Why Must We Be Careful in Encouraging People to “Accept Christ”?

Terminology matters. Use of the wrong terms can cause misunderstanding, especially if terms are not explained. Reader’s Digest once told of a German exchange student staying with a family in Illinois. The student was invited to an alcohol free prom party. So his host family faxed his parents in Germany asking permission for their son to attend. A quick response came, “No. We do not want our son attending any party where free alcohol is served.”

Terminology is important in spiritual matters as well. Nowhere is it more important than inviting people to come to Christ.

That’s why we must be careful when we tell the lost to, “accept Christ.” The problem is they might do it! The problem is they may accept Christ the way you accept me or I accept you – as no more than a person. A non-Christian who came to Christ in one of our outreaches said to me, “Years ago I accepted Christ. I felt he was the person He said He was and if I lived as good as He lived, I would go to heaven. I never knew eternal life is free and I had to trust Christ alone to save me.” To that testimony, I could add countless more.

“Wait a minute,” you might say, “doesn’t the Bible tell us to “accept Christ?” Yes – in one verse. Let’s look at that verse carefully.

John 1:12 tells us, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” “Received” would have the idea “accept”. How though do you “accept Him”? The last part of the verse explains, “To those who believe in His name.” You accept Christ by believing, i.e. trusting Christ alone as your only way to heaven.

When John talked about “accepting or receiving Christ,” be made it clear to accept Christ means to trust in Christ alone as your only way to heaven.

Conclusion? Ask people to do what the Gospel of John ask lost people to do – believe – that means trust in Christ alone to save them. If you use the phrase “accept Christ,” be sure to explain it the way the Gospel of John does.

Remember – terminology matters. Nowhere does it matter more than explaining to people how to receive the gift of eternal life.

The Role of the God in Evangelism

John 4 reveals that three people are involved in evangelism… the non-believer, the believer, and God. Let’s look at the second of these roles – God:

God – He is the One who goes before you with you and after you in evangelism.

The Scriptures describe Him this way:

Draws us to Himself – John 6:44
“No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him”

Giver of new life – 1 Corinthians 3:6
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase”

Sender of disciples – Matthew 28:18-19
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”

Desires all to be saved – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Diligent to convict – John 16:8
“And when he comes He will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment.”

Evangelism works because God is intimately involved convicting, pursuing, sending, drawing, and giving. He is the One who has the compassion and is moved to action on behalf of His creation.

Sharing the Gospel with Children

Each generation of people has a two-fold responsibility. One is to reach its own generation. The second is to prepare the next generation to reach their peers. In so doing, not only does each person leave a legacy behind them, but their lives count for something eternal.

What happens if we don’t? Studies show that as few as 4% of children born after 1984 are trusting Christ as their Savior. We risk an entire generation missing out on the goodness of God’s grace.

That is one reason we are committed to reaching children. If we reach them for Christ, they in turn will reach their children. But in reaching and training the next generation, a clear gospel must be at the center of that training.

Let’s equip the next generation. Years after we enter His presence, the impact of our lives will continue on earth. That impact will surround one thing – the clear message of the gospel of grace.

R. Larry Moyer

Be Clear When Presenting the Gospel with Children

How many adults grow up doubting their salvation because of an unclear gospel presentation as a child? Only the Lord knows for sure, but if you spend any time walking closely alongside other Christians you will run into many who say “I know I had some kind of spiritual experience when I was a child, but I’m not quite sure what happened.”

Doubt about salvation can stunt spiritual growth and often prevents a person from getting involved in evangelism. After all, how can you lead a person to Christ when you are unsure of your own eternity?

That’s why it is critical that we make the gospel clear when leading children to Christ. We do not need to demand or coerce, - but should simply explain the gospel in a way that a child knows exactly what he must do to have eternal life with God.

When sharing the gospel with children remember to:

Pray: The Holy Spirit will guide you in a one-on-one conversation with the child.

