In Germany, a new classroom lesson plan translates roughly as "The Buzz About Jesus." All public-school students must take religion classes, yet teachers often struggle to find good materials, especially in elementary school. So Campus Crusade for Christ in Germany recently adapted The Story of Jesus for Children DVD into a school curriculum.

When Pastor Joachim Hipfel saw the material, he began using it in his third-grade religion classes. He teaches at Eisgrub School near Mainz, where children come from difficult social backgrounds and have had little exposure to religion.

One girl, Svenia, made it clear she didn't believe in God. But after seeing the Crucifixion, she was in tears, and walked to the teacher's desk to ask a question her classmates had been discussing.

"Did Jesus go to the cross of His own free will?" she asked.

"Yes," Pastor Hipfel told her.

Svenia turned to the class and shouted out, "See! I told you He went to the cross voluntarily!" There was clearly a buzz about Jesus among the students.

Then Svenia turned back to the teacher and asked, "But why would He do that?"

Pastor Hipfel then had the opportunity to further explain God's love and forgiveness to the class. "These kids process things more through an emotional relationship than through intellectual understanding," says Pastor Hipfel, "and the curriculum connected with them emotionally."

Andreas Bartels, director of the JESUS film ministry in Germany, hopes such stories will be replicated across the country in the coming years. "We use colorful materials with at least five multimedia elements in each class session," he says. "This material is attractive to teachers, and shows children that Christianity is of high value."

Teachers like Pastor Hipfel also like the personal touch. "I especially like the part where children write a letter to Jesus," he says. "They are so sweet and honest—they even ask questions like, 'Will our soccer team win?'"

Since the course was completed last year, more than 200 packages have been sold and used throughout Germany. "Many teachers have told me they really need this," says Andreas. "They say that such professional, high-quality multimedia materials are not available anywhere else."
—Bill Sundstrom

In Nigeria, insurgents are burning churches and persecuting Christians. Yet Christian athletes are proclaiming the gospel and helping lead people to Christ there.

This past summer, Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, sent a team to Nigeria for two weeks to play volleyball. Because there were only three players (an American and two Canadians), they joined with five Nigerian players and a coach to make a complete team. The Nigerians all participate in AIA there, plus three play on the Nigerian national team.

After games, the AIA team explained to the crowd how to have a relationship with Jesus, once to more than 800 people. Because of the high status athletes have, Nigerians listened to what they said. Many accepted Christ. Nigerian universities have even contacted AIA for help with their volleyball strategies. They met with the director of sports at Ahmadu Bello University, who asked AIA to come back again to play their teams and speak. "He even gave us ideas on how to more effectively share with the students," said team member Paul Davis.

"The door is open to share the gospel now, but I wonder how long such a door would be opened," says Smart Olufemi, who directs AIA in Nigeria. "We need to move in now and present the message of love and deliverance while there is still hope."
—Mark Beebe and Jennifer Abegg

At 2:59 p.m. outside a former Beechwood Street church, young Dorothy sits, waiting. For her, this abandoned Detroit church is a place of refuge.

Dorothy lives in a methamphetamine home—her guardians produce and sell meth around her every day. They have neglected to provide Dorothy basic needs such as clean clothes and food. But at 3 p.m., a S.A.Y. Yes! (Save America's Youth—Yes!) center begins inside the church.

S.A.Y. Yes! centers provide after-school mentoring and tutoring for inner-city youth who constantly face the threats of poverty, drugs and violence, encouraging them to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ. It was here that S.A.Y. Yes! staff members changed Dorothy's life by cleaning her face, doing her hair and helping with homework.

"When someone cares for and loves you, it gives you confidence and helps you be who God wants you to be," says Joy Davis, Detroit's S.A.Y. Yes! coordinator. Because of the S.A.Y. Yes! center, Dorothy's grades improved and she has accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior after watching The Story of Jesus for Children DVD.

"God directed my steps to work with S.A.Y. Yes!" says Joy, "and I have felt God's hand in my life from the beginning. He hasn't stopped blessing and reassuring me that the calling He has on my life is from Him."

Today there are nine S.A.Y. Yes! centers hosted by inner-city churches in Detroit.

