Foundations of Children's Evangelism

How to Lead Kids to Christ

Dick Gruber

• Publisher: Logion Press
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9781607314806
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Ministry

Are you eager to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with boys and girls? This book provides unique ideas, sound biblical theology, and resources for anyone who wants to reach children for Jesus. Based on hundreds of hours of research and many years of personal experience, Dick Gruber shares from his vast reservoir of knowledge and expertise to enable kids ministry leaders to reach children today. Dr. Gruber shares practical ideas, programs, and ways to promote kids ministry, develop outreach events, and lead a child to Christ. While the material is not all inclusive, it is Bible-based and practical. As anyone who is involved in ministering to children knows, methods constantly evolve to meet the current cultural needs, yet the commission to reach boys and girls remains constant because God loves children. Children still make up the largest, most reachable people group on planet earth. They need a lifelong relationship with loving adults who will continuously model Christian living for them. Let the practical yet deeply spiritual tools in this book motivate you to learn from children, who approach God with simple, genuine faith. Let these resources motivate you to teach and disciple boys and girls to become full-fledged members of the faith community.

SECTION 1—RESEARCH AND WRITINGS

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

The term “evangelizing children” carries with it many preconceptions, both positive and negative. On the positive side we find Jesus welcoming and blessing children in Matthew 19. He establishes a pattern for reaching children by His words and deeds. Of this encounter Edward Hayes wrote, “To Him, the recovery of one lost child was top priority.”¹

Throughout the years well-meaning ministers have interpreted and acted upon the example of Christ. Some have approached children with the love of Christ, presenting His message with care while utilizing appropriate methodology. Others have emotionally and verbally abused, scared, or offended little ones based on personal paradigms that are less than child-friendly. Although Jonathan Edwards preached of God’s love and care for children, he also presented the full wrath of an angry God to boys and girls. Catherine Brekus writes of this Great Awakening preacher, “To make children see their unworthiness, Edwards did not hesitate to use fear.”² Edwards had no background in modern psychology, as its rise happened more than a century after his ministry. It would seem that he just knew how to exploit common childhood fears when preaching to children.³

Some of today’s children’s leaders continue in the tradition of fear and manipulative crowd psychology. These should pay attention to the warning of Matthew 18:6, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

Regardless of approach, the evangelism of children is, and will continue to be, an important aspect of Christian ministry. The leader of the contemporary church should not ignore this. He should rather strive to embrace the concept of evangelizing children, discovering new methods in reaching each new generation.

This writing will address the following assertions: There is a biblical mandate to evangelize children. This mandate requires a historical and programmatic response on the part of the contemporary Christian church.

These statements bring several questions to mind, the foremost of which is, “What does the Bible say about reaching children?” Others that must be considered include, “Can children be lost? Can they be saved? Can a child understand salvation? What is the church’s response to the biblical mandate? Should the church approach children holistically when presenting the gospel?” This work will endeavor to answer these and other questions which arise when one studies children and salvation from biblical, historical, and social perspectives.

Perhaps you, the reader, have approached children and ministry to them in the way that George Barna describes in his 2001 book, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions. Concerning children, Barna writes, “In my mind, they were people en route to significance—i.e., adulthood—but were not yet deserving of the choice resources.”⁴ Barna goes on to describe how, based on solid research into children’s ministry, he was compelled to reconsider his and the church’s roles in reaching children.

A threefold biblical mandate will be presented in this work. It encompasses inclusion, invitation, and instruction. The reader will see that these areas are given reoccurring emphasis in the Old and New Testaments. The historical literature review beginning with the early church and progressing until now will help unpack these perspectives. The reader will find in reading this that stirring philosophical arguments for evangelizing children will be presented.

Upon reading this, one must, like George Barna, reconsider his and the church’s roles in recognizing the significance of evangelizing children, the position of children in the body of Christ, and their place in the life of the Church.

Confronting the Age of Accountability

One cannot begin a study on evangelizing children without first addressing the age of accountability. “It cannot be denied that children sin (Gen. 8:21); that is evident empirically as well as theologically!”⁵ For years, church leaders have attempted to define an age at which a child can be held accountable for her sinful actions. Some have established a specific age, while others have rejected the concept altogether.

Considering a possible “age of accountability” will inform your approach to evangelizing boys and girls. Your belief concerning this age of accountability will help determine your target audience when running outreach events. It will give you direction for the acceptance of the child convert. This is not an exhaustive study on the age of accountability,⁶ but rather a discussion starter that you can step in and out of as you begin to think about the child as a sinner who can be saved by grace.

