How to lead a child to Jesus Christ

I was a very young Christian with little experience of speaking to children, and a limited knowledge of the Bible. I started to teach my first Good News Club in our home. Each week, because of my inexperience, I followed the instructions and outline in my Child Evangelism Fellowship teaching manual very carefully. The children enjoyed singing the choruses and learned the Bible verses very well. I taught the Bible lesson each week (again with much help from my CEF manual), using the narrative to not just tell a story but also to explain the Gospel message, to show the children that they needed to be saved, and to explain that Jesus Christ would save them if they put their trust in him. Then, one day, for the very first time, and in obedience to my teaching manual, I told them that if any of them really wanted to trust the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, but were not sure how to do so, they should stay seated after the meeting was over. I would then be glad to show them how to trust the Lord Jesus. The Good News Club was over, but not all of the children had gone home. Five children were still sitting on the sofa in our living room and they told me that they would like to trust the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. But the problem was I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT! I wish that I had had an outline like the one in this booklet to help me at this critical moment. But you have it and I trust you will find it helpful to lead children to Jesus Christ. (I will tell you later what happened to me).

Counselling children and leading them to Jesus Christ is an essential part of your ministry. It will be a great help to have an outline which you can follow when counselling a child. The next six pages will give you an outline of 10 simple steps to follow. STEP 1 - SET THE CHILD AT EASE He (or she) might be nervous; so smile, chat with him a little, ask him his name and age, and tell him how happy you are that he wants to speak with you. You could also ask if someone is waiting for him. If so you would need to let them know the child is with you, and wants to speak with you. STEP 2 - IDENTIFY THE CHILD S PROBLEM The child will fall into one of four main groups, and each group needs to be dealt with in a different way. Group 1 - the child who is not sincere or not ready. Group 2 - the child who is very young and does not understand his need of salvation. Group 3 - the child who is already saved and lacks assurance or has a problem. Group 4 - the child who is sincere, understands, is unsaved and really wants to be saved. To identify the child s problem and the group he fits into, you should ask three questions-linked to Groups 1, 2 and 3. Question 1:- Why do you want to talk with me? His answer will show you if he is in Group 1. If he is not sincere, explain the Gospel to him and encourage him to go home and think more about it; and then come back and talk with you at a later date.

Question 2:- Have you ever sinned or done anything wrong? If the child, in his answers to such questions, shows that he does not understand what sin is and has no conviction of it, he is in group 2. Tell him that when he gets older he will understand better and be ready to trust Jesus Christ. Pray with him and let him go. But if he seems to understand, then go to question 3. Question 3:- Have you already asked the Lord Jesus to come into your life? If he says Yes ask him to tell you about it. If you are satisfied that he has done so find out what his problem is and try to help him with it. The problem is often a lack of assurance. Then pray with him and let him go. If the child answers No to this question then deal with him as a child who is unsaved. The following eight steps will help you to do this: STEP 3 - MAKE SURE THE CHILD UNDERSTANDS THE GOSPEL Ask him questions to see how much he understands, and help with any point with which he is not clear. This would be a good opportunity to use the four colours of the wordless book to explain the four main Gospel truths. 1) About God - especially that He is holy and must punish sin. 2) About sin - what it is and does. Have you ever sinned?. 3) About Jesus Christ Who shed His precious blood for you, and is alive to-day and able to save you. 4) About the way of salvation. When you turn from your sin and trust Him as your Saviour all your sins are forgiven and you are completely clean and pure in God s eyes. (The next page gives you more information about the four colours and the type of questions you might ask.)

GOD (show gold page) Who does this gold colour remind you of? What is God like? 1) He is wealthy, the Creator, and owner of all. 2) He is the King of kings. 3) He is pure. 4) He lives in Heaven where the streets are gold and He loves you. SIN (show the dark page) This page is dark and reminds us of dark things, bad things, and the sin in our lives. What is sin? Give me some examples. What does God think about sin? Have you sinned? Do you want to turn from your sin and be different? JESUS CHRIST (show the red page) This page is red and reminds us of the precious blood of the Lord Jesus that was poured out when He took the punishment for our sin on the cross. Who is the only one who can take away your sin? Why can He take it away? Is He still dead? WAY OF SALVATION (Show the white page) What do you need to do to be saved? If you do that, what does God promise to do? Will He still see you like this? (Show dark page) How will He see you? (Show white page). GROWTH (the green page) Show this later.