Make the gospel clear: Explain that Christ took the punishment for our sins by dying on the cross and on the third day He rose from the dead. Then explain that we can only be saved by trusting in Christ alone.

Ask the child questions to discern his understanding: “Why did Jesus die on the cross?” “Why do we need a savior?”

Assure a new believer of his eternal security using Scripture: John 5:24 says that whoever hears and believes has eternal life!

Let’s leave a legacy. Let’s make an impact on future generations by sharing the gospel with children clearly and simply.

Sharing the Gospel in a Group Setting

Several years ago a mission’s team organized a weeklong backyard Bible club for kids. At the end of the week, the kids were gathered together to hear the final version of John 3:16. The group presentation was evangelistic and included all the essential elements of the gospel. At the end of the lesson the teacher asked the children, “If you would like to trust Christ right now, just raise your hand.” Some of the children raised their hand immediately while others did after looking around. In the end, every child in attendance raised their hand in response to the invitation.

How many of those decisions were genuine? How could we possibly know?

Here are some key things to keep in mind whenever sharing the gospel message in a group setting:

Keep the presentation simple, clear and biblically accurate to avoid confusion.

Never let a physical action (raising a hand, standing up, praying a prayer, walking an aisle) be confused as part of salvation for the child. Coming forward to talk to an adult is appropriate but make it clear to the child that it is a way to find out more – it is not how he is saved.

Do not lead the children in a group prayer of salvation. This may lead some to believe that the prayer has the power to save.

Give the children specific directions on who can help them if they want to learn more. Also, tell them specifically when they can talk to that person and where to find him/her.

If you are a designated counselor to receive kids who respond to a presentation, remember to first establish why a child is coming to talk to you. Your first question is: “Why did you come to talk to me?”

Present the gospel to children on a regular basis. Do it often – individually and in groups. Remember: group presentations should always be followed up with one-on-one interactions with children who respond.

My Child is Unsure of His Salvation. How Can I Help Him?

Many children question their salvation because they doubt the validity of an “experience” they had when they were younger. It may have been walking down an aisle, talking to a counselor, or some other action. As the child grows, he looks back and begins to wonder if he understood what he was doing or whether he was sincere.

When he goes to his parents for help, they may compound the problem by reminding him of what he did and even assuring him that he was sincere. The problem is that what seems clear in their minds is still not clear in his. Children should not base their assurance on their parents’ memory.

To help children, parents would be wise to guide their child in finding biblical answers to two questions. The first is, “Do you now understand the gospel?” Discuss with the child whether he now understands that Christ took the punishment for his sins, died on the cross, and arose from the grave.

The second question is, “Right now, are you depending on Christ alone to get you into heaven?” Jesus says, “He that believes in me has everlasting life” (John 6:47). God is not concerned about the date that happened. If anyone is depending on Christ as his only way to heaven, he is a child of God regardless of the date that eternal transaction took place. A child’s trust should be in Christ alone, not in a date or action from their past.

Children: Lead Them to Christ and Learn From Them

Think about it! There is not one paragraph in the Bible on how to evangelize children! One reason may be that the message is so simple anyone can understand it; therefore, it should be presented just as simply and clearly to children. The age of the unbeliever does not change the message or its simplicity. All it means is that we take the simple message and express it in ways their age allows them to understand.

It is interesting, though, that Christ did encourage us to reach children. Christ even rebuked His own disciples when they turned children away. Luke 18:15-17 tells us, “Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’”

Two things stand out in that passage. The first is if children could not come to Christ, He would not have invited them. Jesus Christ was always a person who said what He meant and meant what He said. The fact is the gospel message is so simple even a child can understand it.

Secondly, children coming to Christ illustrate the way all of us must come. Note Christ’s words: “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child.” A child does not come to Christ bragging about his good life, church attendance, or religious efforts. You never hear a child say:

“I have done a lot of things right in my time.”

“I am not half as bad as a lot of people I know.”

“I have not missed an Easter Sunday in nine years.”

