How do I know if my child is ready to become a Christian?

  • Listen to their questions.

  • Look for brokenness over their sin. Not just sin in the world, but feeling sorry for their personal sin that hurts others and hurts the Lord.

  • Have your child answer questions in their own words.

  • Trust the Lord to guide you. We cannot fully know the heart of a child, but we can look for fruit/evidence of the Holy Spirit working in their heart.

Can you help me with leading my child to the Lord?

  • Yes, here are 2 great methods for sharing the gospel with your children. We use both of these in the Children’s Ministry. Both are rooted in scripture and lead to great discussion.  

  

 

What Bible should my child use?

  • We recommend the CSB version (Christian Standard Bible) because of its readability and consistency with the curriculum we use in Children’s Ministry. Also, CSB is the version Pastor Mark preaches from in Worship Gatherings.

  • Look at options on Amazon or Lifeway.com. Kids Bibles can have a fun cover, and age-appropriate study helps, too. It can be fun to include your child in making a selection.


Questions about Baptism

What is baptism?

  • Baptism is an outward symbol of an inner change.  

  • Baptism is literally when a person is submerged under water after becoming a Christian and placing their faith in Jesus.

  • Romans 6:4 teaches that as you are submerged in the waters of baptism, it symbolizes the death and burial of Christ. When you come out of the water, it symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and that you have been raised to new life in Christ.

Who can get baptized?

  • Every person who has repented and believed in Jesus for their salvation (Acts 2:41).

  • There is no certain age requirement, but we always want to ensure a child understands and can explain their faith in their own words.

So, why do we need to get baptized?

  • Jesus commanded it (Matthew 28:19)

  • Jesus modeled it (Matthew 3:13-17 & Mark 1:9)

  • The early church practiced it (Acts 8:26-38 & Acts 10:47-48)

How is baptism connected to church membership?

  • When a new believer is baptized, they become a church member at that time.

  • To join as a new member of The Glade Church, a person must be a Christian and share about his conversion and baptism experience.

  • The church exists to make disciples. Jesus commands us to go, baptize, teach the Word of God, and then equip them to do the same for others. (Matt 28:19-20)


What’s Next?

  • Pray for discernment. (James 1:5)

  • Ask your child what’s on their mind. Ask them directly about what they know about having a relationship with Jesus and see what questions they have.

  • Share the gospel with your child. You can do it!!  Reference the gospel resources (above) before you chat, but you can share the good news about Jesus with your child

  • Contact a church leader - we’re here to support you!

  • Consider attending an upcoming “Exploring Christianity” class with your child

 

 


For additional questions contact our Glade Kids ministry team kids@thegladechurch.org