How To Lead Children to Christ Atoka-Coal VBS Clinic

1. How To Lead Children to ChristAtoka-Coal VBS Clinic Danny Kirkpatrick Pastor – Voca Baptist Church vocabaptistchurch@yahoo.com www.vocabaptistchurch.org

2. The Importance of VBS • In 2007, there were 2.8 million people (children and adults) enrolled in VBS. • There were 88,000 professions of faith in Christ that year. • 26% of Southern Baptist baptisms came as a result of VBS. • As important and impressive as these stats are, what really matters is that those professions of faith are real and genuine.

3. Children and Salvation? • Can children be saved? • Answer: Absolutely! • How Does a Child Become Saved? • Answer: The same way an adult does! • There is only one way to become saved; however, the way it is presented can be different. • We must speak on their level in a way they can understand without changing the message or taking out the sting. • They need to know that they are sinners, they don’t deserve and cannot earn grace, and that the wages of sin is death. • All of this talk though can be said in ways they can understand.

4. Words of Caution • Do not try to lead a child to Christ before they are ready! • Leads to confusion and false sense of salvation • We are saved by God’s grace and not our works, so let them come to a realization. This takes time! • Great Commission tells us to make disciples not converts. If you’re going to lead a child to Christ, you and your church are also committing to raising them up in the Lord.

5. Meet Them Where They Are • 1 Corinthians 9:20-22 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.

6. What is Salvation? • *This is for your knowledge and not how you’ll share it with kids! • We are sinful, guilty, condemned people. We can do nothing to change it. 1 John 2:1-2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. • Romans 8:6-8 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

7. We all deserve death and Hell. Contrast “Wages of Sin” with “Gift of God.” • No one is a “good person” on their own. Psalm 53:3 Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one. • Anybody who uses the 10 commandments to show how good they are stand condemned. (Galatians) • Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for fallen mankind. • They must confess they are a sinner, ask for forgiveness through sacrifice of Christ, repent [turn] from their sin, and commit to following Him all the days of their life.

8. Bringing it to Their LevelRecognizing Sin • Step 1: We need to get children to recognize their sin. • *Tip – Don’t rush too quickly to God’s provision. They must understand where we all stand before God (as guilty and condemned) before the cross will make any sense. • Discussion Question – How can we define “sin” to children in a way they’ll understand? • Most children can understand the word “disobey.” Sin is disobedience to the rules that God told us to live by. • Let them know that God hates sin and that it has consequences -

9. Penalty of Sin • Compare to daily life. If you disobey your parents, what happens? [Get punished] • Does this mean that your parents aren’t good people because they punish you? [God is holy & must punish sin] • What’s the punishment that we all deserve? [Death = Hell, eternal separation from God] • Is there any thing we can do to fix this? [Not by works but by grace. There’s nothing we can do.]

10. God’s Provision • Step 2 – Tell them of what God has done for us. • The penalty we deserve Jesus took for us on the cross. • On the cross Jesus took the punishment (i.e. wrath of God) that we deserve. • Discussion Question – what comparison/analogy can we make to drive this home? • You broke the cookie jar but your brother pays your parents to get a new one. Dirty stains that need cleaning – what can wash them away? • We need to be “wiped clean”/forgiven

11. How to Be Saved • After admitting their sin, they need to ask for forgiveness, believe that Jesus is God and by his death took our punishment, and that just as Jesus rose from the grave, so will we in Heaven. • Step 3 – Commit to following him all your life! • Saying a prayer doesn’t save you! “If you pray this prayer you’ll be saved” is not true! Meaning what you say in the prayer does save! Responding in faith does save! Many people led astray thinking that if they say some words they’re okay.

12. The ABCs • Admit – That you’re: • A sinner • Your sin has separated you from God • Apart from God’s grace you cannot be saved (Ask for God’s forgiveness) • 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

13. The ABCs • Believe – That • Jesus is the Son of God • Believe he died, was buried, and came back to life for our sins • John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. • Romans 10:9 Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved

14. The ABCs • Confess/Commit???? • Either way, need to confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior • Commit to following Him all of your life (no matter what!) • Romans 10:10 For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

15. Rededicating Life • Disclaimer – my personal feelings! • There is no scriptural support for what is typically defined as “Rededicating of One’s Life.” • In Scripture, there is either coming to a genuine faith in Christ or there is repentance. No “saved again” • If a person says they don’t know if they’re a Christian, they need to pray to receive Christ. • If a person says they were saved earlier but haven’t been living like it, they need repentance, not the “sinner’s prayer.”

16. Verbage – (side comment) • Another personal thought (Sorry!) - • It’s a good idea to refer to “professions of faith” rather than number of salvations. • We cannot know how many people got saved at VBS or any other service. • We can know how many people made a profession of faith.

17. Questions for Children • Teachers, ministers, and other VBS workers should daily ask children: • Who is Jesus? • What did he do? • Why did he come to earth? • What is sin? • Why should I be a Christian? • How can one be saved? • Notice these are not “Yes” or “No” questions. Get a response.

18. At the Altar Call • If a child comes forward, ask open ended questions • Why did you come forward?” • *Note – they may not be ready to make a decision yet. Maybe they came forward because of friends or “warm-fuzzies” but they don’t “get it” just yet. • Open ended questions keeps us from making the decision for them. • Remain conversational, not confrontational. Don’t say, “You don’t want to burn in Hell do you?”

19. At the Altar Call • Avoid giving more info than what’s needed. • Don’t jump to conclusions. • Avoid “church talk” and “symbolic language.” • “Washed in the blood of the Lamb?” • Confess = tell, Lord = Boss, etc. • Make a distinction between becoming a Christian and being baptized/Lord’s Supper • Encourage them to share their own ideas. Let them explain things. Rephrase questions if necessary.

20. At the Altar Call • Each child deserves personal counseling. Can include youth. • Consider whether to do an open invitation with children below 3rd grade. • Involve parents with follow up • Use a Bible translation that they can understand • Read to them Scripture • Question whether you should use a puppet or cartoon to share the Gospel.

21. Follow Up • Get decision cards. Get their info. • If the child doesn’t know it all, find out the basics from their parents, friends, whatever. • Children who have made a commitment to follow Christ need a follow up visit within the first 2 weeks after VBS. • Children who just attended VBS need follow up within 3 weeks. • Home visits are best. Meet parents. Stuff in the mail doesn’t work as well. Phone calls good.

22. Questions?