Child Evangelism’s training course “Teaching Children Effectively 1” provides instruction on the methods for teaching the evangelistic lessons. We also need to include nutrition for the saved children in our clubs, and guide them toward becoming more fruitful.
At the same time, we always need to be cautious in assuming that the children from strong Christian families have already acquired a strong foundation. One year our CYIA camp had an afternoon of open-air evangelism. Our teams were assigned to parks, rec centers, and other places where children gather.
The team from our chapter was assigned to a small park. When we arrived, we found a group of teenagers in one area and two elementary-aged boys at the basketball hoop. Two boys in our group immediately went to talk with the younger boys; upon determining that they were very “churched” (Bible verses on their T-shirts were a good clue), they proceeded to join them in some 2-on-2 basketball games.
After they were done, I talked with the older boy (just getting ready to start 4th grade). I showed him the Wordless Book and asked him if he would like to see the way that our group tells children about Jesus. He was very interested and wanted to know more about our way. I gave him a Wordless Book and a tract.
We then did the full counseling session, just to make sure that he really had made his own personal decision to trust Jesus. He beamed!
As we went through it, I asked him if he had ever trusted Jesus for his salvation. He looked very puzzled and said he wasn’t sure. We then did the full counseling session, just to make sure that he really had made his own personal decision to trust Jesus. He beamed!
I don’t know if he was truly saved that day, but this experience reminded me that we should not make assumptions about the status of a personal relationship with Christ of even the “best” children we teach.
Judy Mooers
Quick Start, CYIA, TCE 1 Training Instructor