Recognizing they are sinners, children are simply and humbly willing to trust Christ alone to save them. So on behalf of Christ, encourage children to come. As they do, watch them closely. They illustrate the way all of us must come.

How Do I Model Evangelism to my Children?

Ask any Christian parent if they want their children to be concerned about lost people, and most will answer, “Yes!” To encourage our children to grow in this area, what can we do as parents to influence them? How do we model evangelism to our children?

As a family, ask “How often do we pray for the salvation of a particular lost person?” Few things impact a child more than when the consistent prayers on behalf of others are answered. If you want your children to talk to the lost about God, as a family you need to talk to God about the lost; an unbelieving neighbor, a relative or even one of their own non-Christian classmates. As God answers those prayers, the impact is beyond measure.

We can also invite those we are praying for into our homes; share a meal together, or perhaps an evening around the table playing games. By having non-Christian’s in frequently, and you announce you are having guests, you are providing an opportunity for our kids to ask an important question, “Are they a believer or a non-believer?” By having non-Christians into our homes, we are increasing the likelihood they are going to be on our children’s hearts.

You can also do business with non-Christians. Select a hairdresser who is lost, a mechanic who doesn’t know the Lord or a plumber who needs Christ. Let your children know why – so there might be opportunity for the gospel. Let them see you be a “friend of sinners”.

Look at your family devotions and choose an evangelism topic. One family Bible study topic could be, “How does God feel about lost people?” Memorize verses together such as Matthew 4:19, “Then he said to them, ‘Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men’.”

Another way to train in evangelism is to role play. Think about questions non-Christians might have and teach your children how they can respond. Most importantly teach them a method of sharing the gospel, something easy for them to recall. Remember, they are just like you – scared.

Now let them watch you in action as you witness to a lost neighbor, hand a tract to a department store employee, choose a non-Christian mechanic with the view of leading them to Christ, or turn the conversation to spiritual things as you visit with the home repairman. If the conversation about the lost does not result in conversation with the lost, few things will happen.

Implement these ideas and watch what occurs. You will know you have impacted your child forever whenever she runs into the house one day and says, “Mom, guess what I saw dad do at the store? He spoke to this man about Christ and he was really interested in what dad was telling him about Jesus. They are going to have coffee tomorrow.”

What is Saving Faith?

It has two elements. The first is knowledge. It is self-evident that to believe in a person, you must know about the person. The fact that saving faith includes knowledge is not only evident from common sense. It is also plainly taught in Scripture. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (John 4:10). Similarly, Jesus told a crowd in Jerusalem, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life” (John 5:24). Other writers of the New Testament also told individuals’ hearing before they believed (Acts 18:8; Eph. 1:13). Saving faith is not without content or substance. Before one can believe in Him, one must know about Him.

The second element of saving faith is appropriation. Passages such as the ones studied earlier show that personal response is demanded. That response in essence is, “Believing that you have the gift of eternal life and You alone are able to give it , I willingly take what You have to offer.” To convey this idea in introducing others to Christ, many use the word “trust.” Not only is this consistent with what is meant by the Greek word translated “believe,” it also readily identifies in a lost person’s mind what God is asking him to do. Having heard the Good News of Christ’s substitutionary death and His resurrection, the sinner is asked by God to trust Christ as his only means of salvation. When people trust Christ for salvation, they are relying on Christ’s sacrificial work as their only means of right standing with God. It is then that the benefits of Christ’s death are applied to sinners they are saved by the grace of God. Some people “believe” in our English sense of the word. The mentally assent to the fact that Christ died and arose, while depending on their good works to save them. “Believe” in the biblical sense of the word means that if one mentally assents to the fact that Christ died for his or her sins and arose, they trust in Christ alone to save them.

A person is saved when he or she understands the ability Christ has to save and acts on that knowledge by trusting Christ. That is saving faith. One is not saved by simply understanding that Christ died and arose or even mentally assenting to that being a fact of history while depending on one’s good life for salvation. One is saved when as a sinner deserving of hell, on has trusted Christ alone for salvation.