Witnessing to a child

[Madeline]

I was at a picnic today and some of my church friends invited their friends who weren't Christians, and I had noticed a young boy (couldn't have been more than 9 or 10) who was cussing like those were the only words in his vocabulary and spitting on his sister whilst laughing. I tried to witness to him, but as I began to describe "hell" as a place where the wicked are punished, he got upset and scared and went his way. Don't get me wrong...I first told Him about how God loves him and sent His Son into this world to die for us, but as I began to describe the consequences of sin - he hated it. What did I do wrong? Any of you witnessing warriors have any advice?

Love,
Madeline

[kevinmiller]

"Hey little boy, are you a good person? Kept the ten commandments? Have you ever taken God's name in vain?" :wink

[IM4given]

Children learn what they live.

I would never witness to a child and tell them that their behavior will send them to hell. That child does not know what sin is, he only knows what he has been taught by his parents. I would witness to the PARENTS, and then once they are saved they will change their child-rearing habits (or lack thereof).

No one, adult or child, wants to hear that their behavior is going to send them to hell.

[kevinmiller]

It is a fact of life though. The best way to go about it is to get them to admit they are going to Hell like WOTM does instead of telling them they are. Don't tell them they're a sinner, let them tell you.

[IM4given]

Who is WOTM? :huh:

[Anon]

Just make sure if you are talking to a child you tell them the WHOLE story...nothing worse than only getting the "hell" part out and having a parent come and yell at you for it.

Sometimes you still can't avoid it, but you can do all you can to try.

[kevinmiller]

Who is WOTM?

Way of the Master. http://www.wayofthemaster.com/

[HappyChristian]

Behavior isn't what sends us to Hell, sin is. Sin causes behavior problems, but so do a lot of other things. When talking with children, they need to understand what sin is (just as adults do - in this day and age, when people are told to live as they feel like, and that there is no God, even adults don't understand what sin is).

A great tool for witnessing to children is using the wordless book. It begins as you did, talking about heaven and what is there...and then goes into what is not: sin. CEF makes wordless books you can get. BEKA also publishes a salvation series that uses pictures that go along with the same idea. You can buy the flashcards full size, which can be cumbersome, or you can buy index size flash cards - I've never yet met a kid who can resist looking at those!

Parents do need to be saved, but children can be saved before their parents are. We have many families in our church who were reached by reaching the children first. My own parents were saved, but we didn't go to church until I, as a 10 year old child, began riding the bus.

Madeline, you probably didn't do anything wrong. Children are many times just like adults...we don't want to hear things that make us feel guilty or wrong!!! You planted a seed in that child, and the Holy Spirit can see that it is watered and come to fruition. The Word of God does not go out void!!!

[lettheredeemedsayso]

the wordless book is the good tool to witness to a child.


http://berean.org/bibleteacher/wb.html

[Psalms18_28]

Children love stories. Tell the child that you have a true adventurous, love story to tell. Then tell him about the life of Christ. That would plant the seed in his heart.

If he ask what sins is, don't point out his sins, it make him get all defensive and all. Just simply tell him what sin means, and bring out the verse that all men are born a sinner that way he doesn't feel like he is only bad person in the group when we all are sinners. It is up to him to realize he is a sinner.

if he ask what hell is, tell him but do it in a way that isn't pointing directly at him that he is going to hell. Give him hope. Just say hell is where people who have reject Christ as their savior go. don't say " hell is where *YOU* go." Always avoid the word "you" because it make him feel that you are attacking him and not all sinners. Children are very sensitive so that's why you have to avoid "You" when speaking about negative behavior. Instead, speak about the behavior in general because it has nothing to do with him. If it was another boy, the behavior is just as bad. It is the behavior that's the problem, not him ("love the sinner and not the sins")

This worked with my son.

[Psalms18_28]

http://www.kids4truth.com is a good site for kids to go.

http://kids4truth.com/store/Tracts-C7.aspx have some tracts for kids