Leading a child to Jesus is one of the highest privileges we have as believers. Not only does the child come to know the Lord, but they have their entire lives to serve Him.

However, some who profess their faith as children drift away as adults. Studies conducted by the Barna Group and USA Today indicate that the church dropout rate for young adults is now at 75%. 

While there are several reasons for this trend, I would like to offer three cautions when sharing the gospel with children. These three mistakes have contributed to the departure of many young adults who grew up in the church. 

Don’t steamroll them.

Evangelistic zeal is great, but not to the degree of forcing a child to decide. If we are not careful, the “decision” we lead a child to make may be simple compliance on their part to please us rather than an authentic conversion. 

To guard against this, it is important to “know your role.” Your job in evangelism is to share the gospel (presentation and invitation). It is not to pressure the child into a decision (manipulation). 

We need to allow for the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of a child. Jesus spoke of this work in John 16:8:   

And when he comes, he will convict the world

concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. 

Jesus did not say, “You will convict…,” but “He will convict…” Share the gospel with the child yet be patient to let the Holy Spirit work in the child’s heart.   

Don’t connect the evangelistic invitation to a physical action.

Many of us have heard or said the phrase, “If you would like to trust Christ, raise your hand,” “…walk the aisle,” “…pray this prayer,” etc. In doing so, we tie a physical action to receiving Christ.

This can be confusing for children. They may think that because they have walked an aisle, raised their hand, or prayed a prayer, they are a Christian. However, their faith is in what they did, not in what Christ has done for them.

Children who grow up in church and trust in anything other than Christ alone are likelier to drift away later in life. Their faith is rooted in a ritual rather than a relationship.

It is fine to ask children to raise their hands or come down front to learn more. This allows you to follow up with them one-on-one.

However, when you do, keep the main thing not only the main thing, but the only thing, trusting in Christ alone, just as Paul did with the Philippian jailer:

Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Acts 16:30-3 

Don’t stop sharing the gospel.

Once a child has indicated that they have trusted in Christ, do not stop communicating the gospel with them. I am not saying you must present the gospel every week, but you must consistently remind them of its truths. I say this for two reasons. 

First, it is good to be reminded of the core of our faith. This is why Christ established the Lord’s Supper. It represents the gospel, proclaims that He gave His body and blood on our behalf, and reminds us that our right standing before God is not based on what we have done but on what He has done for us.

Secondly, I know firsthand that follow-up gospel presentations after a profession of faith bear fruit. I made a profession when I was seven yet, after a few years, I forgot the details of what happened, struggled with assurance, and became disengaged. I attended church because my parents brought me, but my faith was not real to me. 

However, when I was fourteen, I went on a mission trip with the youth group. One of the older teens showed me the craft we would make with children: a book made of different-colored pages, each color representing a truth of the gospel. 

Little did she know that while she was explaining how to make the gospel book, God opened my eyes to His love and Christ’s sacrifice for my sins. I believe I either came to faith that day or received assurance of my salvation.   

The point is, keep sharing the gospel. Do not make it a one-and-done, hit-and-run after a child makes a profession. You never know how God may use it in the life of a child, even one who has said “yes” before.