RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

With it being October 31st, it's a tombstone kinda' day.  It got me thinking about what has been written on people's tombstones.  Here are a few interesting ones.

"We'll love you forever."
Bernie Mac

"There goes the neighborhood."
Rodney Dangerfield

"I've had it all, I've done it all, I've seen it all, it's all about love. God is love."
Rick James

"Everybody loves someone sometime."
Dean Martin

"I had a lover's quarrel with the world."
Robert Frost

"She did it the hard way."
Bette Davis

"That's all folks."
Mel Blanc

"The people's princess."
Diana...Prince of Wales

"He was a good husband, wonderful father, but a bad electrician."
Pancrazio Juvenales

"Second fastest draw in New Austin."
Byron Vickers

"Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?"
Leonard Ravenhill

"Only by giving our lives do we find life."
Cesar Chavez

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
Jackie Robinson

"She served and kept the faith, she concealed her tears and shared her smiles, she gave so much and demanded so little."
Mother of Debra Lee

"Devoted wife and loving mother."
Mairbeth Parnell

"I'm a writer but nobody's perfect."
Billy Wilder

"Forever in the hearts of their devoted family."
Amy Winehouse and her grandmother

"Songwriter, singer, producer, dancer, choreographer, Humanitarian, Jackson 5 member, Soloist, 13 #1 singles, 23 Grammys, 197 awards and 37 top 40 hits, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and MoTown legend."
Michael Jackson

"Author of the Declaration of Independence and Father of the University of Virginia"
Thomas Jefferson

"Defender of the Constitution"
Willam Justice

"The Voice"
Whitney Houston

"God loved you and I will...forever. Forever your wife."
Sugar Ray Robinson

"And the beat goes on."
Sonny Bono

"We live to love you more each day."
Jane Mansfield

What will people write on your tombstone one day?  That is determined by what we do in the dash between our birth and death.  Let's make every day count and give our lives to what really matters.  There are no moving trucks in a funeral procession.  In the end, it's about our relationship with Jesus, our family and those God has uses us to impact and help.

One of the most exciting times for a parent is when their child starts asking questions about beginning a relationship with Jesus.

It can also be a challenging time as parents try to decide if their child is really ready to make this decision or not.  And many times they will come to you for help.

They will ask questions like...
"How old should my child be to make this decision?"
"How do I know if my child is ready or not?"
"Should I let them pray the prayer of salvation or have them wait?"

So how do you tell if a child is ready to begin a relationship with Jesus?  Here are 3 indicators I tell parents to watch for.

#1 - The child knows what sin is. 
Before a child (or anyone) can enter a relationship with Jesus, they must understand why they need a relationship with Jesus.  They must understand what sin is and that they have sinned.  If a child doesn't understand this, then they are not ready to step across the line of faith.

#2 - The child initiates the conversation on a regular basis. 
If a child continues to initiate conversations about accepting Jesus, then that is a good sign that God is working in the child's life.  The Holy Spirit convicts and draws people...including kids.  There is no "Jr. Holy Spirit."

#3 - The child knows they "need" to do this vs. the child "wanting" to do this. 
There is a difference.  There is a difference between "I want to do this because my friends are" or "I want to do this because it's fun" and "I need to make this decision" or " I need to do this because I want Jesus in my life."

What are some other indicators you watch for?
What do you tell parents who ask for help?

Share your thoughts, insight, and ideas in the comment section below.