by Larry Moyer, evangelist-at-large

Someone once asked evangelist D. L. Moody how many people came to Christ through one of his outreaches. He gave a number but then added, “and one-half.” Someone remarked, “I guess the one-half was a child.” “Oh, no,” Moody replied. “The one-half was an adult. The rest were children. Children have their entire lives to live for Christ. The adult’s life is half over.”

That’s the opportunity in reaching children for Christ. Those who trust Him at a young age have their entire lives to live for the Lord. But there is a danger. Because children often say or do things to please others, you want to be certain they are responding to Christ, not simply to you.

The Bible does not give special instructions on leading children to Christ. Children come to Him in the same way as everyone else. Still, we should remember the following fundamentals:

1. Present the Gospel clearly. Children must understand that they are sinners and that Christ died for them, and that He rose from the dead. Don’t make confusing what God makes clear.

2. Children mature spiritually at different paces, just as they mature physically at different paces. It is important to lead them to Christ, not push them into something they don’t understand. Some may understand the Gospel at age five, but others won’t until later.

3. Focus on trusting in Christ alone for salvation, not Christ plus something else.

4. Take care with the wording you use. Children often take statements literally. For instance, the phrase “give your heart to Jesus” can confuse them, since their heart is a vital organ inside them. Besides, we are not giving Jesus anything. He is offering us something—eternal life.

5. Be sure to give them individual attention. Ask questions to gauge their understanding. Ask them to explain in their words what you told them. Follow up with more discussions.

6. Don’t emphasize the date of conversion. The issue is Who they trust to get them to heaven, not when they trusted Him.

7. Don’t condition their salvation on their behavior. They become Christians when they trust Christ, but they are still children. They can still be irritable and selfish, just like their parents.

Finally, let the Spirit direct you, not vice versa. You want to be certain that children are responding to God’s invitation, not just yours.