LEADING A CHILD TO CHRIST

LEADING A CHILD TO CHRIST

4/14 Window

Survey data indicates that people from ages 5 through 13 have a 33 percent probability of accepting Christ as their Savior. Young people from the ages of 14 through 18 have just a 4 percent likelihood of doing so, while adults (ages 19 through death) have only a 6 percent probability of making that choice. The study clearly demonstrates that the greatest evangelistic window currently available is among children.

Children today are facing tremendous pressures and social influences. The competing and attractive pull of culture away from biblical values means you play a crucial role with the boys and girls in your church. Reaching today’s children with the life-changing message of Christ is mission critical. Boys and girls desperately need to know Christ as personal Savior.

Be Alert for Opportunities

Children’s Sunday school teachers and leaders regularly schedule salvation lessons into the curriculum, but it is imperative to be alert for unplanned opportunities of leading children to Christ, also.

After singing “I Am A C.H.R.I.S.T.I.A.N”, Rochelle raised her hand and stated, “I’m a Christian.”

The alert Sunday School teacher responded, “Rochelle, have you ever asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins?”

When Rochelle indicated she had not, the teacher took the opportunity to explain that being a Christian involved more than just saying you were one and moved right into presenting the plan of salvation.

Nothing is ever more important than presenting the plan of salvation to boys and girls. Well-organized session plans can always be set aside when the Holy Spirit provides an opportunity to share the good news of salvation with children.

Pray Daily

Ministering to children is multi-faceted -- running in diverse directions, trying to accomplish more than one individual possibility can!

Take just a moment to pause and ask yourself, “What is my #1 priority?”

If you answered, “Leading children to Jesus Christ,” then not only will you focus on planned and unplanned opportunities of presenting the gospel but you will pray daily for the children in your ministry.

If you don’t already have a 3” x 5” card in your Bible with the first names of all the children to whom you minister, why not take a moment to do that right now?

This becomes your prayer guide and a reminder during your daily devotional time. The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts of sin. Our role is to faithfully pray that “none will perish but have everlasting life.”

Principles for Leading Boys and Girls to Jesus

1. Let the Holy Spirit convict of sin. Children can know real conviction.

2. Be clear and specific in your conversation. Give clear step-by-step guidance which they can understand and follow.

3. Omit symbolism. "Let Jesus into your Heart" is confusing to a small child who takes everything literally. "Accept Jesus as Savior," or "Ask God to forgive" are terms which will not need to be changed as the child
grows older.

4 Use the Bible. Children may forget your words, but God's Word stands.

5. Insert the child's name into Scripture verses. For instance, "For God so loved (Sherri), that He gave His one and only Son, so if (Sherri) believes in Him, (Sherri) will not perish but have eternal life."

6. Go through the steps of salvation, using language the child can understand.

a. God wants you to become His child. Do you know why God wants you in His family?" (See 1 John

4:8.)

b. "You and I and every person in the world have done wrong things. The Bible word for doing wrong is

'sin.' What do you think should happen to us when we sin?" (See Romans 6:23.)

c. "God loves you so much, He sent His Son to die on the cross for your sin. Because Jesus never

sinned, He is the only one who can take the punishment for your sin." (See 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1

John 4:14.)

d. "Are you sorry for your sin? Tell God that you are. Do you believe Jesus died to take the punishment

for your sin? If you tell God you are sorry for your sin and tell Him you do believe and accept Jesus'

death to take away your sin-God forgives all your sin." (See John 1:12.)

e. "The Bible says that when you believe in Jesus, God's Son, you receive God's gift of eternal life. This

gift makes you a child of God. (See John 3:16.) This means God is with you now and forever."

7. Pray with the child and have the child pray, too.

8. Ask the child what God has done for him. The Holy Spirit can witness to the heart of a child.

9. Offer a prayer of thanks to Jesus for what has happened in the child's life. This will help strengthen the child's faith.

10. Follow-up with the child on a regular basis. This will help the child grow in the essential areas of the Christian life and help him remain true to the commitment made.

PROVIDING FOLLOW-UP

Children's ministry can no longer be regarded as Sunday school alone. A whole range of evangelistic and discipling opportunities for children needs to be offered. Evangelism with children is not a "one shot"
arrangement. Like intellectual, emotional and physical growth, faith is a gradual process of development. After accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior, children need practical help in growing as Christians. Provide the child with a Bible, if he does not already have one. Print the suggestions below and encourage daily Bible reading.

Daily Bible Reading

Week 1

Monday: Hebrews 11:6
Tuesday: Luke 2:52
Wednesday: John 14:26
Thursday: Psalm 119:11
Friday: Genesis 1:27
Saturday: Acts 1:11
Sunday: John 3:16-17

Week 2

Monday: Romans 3:23

Tuesday: Psalm 27:14
Wednesday: Matthew 28:19-20
Thursday: Psalm 1
Friday: Matthew 7:7
Saturday: Proverbs 3:5-6
Sunday: Matthew 5:44-45

Week 3
Monday: Matthew 7:12
Tuesday: Matthew 5:16
Wednesday: 1 John 5:7
Thursday: John 14:6
Friday: 1 Peter 1:15-16
Saturday: John 14:1-3
Sunday: Romans 5:8

Week 4

Monday: Exodus 20:3-17
Tuesday: Mark 12:29-31
Wednesday: Psalm 23
Thursday: Matthew 5:3-12
Friday: Psalm 103:1-2, 8-12
Saturday: 1 John 3:1
Sunday: Psalm 100