Christian Family: Winning Your Children To Christ

Jesus loves children.  He demonstrated this decisively when his disciples tried to “shoo away” parents bringing their small children to Jesus.  “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.  But Jesus said, Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.  And he laid his hands on them.” (Matthew 19:13-15).

Sometimes today, we, like the disciples, push children away as unimportant.  An evangelist reported on an evangelistic campaign in which seven and a half people accepted Christ.  Someone asked if the one-half was a child.  He replied, “No, it was an adult.  Half of his life is already gone.  The seven children had their whole lives ahead of them.”

Jesus used children as a symbol of greatness and as an example of what it takes to be a child of God.  “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-3).  The young child trusts easily and does not put on airs of self-importance.  He comes “just as he is” to trust the Lord completely.  Read the words and listen to this well-known children’s song.

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red, brown, yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world

Jesus died for all the children
All the children of the world
Red, brown, yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus died for all the children of the world.

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red, brown, yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world

Children have always been significant in the Bible.  In Psalm 127:3, “Children are an heritage of the Lord.”  Isaac, Samuel, and John the Baptist were all born in answer to the parents’ prayers.  Elijah raised the son of the widow of Zarephath from the dead.  (1 Kings 17:17-24).  Elisha raised the son of the Shunammite woman.  (2 Kings 4:18-37).  Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter and the son of the widow of Nain from the dead.  (Mark 5 and Luke 7).  Jesus healed the demon-possessed daughter of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28); cast out a deaf and dumb spirit from a boy (Mark 9:17-27); and healed the nobleman’s son.  (John 4:46-54).

As the Mom and Dad in your Christian family, please recognize the importance of your role in the eternal destiny of your children.  There is much more to your position as a parent than just providing food, clothes, shelter, and transportation for your child.  Paul wrote, “Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

Your child will understand many things, much earlier than you think.  Recognize and build up your child’s understanding from the time of infancy.  Benjamin S. Bloom, professor of education at the University of Chicago, said, “By the age of four, a child has formed half the intelligence he will have at maturity.” ^*

The largest and most receptive audience for the gospel is children aged four to fourteen.  In an article called “The 4-14 window”, the following statistic is given: “In the U.S., nearly 85% of conversions to Christ happen between the ages of 4 and 14.”  For parents, this means the most receptive audience for the gospel is in your own home.  The first candidates for soulwinning are your children, and no one is better equipped to reach them than you.  You need to live the life before them.  You also need to recognize that the ones most responsible for your child’s salvation are you, not the church, not Sunday School, and not the Christian school.  They are all essential in your child’s life, but the most critical link for salvation and a future godly life is you.

As you consistently teach your children about Christ and the Bible, be patient and understanding in your approach.  Don’t pressure them to make a decision.  They may merely go through the motions to please you.  It must be their decision, not yours.  After teaching children for some time, some will come to one of their parents and say, “I want to ask Jesus into my heart.”  For others, you may need to ask them the question.  Be careful to determine if they understand and then lead them in making that decision.

As you prepare to be a Christian family, be diligent in leading your children to a saving knowledge of faith in Jesus Christ.

• Paul Leetan, ThD. :Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times: Rockville, Maryland, , Assurance Publishers, 1979, p. 231