Are you confident that you know how to present the gospel to people? Sharing the love of Jesus and His plan of salvation is a blessing, however, if you feel unprepared you may be reluctant to do so. Here are 4 steps you can use for presenting the gospel to children:
1. Show him his need for a Savior. Tell the child, “God loves you and wants you to come to heaven to live with Him someday.” Read Romans 3:23 and Isaiah 53:6. Ask him, “What will keep you from heaven?” Explain to him what sin is. A definition I like is, “Sin is anything you think, say or do that displeases God.” Ask him if he’s ever sinned. If a child will not admit that he is a sinner, he is not ready to receive Christ. Ask him, “What is God’s punishment for sin?” Make sure the child knows the consequences of not receiving Christ without scaring him into a decision.
2. Show him God’s way of salvation. Read Hebrews 9:22b and I Corinthians 15:3,4. Tell him, “Because God loves you He made a way for your sins to be forgiven.” Ask him questions like, “What did Jesus do for you?” and, “Why did Jesus have to die?” when you lead a child to Jesus, he should do most of the talking. Avoid asking him “yes” and “no” questions. Make sure he is thinking for himself. Explain verses like John 3:16 and Acts 16:31, replacing words like “whosoever” with the child’s name.
3. Lead the child in a response. Ask him, “Would you like to receive the Lord as your Savior right now?” If the child is hesitant, do not push him to pray. If the child is not ready, you may only get a false profession by leading him in a rote prayer. If the child says “Yes”, you should help him to pray. Tell him he can talk to Jesus right now and thank Him for dying on the cross. Tell the child he should confess his sin to Jesus and ask for salvation. It is best if the child prays by himself and does not repeat after you.
4. Show the child God’s promise to each believer. Read 1 John 1:9 and II Peter 3:18. Ask him review questions that will help him solidify in his mind his decision to follow Christ. Ask him, “What did Jesus do for you?” and, “How do you know He did what you asked?” Talk to him about God’s promise that he is safe in his hands and cannot “lose” his salvation (John 10:28). Explain how he should confess his sins to Jesus and ask for forgiveness when he sins. Encourage him to read the Bible, (supply one if he doesn’t have one) and make yourself available to him in the future.
I hope these ideas will show you how simple it is to explain salvation to children and encourage you to minister in this area.
Please check out these articles:
5 Tips for Having Devotions With Toddlers
Guiding a Loved One to the Cross