Gospel
One of the greatest privileges you have as a parent is to help your child come to faith in Christ.
Gospel
Even if your child was dedicated or baptized as a baby, you will want to help your child understand the Gospel and make their own faith decision when he or she is old enough to do so.
God has given you the most important and influential role when it comes to leading your child to Christ
Like many parents, you might feel unsure about how or when to approach this exciting but intimidating moment. It’s common to worry about explaining the gospel clearly or to rely on church leaders instead. These tips are meant to help you feel more confident when the time comes.
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. Seeing parents ask for forgiveness when they have been wrong is powerful. 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.”
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.
Ask questions
If you feel your child might be ready, ask a few 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 and Jesus as Lord.
Guide your child in prayer for salvation
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.
Share the good news!
Share your joy with family and friends!
Ready for more?
Head back to “The Journey” page to check out even more resources!
