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Reaching Kids for Christ

by Tonja Taylor
10/27/2020 / Christian Living

As one who has spent many hours in public schools, churches, other nonprofits and more, I see kids that are, overall, surprisingly hungry for Christ. They want real. They want truth. They don't want phonies, even if the truth hurts.

They want Him!

And that is how it should be.

So, when we try to be "religious" without living the Truth--which, by the way, includes humbling ourselves and apologizing when we mess up (and we will mess up!)--kids can tell.

Since my daughter (now 23, married to her best friend of over 8 years, and with very strong Christian convictions) was very young and I was a single divorced mom with her for almost 7 years, I told her that--although she might not like it--I would always tell her the truth. It has paid off, in so many ways.

God is faithful! I made many mistakes, of course. But everything always came back to Him. And when I remarried, she and I worked through the healing process together, for there was much to forgive with various family members, and each other. God is faithful!

There are so many kids whose lives have been so much more scarred than mine or my daughter's. They need us to be transparent, but truthful, and adhering to the real Truth, which is only found in Christ and His Word. They may seem to be enticed with impurity, but that is only because their thirst for what is right is so often not satisfied with the proper atmosphere and applications of living to please the LORD.

“God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16) Giving is the ultimate way to show the love of Christ. Here are some ways you can give of yourself and show the love of Jesus to the world, and reach kids for Christ:

1. Be honest. Admit it when you miss it. Ask the LORD for wisdom, of course, and don't spill your guts and put the burden of your emotional mess on your child, or children you teach, but let them know that everything is not fine all the time--and that trusting in the LORD and His Word is the true solution!

2. Be interested in their lives. Encourage them. Tell them you are praying for them, and let them see and hear you praying for them and others. Once, I was teaching in a public school and we'd just returned from spring break. I asked the class what they did. Most had fun, and I let them take turns telling. But when I came to one precious fifth grader, she said, with a stony face, "My dad left." There was silence for a bit and then--even though I knew it was 'against the rules' in this public school, I went over to her, hugged her, and told her that her Father God loves her and will never leave her. Then I said a quick prayer over her, in front of the class. It didn't bother the kids; most of them looked happy and said, "Amen!"

3. Be firm but flexible.

4. Love and lead them.

5. Keep their secrets, unless there is a true danger to them or another by what they share. Then you should tell the child that you must share that information with another authority figure, for the best of all.

6. Do fun things with them.

7. Let them do work with you, including the work of the ministry.

8. If their parents won't take them to church, ask the parents if you can take them, and make sure there is another adult with you at all times with the child(ren). There are so many children who yearn to go to church!

9. Start a Bible club in local schools, or volunteer at schools. Ask the LORD to have the kids ask you questions, and then you can answer them as time allows, giving honor to the LORD.

10. If opportunity allows, share Christian reading and listening materials with them. Again, respect the authorities of the organization, but know that God has a wonderful way of opening doors for the good seeds you want to plant for Him.

11. Teach the kids spiritual songs. Even if they are not blatanly about God, the kids can sense His Spirit moving. When I taught core subjects at a small rural public school a few years ago, the LORD inspired me to give each of my students a small American flag and play a patriotic song (written by a Christian), and have the kids stand and wave the flags while they watched the video. It was very powerful; the Spirit of God moved into the room, and the kids and I were greatly touched! God gives us creative ways of reaching into hearts!

12. Talk often about God and church in your personaly life--which you have complete right to do!--although at this time I don't think a teacher technically has the right to invite a child to church without first getting it approved by the admiinistration.

13. Keep Scriptures and other Christian materials in your home, room, business, or office. This often helps kids ask questions.

14. Share the "Legal Rights of Students in Public School" that can be found on the internet. You may be surprised at the rights students have!

15. Create groups where you can teach the kids things. They espeically like music, stories, and arts and crafts. Once, I ordered several kits from an online source so that I could gather kids to create parachutes that would be attached to Christian materials to be dropped from an airplane into a Latino country, among guerilla soldiers. The kids loved it and the regional paper even did a write up about it! I also gathered kids from my Piano Lab class and provided an array for music for them to choose--from Christian to holiday to classics, and then when they learned enough, I took them to play and sing hymns and Christmas carols (which are often Christ-centered) at the local nursing home. The students, school officials, and the home residents and leaders loved it!

16. Ask the LORD to draw the children in other ways. He will!

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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