Tips for Leading a Child to Christ

Leading a child to Christ is the single most wonderful thing about children’s ministry, and there are many wonderful things about teaching kids. There’s nothing quite like leading kids in prayer and introducing them to the Lord. I remember when I first began in children’s ministry about sixteen years ago how nervous I was to lead the altar service. What a privilege! Today, I don’t worry about anything except that the child before me understands what he’s doing. If you are a new teacher and don’t regularly offer to lead children to Christ, you should consider adding it to your lesson plan. Here are some tips to get you started.
Study to show yourself approved. You don’t have to have a theology degree to know how important accepting Christ is but you should be familiar with the process. Make it a point to regularly study and read passages concerning salvation like Matthew 8:8-12; Matthew 19: 25-26; Romans 3:8 and Romans 10:9-10.
Remember your salvation experience. If we keep ourselves close to the cross, we never have to struggle to remember the experience. I suggest that we reflect on how God has changed our lives regularly. When we do this, it renews our passion to see someone saved.
Know the fundamentals but don’t get “religious.” According to the verses I mentioned earlier, a person must acknowledge they are a sinner, recognize that Jesus as God’s Son died to take away the individual’s sin. We have to repent of that sin and accept the sacrifice of Jesus to be born again. It’s really that simple! Don’t make it complicated, unintentionally or otherwise.
Lead, but allow the child to express himself. Honestly 90 percent of the time kids don’t know what to say, they just come in obedience to the Holy Spirit. I can see little hearts melting and little eyes full of tears. They stand looking at me, waiting for direction. But there is another, much smaller group that needs and wants to express how they feel. I like to pray individually with kids, not as a group that way if I do encounter kids that want to say their own prayers they can. I usually say, “Would you like to start?” If they say no, I lead the prayer.
Give some instructions. I tell kids this, “Say what I say but mean it with your heart, okay?” Then say, “Let’s close our eyes. There’s no “magic” in it but it helps us think about God.” These simple instructions help kids know what to do.
You can do it! Don’t forget to send the child a follow up card, congratulating him on his decision to accept Jesus.
Read more from Mimi by visiting her blog at Tools for Kids Church.