A club exists at my school for the purpose of evangelizing students

[Angrboda]

Upon breaking with Grandma [at a Child Evangelism Fellowship convention], I meet Ray Paulson, a CEF worker since 1980. A short, stout man in a crimson T-shirt with a meticulously styled goatee, Paulson describes himself as an expert in the art of “ballooning.” He transforms long blow-up balloons into animals and other objects, and then uses them to spread the word about Jesus to children. “With ballooning, I was able to get into a New Age church,” he says. “I was able to get in there and share the gospel three times!” The church in question, I learn, is a United Methodist Church.

“Afterward the pastor said to me, ‘That was a great program!’ She didn’t know what I was talking about!” he concludes derisively. He continues boasting about how effective he has been in sneaking into enemy territory with his balloons. “With ballooning, I got into a Catholic church, an Episcopal church,” he says with a roll of the eyes and a knowing wink.

Recently, he adds, he has been making real headway in the public schools. “You have to be sneaky about it,” he cautions. “You can’t say to a kid, ‘If you come to the group I’ll give you a balloon,’ because that’s considered a bribe and can get you in trouble. But you can stand outside the school doing balloons, or have kids tell other kids about it.

“I’ve been in trouble in just about every kind of every which way!” he gloats, puffing out his chest. “But you have to be very careful,” he adds with a dark, knowing look. “We have an enemy. And he is real. And he is effective.”

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IN SYLVIA FOTH’S classroom, I get a summary of Luis Bush’s idea that missionaries should pursue the “low- hanging fruit”—the kids, who are young and easy to convert and even easier to keep. As the founder of Kidzana Ministries, Foth has dedicated her life to equipping people around the world to evangelize and disciple children. She is excited by the creation of this radical new vision in the field of missionary work. The title of her seminar comes directly from Luis Bush: “The 4/14 Window: A New Age of Opportunity.” …

… Summarizing the previous strategy of the “10/40 Window,” Foth transitions quickly to the 4/14 Window and explains the thinking behind it.

“People began to realize,” says Foth, “that we have so many children at risk. Two-thirds of the world’s kids are unreached. They need urgent rescue from Satan.”

Children will be “agents of transformation” that God will use in the various spheres of society, Foth says.

“Now,” she asserts, “we are watching an explosion of focus on children around the world. There is an absolute growing awareness that if you don’t reach children for Christ early, they are set in their beliefs for life.”

As her talk progresses, it becomes clear that Foth is mindful of the efficiency of missionary processes. One excellent reason to concentrate on “the harvest field of children ages four to fourteen,” as she calls it, is that converting young people requires so much less expenditure than converting older people. “Why not put your efforts there,” she asks, “rather than later, at the repair stage?” …

… As the seminar winds down, I ask Foth whether targeting children without passing through their parents first could be construed as undermining the integrity of the family.

“You have to believe Jesus is the answer,” she says firmly.

“If there’s any wavering on that, and if you think that maybe Buddhism is okay, you will have problems.”

I press her again, asking if she worries about whether parental authority ought to be undermined in spiritual matters.

Foth becomes visibly flustered. Clasping her Bible to her chest, she reiterates a common refrain in this group: “The Bible tells us we don’t have to worry about anything!”