Education + Evangelism = Responsible faith development.

There is a certain amount of education that needs to happen regardless of a hearers age, but it seems that this is even more essential for kids. Let me explain.

When communicating salvation to adults, the emphasis seems to be more on persuasion. It’s crafting the message in such a way that combined with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, a person wants to give their life to Christ. Again, there is some education involved as the story and situation are created, but the crux of the opportunity is in the ask.

When communicating salvation to kids, it seems like there is more emphasis on education. Kids are eager to learn. They need to learn about how the world was created, how sin came into the world, how this created a problem, what God’s solution was and then how we can make things right. There is a lot of stuff a child needs to know. Like I said yesterday, the emphasis doesn’t need to be on persuasion. Why, because it’s really easy to persuade a child. They’re sponges for information and their very trusting and willing to be persuaded. In this case, we need to educate them on what salvation is and how the scriptures teach this and what it means for our lives. When a child understands this, then it’s very easy for them to take the next step and choose to follow Christ.

I can easily call for a decision at the end of a message or have an evangelist come in and tell kids that they can choose Christ and tons of them will. However, are we taking the time to build in a layer of understanding through education before persuading kids to make a decision.

Again, this goes back to my reason for wanting kids to attend a baptism class before being baptized. I can quickly persuade a child to receive Christ before jumping in the pool with them, or I could take an hour and build in a layer of understanding. When I do this, then kids get baptized within that foundation of understanding, something their new faith can sick to.

There are a lot of ideas swirling in my head and I’ll try to grab them and formulate coherent thoughts concerning them.

The other day Henry Zonio wrote a post discussing the idea of careless evangelism being equated to child abuse. Henry wasn’t saying this, just responding that idea.

Henry did reference Mark 9:42 about the heap of trouble we’ll be in or leading a child toward sin. I can’t quite get this verse to completely fit in this context. I don’t condone careless evangelism, having kids raise their hand and repeating a prayer to fulfill the greatest decision in life, but I can’t quite believe that this is the same as the action described in Mark 9:42. HOWEVER, as a rational human being and a Christ Follower with a brain, I can’t see careless evangelism as something that God’s crazy about. I imagine that it makes him sick, but that’s just my opinion.

Again, that’s one of the factors that bugs me about rushing baptism. We’re in a rush to make sure a child is a Christ Follower just so they can be baptized. I’ve prayed with several children minutes before getting in the water and it bugs me that they’re making the greatest decision in life because it’s something they’re supposed to do before they get baptized. If that’s the case, we’ve cheapened the thing that’s most precious in life. I came to faith as a four year old. Why? Because I didn’t want to go to Hell! For the next two weeks I prayed in tears that Jesus would come into my heart every day becasue I didn’t want to burn. What four year old wouldn’t? Sure, Hell is a reality for those who reject Christ but when getting out of Hell is our motivation for following of Christ, have we cheapened Christ’s one desire.

I follow Christ becasue it’s what I was created for. I follow Christ becasue it allows me to have community with God. I follow Christ becasue it brings fullness to my life. I follow Christ becasue he’s got a better plan for my life than I have for myself. Shouldn’t this be our motivation.

Perhaps we can begin to curb careless evangelism of children by starting with the proper motivation.