STEP 4 - USE A BIBLE VERSE TO SHOW THE WAY OF SALVATION. Use a Bible verse which shows the child two things:--what God wants the child to do and what God will do if he does that. There are many easy to understand verses which are suitable. John 1 v 12 - Receive Jesus Christ. You will become a child of God. John 3 v 16 - Trust Jesus Christ. You will have everlasting life. John 6 v 37 - Come to Jesus Christ. He will receive you. Acts 16 v 31 - Trust Jesus Christ. You will be saved. Rev 3 v 20 - Open the door of your life to Him. He will come in. Keep to one verse and explain from that verse what the child needs to do and what God promises to do if he does that. If you are satisfied the child understands proceed to the next step. STEP 5 - ASK HIM IF HE WANTS TO TRUST CHRIST OR IF HE WOULD RATHER GO HOME AND THINK MORE ABOUT IT. It is good to give him a choice so that he does not feel under pressure. You should explain the importance of this decision. Let him know that the Lord Jesus will want to see a change in his life and that it is not always easy to be a Christian. Then ask him what he would like to do and give him a little time to reply. If he says he wants to go home and think about it, pray with him and let him go. Tell him you will always be ready to help him. If he says Yes he is ready for the next step.

STEP 6 - SUGGEST THAT HE SPEAK TO THE LORD JESUS AND ASK HIM TO SAVE HIM. You should now encourage the child to pray and using as a basis whichever Bible verse you have chosen ---to ask the Lord Jesus to make him a child of God, or give him everlasting life, or receive him, or save him or come into his life. If he is really sincere but shy you could lead him in a simple prayer and have him repeat the words after you. If you are counselling more than one child you could encourage each of them to pray one after the other, or you could lead with a simple prayer for them to repeat the words in unison. However the first way is better. STEP 7 - SPEAK ABOUT ASSURANCE OF SALVATION. The child needs to learn how he can know that he is saved. If he does not have this assurance he can easily be tempted to doubt the reality of his salvation. You cannot give the child assurance of salvation. His assurance must come from God and be based on His Word and not yours. Assurance is the specific work of God the Holy Spirit (Romans 8 v 16) and He uses two means 1) The Word of God (1 John 5 v 13). So go back to the Bible verse you used. What did God tell you to do in His Word? Did you do it? What did God promise to do if you did that? Does God always keep His promises? Has He done that? How do you know? Because He said He would 2) A changed life (2 Cor 5 v17) There will be some little changes in your life and these changes will also help you to know that you are saved.

STEP 8 - SUGGEST A PRAYER OF THANKS. You should now suggest to the child that he might want to speak to the Lord Jesus and thank Him for what He has just done as promised in the Bible verse you have read together. STEP 9 - GIVE THE CHILD A BIBLE PROMISE. Show him a Bible verse which contains a promise from God which is just for him. You could show him Hebrews 13 v 5 I will never leave you and as you say these words point to each finger on your left hand and encourage the child to do the same. STEP 10 - START FOLLOW-UP TEACHING. If you have time or if there is the possibility that you may not meet the child again, you should go briefly through this last section with him. If you don t have time you could arrange for him to meet with you at a later date. Tell the child that God wants him to grow (show him the green page). Show him on the fingers of your hand 5 steps for growth READ AND OBEY THE BIBLE EACH DAY (Show strong thumb). TALK TO GOD (with index finger pointing upwards). TELL OTHERS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE (3rd tall brave finger). ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU WHEN YOU SIN (4 th weak finger). MEET WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS (bring all fingers together). May God help you in your counselling ministry to children. He really helped me that first time I counselled children (even without an outline) AND ALL FIVE TRUSTED THE LORD JESUS!