Decision for Christ

Welcome to this important step along your Child’s Faith Path!

It's time to celebrate your child's decision for Christ!

There is nothing more exciting for a parent than guiding a child to faith. If you are not sure if your child has made this decision yet,
please request the Prepare to Lead Your Child to Christ guide at The Faith@home Center or see the online resource by the same name.

Symbols and Celebrations

What an amazing step in your child's life! Be sure to celebrate and document it. Here are some suggestions to make this moment memorable for your child when it happens and for years to come:

  • After your child has made a decision for Christ, give your child a big hug and pray for your child out loud. This is a good way to pronounce a blessing over them.

  • Have your child share the good news of their salvation with loved ones. It is good for them to speak it out loud and cements the reality of their salvation in their mind.

  • Consider creating a physical keepsake of the day - a certificate or a handprint or a written statement; something tangible that can be seen in the future to remind your child of their decision.

  • Be sure to take a picture of your child with you giving them a big hug. They'll be smiling ear-to-ear and will one day want to look back on that moment in time. You could even write "I put my trust in Christ today!" or draw a cross to represent Jesus in washable marker on their arm and hold it up for the picture. It will be a reminder to them all day long of their decision.

  • Consider giving your child something to signify the decision he or she has made. This can be a cross, a new Bible, a Bible study, or a hand-written note in the front of a blank journal.

  • Help your child feel secure by providing a firm foundation. Make it memorable by celebrating your child’s spiritual birthday.

  • An annual “spiritual birthday party” can reinforce your child’s faith by reminding him or her that our salvation is firmly rooted in what Jesus Christ did for us. If you don’t know the actual date of their decision, you could celebrate using your child’s baptism anniversary or you might consider celebrating the day after your child’s physical birthday to highlight his or her “born again” day.

  • As children get older, they sometimes question their earlier faith decision. Make sure you record it on their My Spiritual Development Tree. Download a pdf copy here or pick one up in the Faith@home Center. When/If they are older and have a Bible of their own, they can fold it and tuck the tree inside their Bible cover so they can track their development for themselves and be reminded of their rich spiritual history.


reinforce

Take time to talk about what Christ did for your child and what happened when he or she decided to believe. Some specific suggestions include:

  • Help your child write a letter to God thanking Him for what Jesus did on the cross, for things that happened during the past year, etc. Then, write your own letter to the child encouraging his or her walk with God, mentioning how you’ve seen growth this year, etc. Put the letters in your child’s My Faith Box so they will have them as a treasured keepsake later.

  • Pray for your child, asking God to help them continue to grow a strong faith in the coming year.

  • Keep encouraging your child. Sometimes the enemy tries to discourage someone after they make a decision for Christ. 

Get Them Started

Knowing Jesus Christ will give your child a peace and hope that nothing else can give. Assure them that God will always be with them and they will go to heaven some day.

Help your child begin to walk with Jesus. Show them what a Christian life looks like. Teach your child how to pray and coach him or her on how to read the Bible. Take time to talk about what he or she is learning, allowing them to ask questions and talk through new areas of spiritual growth. Pray for the upcoming year in his or her journey. This will also give you great insight into where some extra help or attention is needed and how you can pray more specifically for your child.

Salvation is only the beginning of a wonderful journey with God. One day, they will make a public profession of faith and be baptized. Now that you have helped your child take this exciting first step, you have the opportunity and responsibility to continue to disciple him or her into a fully developing follower of Christ. There are some very important steps that a child of God must take to grow. With a little older child, you can encourage them to:

  1. Talk to God about everything…This is PRAYER (Philippians 4:6-7)
    You can pray out loud or silently. God wants you to talk to Him. Just remember P-R-A-Y.
    Praise. Praise God and thank Him for who He is."I will praise you, for you have heard me, and have become my salvation." Psalm 118:21
    Repent. Pray when you have sinned (done something wrong.) "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
    Ask for others. Pray for others who need help. Pray for family and friends who do not believe in Jesus. “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray.” James 5:13
    Your needs. Pray when you need help. Pray as you read the Bible and ask God to help you understand what He is teaching and telling you. “Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things in Your law (Bible).” Psalm 119:18

  2. Listen to God by reading the Bible...This is BIBLE STUDY (Hebrews 4:12)
    God wants you to learn who He is and how we are to act. God gave us the Bible as a guide for you to live by. A good place to start is the book of John, located in the New Testament. Ask God to help you understand the Bible and teach you about Him and how to live.
    "Your word I have hid in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

  3. Go to church…This is FELLOWSHIP (Hebrews 10:25)
    Spend time with others who know God personally. If your family has a church, go! If not, pray that God will lead your family to the right church for them.

  4. Help others to know God personally…This is DISCIPLE-MAKING (Matthew 28:19-20)
    Tell others about Jesus. You show you are a Christian by loving others and telling them about Jesus. Remember the verse John 3:16? Share it with others!
    "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
    To share Jesus with someone, just remember the ABC’s.

  5. Submit to God daily...This is OBEDIENCE (John 14:15)
    Let God daily direct your life. Pray each day for God to help you do what He wants you to do.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them 
in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt 28:18-20

How will you be intentional this next year?

  • Pray daily with and for my child.
  • Consistently spend time in God’s Word.
  • Schedule and have regular family times.
  • Schedule my child’s baptism and celebration.

going further resources

Take advantage of these resources as you commit yourself to guiding your child’s faith journey.

Your Child’s Next Step

As children get older, they become ready for additional steps along the Faith Path.

Thank you for becoming intentional about guiding your child’s faith journey!