Uncle Harold & Willy - C.O.M.E. - Children's Evangelist

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A FEW THOUGHTS ON COUNSELING CHILDREN

by "UNCLE HAROLD"

Many children today do not have a clue who Jesus is at all. As a result we need to be very sensitive in the matter of what we call "THE SINNERS PRAYER." Traditionally Counselors lead children in a "follow me" type prayer in which a child is asked to repeat the words of the counselor in praying for salvation. It is very easy to get children to do this but the difficulty arises that it is possible for children to remain unconverted due to the fact that they have no understanding of sin, Christ, repentance, salvation, and faith (even the Bible). The reason I mention this is because after 20 years of Children's Ministry I have seen many confused children who do not know that the Bible is a book. Many may not realize they are lost. One boy did not know that Christ is a person even though he had been told to have Christ for salvation, his concern was "what is a Christ?" I could go on. Often children today are great believers in magic. They often associate salvation as a magical thing, that is if they pray the "magic" words of the sinners prayer as repeated after a counselor that they are automatically saved. It is of course the desire of all of us to see children come to Christ. This is good, but we cannot force them into a premature "decision" if the child has no clear understanding of himself and of The Lord Jesus. The only way I know to bring people to Faith in Christ is through Bible Teaching. Such teaching takes time. Faith comes by hearing God's Word. Whenever I witness to children I share God's Word with them heartily; but I always tell them this...

"There is one thing I cannot do for you!"

Children always wonder... "What is it?" . . . The answer is...

"I cannot believe in Christ for you... I cannot make you become a Christian.. .1 can only lead you so far... I can only point you to Him... you must make your own decision based on Scripture."

This method does not produce thousands of "converts" but at least those who are converted are more likely to be really converted. Children's work is a "sowing work". Sowing takes time. Often at camps there are many children who are hearing the Gospel for the first time. The seeds of God's Word are being planted in little hearts. Often this is the beginning of a process that will lead to a definite point of conversion, based on a clear understanding of what they are doing. Nowhere in the New Testament do we find the Lord Jesus or any of the Apostles leading people in a "follow-me type recitation of the sinners prayer" for salvation. Always in the New Testament we see the Gospel preached and people encouraged to put their Faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. This I believe is extremely important for your counselors to fully understand in order to be correctly used of God in soul-winning. Perhaps you may wish to copy this page and give it to your counselors. Yes by all means witness to the children, and stress the importance of Faith in Christ for salvation but do be very very careful not to stage an event which is not real. You can get kids to do anything... they are quite willing to do whatever a counselor (or other adult) suggests. This is natural that children follow the leader. The important thing is that the leader leads them rightly. Children need to have a true salvation based in a real Faith in only the Lord Jesus Christ based on Scripture, as opposed to a false faith in a "magic" prayer recited.




INFORMATION ON POSTERS AND INVITATIONS

Colourful posters can be made up by either artistic folks in the local church or by the children in your Sunday School or Clubs. (In order to motivate children to create posters, have a "POSTER CONTEST" offering small prizes as an incentive, plus explaining to the youngsters that their poster will be publicly posted in the school, or mall, or post office, or local stores and business windows in town, etc.)

Make sure that those who make up posters have the correct information as to location of Meetings, the dates, and correct times as well.

The above information can apply to INVITATIONS as well. (photocopy)

Download a PDF printable poster now!

Place posters in store windows, etc., two weeks before the program.

* Hand out invitations in Sunday School, clubs, door-to-door, schools during the week before the program.

