Faith Path: Lead Child to Christ
Recommended Ages: 5+
One of the greatest privileges you have as a parent is to help your child come to faith in Christ. Make sure you are equipped to determine your child's readiness and guide your child in prayer for salvation.
Prepare to Lead Your Child to Christ
One of the greatest privileges you have as a parent is to help your child come to faith in Christ. Like many parents, you may not quite know how or when to approach one of the most exciting yet intimidating moments of parenthood. Some worry that they will not explain salvation properly. They might be tempted to just “leave it to the professionals” by relying on people at church or ministry events. That is understandable, but God has given you the most important and influential role when it comes to leading your child to Christ. This guide is designed to help you feel more comfortable about the process when that time comes.
STEP ONE: LAY A FOUNDATION
Your son or daughter grows in his or her understanding of God by developing a foundation: hearing stories from the Bible, learning scriptures, singing about Jesus, and so forth. Your child also learns by experiencing life in your home: watching your example, feeling your love, and learning right from wrong. We see this in Deuteronomy 6:6-7, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
STEP TWO: DISCERN READINESS
Do your best to discern when your child is mature enough to put the pieces together. Avoid the temptation to push for a decision before he or she is ready to truly grasp the Gospel. Your child may intellectually understand before being socially or spiritually ready. Young children are usually bonded to their parents in such a way that they want to please and do not have a full sense of a separate self. A child needs to understand that this is a personal decision and not just an opportunity to repeat rote answers.
STEP THREE: ASK QUESTIONS
If you feel your child might be ready, ask a few questions to help gauge his or her level of understanding. For example, read Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Then ask questions like “What is sin?” and “How does your sin affect your relationship to God?” How they respond can help you sense when your child is ready to understand two important concepts:
- JESUS AS SAVIOR: The need for forgiveness and cleansing from sin which was made possible through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
- JESUS AS LORD: The need to submit to God as “the boss” by making Jesus Christ the Lord of one’s life.
STEP FOUR: GUIDE YOUR CHILD IN PRAYER FOR SALVATION
Romans 10:9-10 says, “…if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” If you sense your child has a basic understanding of what sin is as well as what it means to accept God’s gift of salvation and His Lordship, then you can guide him or her to pray along those lines. Instead of quoting specific words for your child to repeat, it is best to prompt using his or her own words. If after reading through this guide and viewing the video you would like additional assistance, feel free to request an appointment for you and your child to meet with a pastor or Central staff member (EMAIL US).
DOWNLOAD FULL RESOURCE KIT REQUEST PRINTED RESOURCE KIT
A NOTE TO PARENTS
Although this information is recommended to parents of children ages 5 and above, few children are ready to fully understand the gospel or make a faith decision at such a young age. Use the above material to prepare yourself to be ready when your child expresses interest.
recommended books
The Faith of a Child
By Art Murray
Research shows that if children do not accept Christ before they are fourteen, their chance of becoming believers greatly diminishes. Children's pastor Art Murphy offers help for anyone who struggles with the issue of children and salvation. The Faith of a Child is designed to teach parents, grandparents, or anyone who works with children how to be equipped and confident in guiding them to a saving faith in Christ.
About Faith path
We believe God designed the family to be the primary disciple-making relationship. In other words, God gave parents the privilege of nurturing faith in the next generation. That’s why the Faith Path was created. It's a step-by-step plan to help you be intentional as you prepare for key faith milestones and foster spiritual disciplines in your child’s faith journey. From parent dedication to leading your child to Christ to launching your young adult, the Faith Path resources are designed to assist you in discipling your children.