This week, I had an interesting conversation with a nine-year-old in our children's church ministry. She wanted me to know she was ready to sacrifice her life for Jesus. Initially, I thought this was cute, but then I realized she was serious in her commitment.
Then it dawned on me—there is not an age restriction on sharing the gospel nor is there an age restriction on receiving the gospel.
However, with these two truths, I realized that all our evangelism training is geared toward reaching adults. While this focus is good, there must be more. Are we overlooking the little ones?
How do we ensure our children hear and have an opportunity to respond to the gospel?
The Call to Share
Jesus corrected the disciples who overlooked the importance of children. He became aggravated and irritated when the children were being scurried away and spoke from his heart concerning the little ones.
People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them.
- Mark 10:13-16
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." This declaration—or as we like to say, command—caught my attention. How do we, as a church, ensure our children hear and have an opportunity to respond to the gospel?
Here are three ways we might implement an intentional evangelism effort for children:
1. Share the gospel with our little ones in a way they can understand.
Especially for parents and grandparents, we can accomplish this sharing through the simple practice of walking the commands found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. I call this practicing the “caught principle.”
Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Notice first that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and might. Secondly, we are to diligently and intentionally point these little ones back to God using the flow of everyday life. I believe how we live out our faith before the children will speak more than the words we say.
“I believe how we live out our faith before the children will speak more than the words we say. ”
2. In our post-covid culture, let’s move back to a pre-covid outreach effort: vacation Bible school.
Regardless of your church size, you can pull off a simple, live-giving VBS where the gospel and salvation are front and center.
3. Backyard bible outreach in your community.
Several years ago, when our church was just starting, a mentor suggested we partner with his missions team to reach our community through backyard Bible outreach.
This was a three-day outdoor event held in a local mobile home community that included games, bible stories, and of snacks. The day before the event, we went door-to-door with simple flyers inviting the community to come each night from 6 -7:30 pm. The next day when the kids showed up, we had three or four stations on a 15-minute rotation that ended with a large group gospel presentation each night.
We not only saw children receive Christ, we also saw parents come to faith! Our team continued to follow up.
Just a few years later, we planted a church in that community. Like my good friend always says, "Look at God!”
Do you have an idea or two to share that has worked to reach children? Do me a favor, and contact me.
If you would like training on reaching children in your community, send me an email at bryant@ubahouston.org.
Bryant Lee is pastor of Higher Expectations Church and a church consultant for UBA. Bryant has a particular passion for mentoring bi-vocational church planters and pastors reaching urban areas.
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