RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

You often see children who accept Jesus as their Savior at a young age, make another salvation decision when they are teenagers.

What causes children to do this?  Were they not saved the first time they prayed to enter a relationship with Jesus?

Here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Kids get saved just like adults do.  There is no "Jr. Holy Spirit."  Kids enter a relationship with Jesus just like everyone else does.

The key is making sure they understand the decision they are making.

I often tell parents and children's ministry leaders, that our job is not to be behind children, pushing them to make a decision.  Nor is it to be in front of them, holding them back from making a decision, when God is clearly dealing with them.

What we are called to do is this - walk alongside them.  As we walk alongside them and share the Gospel with them, the Holy Spirit will draw them. 

2. Make sure you are clearly sharing the Gospel with all ages.  It is crucial that we clearly present the Gospel to children.  I wrote "Starting Point" for this very reason.  It gives children a clear picture of what it means to follow Jesus.  You can see it and obtain it at this link.  It is designed for children in grades one to five.

3. When kids get into their teen years, they are questioning a lot of things.  Be okay with that. It's in these years, they often begin owning the faith for themselves. 

4. Take them back to God's Word.  Remind them that feelings come and go.  If they sincerely entered a relationship with Jesus at an early age, God is still with them.  Our relationship with Jesus isn't dependent upon how we feel, but rather on the promises of God. 

5. When they reach their teenage years, often God is dealing with them about surrendering to His Lordship at a new level.  As they are becoming more aware of their thoughts and feelings, the Holy Spirit begins dealing with them about areas of their life they need to surrender to Jesus.  Thus it becomes a matter of surrendering those areas of their life to Jesus.

6.  If a teenager is having a hard time remembering the decision they made as a child, it's okay to pray a salvation prayer with them again, just to be sure.

7.  I personally believe that once you are saved, you are saved forever.  God will never turn His back on you.  If you made a decision to follow Jesus at an early age, He is still with you. But He is constantly dealing with us and conforming us to His image.  Again, this is where the Lordship factor must be emphasized.  It means you are totally committing your life to His will and guidance.

8. How do you know when a child is ready to accept Jesus into their life? What should you look for?

• They keep bringing it up to you.  If a child is consistently asking about salvation, it's a good sign that the Holy Spirit is dealing with them. 

• You sense they know they must make this decision rather than just making a decision because of their friends, parents, pastor, etc. 

What are your thoughts?  What do you do when a teenager, who was baptized as a child, asks you to baptize him or her again? 

Is Jesus really the only way to heaven?

This is a question that every person must ponder.  Especially the younger generations.

A new study shows that 51% of evangelicals believe God accepts "the worship of all religions, including Judaism and Islam.

The problem with this is it goes against what Jesus said in John 14:6.

"I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  

The next generation is growing up in a culture that values "tolerance, political correctness and not being judgemental," over the truth that Jesus is the only way.

The culture's worldview and line of thinking is creeping into the church. We must help the next generation be grounded in God's Word, if we want to see them believe and live by the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus was very clear when He stated that He is the only way to eternal life.  He didn't say...

"I am one of the ways to God."

"The Bible is the same as other religious books."

"We all pray to the same God."

These false lines of thinking are leading the next generation away from the teachings of Jesus.

51% of evangelicals agree that God can be worshiped by all religions, including those who follow the teachings of Judaism and Islam.  This is up from 2016, when the percentage was 48%.   

Our response should not be one of condemnation.  We must speak the truth in love.  Sharing with the next generation that Jesus is the only way to heaven.  As we do this, the Holy Spirit will move in people's lives and draw them into the family of God.

The church has always been counter cultural and we must continue raising up a generation that will walk boldly in the darkness and carry the light of the Gospel.

Say "Jesus is the only way to heaven" and you will be carrying the light into the darkness.

Believe that "The Bible is God's Word and is Perfect" and you must be prepared to answer critics.

Follow the teachings of Jesus and you will be mocked along the way.

Now is the time to get the truth into the next generation.

It is crucial that we teach children what the Bible clearly states - JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE.

And we must begin now.  If we wait until they are in middle school or high school, it will be too late.  We must write God's truth about salvation into the hearts of children while we have the opportunity.

Out of a burden to help the next generation understand that Jesus is the only way to heaven, I have created an elementary teaching series.

It's called "Road Trip" and it combines solid teaching, fun, games, small group time and more. You can see more about this series at this link. 

We only have a short window of time to teach kids that Jesus is the only way.  We must get there first with the Gospel of Jesus.  He is the only way to heaven.