My name is Rosa Hsueh, and I attend WellSpring Christian Fellowship (Granada Hills First Foursquare Church) in Granada Hills, Calif., pastored by Scott Tuttle. I love this church because of its teaching and the people’s love for the Lord.
I grew up in a Christian home but was not born again until 1995. My younger sister Anna led me back to the Lord that summer and felt that it was vital for me to attend a full-gospel church where the Word of God was being taught. She introduced us to Pastor Chao Shiung (“Harrison”) Yeh, who was then senior pastor of Mercy Community (Arcadia Chinese Foursquare Church) in Arcadia, Calif. My faith grew under Pastor Yeh’s teaching.
Shortly after Pastor Yeh retired in 1998, I started attending Pathway Christian Fellowship (Northridge Foursquare Church) in Northridge, Calif., pastored by Kevin Belsby. I was a member there for 13 years. The last seven years, I was also part of Home of Grace (Northridge Chinese Foursquare Church), which was birthed by Pathway and is pastored by Elaine Chi. My children grew up in these churches, and these congregations shaped our spiritual lives.
So that I could be a stay-at-home mom, my husband and I made a conscious decision to send our three daughters to public school. The Lord placed a burden in my heart for the spiritual welfare of not only my own children, but also all the children in the schools.
As a Christian, I believe I ought to be a witness in the very community I am in. Therefore, I became actively involved in my children’s elementary school, and every person I encountered could see that I am a believer.
I initiated an annual prayer meeting that was open to all believers on campus on the National Day of Prayer. When one of my daughter’s teachers discouraged her from writing about Jesus for a writing assignment about her favorite hero, I protested. The issue was even addressed by the Los Angeles Unified School District, which encouraged me to stand by my beliefs.
I was introduced to Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) when my youngest child entered the same elementary school in 2003. Two years prior, CEF, the largest children’s ministry in the world, received a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court that granted them equal access to public elementary school facilities to conduct Good News Club, an after-school Bible club. I jumped at the opportunity, which allowed me to teach the Bible in my daughter’s school, and evangelize the boys and girls in that school. I have been teaching Good News Club for the past nine years in the same school. Four years ago, I started a Good News Club in another school to which my daughter transferred.
My Foursquare families have been a big blessing to my CEF ministry. Pathway was behind me 100 percent when I first started teaching Good News Club, and financed the teaching materials, snacks and prizes. Pastor Rob Branchflower—who now serves as an assisting minister at The River Community (Ventura Central Foursquare Church) in Ventura, Calif.—and Pastor Elaine Chi were my very first helpers. Although both were much more qualified teachers than I, they encouraged me to do it and constantly supported me with their prayers. Eventually, other church members also became my helpers. Some are still with me today, even though we all attend different Foursquare churches.
Good News Club is completely free for children in public schools. CEF chapters are solely supported by the financial donations from individuals and churches. Northridge Chinese Foursquare Church and its members have given generously to this cause for several years.
There were 12 Good News Clubs in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys when I first started nine years ago. Now there are 40 clubs. Together, with over 100 volunteers, more than 2,700 children were reached from 2011-2012, and 785 children gave their lives to Christ.
When I first started this ministry, there were only three volunteers in the CEF San Fernando Valley Chapter who were Foursquare. Unfortunately, that number has not increased much over the years.
I would like my fellow Foursquare family members to know, more than ever, that evangelizing children is so dear to the heart of the Lord. Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it” (Mark 10:15, NKJV).
The Lord wants our faith to become childlike; He wants us to depend on Him and know that He will always take care of us. I know from my own experience as a CEF teacher that my faith has become as simple as a child’s.
Let your faith become simple and childlike: Come join the work of Child Evangelism Fellowship wherever you are!
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