• In 1948, shortly after the end of World War II, Christian Service Centers of Canada Inc.(CSC) was formed. It grew out of a movement in Michigan that first worked on military bases serving the religious needs of military families (thus the name “Service Centers“) It transitioned from working on the military bases and began to work in children’s ministries. It took the form of a travelling children’s ministry; holding church meetings, camps and Vacation Bible Schools. At that time Don Gorrie, a Bible College student, was teaching the religious education classes in the public schools of Oxford County. He challenged CSC with the need for Bible teaching classes in the public schools. Christian Service Centers took up the challenge and started providing religious education classes for many schools in Ontario. From 1948 until 1990 CSC conducted religious education classes for a number of school boards with the majority of the classes serving the schools of Southwestern Ontario. In 1968 Christian Service Centers was providing religious education in public schools for almost 10,000 children. During that time CSC was also active with other ministries, running summer camps and daily Vacation Bible Schools. These ministries took place across Southern Ontario, from Sarnia all the way to Ottawa.

• Our present ministry began to develop in 1970 when some county and city school boards decided to not allow outside organizations to teach religious education in the classrooms. Not all boards took this position and there were some that still allowed us to continue with our program teaching of religious classes. From 1970 until 1990 CSC continued with their focus on religious education in the classrooms of Oxford and Norfolk Counties. In an effort to still provide religious education to the children in areas where we could no longer enter the classrooms the club format was developed operating alongside our classroom ministry. We continued to do religious classes and run Bible Clubs for twenty years.

• In 1990, Marion Boyd, the Ontario Minister of Education, declared a legal opinion that the newly revised Ontario Education Act does not allow religious teaching in the instructional times (or the teaching times) of the school day. Schools were allowed to teach about a religion, but could not provide any actual religious teaching. Under the new ruling CSC was no longer able to provide religious education to the children during the teaching times of the school day. When this happened we turned our full attention to our Bible club format and became known as Key Bible Clubs (KBC). This is the name we now use in all our public presentations.

• All children who attend clubs must have submitted a parental permission form. To respect the rights of all Canadian citizens the consent of a child’s parent(s) or guardian(s) is an absolute necessity. We run Bible clubs during the intervals in the school day that are not considered teaching time; during the lunch or nutritional breaks and before or after school. We hold clubs once a week. We have a five year curriculum that covers major Bible themes with the focus of each lesson on biblical morals and virtues. Salvation is raised as it naturally comes up in the story being taught. We are careful not to coerce children into making decisions but encourage them to talk to the club leader after club is over.

• We currently have 36 clubs operating within the jurisdiction of six regional school boards in the cities of London, Sarnia, Tillsonburg and Woodstock, and throughout the counties of Bruce, Huron, Perth, Lambton, Kent, Essex, Middlesex, Oxford, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.

• Our vision for the future is to see clubs in every county in Southwestern Ontario.

• Christian Service Centers of Canada Inc. (CSC) (operating as Key Bible Clubs) is a registered charity. All funding of our programs is through the donations of individuals and local churches. All gifts are receipted as charitable donations.

• Our staff includes 22 club leaders, 32 club assistants, a Chief Operating Officer, an Operation’s Assistant, a Financial Officer and a Recruitment Officer. Our office is located in London south.