The group has met informally at every convention since then except for 1986. The Christian Educators in TESOL Caucus (CETC) was officially organized in 1996 and held its first meeting at the 1997 TESOL convention in Orlando, Florida. Then in 2008, CETC was reorganized as CELEA.

The Christian English Language Educators Association (CELEA) is composed of persons who have a common interest in the teaching of English speakers of other languages, and who share a common belief in Jesus Christ.