FAITH PATH
Gospel Converstions
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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 won’t explain salvation properly. They might be tempted to just “leave it to the professionals” by relying on people at church or ministry events. That’s 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 that says, “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 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 that says, “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 open ended 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?” “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:
Romans 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’s best to prompt using his or her own words.
STEP FIVE: PREPARE THEM FOR THE NEXT STEPS
Once your child has trusted Christ, you can begin the wonderful privilege of guiding their next steps of faith. Topics like Bible reading and prayer, baptism, worship, and even going to church now have new meaning and relevance, and you have the joy of modeling, teaching, and walking alongside them as they learn to trust, obey, and follow Jesus.
If you feel your child might be ready, ask open ended 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?” “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. Children have to understand the concept of their sin before they can understand the need of a Savior
- JESUS AS LORD:The need to submit to God as “the boss” by making Jesus Christ the Lord of one’s life
Romans 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’s best to prompt using his or her own words.
STEP FIVE: PREPARE THEM FOR THE NEXT STEPS
Once your child has trusted Christ, you can begin the wonderful privilege of guiding their next steps of faith. Topics like Bible reading and prayer, baptism, worship, and even going to church now have new meaning and relevance, and you have the joy of modeling, teaching, and walking alongside them as they learn to trust, obey, and follow Jesus.