Joy (in black, above) calls today's youth an "endangered species" because their generation is in danger of losing hope. Through the work of S.A.Y. Yes! centers, children like Dorothy have somewhere to turn when their hope is gone.
—David Roach

For more information, visit www.sayyescenters.org.

On the outside, Ania Malpass had it all together. Each Sunday growing up, she had gone to church, and she and her husband had moved to the United States from England for a promising business opportunity. They had two children and lived in a beautiful suburban neighborhood north of Atlanta.

But on the inside, Ania (left, on right) was in turmoil. She had many questions about God, and when the World Trade Center buildings fell, she began to seriously ask, "Who is God?"

When a friend invited her to a women's Bible study, she easily agreed to come. The Bible study was led by Debbie McGoldrick, a staff member with Priority Associates, Campus Crusade for Christ's ministry to business professionals. After the Bible study, Debbie explained to Ania how to have a personal relationship with Christ, and that day Ania prayed and received Christ's forgiveness.

"What I hadn't understood," says Ania, "was this concept [that God's forgiveness is] a gift. It's there for me to open and receive it."

But Ania still had many questions. So she agreed to go through a series of lessons called Practical Christian Living, led by Debbie's friend, Nancy Pillat.

She learned the answers to many of her questions, and quickly grew in her trust in the Lord.

"She can't stop talking about her faith," says Debbie. "There is such a vibrant enthusiasm about Christ. She's so teachable and pliable."

As her questions were answered, Ania wanted to help others find answers too. "I have a responsibility to share the message," says Ania. "Now I'm always looking for opportunities."

Ania was able to invite three friends—Maria, Sylvia and Cathy—to the Bible study. Eventually two started new relationships with Christ, and the third recommitted her life to Him. Today Ania leads these three women through the same Bible studies that Nancy (on left) taught her. "Learning through the others' questions and responses to Scripture has been very rewarding," says Ania. "If I was just reading and studying on my own I wouldn't gain a fraction of what I get out of the group."

And Ania hopes these women will help answer someone else's questions.
—Jessica Wicks

Everystudent.com, one of Campus Crusade for Christ's evangelistic Web sites, has seen tremendous growth since it was created in 2001. The site contains a variety of articles about faith and topics of specific interest to students. The number of visitors (times the site has been viewed) has grown more than 5,000 percent, and the indicated decisions to receive Christ (clicks on the "I just asked Jesus into my life" page) have nearly doubled every year.
—Jennifer Abegg


Canada

Although Declan Bartlette didn't win the money, he still got something for free. Enticed by the chance to win $2,500, Declan attended an event at the University of Western Ontario titled, Is Anything Really Free?

The Campus Crusade for Christ group that hosted the evangelistic outreach hoped to attract students who were usually apathetic to the gospel. They knew the money would motivate some to come hear their message.

"We thought, Why don't we debunk the myth that Christians always want your money?" says Eric Humphrey, a staff member at the Canadian university. "Let's give money away."

The evening started with the drawing for the $2,500 check—all of which was donated by Christian students involved with the group. Following an intermission, a pastor spoke about God's free gift through Jesus Christ. "The intermission was so that there didn't seem to be any trick," says Eric. "You could just come, try and win the money and leave."

About 400 students stayed, and 37 left their names so they could be contacted again. Declan was one of these students. The freshman music major had been searching for answers about God. Later, when meeting in his dorm with a staff member, he accepted Christ.

Declan not only received God's free gift of salvation, but now he is also eternally richer.
—Jessica Wicks


Iowa

Liz Erwin is not a sorority girl. But she does have sorority sisters.

The University of Iowa junior intentionally develops friendships with women in sororities so she can influence them for Christ.

"I saw a need for these [sorority] women to know Christ," she says. "If even one knows Christ, she can influence the whole house of 100."

Liz's mentor, Adrienne Clark, a Campus Crusade for Christ staff member, introduced her to three sorority women, and Liz (far right) invited each for coffee.

On these appointments, Liz found out about their spiritual lives. "They're pretty open with me," Liz says. Two were already followers of Christ. The other accepted Christ with Adrienne (in black).

Liz began meeting with each of the women to help them grow in their faith. "Her love for Christ is so attractive to women," says Adrienne. "They want to be led spiritually by her."
—Jennifer Abegg