experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me rely on God to teach the lesson well. I didn’t think I would like teaching but having done it I found that I enjoyed teaching and I would like to do it more. 

The classes expanded my toolbox to accomplish the Great Commission with new knowledge, but the day-to-day experiences did as well. One of the Internships’ core values is flexibility and for good reason. There never is any guarantee of what is going to happen. Several times we had surprise trips to other camps, and it was at those times I had my flexibility tested and expanded. The situations put me in a place where the only thing I could do was jump in and do the best at whatever I was doing.                                                                       

Other times things like rain or the van breaking down (which happened more than once) would alter what we could do on a particular day. It was then when I had to become flexible to handle the situations. I know that things may not go according to plan, or some things may happen that are outside my control and because I’ve had past experiences where the only thing I can do is pray I know I will be able to handle whatever comes my way. It has now become my expectation when I am going into a situation that something might change, and I will have to adapt to it. We are doing an overseas mission trip in August. The current environment almost guarantees something will change in the process of getting there or coming back. Also, there’s no telling what sort of things I’ll be doing there. All I can do is pray to God to be a tool in his hands to spread the Gospel wherever I go.

Reflecting back on it, everything fits together in the internship The new skills I learned like interpreting and teaching the Bible will help me accomplish the Great Commission. I’m glad that the Internship is pushing me out of my comfort zone. I am only six months in and feel I have been stretched because of experiences that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Whenever things change unexpectedly, when I’m going somewhere new or, doing something new I know I’ll be able to handle them because of the Internship.

Zachary is a part of the CBM Internship program, which exists to encourage young people to experience missions! To learn more about the CBM Internship program click HERE

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