One of the greatest rewards of spreading the Gospel is to lead young children to Jesus Christ. How can you make sure they fully understand the Gospel? Here is a great set of instructions shared by Connie H. that has been used successfully in leading children to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Besides your Bible, you’ll need a red heart, a white heart, and a cross that can be made of paper or other materials.

Ask the question, “If you were to die today and stand before God, and He asked why He should let you into His heaven, what would your answer be?” Their answer will tell you what they are trusting in. If their answer is anything other than what Jesus did for them, proceed with the Gospel message.

Ask them if they have ever sinned. If they do not know, ask if they ever do bad things like disobeying their parents. Explain that this is a sin.

I use Mark 7:20 and 21 to show that sin is in the heart of man and comes out in our behavior.

Mark 7:20: “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.”

Mark 7:21: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,”

I like to keep my cross and hearts at this location in my Bible because conviction must come before the conversion can take place. Place the black heart on them at this time. If you like, you can use a verse like:

Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Explain the wages of sin is death. I give a brief definition of death as being separation, and that they will be separated from God forever because God is holy and cannot look upon sin.

Then I explain that God so loved them that He found a way to punish their sin without having to punish them. I like to use their names at this time to make it personal, such as, “God so loved Jim that He found a way to punish Jim’s sin without having to punish Jim.”

Then go directly into explaining how Jesus came to earth in the form of man so He could take their sin and punishment upon Himself. Show them that Jesus was without sin by placing the white heart on the cross.

Show them:

2 Corinthians 5:21: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Then show them using the cross and hearts how God did it. God (who is not subject to time) took the sin of the world, from the fall of man to the end of the world, gathered it together, and placed it on Jesus. Take the white heart off of the cross and put the black one on it, showing that God imputed their sin to Jesus. Then explain that God poured out His wrath on Jesus. Jesus died and was buried in the tomb.

Ask them if their sin was on Jesus. Where is their sin at that point? (It is in the grave) Then Jesus went to hell. Where is their sin now? (in hell) then God raised Him from the dead, and He is now seated at the right hand of God. What happened to their sin? Sin cannot enter into God’s presence; He is holy and cannot look upon sin. He put their sin off (as far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us).

Now explain that God wants to give them Jesus’ righteousness as a free gift. (Hold up the white heart)

Since salvation is the gift of God, ask them if they would like to receive it right then. After all, a gift does not belong to you if you do not receive it. If they say yes, place the white heart on them or hand it to them and show your excitement for them. You have the authority and assurance of the Word of God that this is true, so convey it to them by showing your joy. Ask them what they do when someone gives them a gift. Obviously, the answer is, “You thank them.” Lead them in a prayer of thanksgiving to God for saving them. Tell them to spend the rest of their lives thanking Him for this unspeakable gift.