Children and the Gospel
There is great joy in seeing these lives changed by the power of the Gospel! Children speak the language of children. They can explain the Gospel in a way that children their own age can understand and respond to it.
One of the paradigms you will have to get past as a leader is the myth that children cannot make decisions for Christ at a young age. The statistics show us differently. Many people say you should not go out sharing Christ unless you have a good follow-up plan in place. N.K.s/L.I.T.s present the Gospel at all outreach events. If a child accepts Christ as their Savior, they give the child a Bible and a new-Christian book called The Journey: Beginning Your Walk with God. Then, the N.K.s/L.I.T.s try to contact the child’s parents and invite them into the church to be discipled.
Unfortunately, most leaders choose the alternative and do nothing to reach lost children. The notion that children cannot make decisions for Christ is a lie of the enemy, and many leaders in the church today have bought into it. If God is true to His Word, we can be comforted in it. When a person believes in Christ, they are sealed by the Holy Spirit for eternity. “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13b-14). Neglecting to share the Gospel with children is disobedience to the Lord’s command to go. Now, it is important to make sure that a child truly understands the Gospel as presented to them and that they are genuinely ready to make a decision. They should not be pressured to make a decision they are not ready to make. Many children will need to hear the Gospel message over and over again for it to sincerely penetrate their hearts and for them to come to a place of making a life-changing decision. Do not give up on a child if they are not ready to respond the first time you share the Gospel with them. The heart of a child is teachable and responsive, but be patient as it may take repeating the message numerous times for them to gain understanding enough to make a valid decision for Christ. If the majority of those who make decisions for Christ are between the ages of 5 and 12 and our children are the one’s most effective in reaching them, then we need to teach our children how to share and take them out on mission to do so.
The next paradigm is the myth that children cannot lead someone to Christ. N.K.s/L.I.T.s have successfully shared the Gospel with other children and led them to Christ. Adult leaders have confirmed the sincerity of many of those decisions by sitting down with children who made professions of faith and questioning them about their decision. Although a few did not understand what they had done, the vast majority of them had a clear understanding of sin and their need of the saving grace of God through Christ’s death on the cross for their sins. When asked about sin, they understood Jesus’ sacrifice for their sins.
Church leadership should never get the idea of “notches in our belts” for the number of children who have made professions of faith. True professions result in changed lives and obedience to God’s Word. Children who make decisions must be trained and discipled with the understanding that following Christ is a lifetime commitment, not a one-time venture. They are committing their lives to Him for life.