Augustine taught that children begin life in a state of “non-innocence.”⁷ Children basically do not sin until they have the physical strength and language skills to do so. Once they have attained these, they will sin. Other writers of the fourth century and beyond lay the burden of original sin on the children. It is common today among evangelicals to believe that, born with it or not, children do sin and are in need of a Savior. Edward Hammond wrote in his 1878 book entitled The Conversion of Children, “All Christians of every name agree that ‘the wages of sin is death,’ and it must be admitted that, at as early an age as a child is capable of knowing right from wrong, it is capable of sinning.”⁸

This is further emphasized by Assemblies of God Pastor Richard Dresselhaus as he writes, “Only through a careful teaching of the Word of God, and as the Spirit is active, will these children recognize their need and feel drawn by the Spirit to salvation.”⁹ Based on the assumption that all children sin, the church has sought throughout the ages to establish an age at which the child is accountable for that sin. Once accountability is established, then the child can be brought into salvation through Jesus.¹⁰

Although Scripture does not give such an age, many have attempted to describe it. Sam Doherty, who has served with Child Evangelism Fellowship in Ireland and Europe for over fifty years, writes, “The Bible does not give an age, and neither should we. Children differ from each other. But the Lord Jesus did speak about little ones trusting him (Matthew 18:6).”¹¹ It is evident after study of available historic literature that an age of accountability is not taught in the Scriptures. The basis for it can be logically deduced.¹² One can appreciate Pastor Dresselhaus’s writing concerning the age of accountability. His book, Teaching for Decision, was a mainstay for Sunday school teacher training in the 1970s and ’80s. Dresselhaus pens, “Obviously, it is impossible to determine a uniform age when all children reach this point of awareness.”¹³

The age of accountability question may never be fully answered on planet earth. When is a child old enough to understand? How do you approach salvation when you feel he is ready? Is the church guilty of pushing for salvation commitments at too early an age? Daniel Smith wrote in 1987,

Some argue that young children are not able to understand the issues of faith and grace. I realize that children mature at different rates, and the ability to discern spiritual issues comes at a different point for different individuals. However, many have understood salvation by grace through faith at a very early age. We should present a consistent gospel message even to young children.¹⁴

In 1970, William Hendricks, Baptist theologian, further explains why the church must present the gospel to children. He talks of a “moment” when the child awakens to the spiritual truth of salvation and thus accountability.¹⁵

Church leaders and teachers who spend at the most two to three hours a week with children can hardly be expected to know a child well enough to estimate his readiness to receive Christ. So the children’s leader must do as Lois Lebar encouraged in her 1952 book, Children in the Bible School. Ms. Lebar implores the leader to “provide frequent opportunities to say yes to Christ.”¹⁶ The task of the church, then, is to regularly provide opportunities for children to be challenged at their varying levels of understanding to make a conscious decision for Christ.

Concerns over the age of accountability often arise when the children’s leader or pastor is confronted with the question, “What if the child were to die?” A fear of impending doom then motivates the leader to evangelize the child. Several writers have adopted a reverse approach. It is based on the assumption that a sufficient Christian theology for the evangelism and discipleship of children must be based on the supposition that children will live. Children must be taught of their importance in God’s eternal scheme rather than be frightened by impending death.¹⁷ An invitation to receive abundant life in Jesus is a much worthier motivation than providing an eternal fire escape.

When incorporating boys and girls into the faith community, the motivation of insuring that children have a new life in Jesus must supersede any other. God is just and loves the children. Edward Hayes wrote, “God stands ready to save the child on the exercise of the child’s faith. If the child is a five-year-old, God will be pleased to accept a five-year-old response. If the child is ten, then God will accept a ten-year-old faith response.”¹⁸

The task of the would-be leader may not be that of discerning the age of accountability, but rather advancing the gospel to children of all ages utilizing appropriate methodology backed with the pure motive of God’s love. The task of this writing is not to devise or discern, nor answer or solve, the dilemma of the age of accountability. The age of accountability is a topic that will be the subject of continuing debate long after this work is complete. The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate a biblical mandate for advancing the gospel to children young and old. This advancement must move forward utilizing appropriate methodology applied out of a motivation to share God’s love.

Why Should We Evangelize Children?

In the book Children in the Bible School, Lois Lebar answers the question, “Why bring the gospel to children?”¹⁹ Ms. Lebar provides eight reasons. I’ve borrowed two of her answers and added a third of my own. These best represent today’s reasons for reaching children. These are: (1) The Bible clearly teaches us that Jesus calls children to himself, (2) Children open many homes for the gospel, and (3) The societal, religious, media, and family influences of today demand a Christian response.²⁰

These three will be evident throughout the continuation of this writing. The challenge will be to lay a foundation of Scripture, then build philosophical walls which will stand the storms of time and societal pressure. Ideally, architecture of these arguments will compel the reader to reach and disciple children. George Barna notes, “We can strive to give our youngsters all the advantages the world has to offer, and motivate them to make the most of available opportunities and resources; but unless their spiritual life is prioritized and nurtured, they will miss out on much of the meaning, purpose and joy in life.”²¹

This work will propose the kind of holistic approach Barna ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Halftitle Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Preface
• Section 1—Research and Writings
• Section 2—Practical Ideas, Programs, and Applications
• Appendix A: Why Bring the Gospel to Children
• Appendix B: Hallo-What?
• Appendix C: Jesus Blesses the Children
• Appendix D: Five Things Jesus Wants You to See in Children’s Ministry
• Appendix E: Leading a Child to Christ
• Appendix F: Praying With Children to Receive the Holy Spirit
• Sources Consulted
• About the Author