There is nothing more important than the salvation of our children. As we pray for them on a daily basis, that should be at the top of the list. The decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior is not one, we can make for them, but we can guide them as they ask questions and lead them to accept Christ when they are ready.
While books* have been written on knowing when a child is ready, let me mention a few things here that may be helpful.
First, when a child begins asking questions about salvation, that does not necessarily mean he is ready. That usually means that his heart is being awakened to the things of God. This is a good thing. These questions are the open door that you can use to begin to talk with your child about salvation and why he needs a Savior.
Second, a child must have a sense of sin, as well as right and wrong, before he is ready to call on Jesus to be his Lord and Savior. The age when a child develops this varies from child to child.
Third, don’t rush your child to receive Christ before he is ready. I understand why parents are anxious for their child to accept Christ. No parent wants his child to die without Christ. Let me reassure all parents that any child that dies before reaching the age of accountability goes to heaven.
Fourth, on the other hand, don’t take the attitude that some parents take of being completely hands off. They are so sensitive about not wanting to pressure their child that they make no attempt to talk with their child about salvation whatsoever. Sometimes this hesitancy is a result of having a bad experience as a child. Perhaps they were pressured by their church or parents to make a decision before they understood, so these parents go to the other extreme and back off totally.
Neither of these approaches is right. There needs to be a balance.
Perhaps this is obvious, but I must say it anyway. Begin to nurture your child in the things of the Lord at a very early age. Read picture Bible story books to them every day in the early preschool years. As your child gets older, purchase other Bible story books that are age appropriate. In the younger elementary years, give them a “real Bible” in a version they can understand. I like the International Children’s Bible which is an actual translation on a third grade reading level.
Also, it should go without saying, but take your child to church. It is especially important that he is involved in an age graded Sunday School class with a solid Bible based curriculum.
Some parents simply do not know how to lead their child to Christ so they pass that responsibility off to a pastor or other spiritual leader. At some point, having them talk to your child is a good idea, and he can talk with your child about believer’s baptism as well, but there is no greater privilege than a parent leading his own child to faith in Christ.
On the Kids Resources section of my web page, you will find the best presentation on how to lead a child to faith in Christ I have ever heard for children. I have taken my evangelism professor Roy Fish’s presentation called “How to have a clean heart” and revised it slightly and put it in booklet form. The actual booklet will be available in the near future to order under the tracts section of this site as well.
Hopefully your church provides a class for children who have recently accepted Christ. If not, they should be able to provide you with a work book type of study that will help your child understand what it means to be a Christian and how to grow.
Teaching your child to spend time alone with the Lord in his Word and praying each day is especially important after he has become a Christian. There are Bible reading plans available for children. The gospels of Mark and John are a good place for them to begin. It is important that a child has a translation of the Bible that he can understand.
Scripture memory is also beneficial to help kids grow in their faith.
There are also numerous children’s programs available on streaming and/or DVDs. Watching these can strengthen their faith. The amount of Christian music of all types that is available is amazing. While many of the choruses churches sing are uplifting, make an effort to expose your children to traditional hymns if your church does not sign them on regular basis. They are rich in theology and doctrine that your children need to learn. The hymns I sung growing up in church are still with me after all these years.
There has been an explosion of Christian books, both fiction and non-fiction, for kids in recent years. Encourage your child to read these, and depending on his age, you can read a chapter a day to him. And of course, reading the Bible to and with your child is wonderful.
I mentioned above the importance of having your child involved in church for nurture. If for some reason your child has not been involved, now is the time to begin after he has accepted Christ. The top priority would be Sunday morning Bible study groups like Sunday School. In addition to connecting with other kids and adults, he will begin to learn the Bible. Most churches also offer programming for children on Wednesday nights. Graded choirs for kids are an excellent way for kids to learn songs that will strengthen their faith.
We had heard the expression “more is caught than taught.” In addition to all my suggestions mentioned above, one of the most powerful ways you can influence your child in his new found faith is for you to live out your own faith in Christ. When your child sees you reading your Bible or Christian books, he notices. When you go to church with your child, you are setting the example. Talking about the Lord and spiritual/eternal matters in the home as part of everyday conversation really strengthens your child’s faith as well.
As you have been reading this article, maybe you have realized that you have not been setting a very good example for your child in these areas. In fact, maybe you have realized that you have never accepted Christ yourself. Go to my home page and find the article “How to begin a relationship with Jesus” to find out how you can become a Christian.
*The Faith of a Child by Art Murphy is a classic. It is available from Moody Publishers and Amazon. Used copies are available from various outlets.