Leading Your Children to Christ
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Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people,
but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
And he laid his hands on them and went away.
Leading Your Children to Christ
Leading Your Children to Christ
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.
matthew
Should I Try to Lead My Child to Christ?
Should I Try to Lead My Child to Christ?
How Old Where You? Where Were You? Were You Raised in Church?
Barna research indicates that nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13. Two out of three make that commitment before their 18th birthday.
Should I Try to Lead My Child to Christ?
Should I Try to Lead My Child to Christ?
Common Objections
Concerns over false conversion.
Concerns over my child’s maturity level.
Do I know enough to lead my child to Christ?
The primary window for effectively reaching people with the good news is during the pre-teen years.
Jason Allen - “Remember, children do not have to become like adults to be saved; adults have to become like children.”
Lead by Example
Lead by Example
Lead by Example
Lead by Example
Your own relationship with Christ is vital to leading your child to Christ.
“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy
You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy
Dr. Jason Allen: My greatest stewardship in life is not training a generation of students at Midwestern Seminary. It is training my five young children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. I feel the weight—and glory—of this stewardship daily and find immeasurable fulfillment and joy as I see my children taking steps toward Christ.
Parents are the primary disciplers of their children.
Not the Pastor
Not the Sunday School teacher
Not the church
The Importance of Prayer
The Importance of Prayer
The Importance of Prayer
The Importance of Prayer
Talk to God about men before talking to men about God - The same is true for your children!
Praying for your children - Marty Dupree
That ___________ may know 'how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge." -
That ___________ will know Christ at an early age. -
That ___________ will allow God to work in his/her life to accomplish His purpose for him/her. -
That ___________ will earnestly seek God and love to go to church. - & 122:1
That ___________ sins will find him/her out and that he/she will be caught and corrected when guilty -
That ___________ will submit to God and resist the devil in all circumstances -
When Sharing the Gospel
When Sharing the Gospel
Children are literal minded
They see what you say. As Christians, we use a language that can be confusing and scary to them.
Are you washed in the blood of the lamb? (When we are forgiven of our sin, Jesus both forgives and forgets our sin.)
Asking Jesus into your heart (Asking Jesus to be in charge of our life.)
New creation in Christ (Our lives will change when we decide to follow Jesus.)
Children often have short attention spans
Children can be talked into “praying a prayer” without experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit.
Children need a clear understanding of sin and repentance.
More than being bad…breaking God’s law.
Sin is when I choose my way instead of God’s way.
Children need to understand that baptism is not the same as becoming a Christian (And some parents too.)
Sometimes when a child asks about becoming a Christian or being baptized, it is the beginning of exploring what it means to become a Christian.
Use open ended questions to initiate or carry on a conversation with children.
Do you believe in Jesus vs. Tell me what you know about Jesus.
Never use fear tactics, peer pressure, adult pressure, prizes or tangible rewards to provoke a response from a child.
4 Stages of a child’s spiritual development - Art Murphy
Discovering - Birth to Age 6
Discerning - Age 4 or 5 - Ages 8 or 9
Deciding - Age 8-12 (Late as 14)
Discipling - After salvation (best between 10 to college)
“Growing in God’s Word: levels of Biblical Learning” by Lifeway
Examples of Sharing the Gospel
Examples of Sharing the Gospel
The Gospel, God’s Plan for Me - Lifeway
God Rules
We Sinned
God Provided
Jesus Gives
We Respond
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Helpful scriptures to enhance the conversation:
God Sent Jesus to show his great love for us even though we have sinned.
In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John
Everyone sins, and no one is perfect like God.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Just as we earn punishment when we do wrong things at home or school, God must punish our disobedience to him, our sin.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
;23
Jesus took the punishment for us when he died on the cross. We must believe that he died for us and came back alive on the third day.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Penny’s Illustration of brothers taking the punishment for her.
We must ask God to forgive our sin and commit to be his follower all of our life if we want everlasting life. God promises to forgive us and make us pure in His sight.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1
Evangecube!
Ready or Not? - Art Murphy
The following questions help determine if a child is ready to make a commitment to Christ:
• Does it make sense to the child?
• Is there brokenness over sin?
• Is the child serious about this decision?
• Was this decision self-made?
• Has the decision been sealed?
• Is there a sense of reality in the decision? A young child's trinity may consist of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. If a child is at the stage where pretend characters like these are real, then it is best to delay in making the decision public. When he has outgrown this stage, his commitment to Christ will be meaningful and not intertwined with the fantasy world.
Pay attention to body language too.
Questions?
Questions?