1. How to Approach Schools for Distribution Permission...

  1. Talk to Christian teachers in the system first, and always work ultimately through the Principal.
  2. Refer to the Adventure Week as a "Community Event Program". Do NOT use the word "Crusade" or "Evangelist (ism)" The Children's speaker is a Ventriloquist and a Puppeteer.
  3. Be prayerful, gracious and sensitive in your approach. Courtesy costs nothing.
  4. Ask for permission to have the invitations distributed to interested children.
  5. Stress that the program is FREE to all interested children.
  6. Let the Principal see and read an invitation for him/herself.
  7. If the subject of religion is brought up by the Principal, stress that the program is open to children regardless of religion.
  8. Respect the Principal's decision.
2. Three Ways Invitations can be Distributed in Schools...
  1. Through the teacher in the classroom - (First Choice)
  2. Invitations can be left with the Principal who makes a general announcement for interested children to pick one up at the office. - (Second Choice)
  3. Through distribution on the street outside school property (Third Choice)
3. Approaching Businesses and Stores for Poster Placement...
  1. Be neat, polite and courteous when approaching businessmen/women.
  2. Enquire as to whether you may post the poster in the store bulletin board, window, check-out, door (whatever)
  3. Show the proprietor the poster you wish to display and allow him/her time to read it through carefully.
  4. Answer all questions graciously, respect his/her decision whether accepted or denied and be sure to say "thank you" in either case.
  5. Follow the owner's instructions for display exactly.
  6. Make it clear that this is a COMMUNITY EVENT of interest to community children, and that by displaying the poster the store is contributing to the community.





INFORMATION ON FINANCES AND OTHER MATTERS

THE OFFICIAL FINANCIAL POLICY

This Ministry is completely underwritten, sustained, and provisioned by the LORD JESUS CHRIST through ways and means known only to Him. This is a Faith in Christ Ministry. At the invitation of Camps and Churches we go forth in Christian Ministry to Children, trusting in THE LORD JESUS CHRIST to provide for all our needs. These include gasoline, vehicle maintenance, food, clothing, house payments, heat, water, electricity (all household utilities) as well as the many other small expenses necessary to raising a family and for the work of this ministry. Our dependence upon The LORD JESUS for everything is based upon the following BIBLE Scriptures that we ask you to look up and read. These are...

St. Matthew Chapter 20 verses 1 to 7
1 Corinthians Chapter 9 verses 13 to 14
Philippians Chapter 4 verse 19
2 Corinthians Chapter 9 verse 8
Now what part can you as a Church or a Camp play in this work? Quite simply you can be the means God uses to provide for some of our needs in this Ministry.

Consider this...

EVERY MAN ACCORDING AS HE PURPOSETH IN HIS HEART, SO LET HIM GIVE; NOT GRUDGINGLY, OR OF NECESSITY: FOR GOD LOVETH A CHEERFUL GIVER (2 Corinthians 9:7)

CHURCHES Avoid a strain on your budget. Ask for folks to voluntarily contribute towards the Children's Meetings expenses in a special fund-raising effort. Folks contributing to this fund would do so after first giving their regular tithes and offerings to the local Church. Allow GOD to guide you.

CAMPS Are encouraged to give what they can as The LORD has prospered them.

For both Churches and Camps we have three policy guidelines regarding collections as follows...

  1. Do not take up any collections in the actual Children's Meetings.
  2. Make all financial arrangements prior to our coming to Minister so that it can be given to us at the close of the Meetings.
  3. Give funds in two cheques. One designated Honourarium the other designated Travel.
Please do feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding these matters.





THE BOTTOM LINE STATEMENT

This Children's Ministry is a work of Faith and labour of Love. We are looking to The LORD JESUS CHRIST as the source of our Supply believing that He will move His own people to respond in Love, and to give to this Ministry as He enables them. The ongoing of this Ministry always depends entirely upon the free will offerings of God's people who believe in the work of this Children's Ministry.

"Uncle Harold"

Children's Evangelist
By the Grace of God through Faith in the LORD JESUS CHRIST
(Matthew 20:1-7)






THE DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

OF CHILDREN'S OUTREACH MISSION ENTERPRISE
  1. The unity of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in the Godhead.
  2. The sovereignty of God in creation, providence, revelation, redemption and final judgment.
  3. The divine inspiration and entire trustworthiness of Holy Scripture and its supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.
  4. The sinfulness and guilt of all men since the Fall, rendering them subject to God's wrath and condemnation.
  5. Redemption from the guilt, penalty and power of sin solely through the sacrificial death as our representative and substitute of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God.
  6. The bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and His ascension to the right hand of God the Father.
  7. The necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit to make the death of Christ effective to the Individual sinner, granting him repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
  8. The justification of the sinner by the grace of God through faith in Christ alone.
  9. The indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit in the believer.
  10. The one holy, universal Church that is the Body of Christ, and to which all true believers belong.
  11. The expectation of the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.







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